After my trip to the mall just the day before, I would’ve expected to come into work fresh and ready to pour over massive amounts of material. I would’ve thought that getting through an 8-hour day in the dark room wasn’t going to be so taxing. Even though those expectations never held up, my mood had dictated that nothing was too difficult, tedious, or time consuming.
But- oh, how awe-inspiringly wrong I was. Again.
“Tyler!” My loud call crashed through the open door of my office, and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly to block out the ceiling. “Tyler- did the food get here, yet?”
“Should be here any minute, Amelia. Since when did you resort to yelling at me? What if we had a customer?” No walls obstructed Tyler’s voice, and I lifted myself to sit properly in my chair to find him casting me a chiding look. “You do know we still get those, right? Occasionally, people will skip the phone call to just show up in person.”
“We haven’t had a walk-in in over a year, Tyler.” Grimacing at my own declaration, I ran my palms down my face and slumped over my desk. My forehead pressed against the keyboard, and a harsh throbbing shot out from my spine to engulf my ribs. “It hurts- I’m starving- I want to get a massage.”
“Hi, Starving- I’m Tyler.” I could feel Tyler casting me a dumb look as I jerked in a silent laugh, and I groaned when the abrupt action strained my muscles. “Do you want me to go over the photos, or are you just going to micromanage the project and suffer like you’ve been doing for weeks now?”
“I’ll micromanage and suffer, thanks. But you can help. I didn’t realize how many photos I took, but at least a god portion of them aren’t film. Once I finish this last batch, I’ll be able to relax… digital is so much easier. How’s Helen doing with the video?” Tyler’s heavy steps as he sauntered into my office reverberated up my desk, and I tilted my head to watch him drop into a chair opposite mine. His face portrayed just how much this job for him was getting sour, and I knew it had been expedited by the Shepard wedding. At this point, he was just waiting for a good enough job to open somewhere else, and he had to skills the wait for a proper position.
“She’s getting there. I haven’t checked on her in a while, but I’m sure she’s fine. I’ve actually been finishing this thing for my portfolio, so I’ve been pretty busy, too. I’m putting in an application for graphics artist at Portal Entertainment.” Lifting my head as my brows shot up in surprise, I smiled broadly as Tyler tinged pink in his cheeks, and he twiddled his thumbs with a slight half-shrug. “I just figured I should… the worst they can do is say ‘no’.”
“That’s awesome! Maybe we can watch it while we’re eating?” Perking up at me, he downright grinned as his eyes lit up, and he leaned over the edge of his seat. Excitement swirled in my chest, and my smile widened when he nodded vigorously.
“Yeah- please. I would be really grateful, Amelia. It’s just a short, but I’ve been working on it for almost 8 months now. I haven’t even watched it yet.” Nodding, my smile didn’t dull as Tyler stood up with a flourish, and I couldn’t deny that it was nice to see him so excited for once. Working a field he didn’t enjoy, even if it helped him in the long run, had slowly drained his soul. But he was working up. “Great. Okay- I’m going to go set up the projector. The food should be here in a few minutes.”
Rushing out of my office, my box boy stood tall, his strides firm, and I propped my chin in my palm with a soft sigh. Tyler had worked hard- incredibly hard- to stay current the past two years since his graduation on top of working for me. He constantly impressed, and I made a mental note to call Portal Entertainment to put in a good word for him.
My thoughts turned to yesterday in the ensuing, peaceful silence, and my gaze flickered to my darkened computer screen to stare dazedly into the abyss.
Teddy Stuffington wasn’t even close to being a destination spot for royalty, and I wouldn’t have insisted on going in if it wasn’t completely dead. There had only been one child and his mother there, and they were already at the register when we’d stopped. Red flashed behind my eyelids when I blinked, and heat crept up my neck at the memory of Erich holding that little, red, cheapo fabric dress up. Even though he’d clearly been enamored with the idea that little kids could manufacture their own, personalized teddy bear, he still managed to flirt fairly heavily.
Which was nice, in some respects.
