by Lauren Runow
“Whoa, you’ve said that?”
I laugh. People may think he never gets spoken to that way, but I guess that’s my job as his son. “Yes, and believe me, it never goes well, but if I can’t stand up for myself then what good am I?”
She nods while continuing to eat her sandwich. “So tell me, what are these amazing things you’ve done in other countries?”
I shrug, trying to downplay it. “It all depends on what they need. I’m actually going to Malawi in a few days.”
She lets out a quick yelp of surprise, covering her mouth, so she doesn’t spit out her drink. “Malawi?”
“Yeah. I’m helping build a maternity ward in a remote village.”
“Can I go?” she asks, sitting up excitedly, surprising even herself.
“You’d want to?” I’m shocked she asked. Not just because we’re going to be in the middle of nowhere, but also because we’d be spending all that time alone.
“Hell yes! I’d love to.”
I nod. My entire heart filling with warmth. Hearing she’d want to go with me just sealed the deal for me. This girl was meant to be mine.
Everly
I’m in awe of the man in front of me. He’s nothing like I thought. From what I’ve seen so far, he’s everything I thought the royal family wasn’t.
Did I really just invite myself to join him in Malawi?
A laugh escapes my lips before I take another sip of beer.
“What?” He nudges my leg with his.
“This.” I hold up my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and my beer. “You. I’m just a little shocked is all.”
“Why?”
I give him an are-you-kidding-me expression. “You know exactly why. I never envisioned you being someone who ate this and drank these sitting on a rock with a commoner.”
“Then I guess you need to get to know me better.”
He winks and shivers run down my spine. He’s so hot, and if I didn’t know I was sitting here with Prince Sage, I would think he’s just like any other guy I’ve ever met. Actually, no, he’s not like any man I’ve ever met.
I can’t believe I’m thinking this, but I like this. Just sitting here, being with him.
I smile, taking another sip, not really sure what to say. Tonight has been such an eye-opener. Last night I only saw the wild, crazy side of Sage. Today I’m getting to know the real man, and no matter how much I’ve fought wanting to be with him, here I am, enjoying myself.
It makes my head hurt—and my core ache—just taking this all in. My fingers lift to my lips. Holy smokes this guy can kiss! Heat courses through me at the mere memory of his mouth on mine.
“That’s the issue, huh?” he asks when I don’t respond.
“W-what?” I ask, jolted out of my reverie.
“You never wanted to get to know me, huh?”
I shrug when he questions me. “To be honest. No, I didn’t. I thought you were just like your family.”
He chuckles. “Believe me, I'm not.”
“And why is that? Why did you say you didn’t want to be king?”
He props his arms up on his knees, placing his feet flat on the rock. “I don't agree with a lot of how our monarchy is run.”
I almost spit out my drink but cough instead, making him smirk. “And you want to change it, how?”
“Everything they do is fake. They show up for all these photo ops, pretending to care but that’s all it is, a show. They don’t actually want to help the people of Canterbury. They like having the split between the classes. I hate to see so many people struggling for basic necessities when we can help them.”
My eyes widen in disbelief. I’ve always felt this way about the royal family, but anytime I’ve mentioned it I was shot down by anyone willing to listen, being chastised for talking about them in a negative way. I knew it though. There was a façade that rubbed me the wrong way.
“Don’t look so surprised,” Sage teases, reaching out to cup my chin and bring my vision back to his.
“I am. I can’t believe you just said that.”
He shrugs. “Why do you think I haven’t been around?”
“So then why are you back?”
“For my mom,” he states it so matter-of-factly that my heart leans toward liking him even more. “She put up with a lot from my father, allowing me to live my life the way I wanted. I owe it to her to try to change this country for the better. She doesn’t like the way my father does things but she’s never had a voice. I want to be her voice.”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
He nods, as he finishes his bite. “I wasn’t sure, but I’m starting to think I have a chance of making that happen.”
His crooked grin breaks down the last wall I was struggling to hold up. My emotions run wild as the tiny crack in the dam of my heart starts to fail, but when it completely bursts open, warmth fills my chest as instantly as water would rushing out. No matter how hard I try to fight it, I'm starting to really fall for this guy.
13
Sage
“Sage, get out here.”
It’s never a good sign when my father bangs on my door to wake me up early in the morning.
I slide out of bed and pull on my gray sweatpants before slipping a shirt over my head. After splashing water on my face in the bathroom, I open the door and make my way toward what I’m sure is going to be hell.
“Where were you last night?” he asks once I turn the corner to the kitchen.
“Morning, Mom.” I kiss her forehead before pouring myself a cup of coffee. After taking a sip, I reply, “I was here, you know that.”
“Don’t lie to me, boy. I know you left late last night. Sneaking around in the middle of the night is not something royals do.”
“I know. It’s what I do, and I never claimed I wanted to be a royal. I’m twenty-four years old. How about I be a normal twenty-four-year-old?”
