The driver, Justin, was an American hired for the week. “Good Afternoon, sir. How was the event?”
I relaxed into the seat and pulled my phone out of my pocket to let Lewis know I’d made it. “It was fine. Thank you.”
Justin remained silent for the rest of the drive. My staff made it a point to let everyone know I liked to be left alone. I didn’t have time for small talk and if by some chance I had a moment of free time I didn’t want to spend it chit-chatting.
I scanned my emails and responded to a few urgent messages and forwarded the rest to Lewis and Marie, my secretary in Lochland that kept my schedule.
This book tour had been planned for almost a year, but it was still an inconvenience. I was needed back home, as well as thirty other places. Aiden should be the one doing this. LochEnergy was his company, his brainchild. But he was off prancing around Europe with his girlfriend while I was forced, once again, to pick up the slack.
I rubbed my eyes and sighed. After all, I told him to go. I offered to step in, so I couldn't blame him for taking me up on my offer. After Dad organized the tour and agreed to Aiden taking time off, I could no longer back out. As much as it inconvenienced me, I wanted him to be happy. At least one of us ought to be.
Justin interrupted my thoughts. “We’ll be arriving shortly, sir.”
The only upside to this tour was, with it ending in Los Angeles, I had a few days to myself before I was needed back home. It meant a small break, as long as I stayed out of the public eye.
When I reached out to a few of my American friends I’d met at University I was hopeful I’d get to see them, but David was the only one living in L.A. He offered to have me stay at his house so I could get away from the press as well. It was the closest I’d come to a vacation since I was a teenager.
We pulled through a wrought-iron gate and parked in front of a Mediterranian-style home in the hills near the Griffith observatory. David had taken over his father’s shipping company, Rothschild Shipping, and grew it to one of the largest international fleets in the world. His hard work and family’s influence were obvious by the house. It was smaller than my home in Lochland, Ballivaugh Manor, but not by much.
I stepped out of the car just as the front door swung open and David appeared. Almost four years have passed since we last saw each other, but he looked the same. Confident, smiling, and completely comfortable at all times. I couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever been stressed or upset. He was the most even-tempered person I knew.
We were a good balance for each other.
“Ah, there’s the prince.” He teased as we hugged, clapping each other on the back.
“You’ve got a palace yourself.” I eyed the Spanish arches, terra cotta roof, and the grounds lined with towering palm trees.
“I swooped in and bought it when the recession hit.” His blue eyes lit up as he spoke. “I had to make a few renovations, but I like it.”
I nodded and headed inside. Justin dropped my bags off beside the door before leaving us for the night. He’d be staying at the same hotel as Lewis to further the cover. I eyed the high ceilings with arches and columns tastefully accenting the open living area.
“Do you live here alone?”
It was a massive space for one man.
“No, my sisters are both living here at the moment as well.”
I nodded and followed him through the living room to the kitchen.
“Oh right. How old are they now?” He’d told me stories of growing up with two little sisters, but they never visited him while I was around.
He grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and handed them to me before taking out a bowl of salsa. He closed the fridge and moved to the counter where a bag of tortilla chips sat unopened. He poured them into a large bowl and headed toward the doors leading outside.
“Serena is twenty-four and Vanessa is twenty-one.” He placed the salsa and chips on the table and sat, so I took the seat across from him.
“That’s so strange to think about. I think Vanessa was eleven when we met.”
He nodded. “Strange how everyone gets older except for us.”
I chuckled and took in the breathtaking view of the vast metropolis lit up below. I leaned back taking in the view and relaxed for the first time in weeks.
“How are things?” David placed his elbows on the table and took a handful of chips.
I didn’t give him my typical clichéd answers. David was one of my few true friends. Someone that didn’t judge me, and allowed me to actually be my own person. It probably helped he was American and didn’t really understand the ‘royalty thing’ as he called it. He didn’t put me up on a pedestal as so many did.
“It’s been rough,” I admitted.
