by Ali Parker
“You almost had it,” I said, tugging at the front and twisting it until it was in the correct position. My hand brushed against her chin, and the touch of her sent an electric jolt through my body. Other than holding hands, I hadn’t touched Sophia in any intimate way. After this weekend, I doubted I would ever get the chance.
Stepping away to make sure that everything was okay with the hijab and her dress, I wondered what it would have been like to meet her in a pub, as our fake story suggested. Would she have come over to me, or would I have gone to her? Would she have made me laugh, and would we have hit it off right away? By her looks alone, I was sure I would have asked her on a real date. Maybe she would have told me she was in the country for a story. It was possible we could have had a one-night stand, and I would never see her again after that.
Before meeting Sophia, I would have stuck in my ways and not dated, but if I met someone and we had an expiration date, I wasn’t sure what I would do.
Even though sleeping with Sophia would probably be amazing, I’d much rather her stay with me at the palace so I could be with her as long as possible until she went back to the US.
“Earth to Luke,” Sophia said, waving her hand in front of my face. “I’m beginning to think there’s a blemish I missed.” One of her hands covered part of her face.
“No, sorry. There’s nothing wrong with your face. I was lost in my thoughts for a moment.”
She eyed me as if she didn’t quite believe me. I took her hand in mine and brought her into the hallway. “Are you ready for this?”
“Are you?” she asked.
“Hardly, but there’s no going back now.”
She squeezed my hand, and I offered her my arm as a formality as we walked down the hall toward the biggest test of our fake relationship.
The banquet was already in full swing when Sophia and I entered the room. It was customary for everyone to be announced as they arrived, and we were no exception.
All eyes turned to us when our names were called. I pulled Sophia closer to me, letting my hand rest on her waist. The fabric of the gown was nothing compared to the softness of her skin, but it would have to do for now.
I whisked her around the room, introducing her to everyone. I had no idea where Mother was, but everyone was welcoming to my “girlfriend.” If only Mother could be there to hear how much other people appreciated the fact that I had a girlfriend at all.
More than a few of our guests teased me that Sophia was way too pretty for me.
While that pleased her to no end, I was happy she was having as good of a time as I was. Without the one-on-one judgment from my family, I was able to relax and enjoy myself with Sophia by my side.
Several times throughout the night, it didn’t feel as if I was deceiving anyone. Sophia chatted with everyone, all the prestigious men and women of the royal line, along with the business owners that Father was close to. We didn’t disclose her occupation unless someone directly asked, but she kept it vague or moved on to another topic as quickly as we could. We worked together without having to say a word between us. We were on the same wavelength the entire time, which made it harder for me to keep thinking that we were faking it.
I wanted Sophia with me all the time. Did she feel the same way, or was she just really good at pretending to be my girlfriend? Opening my heart to her might not end well for me. I had to weigh the options before I made my next move. If she went back to the US before I could speak with her on a personal level, then I’d never be able to forgive myself.
In the rare moment that we were on our own, Sophia unclasped her hand from mine. “I need some water. I’m parched.”
“Prince Luke?” someone said to my left.
I kissed Sophia’s cheek. “I’ll see you in a minute?”
“Of course,” she said with a wink.
Again, I couldn’t tell if she was acting or was drunk on the excitement of the party as I was.
I turned to the man who had called my name. He was one of the sons of a business owner that Father had been friends with for years.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a dark figure following after Sophia. I knew those quick footsteps anywhere.
Mother had her eyes focused on Sophia, and I knew she was bringing trouble.
20
Sophia
The bar was set back at the far end of the room from where Luke and I had been talking. We barely had a moment to ourselves the entire time. He never told me how many people were fond of him. Sure, he was a prince, but he was charming and genuine when he spoke with everyone. It was hard not to fall under his spell.
But the moment we stopped talking, I swallowed against the scratchiness in my throat. There were several waiters passing food around the room but not drinks. I needed to keep a clear head, so I opted for two glasses of water. Not many people in the room were drinking, but there were a few. I liked to be a part of the majority when I was in a new situation. Especially when I was on the lookout for another story. Mr. Fraser hadn’t specifically told me to keep the story within the palace walls. If there was a scandal to be found, I’d prefer it had nothing to do with Luke.
While I had to play the impartial reporter, I knew my piece would showcase the positive nature of the king and his son. Other than a small feud about who should sit on the throne, I didn’t want to badmouth anyone in the family. Luke had trusted me to step into his family as an intimate partner. The least I could do was extend the same courtesy. I’d fight Mr. Fraser to keep my story the way I saw fit.
Turning around to get back to Luke, I almost bumped into someone.
“Sorry,” I said and looked into the eyes of Gia Shamon.
“I want to talk to you outside,” she said and then walked away from me.
She exited through the glass doors next to the bar and walked out onto the balcony.
