Gill and Maximillian.
She glanced around the room. They weren’t there, but Sophie was. She stood next to Liv, who held a tray containing breakfast.
Kat’s sense of smell hadn’t been affected by jetlag.
Sophie’s grin lit up both her face and the room. “I thought food would wake you better than an alarm clock.”
“Good morning?” Kat asked. “Or is it afternoon?”
“Morning and an early one at that.”
Sophie wore brown pants tucked into leather ankle boots, a coordinating turtleneck, and a multi-colored sweater that fell to mid-thigh. Clunky earrings dangled from her earlobes. Very different from the conservative clothing she’d worn yesterday.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t let you sleep longer,” she continued. “But we have a dress fitting to attend with my mother and the duchess.”
Nerves rattled. Kat remembered what Gill had said about picking battles with his mother. She wanted to get along with Queen Louise. The same way Sophie had gotten along with her nana and papa.
Liv moved the tabletop Christmas tree toward the far edge of the round table, and then she set the contents of the tray down. “You fell asleep so quickly you never made it under the covers.”
“Thanks for getting me the blanket,” Kat said.
“That wasn’t me.” Liv poured coffee into two cups. “I’ll make a note to check on you tonight.”
If Liv hadn’t covered Kat, that meant Gill had.
A chill shivered through her. The thought of falling asleep in front of him made her feel exposed, and the idea of him doing a thoughtful gesture went against everything she imagined the man to be.
Sophie carried the two cups of coffee toward the bed. “I had Liv ask the chef to make your favorite breakfast. I thought you could eat up here while you get dressed since we’re in a bit of a rush.”
Kat bit back a laugh. First, Sophie had never rushed anywhere when they were at camp. Being on time hadn’t been a priority. And second, bacon and eggs were Kat’s favorite breakfast, and though she noticed scrambled eggs on the plate, Sophie was the one who liked pancakes.
But Kat would play along, so her friend wouldn’t go hungry. Gill had better take care of ending the diet ASAP. “I hope the chef made extra because I’m hungry.”
“Looks like there’s enough for two.” Sophie sat on the edge of the bed.
“Will there be anything else, Princess Sophia?” Liv asked.
“No, thank you,” Sophie said. “Enjoy your day.”
Liv curtsied and left the room.
Kat laughed. “You’re not only crafty, but also sneaky.”
“Better than being hungry. And since I have the morning off, I needed to improvise from my usual routine.”
She sipped from her cup. The castle must order prime coffee beans. This was delicious.
Sophie stood. “Let’s eat.”
Kat sat across from her friend at the table, and they ate off the same plate. Something they’d done at camp over a decade ago. “Just like old times.”
“Except we’re more confident and beautiful than we were then, but I’m still shorter than you.”
“I won’t hold it against you.”
Sophie raised a forkful of pancake. Syrup dripped onto the plate. “Are you happy?”
“I’m with you. How could I not be happy?”
“I didn’t word that right. Are you happy at how things have worked out for you?” Sophie clarified.
“As in life so far?”
Sophie nodded.
Kat sipped her coffee. She needed a moment to think. “Yes, I am.”
“You had to think about it.”
“It’s a loaded question with many parts.”
“Break it down.”
She set her cup on the table. “The work part is the easiest to answer. I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was a kid, and now I am one, but the other stuff, particularly my grandparents, is harder to answer.”
“You miss your nana and papa.”
“I think about them every single day.” Kat picked up the spoon since Sophie was using the fork. “All I ever wanted was a family. I used to think how much better everything would be if my parents came back. After my grandparents were gone, I realized I had a family, a really great one.”
“You’ll have another family.”
“Someday.”
Kat sounded more confident than she felt, but she kept her daydreams about having a family to a minimum. No reason to set herself up for disappointment with wanting something she couldn’t have right now.
She scooped up a spoonful of eggs. “I’m thrilled to be here with you.”
“Me, too.” Sophie shimmied her shoulders. “I want you to have the best time.”
“I’m sure it will be.”
“Anything you can think of that will make it better?”
“Someone to kiss under the mistletoe,” Kat said jokingly.
Sophie’s mouth formed a perfect O. She jumped up from the table and nearly knocked over her coffee cup. “Mistletoe.”
“What about it?”
“I forgot to tell the new wedding planner about hanging mistletoe at the royal wedding ball. I must call Talia. Do you mind?”
Even in a panic, Sophie considered others. Kat motioned toward the door. “Go. I’ll get dressed while you do that.”
“Meet me downstairs when you’re ready. Claude is driving us to the appointment with the dressmaker.”
Coffee and pancakes forgotten, Sophie walked out of the bedroom at a brisk pace. But then again, mistletoe at a Christmas wedding, even a royal one, was important.
Though kissing under the mistletoe at the castle seemed unlikely to Kat. She knew three men at the castle—Claude, Jennings, and Gill.
An image of the prince’s handsome face appeared.
He had nice lips, but he scowled more than he smiled when she was around. They didn’t get along well enough to kiss. Even if she wanted to kiss him—which she didn’t—he would never want to kiss her.
Maybe Sophie could introduce Kat to someone at the wedding who might want to kiss under the mistletoe at the royal ball.
