by Kyle Baxter
What would they suggest? Roll with it, would be Larry’s suggestion. Why haven’t you slept with him yet? Robert would ask, then tell him to have an affair with the man. In fact, he said as much before Joel left. But Joel didn’t want just an affair. He wasn’t built that way.
The weather was still chilly, so he pulled on an undershirt as well as a Henley. Then, grabbing his jacket and scarf, he headed downstairs for breakfast.
He scrolled through messages on his phone in the elevator when a text popped up from Freddie.
Number 34: At the castle getting dolled up for the dog and pony show.
Along with it was a selfie Freddie had taken of himself standing in front of the mirror. He wore a pressed white shirt and black socks, but no trousers, only his boxers—barely visible. Dark garters pulled the shirt down and others pulled the socks up. Freddie held up one hand with a plaintive can you believe this shite? gesture and a cock-eyed smile. Joel laughed out loud.
Joel: <3<3<3
Joel: How are you today, with everything?
Number 34: Taking it moment by moment. Julia is coming in for support. She’ll be with me at the presser.
Joel: Tell her about . . . y’know.
Just in case.
Number 34: I will.
Joel breathed a sigh of relief. Freddie would have someone there for him. One less thing to worry about.
Number 34: • • •
Number 34: Miss you.
Joel: Me too.
He slid the phone into his trousers as the elevator door opened. Can’t let anyone see that photo. Can’t believe he sent that!
The family was sitting down to breakfast as he walked into the restaurant. They all gave him a shocked look.
“What?” he asked, sliding into his seat.
His mother shared a look with Mariah. “You’re up early. Aren’t you still tired from your run yesterday?” she asked with a twinkle in her bright eyes.
“I don’t know what you mean?” He stuck his nose in the air.
“We all saw the video.” Mariah playfully pushed him. “You and your handsome friend running down the alley?”
He sank in his seat. “Can we not?”
“Don’t worry. No one knows it’s you, and no one seems to care either.” Dad gestured to the TV. “It’s not like you were in flagrante delectable. You weren’t, were you?”
“In flagrante delicto,” Mom corrected with a titter.
Joel grunted. “No, we weren’t.”
“We’re still going skiing today, aren’t we, Jo Jo?” Caty put her phone down and gave him a pitiful scowl. She looked upset; she was really looking forward to this.
“Absolutely, I can’t wait.” He gave her a tight smile and noticed his father’s slight nod. He was surprised Caty wasn’t going in on teasing him. Did she really not care about his day with the prince? That seemed out of character for her.
After breakfast, his father waved for the check but only got a confused look from the server.
“I took care of it.” Joel batted his eyes and smiled as smugly as he could manage. This was a rare moment; he never got to pay.
His father jabbed a finger at him and blustered. “This trip is my treat.”
“You’ll get over it.” Joel pushed his chair back and took a long sip of coffee, a smirk firmly affixed to his face. “What are you all up to while Caty and I go skiing?”
“I got a phone call minutes ago. And I have a meeting this afternoon with the minister of the interior.” His father beamed. “Hopefully I make a good showing.”
“I’m sure you’ll do great,” Joel said. Whatever he thought about his dad’s business, the man was personable and a good salesman.
Mom piped up excitedly. “Mariah is letting me take her shopping.” She practically jumped in her seat. A treat for her, as they often butted heads over fashion. Mariah’s style leaned more to nineties grunge—lots of flannel—than Caty’s Legally Blonde Elle Woods look.
“We are going to another party at the castle tomorrow night, so I gave in. If you can wear something besides a Superman shirt”—Mariah pointed at his teal pullover—“then I can let Mom buy me a new dress.” She leaned in close to him and whispered, “Maybe we can sneak off and go exploring the castle.”
He nudged her with a grin. “That sounds a-MA-zing.”
“Look, Jo Jo, you really are yesterday’s news.” Caty pointed to the television as the royal family’s press conference started. “Too bad. I kinda liked having an almost-famous brother.”