“It’s not like he’s going to stay.” Mumbling to myself, my rationalization bounced around my office to sizzle into quiet, and I cocked my head to stare at my reflection. Erich wanted to make the most of America because he’d probably never get the opportunity to come back; that wasn’t as sad as it was damning. To be confined within borders because he was born into the royal family must’ve been maddening. From the few words he’d spoken about his uncle, the King was very controlling and very worried about appearances.
Erich and I had parted ways once we’d navigated the throngs of people and found his friend, but not before making plans to go out again. Sunday honestly couldn’t come fast enough, and I’d resolved to make sure I brought a proper camera. I never went anywhere without one, whether it was a cheap, $60 device or one of my professional, $6,000 ones. He hadn’t formally commissioned me for a job, but that little detail didn’t really matter.
Taking pictures just because- without being connected to a job- was a nice change of pace.
“Amelia! Food’s here!” Tyler’s excited shout broke me from my thoughts, and I shook my head hard to clear my mind. His excitement rippled through the air, and my face tingled from the force of it as I slowly pushed myself from my chair. My back ached in protest, but I ignored the stiffness that shot down my legs to stretch my arms over my head with a groan.
“Okay- don’t get distracted by Erich, Ame. Tyler needs support…” I should start looking for a new box boy. The notion painted a grimace on my face, and I let my arms swing to my sides before stepping out from behind my desk. Banishing Erich from my mind for the time being, I sucked in a sharp breath through flared nostrils on my way to my filing cabinet. My stash of Advil rattled in its bottle to ring in my ears, but just the psychological relief was enough to dull the pain spreading through my muscles noticeably.
Dry swallowing two gel capsules on my way out of the office, I wandered through the main shop to glance around at the culmination of my life. Wedding photos I’d taken over the years hung on the walls, and display cases of wedding album designs and books lined the entire room but for doorways. The brightness that trickled in from the bay windows caused the room to glow gold with the sun of early evening, and my chest tightened as I took it all in.
Normally, my potential clients called first and set up an appointment to come in, and I’d learned little tricks over time to maximize their first impression. Even now, though, I could still conjure the crisp memory of when I’d first opened this shop. My college tuition reimbursement had helped a lot, but I still had to borrow money from my parents. I didn’t move out until just last year, and my step-father had been against it. He’d even been against my paying them back for their financial support.
He’d also been against my paying rent while I was growing my business.
Heading into a small anteroom off the main floor, I took in what could be described as a lounge with a light feeling threading through my veins. My studio only had three employees, but we all essentially lived here. Helen and I rented studio apartments about as big, and Tyler technically lived with his parents.
But the memory foam, twin mattresses that folded out from the three chairs told the real story, and I dropped onto my designated, light beige, leather seat with a weak grunt.
Helen shuffled in only seconds later, and Tyler fiddled with his laptop as my increasingly tired, spacy mind registered the delicious smell of wraps and pasta and coffee. My mouth watered, and only then did I realize I had sat down without grabbing my food first. Twisting in my seat, I peeked over the edge of the overstuffed chair to narrow my eyes on Helen.
“Get it you
rself, Ame. I’m exhausted from sitting hunched over a computer.” Speaking up without even glancing over at me, Helen’s voice dragged heavily, and I frowned deeply. My movements were sluggish in protest, but it took a mere second or two to hoist myself from my seat. “I’m not ready to go to this wedding tomorrow afternoon. I want to sleep.”
“I know, but we’re only three weeks from vacation. You can sleep then.” Shambling towards the table in the back of the room, my declaration only earned me a disgruntled huff, and I reached to rub my eyes harshly before grabbing my takeout box. Steam distorted the grilled Club wrap from the pasta that I’d ordered with it, and I popped the translucent top to get blasted in the face with the smell of butter and bacon.
“Yeah, right- cause I’m totally going to spend my thousands of dollars’ worth of Hawaii vacation sleeping… well… I might. Maybe.” Tyler cut off our conversation to exclaim that he was ready, and I snatched a fork from one of the bags to head back to my chair. Putting the topic on hold for now, I worked on focusing on the task at hand, and dull thrill shot through me as I folded my legs underneath me. The television his laptop was connected to flashed bright blue to black, and I twirled my fork between my fingers before realization hit me hard.