Was a kiss too much to hope for before the proverbial clock struck midnight and her fairy-tale vacation ended?
One kiss—a peck would do—to take back to reality, to her small, one-bedroom apartment and her job caring for animals.
A good life. One she loved.
Just a world away from this castle and Alistonia.
*
Sitting in the back of the idling limousine, Gill tapped his foot to the beat of the Christmas carol playing and hummed along to the tune. Most holidays seemed like a waste of time, but he loved everything about Christmas—from the decorations to the music to the food. Gifts were an added bonus because he preferred to give rather than to receive.
This year, Gill felt torn. He wanted his little sister’s wedding day to be perfect, but he didn’t want the Christmas festivities to be pushed aside due to the royal nuptials. The fact he hadn’t thought much about the holiday season suggested that might happen this year.
Unacceptable.
Christmas at the castle was full of traditions that dated back centuries. The staff deserved the usual celebration and presents, and in spite of his mother downplaying the holiday since his father’s death three years ago, so did she.
Come Christmas, Gill wanted to see only happy faces, not disappointed ones. He knew who would make that happen—his assistant Frederick.
Before the second ring, the line connected. “This is Frederick, sir. How may I help you?”
“We haven’t discussed Christmas.”
“Already on it, sir.”
Of course Frederick was. The man never disappointed. “Same as last year?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve finished purchasing the gifts for the staff as well as their stocking stuffers. I’m only missing the cash bonuses that go in the cards.” Frederick’s competent tone let Gill know everything was under contro
l.
“I will take care of the bonuses.” As well as Frederick’s gift. Gill wanted his assistant to be surprised along with everyone else. “Have the cards and envelopes addressed and ready to be filled before the wedding.”
“Yes, sir,” Frederick said. “Jennings is coordinating with the chef for the staff’s Christmas Eve dinner.”
“What about the guests staying at the castle?” One particular guest came to mind. Gill would have to give Kat a present. Excluding her would be rude, especially on Christmas morning.
“I have presents for each of the names on the list Jennings provided, and I purchased extra in case of unexpected guests.”
“Excellent.”
“The plans are in place for the Christmas Eve service at the chapel. The décor will consist of poinsettias and white candles along with the traditional nativity set.”
December twenty-fourth was the only time the small church, located on the castle grounds, was used. Sophie had wanted to get married there, but their mother’s response had been a resounding no. She’d used the reason of the wedding being on the twenty-third, not Christmas Eve, but both Gill and Sophie knew that was an excuse. The queen wanted the wedding to be a public spectacle, not an intimate family affair.
“Thank you.” Gill disconnected from the call.
A new song played. He checked his watch. Laughed.
A good thing he’d sent Claude inside to find Sophie or they’d be even later for her appointment.
Not unexpected.
He couldn’t remember when she’d ever been on time. She’d been born a week past her due date.
Poor Bertrand.
Gill had no doubt Sophie would be late for her wedding. Gill’s job, as one of the groomsman, would be to keep Bertrand from panicking when his bride didn’t arrive as expected. The only question was how late would she be?
Maybe they should place bets.
The passenger door opened. Sophie climbed in, and Kat followed. The two women sat on the back bench together. Both were bundled in thick coats, hats, and gloves.
Sophie blew him a kiss. “Good morning, dear brother.”
The circles under Kat’s eyes were lighter. He couldn’t tell if that was due to sleep or makeup, but her face had more color.
Claude got into the driver’s seat and drove toward the gate.
He looked at his sister. “You’re late.”
“It couldn’t be helped.” Sophie glanced at her cell phone and frowned. “I would have been on time, early even, except I forgot the mistletoe.”
An excuse if he ever heard one. “Mistletoe?”
“To hang at the wedding ball and dinner.” She flashed him a don’t-you-know-anything look—the kind younger sisters knew how to do instinctively from the age of two. “You can’t have a Christmas-themed event without it.”
“Call the wedding planner.” He’d forgotten the latest one’s name.
Working with his mother wasn’t easy, but he felt sorry for the women having to deal with both the queen and the Duchess of Darbyton. Their demands had led to a revolving door of wedding planners. Only one—the first—had been fired. The rest had quit. He hoped this new one lasted until Sophie’s wedding day.
“Talia is speaking with the florist today to make a mistletoe plan.”
Talia. That was the name he’d forgotten. “You need a mistletoe plan?”
“Mistletoe is important,” Kat said.
She would think so. “Funny how people think kissing under mistletoe is romantic when the plant is not only poisonous, but also deadly. Certain types can kill you.”
Sophie made another face at him. “No one will be ingesting the mistletoe.”
“Just kissing under it,” Kat agreed.
Nodding, Sophie touched her friend’s arm. “I’m going to find you the most scrumptious man to kiss at the wedding ball.”
Kat must have asked Sophie for help. He would put an end to it. “Sorry, but I pass.”
“I said scrumptious, not beastly,” Sophie teased.
The idea of Kat kissing a man—make that a royal—left a sour taste in Gill’s mouth. With the free-flowing champagne at the wedding ball, a kiss could easily turn into something more. Kat could be a seducer, but what if someone took advantage of her instead? This had disaster written all over it.