He saw no mention and no chyron on the television about yesterday’s race down the alley from the photographers. The entire royal family assembled on stage. The family flanked the king, handsome and somber at the podium in a black suit. Tall and dark, Karl looked like a younger version of him. Supported by a cane, he stood beside the king.
The press was agog at the revelation. The royal family was going public with all of it. Wow.
Tall and gorgeous in a simple ivory-colored dress and pearls, Freddie’s mother stood beside her eldest son. Her gray hair was frosted in a clean-looking, tousled cut. The woman Joel assumed was Astrid stepped up beside her in a matching ivory pantsuit, understated and business-like with her hair swept up in a bun.
In another deep-blue suit, Freddie stood on the other side of his father. The color really worked for him. Duchess Julia appeared at Freddie’s elbow in a classic fit, white sleeveless dress with blue accents that complimented his suit. I’m glad she’s there for him.
A chyron scrolled by in German underneath them with English closed-captioning above it. Joel didn’t need to read it.
“Let’s go, Caty Cat.” He grabbed his coat and popped a grape into his mouth. She stood up to follow him while the rest of the family sat engrossed in the presser.
“Don’t you want to know what’s going on?” Mom called after them.
“He already knows,” Caty told her, then turned to follow Joel. “My room is right next to yours. I know about your late-night visitor.”
❖
The drive up the mountain from Altstadt to the glacier and the ski resort of Seigdorf was wonderful. The road was narrow, and their driver had to pull to one side and wait for an oncoming vehicle to pass at one point, but traffic was light. A local, the driver knew well how to navigate the winding roads. The views overlooking the valley Altstadt lay in were incredible. Several times they pulled off to one side to get out to take pictures.
Joel immediately posted them to his social media account. It lay mostly dormant, save for posts of whatever random thing he happened upon. Never anything personal. Not since Seth left.
They arrived in Seigdorf in good time. Only a few kilometers from the city, they’d easily make it back for a late lunch. Low, widest buildings dotted the area, the tallest only a few stories tall.
Their luxury sedan pulled in front of a smallish chalet, where a young man waited for them. “Hallo,” he said in German-accented English as he opened the car door and helped Caty out. “I am your guide, Andy.”
This is great. Joel didn’t realize when his father said he’d make all the arrangements that they’d get all this. “Hello.” Joel shook his hand.
“Come this way. We’ll get you inside.” Andy waved them along, giving their outerwear the once-over. “And properly outfitted for the day. How long has it been since you skied?”
“A couple of years.” The last time Joel went skiing was when he went upstate with Seth two years ago, and they only rarely left the hotel.
“Three years,” Caty grumbled. “I never get to go anywhere.”
“Well, we will have someone meet you at the top to help you reacquaint yourself with it, if you like,” the valet said.
“That would be great, danke schön.” Joel was impressed. He knew his father had arranged this with the Sonne Hotel, but did they roll out the red carpet like this for everyone? Wow.
The chalet was a modest building, not like the nearby more modern structures. Deep-set under a gabled roof, t
he large wooden door led into an interior that was well appointed with hand-carved wooden furniture and plush carpeting. It looked like a home more than a hotel. No front desk. But Joel didn’t know European chalets and marked it up to his inexperience.
Their guide led them to a large living area centered on a fireplace. Two-story floor-to-ceiling windows gave them an impressive view down the mountain.
“This is amazing.” Caty gasped, and walking into the middle of the room, she spun around. “I love it!”
“Wait here please.” Andy gestured for them to sit on the large leather couch, then disappeared around a corner. A young woman with an apron approached them. After introducing herself as Emma, she offered them a choice of coffee or heisse Schokolade, the local hot chocolate made from real chocolate, not powdered. Emma explained that the local Etreusteiner style leaned more to the Italian than the German. Neither of them would have known the difference.
“Did the hotel do this all for us?” Caty whispered.
“I guess,” Joel mumbled, as surprised as her. “Dad did say he was arranging it with them.”
“Uh-huh, have you met our father?” Caty snarked. Their mouths dropped as Andy returned with attendants and two racks of ski clothes for them to pick from.