I glanced at Luke, who still had his back turned toward me. If I refused her, then she might hate me even more. Besides, it wasn’t as if she could throw me off the balcony.
Could she?
I shook the thought out of my head. She probably wanted to scare me off and saw the opportunity to do so. I wouldn’t allow that. If I could get a handle on the situation without Luke, then I’d spare him the anger. I had nothing to lose.
Placing my water glasses on the bar, I followed Gia Shamon out the door. An image of her throwing the water in my face popped into my head, and I didn’t want to afford her the opportunity.
Going out onto the balcony, the air was much cooler. It felt nice against my heated cheeks. That was until Luke’s mother turned to face me.
“Now that we have some time alone, I want to ask you a few questions,” she said.
It was a good thing that I had long sleeves on since the shiver that rolled through me overpowered the cool night air. “What do you want to know?”
“How did you two meet?” she asked.
“We told you last night—”
“I want to hear the story again,” she said, then pressed her lips together into a tight line.
I hesitated and wrung my hands together. Why hadn’t I alerted Luke that I was out here? He could talk to his mother about her behavior. I had fallen into her trap hook, line, and sinker. “At a pub—”
“What was the pub called?”
Neither Luke nor I had mentioned the name of the pub. I hoped that he hadn’t said anything to his father about it, either. I rattled off the name of the pub that we’d gone to when he offered me the deal to pretend to be his girlfriend.
“When was this?”
“Six—six months ago,” I stammered.
“What was the exact date?”
I cleared my throat and rattled off a date that I had memorized. Luke wouldn’t have been expected to remember it, but I had picked a date for my pretend assignment that had supposedly taken me to England. Giving it to her made me smile inwardly.
“Where are your parents?” she asked, stepping closer to me. She was shorter than me, but I cou
ld have been two inches tall from the way she was looking at me.
“Near Dallas,” I said. The more questions she asked, the quicker I answered. She wasn’t going to make me slip up. This was my ultimate test, and I wasn’t going to fail. At least, not without a fight.
“Any siblings?”
“No,” I said. “What’s with the interrogation?”
“You come to my house and act the way you do around my son—”
“Act like what?” I interrupted.
“Like you are in love,” she said.
“We are,” I said, crossing my arms.
“Are you?” she asked. Her eyes were slits.
“Yes,” I said. “Why are you so against us being together? Against your son’s happiness?”
She snorted. It wasn’t something I ever expected from a queen. “All I want is Luke to be happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted since I saw him.”
“But no one will ever be good enough, will they?” I asked.
“Not unless I choose her,” Gia said.
“And you wouldn’t choose me?” I had never done anything to this woman. Now, I understood why Luke was so upset when she reacted the way she did to me. It was a personal attack. Even though I knew Luke and I wouldn’t spend the rest of our lives together, I wanted her to think I was good enough. I wanted to show her that Luke could choose his path and have a happy life.
“Luke is my baby. I would never allow him to be hurt by someone like you. So, I suggest that you break it off before you shatter his heart.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
She lowered her gaze to the floor as if she were a million miles away and seeing Luke for the first time. “I know he loves you. I can see it in his eyes.” Then she lifted her gaze, and those narrowed dark eyes pierced through me once more. “I don’t see the same from you. You’re looking for something from him. His money or his title, I’m not sure. But it’s not honest.”
My retort caught in my throat. While she didn’t have the specifics, she was onto something when it came to me. Sure, I was attracted to him, but did I love him? I never actually thought about it. Could I love him after all of this?
Would breaking off our fake relationship hurt him in the way that she imagined? If Luke loved me, this was all getting too complicated.
“I am right,” she said, coming closer to me.
My feet were rooted to the floor, but I lifted my chin in defiance. She wasn’t going to break me, not until I got my story from Luke. The one that I came to get and the one that seemed to have occurred right under my nose.
“What is going on here?” Luke’s voice came from the threshold separating the balcony from the banquet hall.
Whipping around, I saw Luke give his mother the angriest of looks.
“Sophia and I were just talking,” Gia said, bowing her head at her son. She gave me one last look before disappearing among the guests in the other room.
I could barely look him in the eyes, so I headed over to the railing. I wished he wouldn’t follow me, but I would have followed me too if I’d just witnessed even part of what he had.
“What did she say to you?” he asked, coming to my side.
Even though I faced the beautiful palace grounds, the idea of them created a gaping hole in my stomach.
“She asked a bunch of questions,” I said without looking at him.
“She upset you.”
“No, she didn’t, but she gave me a lot to think about.”
“Did she find out the truth about us?” His eyes were wide, and even under the moonlight, they were still light, and I fell hard into them. That nervous look was reserved for his mother at the moment. I’d hate for it to be brought out because of me.
If what his mother said was true, then it was bound to happen eventually. “I think I should leave the palace. I’m not helping the situation here.”