“Have anyone else in mind?” he asked.
“Not yet.” Sophie looked at Kat. “Any requirements?”
Kat shrugged. “Not really.”
Gill wasn’t buying it. “Come on.”
“It’s been so long since I’ve dated that I wouldn’t know where to start,” she said.
Sophie tsked. “You need to work fewer hours and get out more.”
“I did meet someone who fell for me fast,” Kat said.
Knew it. His confidence that he was correct about Kat soared. “Who?”
“A two-year-old Doberman Pincher named Felix,” she joked. “And because of that, I think I might have some requirements about who I’d like to kiss.”
Of course she did. Gill could imagine what they would be—royal title, wealthy, and a marriageable age.
“What?” Sophie asked.
Kat held up three fingers. “Human male, single, and over the age of eighteen.”
“Several wedding guests fit those criteria,” Sophie said.
Kat seemed to be setting the bar low. Gill wondered why. “Don’t you want to kiss a royal?”
“Any man will do,” Kat answered.
She sounded believable, but why kiss a commoner when royals would be available? He would play along for now. “So you’re not picky when it comes to men?”
“It’s one kiss with a stranger,” Kat replied. “For fun.”
“What part of holiday tradition don’t you understand, Your Serene Highness?” Sophie’s words came out sharply, as if each were punctuated with a period. If she was trying to hide her frustration, she wasn’t doing a good job. “Pickiness is not required, but my advice to Kat would be to stay away from men who would be king. They are far too much trouble.”
Gill wasn’t offended since he had no interest in kissing Kat under the mistletoe or anywhere else, but a woman could do much worse than a future king. “You’re assuming those men would want a mistletoe kiss.”
Sophie stuck out her tongue at him.
“Your brother has a point,” Kat said to his surprise. “Some royals won’t be interested in a commoner like me.”
Gill found himself nodding. “Exactly.”
“However, that didn’t seem to bother certain princes in Great Britain, Denmark, and Spain,” Kat added.
Her smile was half-smirk, half-smile.
Touché.
“You’ve done your research.” The fact she knew what princes had married commoners suggested she was on a hunt for a royal. Sophie should see that, too. “Scouting the field?”
“If you call clicking on a link on my Facebook newsfeed research, then yes, I have.” She looked at Sophie. “I wanted to see the dresses the royal wedding parties were wearing.”
Sophie rubbed her palms together. That was her I’m-excited gesture. “I can’t wait for you to see me in my gown.”
Kat sighed. “I know you’ll be stunning.”
Gill watched the two women. The mistletoe-kissing discussion must be over. A relief. Yet, an image of Kat raising her face for a kiss seemed to be etched on his brain. He wanted the picture gone.
“I hope so.” Sophie’s smile dimmed. “But I know the momzillas will be on me about losing more weight.”
Kat looked at Gill expectedly.
He’d told her he’d do something. And he had.
Not for her, if that was what she thought. He’d done it for his sister.
“Sophie and I are going to talk to the chef about her meals,” Gill explained. “I also made a call this morning. I hope you don’t mind, Sophie.”
His sister leaned forward until her seatbelt stopped her. “Who did you call?”
The anticipa
tion in her voice told him he’d made the right decision. Too bad Kat had been the catalyst for him taking action. He should have done this without prompting.
“Olga.” Sophie’s former nanny had been mortified to hear what the two mothers wanted. He had no doubt Olga would have Sophie off the wedding diet before the end of the dress fitting. But he needed backup to make sure that happened. “Promise you’ll both go along with whatever Olga says during the fitting.”
Sophie nodded.
So did Kat. Respect gleamed in her eyes. “Well played.”
Her compliment made him straighten. An unfamiliar sensation bubbled in his gut. Why should anything she say affect him?
He focused on the one person who mattered to him—Sophie. “Anything for my sister.”
And Gill would do anything. He looked at Kat. No matter who stood in the way.
Chapter Five
‡
During the drive to the village, Kat stared out the limousine window. The road curved through rolling foothills with the majestic Alps as the backdrop. Sigh-worthy scenery. The only thing missing was snow, but she was hopeful. Not a touch of blue could be seen in the gray sky. Maybe the snow would arrive earlier than the weather forecast predicted.
Sophie handed Kat her cell phone. “What do you think of these?”
A collage of sexy negligees was on the screen—the latest addition to Sophie’s trousseau board on Pinterest.
Kat glanced at Gill, who stared at his tablet. She wondered what he would think of the hot pink and dark purple lingerie. Prince Annoying would probably point out something wrong with each item—not short enough, wrong color, cheap fabric.
“Pretty.” No traditional white peignoir sets in the bunch. “But if you’re not vacationing in a warm place, you might need a robe to wear over the lace and chiffon.”
Sophie sighed. “Packing without knowing the honeymoon destination is impossible.”
Kat looked at the other pins on her board. The pictures ranged from beach wear to ski clothing. “I’m sure it is, but you’ve got ideas for every destination.”
Sophie nodded. “But I don’t want to take clothes I won’t need.”
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