In an hour, they were outfitted on skis and taking a private cable car up to the glacier. True to his word, Andy had someone waiting at the top for them, a blond skiing instructor named Jordan. He had a young Laird Hamilton thing going on, and Joel appreciated it. Caty was instantly smitten and monopolized his time. Glad to see her happy, Joel contented himself with the green slope.
After a couple of hours, they headed back down to the chalet. Andy and Emma were waiting with a hot mulled alcoholic cider called Glühmost. Looking around, Joel noticed that there were no other guests here.
“Andy, is it slow for this time of year?” he asked and set his cider on the glass top of a carved wooden coffee table.
“We have summer skiing on the glacier, but it is the off-season for the rest of the town, the recent surprise snowfall notwithstanding.”
Joel’s eyes narrowed. “But we’re the only two people here?”
Andy stared at him curiously. “Why wouldn’t you be?”
“There are no other guests . . . at all?” Joel’s jaw dropped. How could there be no other guests?
“This isn’t a hotel . . .” Andy looked at him in a state of confusion. “It’s a private residence.”
A private residence? “Whose?” Joel asked. He thought his father had arranged all of this with their hotel. He reached for his Glühmost and noticed the image of an edelweiss among the intricate carvings on the coffee table. Joel’s mouth fell open. This is Freddie’s place.
“It’s the crown prince’s chalet,” Andy confirmed.
A royal chalet. Freddie had arranged all this. Again he thought, Wow. “Thank you,” he told Andy. The man nodded and left the room. Joel looked around the large living area, still stunned. It was so obvious now that this was not a hotel. Yes, it was well appointed but more personal than generic. It was a home. God, I am dense. He wondered if it belonged to the office of the crown prince or if it was specifically Frederick’s.
Caty came in, refreshed and bright-eyed after a sauna. Sitting down next to Joel, she reached over and took a sip of his cider. He pulled it away protectively. She rolled her eyes. “It was just a sip.”
“And you’re too young.”
She gave him the are you serious with this? exhale used by young girls everywhere. “Not here. The drinking age in Etreustein is sixteen. I looked it up.”
He gave her his cup. “Yeah, well, don’t get too used to it.”
“As if I’ve never had a drink before. I’m eighteen.”
He nudged her. “And you’re my little sister.”
After taking another sip, she reached a hand up and rubbed the deep furrows on his forehead. “What’s going on here?”
He gave her a sharp eye. “Neither the hotel nor our father arranged this.” He expected her to be surprised, but she only shrugged.
“Nor?” She shook her head and looked upward. “It was obviously your Prince Charming. Don’t tell me you just figured it out . . . Please tell me you figured it out and you didn’t have to ask.” At a scowl from Joel, she sputtered with laughter, slapped her leg, and fell backward on the couch. “You had to ask. God, you’re dumb!”
Joel pushed her so she rolled off the couch and onto the floor with a squeal. “How did you know?” he asked.
She sat up quickly. “It was obvious when they rolled out the rack of clothes, butthead. That was designer ski wear. Don’t you know anything? My God, you’re the worst gay ever.”
“And you’re just fine with all of this? It doesn’t faze you at all?” Joel was amazed. Caty was entitled and spoiled but . . .
“You’re kinda dating a prince,” she said. “It comes with the territory. I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is awesome—I named one of the jets in the hot tub—but it’s no less than you deserve.”
“What?” His mouth hit the floor—again.
“This all is a whole lot.” She stood and turned around. “It’s practically an acre.”
Joel smiled at the old family joke.
She sat down and put a hand on his leg. “But if I can’t find a prince to date on this trip, I’m hardly going to begrudge you dating one, Jo Jo.”
“We’re not really dating,” Freddie protested, but it sounded weak in his own ear. He wanted to date the prince and he liked Caty thinking they were dating, but he still said, “We’re just friends.”
“Riiiight.” Caty arched an eyebrow. “And I’m a natural blonde.”
Joel gave her a crooked smile. “Your hair does look good blonde with black roots.”