He cocked his head and met my eyes. “What’s going on?”
“There’s so much on me. So much expected of me and demanded of me. I feel like everyone wants something. My family, parliament, the press, the people.” I sighed. “It’s just too much sometimes.”
He stared at me, and I didn’t feel like a prince. I felt like a regular person. His friend.
“I know what you mean,” David said. “I thought my dad was going to slowly transition control over to me, but after only three months, he dumped everything on me and headed for the golf course. I had a board of directors, the leadership team, investors, and six hundred employees looking at me for direction.”
I sighed and leaned my head back against the chair. Finally. One person who could really relate, and wasn’t telling me to remember how lucky I was. I knew that. I knew I was born into extreme fortune, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t allowed to be overwhelmed. David understood.
I rubbed my eyes. “It’s exhausting. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
I could feel his eyes on me and when I glanced over he was staring. “What do you mean?” His voice held more concern than I expected.
“I just go through the motions every day. I do what people tell me to, answer the questions asked of me, attend the endless meetings, make decisions, and on and on. I don’t know the last thing I did for myself. The last decision I made, just because I wanted to. I have to think about the crown, the country, the people and how it will affect all of that. The weight of an entire country is on my shoulders.”
David waited for only a beat. “This isn’t you.”
I shrugged. I didn’t know what else to say. This was the me of the past few years.
“Something’s got to change, Cian. You can’t live like this forever. You’ll burn yourself out, make mistakes, or blink and fifty years will have passed and none of this really mattered.”
“I don’t know how David.” I shook my head. “This is my life now. I feel like I signed over my soul when I graduated from university.”
“What about Aiden and Ronan? Can’t they take some of the responsibility?”
I nodded slowly. “Aiden resigned as CEO, and said he would help shoulder the load, but he’s been off on a tour with his girlfriend.”
David’s brows shot up. “Aiden has a girlfriend?”
“Yes, an American.”
David looked as surprised as I was when I first heard. “How did that go over?”
“Much better than any of us expected. I thought Mum would throw her out the moment they met, but for some reason my parents loved her.” I shook my head. “I doubt it will be like that when I bring a woman home.”
He gave me a side-eye. “Well, there’s a huge difference between you and Aiden. You’re the next king.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “I realize that. I’ve always known the standards were different for us, but it was a shock to see it play out in reality.”
“I know I’m not in the same exact position, but there’s pressure on me to marry correctly. I have to gain the approval of the board and make sure it’s the best decision for the company.”
I sighed. “It is the same for me.”
He shrugged. “But I don’t rule a country.�
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I smirked. “No, but you rule an international company.”
David tilted his chin. “I know what I’m doing about my situation, but what are you going to do about yours?”
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you going to do?”
“Never marry.” He said with a conspiratorial grin.
I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s an option for me.”
“I know, but you still have to come up with a plan.”
“Can’t I just wait until I meet a woman I’m interested in and ask her on a date?”
David laughed. “When was the last time you met a woman with no political ties or ulterior motives?”
I cringed. “A long time.”
“Exactly. You’ve got to create opportunities for yourself.”
“Like what? Host a ball?”
“No.”
“Don’t even mention a TV show.”
He chuckled. “No, I would never. The queen would have my head.”
“Then what is your idea?”
“Break out of your normal routine. When Aiden gets back, do things you normally would never do. Visit hospitals or hug puppies. Do something that allows you to meet more people.”
It wasn’t a horrible idea. “There’s one problem with that.”
“What?”
“It’s a bit hard to meet people as a prince. Women get shy or put on a front. I never know who’s being genuine and who is just trying to get an invitation to the palace.”
He rubbed his jaw. “That’s a good point. I don’t have the same problem being recognized. Once people hear my real name they change. But for the most part, I can walk down the street or into a store without anyone knowing who I am.”
“That’s how Aiden and his girlfriend, Charlie, met. She had no idea who he was.”
David looked surprised before bursting out with laughter. “That must have been a blow to his ego.”