I forgot my coffee.
Chapter Eight Erich
Climbing out of the back seat of my rental car, I cast my gaze on the huge, imposing building and bit back a frown. Jason’s home was overly dramatic, just as he was, and it reminded me strangely of the palace in Kastav. Dread coating my veins thinly at the knowledge that I’d be spending the next two months living here, and I again wished that I hadn’t agreed to it thoughtlessly. The hotel I’d been housed in was stark and generic, but at least I wouldn’t have to deal with Kristy.
“I regret this so much.” Grumbling to myself as the driver popped open the boot at the back of the vehicle, I reached to rub my jaw and chin roughly. Jason, despite being newlywed and only just having gotten back from his honeymoon, insisted that I utilize his home. Why waste money- he asked. “I would gladly waste money if it kept me far from your wife.”
Licking my lips heavily, I heaved a sigh as I dragged my palm to squeeze the back of my neck. This was a disaster in the making, but I couldn’t back out now.
The polished, oak door, decorated with thick sheets of stained glass, flung open, and I forced a smile on my face when Jason stepped out. His dark shirt and jeans stood out against the white stone that covered the front of his house, and he took the wide, short steps easily to jog towards me. Expression glowing, practically oozing satisfaction and confidence, my cousin grinned broadly at me as he reached to pat my shoulder.
“Erich- right on time, as always. Wie war die Reise? Jeder Verkehr?“ Shaking my head, I nearly cringed at Jason’s slaughter of my language, and a wave of pleasure rolled off him thickly. “Good, good. Traffic here can be insane. I want you to have a good experience, but not that experience.”
My smile became more genuine at the authenticity in Jason’s tone, and he jerked his head towards his open front door with a gesture to follow. Wasting no time in opening my mouth, I glanced around the immaculately trimmed hedges and fresh, green grass that coated the front lawn.
“Your home is beautiful. How much did this cost?” Curiosity dribbled from my question, and Jason glanced back at me over his shoulder under furrowed brows.
“Uh- like… $2million after everything. I like it because it’s set farther from the road, so I’ve got some peace and quiet. You’d be surprised what people are willing to do to get a shot of me half dead from just waking up.” That pulled a chuckle from me, and I shook my head with a grunt of affirmation. Heading through the wide doorway, I gazed out into the vast expanse of a living room easily twice the size of my hotel room and shoved my hands into my jean pockets.
Kastav was modern, but America was just something else entirely; people here thought bigger, not better.
“So, what are you plans for the rest of your trip? I know you took to that photographer from the wedding… Emily, right?” Stiffening slightly, discomfort wiggled into my chest as Jason turned to me with curiosity swirling in his eyes. Clenching my jaw, I shook my head at his probing gaze before forcing myself to relax; he didn’t know much, so I couldn’t fault him. Not only had Kristen handled the wedding, but they were on honeymoon when I bumped into Amelia at the mall only a few days ago.
“Amelia- her name is Amelia. She agreed to document my trip. We’re supposed to meet on Sunday to discuss it.” My answer sounded vague to me, but Jason couldn’t tell I was fudging the truth. For someone that essentially lied for a living, he wasn’t all too good at spotting it happening right in front of him. “What about you, Jason? You are not involved in any movie productions right now.”
Changing the subject before my mind could run away from me, I followed my cousin through the thickly furnished living room and up a wide, curved staircase. Taking the first few steps, he grabbed the railing with one hand and raked his other through his hair absently.
“Not right now, no. Kristy isn’t, either. I’m not really planning on doing anything, to be honest. I’m kind burned out after the past year- working and the wedding and everything. Plus, I’d be a shitty cousin if I just left you alone in a foreign country, Erich.” The tease earned Jason a rough snort from me, and he shot me a slinky grin over his shoulder as we reached the top of the staircase. “I really am sorry about that. I didn’t think things would go that way with Washington, you know? I mean, it’s not exactly surprising, but it is pretty embarrassing. You may not be the Prince of England or something, but you’re still a prince.”