“Don’t give me any lip. You’ve gotten to live your life the way you wanted while you were in London. It’s time you straighten up and start acting like the heir to the throne. Now tell me. Where did you go last night?”
“I went out. Don’t worry, I laid low.”
“Who were you with?”
I scowl in his direction. “Why does that matter?”
“It matters because we will announce soon that you will marry Marie. Her family is working with your mother on what her ensemble will be for the big announcement.”
“Excuse me?” I set my coffee down and step up to where my dad is standing.
“You heard me. I’ve made my decision. You will marry Marie. She’s perfect for this family and will make a wonderful queen someday.”
“No. I told you. I want to marry Everly.”
“And I told you, she was out of the running. Especially after this.” He slams a newspaper down on the kitchen counter.
Everly’s face is splashed all over it. The worst part is they are comparing us to the cheating rumors of Prince Charles, Diana, and Camilla. I briefly scan the article beginning with their speculation that I’ll marry Marie but have true feelings for Everly. I hate seeing the comparison to the British royal family, but when I see the side story of another guy who says he’s telling all about Everly, my blood begins to boil.
“We must stop this nonsense and move forward, making sure all focus is turned toward your future wife and not this mess of a commoner.”
“Commoner? She is on the list you say are the only girls you approve of.”
“Not anymore. She acts nothing like a queen should, and after your little stunt and this media circus, I am absolutely putting my foot down. You will marry Marie, and that’s final.”
“You can’t make me marry someone.” I clench my fists and grit my teeth.
“Yes. I will. I have spoken, and you will stop making a mockery of this family. It is time for you to grow up and take your role in life with a respectable wife at your side.”
I storm out of the room. There’s no point fighting
him when he’s like this. He’s never been open to any opinion but his own.
Everly
Last night was perfect; he was perfect. I learned there really is more to Sage than what I saw on the outside. I always figured the royal family was stiff and formal. Now I know Sage is anything but.
The fact that he does it all because he actually wants to means so much more. He wasn’t doing anything for notoriety. He genuinely enjoyed doing these things and didn’t care what newspaper covered it. He liked the fact that they didn’t know. He figured if he couldn’t use all his money and free time to help other people, then what was the point?
Thank God he agreed to take me on his trip and was just as excited as I was at the thought of my accompanying him. I would have been embarrassed had that turned out any other way. I’m not one to invite myself places, but after hearing his plans, I couldn’t help myself. The idea of being in a foreign land with him and watching him build something with his hands overwhelmed me. I can’t imagine anything sexier than that and there was no way I was going to miss it.
As I lie in bed, contemplating the last few days, my phone rings showing Jeannine calling.
“Boy, do I have a story for you,” I say.
“I bet it’s not as good as the story splashed all over the news this morning,” she replies, her tone alone setting me on edge.
“What?”
“Well, let’s just say you’ve made the front page of the paper and are the top story on every newscast around Canterbury.”
“Fuck me, why?” I sigh, shaking my head and rubbing my eyes.
“Because they know who you are after the fire and that you’re one of the few Sage has to choose from to marry.”
“Ugh, why do they care?”
“They care because if he goes with you, then you’ll be the next Queen of Canterbury. Do you forget that they have pictures of you two in handcuffs while a fire blazed out of control?”
“Oh jeez, they got the fire out without it causing that much damage.”
Thankfully. It threatened the stadium more than I was comfortable with, but they were able to gain control, and all it did was burn the field around it.
“Not the point,” she says, laughing. “They’re questioning whether you’re fit to be queen.”
“And Sage is fit to be king? Give me a break. It was all his idea.”
“They can’t change the fact that he’ll be king one day, but they can influence your being queen. And believe me, they are trying hard to make their case.”
“What? How?” I say, panicked at the thought, which surprises the hell out of me. I should be happy. This was my plan, to be taken out of the running. But after last night…
“It’s all over the news. They were comparing you guys to Prince Charles and his woman drama years ago. And they’re also searching hard for any dirt they can find on you,” she says, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Let ‘em, I have nothing to hide.”
“You sure about that?”
“Um, yeah,” I scoff. “Come on, Jeannine. You’ve known me for how long?”
“So who’s Aiden then?”
“Aiden, who?”
“There’s a picture of him, and he’s telling some pretty juicy stories about you.”
I sit up in bed, shocked. “What? What’s he saying?”
“So remember that trip you took to Cancun during college?”
“Yeah.”
“Apparently you hooked up with this guy. He says you went together.”
I wrack my brain for who Aiden could be. We went as a group of ten students from my biology class. We were supposed to be there to study the local sea life, but most of the kids ended up partying more than anything else.
My phone dings with a text when I hear Jeannine say she’s sending me a picture. I open it, and instantly, my blood boils something fierce.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. How could I forget him? One night he snuck into my room, drunk off his ass, trying to feel me up. Let’s just say his swollen eye was the least of his troubles.”