Luke nodded, and for a brief moment, I thought he was going to be glad to be rid of me. “We’ll leave in the morning.”
“We?” I asked.
He stepped closer and took my hands in his. He brought them to his mouth and brushed his lips across my knuckles. “I’m not going to abandon you. Besides, it will make Mother furious that I’m leaving because of her.”
Staring into his eyes, I tried to see through the fiction to fact. He cared for me. That was clear. But how much? Enough for me to break his heart?
21
Luke
There was no way that Sophia and I could enjoy the rest of the evening after she spoke with Mother. While Sophia was careful not to speak badly about Mother, the damage had already been done. Mother had meddled in my life for the last time. We were leaving today but not without me getting the last word.
I avoided Father like the plague in my search for Mother. It was late enough in the morning that I was sure he’d have some business to take care of before seeing us off. My conversation with my mother would go easier if he wasn’t around.
Whatever my mother had said to Sophia the night before, Sophia’s demeanor had changed for the rest of the night. While she had been polite to everyone else we spoke with, she didn’t have the same carefree spunk that she did earlier in the night. Thankfully, she was clever enough not to let anyone else notice her change in mood. But I’d gotten to know her well enough to realize something had changed in the short time she was away from me.
Even when I tried to get her to talk about it with me on the way to her room, she claimed that it wasn’t a big deal. I knew better. Mother had dug her claws under Sophia’s skin. She’d said something to upset my fake girlfriend, and I wasn’t going to let it go.
Sophia didn’t have an intimate relationship with my family that would allow her to stick up for herself when the time came. I respected my parents, but I wasn’t afraid of being honest with them.
After asking around, I found Mother having breakfast alone on the balcony off the dining room. It was her favorite place when she was trying to hide.
“Good morning, Luke,” she said with a cheery smile. “Sit down, and I will have someone fetch you some breakfast.”
“I’m not here to eat,” I said flatly. “Sophia and I are leaving this morning.”
I could have told her that I was about to jump off the balcony by the way she reacted. “No. Why? You said you were going to be here until Sunday.”
“Now you want us to stay?” I asked. “After the stunt you pulled last night with Sophia?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mother said, then sipped from her teacup.
“I call bull,” I said, reining back what I really wanted to say.
“You will not speak to me like this,” she said.
“It’s well deserved,” I said. “I brought Sophia here as my guest, and you have been nothing but rude to her.”
“I have not been rude,” she said, avoiding my eyes.
“Please, Mother. I’m not blind. You’ve barely spoken to her in my presence, even when she’s speaking to you directly.”
“I don’t recall an instance like that—”
She wasn’t getting away from the conversation that easily. “Dinner the other night. You stared at your plate the whole time and said nothing.”
“I planned a banquet in your honor,” she said. “I was going over the details in my head.”
She wasn’t budging, and the more I pressed, the more infuriated I was going to become.
“Fine,” I said. “Let’s just agree that you don’t approve of Sophia.”
“Of course, I don’t approve,” she said, locking eyes with me.
“Why not?” I asked, “Why don’t you trust me to find someone on my own?”
“You mean nothing to her,” Mother said.
I leaned forward in my chair. Had Sophia slipped up when she spoke with Mother last night? Had I misread her reaction? Was she mad at herself and didn’t want to worry me?
Mother couldn’t know that our relationship was fake, even if she caught a hin
t of it. I was going to leave here the victor of this fight. If I gave up control now, I’d never get it back.
“That’s not true,” I said, digging my fingers into the arms of the chair. “We’re in love. You’re just upset that you didn’t choose her.”
“If you chose the right woman, someone who reciprocated those feelings of love—”
“How do you know Sophia doesn’t?” I asked. “Did she tell you that?” Sophia would never admit to that. She’d play along until the end. At the very least, I knew that.
“I can tell,” Mother said.
“You can tell?” I asked. “Have you acquired the means to read minds?”
She pulled a face. “Don’t be fresh.”
“I’m trying to understand you. You do know I have to have a wife someday, right? At this rate, you will never approve of anyone.”
“I will never approve of her,” Mother spat. “She will never be your wife.”
“And who are you to say that?” The idea of marrying Sophia brought a smile to my lips. It wasn’t possible at the moment, but I didn’t know where our future was headed. I wanted to try turning our fake relationship into a real one. We’d already been through so much together. There was no harm in giving it a real shot. That was, if she wanted to.
I didn’t trust anything Mother had to say. She wasn’t obligated to tell me the truth about their conversation. When she wanted something, she told whatever truth she needed to get her agenda across.
“I’m your mother,” she said. “I’m not affected by whatever spell she has you under. She has other motives, and they don’t have your interests at heart.”
“I see this conversation isn’t going anywhere,” I said, standing up. “I hope that the next time I see you, we can have a normal, civilized conversation.”
“I’m civilized,” she said.
She always had the last word.