“It is not a big deal. I’m actually glad they canceled. I was able to see some of Washington, at least- and I did not have to sit through a boring, insufferable meeting. My meet with the governor… he treated me like a child because English is not my first language.” Grimacing sharply, I beat back the memories of that day that I’d rather forget, and Jason let out a harsh, condescending bark of laughter. Leading me down a hallway, he twisted to walk backwards at a leisurely, confident pace, and my frown only deepened at the scowl painting his face.
“Yeah, people can be assholes here. You’d think that because your alcohol brings in such high tax revenue, they’d be a little more considerate. At least your meeting with the President went well, though.” Only offering a nod, I clenched my hands into loose fists in my pockets as a dark blotch swept across my gut. That was just another memory that I didn’t want, but Jason didn’t notice as he whirled back around to open a door. “Anyway, this is your room. I’m gunna leave you to it. If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen. It’s on the other side of the stairs.”
“Okay.” For the first time, I noticed the driver of my rental car as he shuffled past me with my suitcases, and Jason headed back the way we came without another word. Stepping into the room, my legs tightened at the splendor that surrounded me, and I sucked in a sharp breath through flared nostrils. Déjà vu slammed into my chest, and the sensation of being in the castle again wrapped around my lungs.
The four-poster bed was draped in uncomfortably heavy looking blankets that shimmered from the sunlight pouring through sheer curtains. Cream colored carpet cushioned my footfall, and the smell of some sort of flower filled my nostrils when I managed a shallow breath.
It wasn’t so much the actual look of the room, but the feel of it- the atrociously pompous atmosphere- that sent me into a slight fit of claustrophobia.
“Das war ein Fehler... Such a mistake...“ Holding myself stiff even as my grumbling bounced around the huge room, I closed my eyes as the air stirred to my left. The door shut behind the nameless driver with a resounding click, and I took deep, steadying breaths.
Fishing my phone out of my back pocket, I didn’t have to scroll far through my text messages to find Amelia’s name. Her last text to me had been two nights ago, explaining that she was working a wedding in a place called Cheyenne, Wyoming, and wouldn’t be able to contact me until she
got back. Rolling my thumbs against the touch keyboard, I shuffled to sit on my borrowed bed before throwing inhibition to the wind.
Erich: How’d the wedding go?
Amelia saw my text immediately, and my heart pounded against its cage as the ellipsis blinked back at me. Her image blossomed in my mind’s eye, and I pursed my lisp tightly together to combat the rush that surged weakly through my veins.
Amelia: It was fine- hectic. How’s your day?
The message was simple, and the sense that ‘hectic’ was just run of the mill washed over my shoulders.
Erich: I’m getting settled. Jason is back from his honeymoon, so I took one of his guest rooms.
Amelia: Sounds boring. I don’t understand why celebrities need big, lavish houses…
My lips quirked in a smirk at that, and I typed a quick response of agreement. For a long moment, the conversation stalled, and the pads of my thumbs tingled slightly. Amelia’s story about her ex-boyfriend floated into the forefront of my mind, but it was chased away by her smile- her easy-going personality. The fact that she worked so hard was attractive, and I exhaled heavily through my nose as a dark, secret wish bubbled up from the shadows.
Maybe it was due to the fact that I couldn’t stay in this country for long, but my thumbs worked to type a message with the stiffness of faux confidence.
Erich: Are you doing anything today?
Once again, Amelia’s reply was quick, and I stared down at my phone through narrowed eyes as anticipation flooded my veins.
Amelia: I’m going to see my parents in a little bit. You can come, if you want- I bet you would get along with my step-dad. They’re having a cookout- it’ll be fun.
“Fun…” Time suspended as I weighed accepting over declining, and tension thrummed through the muscles in my shoulders. Of all the things I’d expected Amelia to say, this hadn’t even been close to making it on the list. It beats being here, experiencing nothing but boredom just as she suspected.
Princess for a Summer: An Amanda Clarke Novel Page 4