She snickered. “Well, he’s telling a different story.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Has it not sunk in yet? Hello. Does the word queen mean anything to you? You could be the Queen of Canterbury. This is only the beginning, girl.”
I fall back on my bed, exasperated from the morning, and it’s only been two minutes. I never considered this part of having to live this life. The royal family has never had any scandals, so it didn’t even cross my mind.
My phone chirps with an incoming call, and I see Sage’s name blink across my screen. Instantly, my stomach flutters with anticipation.
“Jeannine, Sage is calling…” I say timidly.
“Answer it!” she yells.
“To say what?”
“Um, the truth.” I take a deep breath, not responding. “I’m hanging up, now. Answer,” Jeannine demands. “But call me afterward.” She laughs when she hangs up.
I switch over the call, nervous about what to say. “Hi.”
“Hey there,” he says softly. “How long have you been awake?”
“Only a few minutes.”
“So…you haven’t turned on the TV yet?”
I sigh, sad this is the first thing he brings up. “No, but my friend called to tell me. It’s not true, though. I promise. None of it. I went to Cancun—”
“Everly.”
“Yeah,” I whisper.
“I don’t care.”
I pause, still letting what he said sink in. “You don’t?”
“Well, I mean if you’re telling me it’s a lie then yeah, I care because then we can go after him for slander, but even if it is true, I don’t care.”
“But…”
“Everly, none of that matters to me. I know you have a past. I don’t want that. I want your future. But mainly, I’m worried about you. How are you handling this?”
I take a deep breath. “Not sure really. This is all a little much. I can’t believe someone would care enough to spread these lies.”
“I get it, believe me, I do. When you’re in the spotlight, someone else tries for their chance at fifteen minutes of fame, too.”
“Why am I in the spotlight, though?”
I hear an audible sigh into the phone. “That’s my fault. I’m sorry I got you into this mess. If I would have asked you out like a normal person that fire wouldn’t have ever started.”
“But I may not have gone out with you.”
“Oh, really?” His voice raises an octave.
“My goal was to try to blow our meeting as much as I could.” I smile at the thought of how much has changed in such a short amount of time.
“So my little game worked on you just as much as it worked on me, huh?”
“What was all of that about by the way?”
“I had to know if you were down for anything.”
“And?” I question.
“Are you really questioning that after last night?”
I laugh. “Glad to know I’m up to your standards, Prince Sage.”
I love the breathy way he laughs into the phone, reminding me of his mouth kissing my shoulder when he hugged me goodnight.
“What do you have planned today?” he asks, his tone changing directions completely.
“Besides dodging all things media?” I tease. “Not much.”
“Good. Come to the beach with me.”
“The beach? Isn’t that a little too public of an area?”
“Not where I’m taking you. I promise I’ll take you somewhere you’ve never been.”
“Fine but only because you have me intrigued.”
“Intrigued about me or intrigued about where I’m taking you?” he drawled.
“Not sure yet.”
“Well, then I guess I need to make you sure. See you soon.”
I’m glad he can’t see the goofy grin I’d never be able to hide. He’s getting to me, and I’m starting to like it.
Everly
When I glance around the beach, everywhere I see people swarm the area. Families unpacking their belongings to settle in for a day of summer fun, but Sage is nowhere to be found.
Weekends are busier than other days, but the number of people surrounding the beach takes me by surprise. It’s mainly families with little kids, but what’s peculiar is every kid carries a pail and tiny shovel as they run toward the sand, not waiting for their parents.
“Steven, wait up,” I hear a mom yell behind me as she runs toward her son who’s already halfway down the walkway.
A young boy, probably age six, turns toward his mom with enthusiasm evident on his face. “But I need to find the treasure chest today. I was so close last time.”
His mom laughs, shaking her head. “Fine, please watch where you’re going and be respectful of the other kids.”
“I will, Mom. Wish me luck.” He runs off, top speed, kicking up sand with every step.
“Can I ask what’s going on?” I reach out to get the mom’s attention.
“It’s the great treasure hunt. Every Saturday the kids are invited to dig around the beach to find the buried treasures. My son counts down the days all week until we get to do it again, he loves it—as you can tell.” She chuckles, repositioning her bag as we head down the steps.
“How long has this been going on?”
“Not long actually. I think this is our fourth or fifth time. Steven was only feet away from the kid that found the biggest treasure,” she raises her voice in excitement like he would say it. “He’s found some pretty cool things so far, but there’s always one big thing, and he’s dead set on finding it today.”
“Who puts this on?” I ask, searching around for booths or some kind of sponsor for the event.
She shrugs. “No clue, actually. I found it on Facebook, but there’s no name or organization tied to the page. Just information about what beach to search and how many prizes are hidden.”
“Mom! Look!” the little boy yells, holding up a Frisbee he located in the sand.