Caty gave him a smirk. “Bitch.”
Chapter Twenty-One
There’s Nothing Holding Me Back
They arrived back in Altstadt in time for Kaffee und Kuchen, coffee and cakes, at the hotel with the family. With luck, he’d be able to get down to the soup kitchen and help with the dinner shift. Joel avoided looking at the televisions scattered around the hotel. He could always catch up on the news later, and the images of Freddie in that suit were too distracting.
“Tomorrow you’re going to the museum with me, right?” Mariah asked. She and mother were taking a break from their shopping to join them.
“Of course, pum’kin.” Joel rubbed her shoulder. Caty sniffed at the other end of the table. He glowered at her. “Caty Cat, I think you’ll be just fine tomorrow, alone with Jordan.”
“What? What? Who is this Jordan?” Mom asked, martini glass in hand.
“A super-cute skiing instructor.” Joel grinned. “Caty took a real interest in him. She’s such a good student.”
Caty glared at him. “JOOooel.”
That’d keep her occupied with Mother for the night. He grabbed a Berliner and munched on it happily. A text from his phone pulled his interest.
Number 34: How was skiing?
Joel: Should I bother to say you shouldn’t have?
Number 34: NO
Joel: Then it was wonderful, thank you. <3<3<3
Number 34: My pleasure. I’m in a very tedious meeting atm. What are you doing?
Joel: coffee and cakes with the fam.
Mariah leaned over him, and he sheltered his phone from her. She nudged him, and he gave her a kiss on the cheek and stood up.
“Now, where are you going, Mister?” Mother asked.
Joel gave her a wink as he tied his scarf around his neck. “To get in trouble.”
Dad finally looked away from the TV at the bar. He checked his watch and glanced down at his phone. His brow creased. Joel wondered what was up but didn’t want to ask in front of everyone.
“You know, maybe you should call Seth,” Mom suggested. “I heard he broke up with his boyfriend and you two were always friends.”
Seth was single again? That was news. Seth did not do well on his own. I hope
he’s okay, but I can’t call. If I want to let him go, I can’t hang onto him—like he’s doing with me.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” Joel said, “but I think you might have liked him more than I ever did.”
His mom’s stress on the word “friends” was new. What was that about? Had she given up hoping they would get back together?
With a wave, he made a beeline for the front doors. He stopped in the lobby and pulled on his jacket. Looking up, he saw his father striding toward the hotel entrance. “Hey, Dad, wait up.” He trotted over and followed him outside.
“What’s up?” his father asked and checked his watch again. “I’ve got to get to my meeting.”
“Is everything okay? You look worried.” Shivering, Joel took in a deep breath of the cold air.
“I am, a little,” his father admitted. “This meeting is important.”
“Why? I thought your company was doing well,” Joel asked. He didn’t follow his father’s business closely, but it was successful—or at least seemed to be.
“We are, but maybe too well.” His father looked around and leaned in closer. “A larger company is trying to acquire us.”
Joel’s eyes widened. “A hostile takeover?”
“Yes.” His father nodded. “And the infusion of capital this deal would bring in would probably fend that off—at least for a while.”
“So you really need this to happen,” Joel said. His father liked this company. They hired the man right after he retired from the military fifteen years ago. Dad made a lot of money for and with them. He raised children, provided for them, and sent two of them to college because of his work at that company. Now that job might all be in jeopardy? Joel’s face fell. “Do you want me to talk with Freddie, for real?”
“No.” His father shook his head and jabbed a finger at him. “I shouldn’t have asked that. This is not your problem.” The man turned and walked to a waiting taxi. Before he climbed in the car, he looked back at Joel. “Do you hear me, son?”
“Yes, sir.” Joel shuffled his feet. Shit shit shit, what do I do? He didn’t want to ask anything of Freddie, but his father’s job was at stake. Might be at stake, he corrected himself. I don’t know. Maybe I can ask Freddie if he can get my Dad a meeting with Karl or his father. That wouldn’t be too much. I don’t know . . . His stomach squelched. He hated this.