I smirked. “Maybe for a moment before he realized what an opportunity it was. She was already falling by the time she figured it out. I doubt I’ll have the same chance.”
He took a guzzle of his water and shrugged. “Life isn’t fair, man.”
I nodded. “No, it’s not.”
I reached for a tortilla chip and chewed before changing the subject. “How are your sisters?”
I never met either of them while we were at University, but he talked about them all the time. One was only two years younger and lived abroad working with orphans and the underprivileged and the other was a few years younger than her and was in high school at the time.
“Really good. Vanessa is going to UCLA and doing really well, and–”
“David?” A woman’s voice called from inside.
“And there’s the other one.” David stood, opened the patio door and called out. “We’re out here.”
He came back to his seat and soon a woman came out and joined us.
Not just a woman.
The woman.
The one from the bookstore.
Ms. Jones.
Oh no. I looked at David. David Jones Rothschild.
No way.
She saw me and froze. “What are you doing here?”
David stared between us. “What do you mean? Do you two know each other?”
She nodded, paused, then shook her head. “Not really.”
“We ran into each other at my signing,” I said, recalling our rocky meeting.
By her frown, it was obvious she was remembering too.
3
Serena
The prince of Lochland was sitting on my patio, hanging out with my brother like it was completely normal.
“Um yeah. At the bookstore.” I raised a brow at David hoping he’d fill in the blanks so I didn’t seem like a crazed stalker.
“Well, Cian this is my sister Serena. Serena this is Cian.” His eyes darted between us with a speculative look.
Cian stood and offered me his hand. “Hello again, Ms. Jones.”
He said my alias with an accusatory tone. I offered a tight smile and shook his hand, ignoring how warm and right it felt in mine.
“I don’t use Rothschild in public. It’s easier that way.”
He nodded as if he understood, but did he, really? He was a famous prince, certainly much more concerned about people recognizing him.
“Anyway,” I said, folding my arms across my chest, “pardon me if this sounds rude, but why are you here?”
David glanced at Cian before turning back to me. “Cian is staying for a few days while he’s in L.A.”
“What?” I didn’t mean to shout but I was pretty sure my head was about to explode. We are hosting the prince?
“I mentioned he was coming.” David’s lip twitched while watching me.
I shook my head. “No, you said your college roommate, Ken, was coming.”
David and Cian shared a conspiratory grin. Cian said, “Ken was my nickname back then. If you say Kee-an fast enough it sounds like Ken.”
I glanced from one to the other. Stories about Ken that David had told me over the years started to make sense. Ken was David’s wealthy friend from Lochland. He stayed at Ken’s parents’ house a few times on holiday when he didn’t want to fly all the way home. David never shared too many details, and now I knew why. He probably had an NDA stopping him.
“Does Vanessa know?”
Understanding dawned in David’s eyes, followed by panic. “No.”
I nodded. “Well, you might want to call your security back, Cian.” I was proud of myself for acting so blasé about him being here. “She lost her mind when she met the prince of pop at Coachella last year. I doubt she’ll be able to control herself when she meets a real prince.”
Cian and David shared a look before David started reassuring him. “It will be fine. Once she gets over the initial shock she’ll be totally normal.”
I shook my head. “Good luck with that.”
I turned to walk back to the house but Cian stopped me. “Would you like to join us for dinner? I’d love to get to know you, I mean,” he cleared his throat, “David’s family.”
I couldn’t say no. It was probably against the law to turn him down. I might get tried for treason or something.
I walked across the patio and sat at the table and forced myself to sit on my hands to keep them from shaking and giving away my nerves. Talking to him like a normal person wasn’t something I was prepared for. Earlier, he’d just been rude. Incredibly handsome, but still rude which was enough of a barrier. Now...
“So, are you just here for the signing?” I asked, shocked at how level my voice was.
“Yes, it was the last stop of the tour today. When I found out we’d be in L.A. I asked David if he wanted to catch up and he invited me to stay a few extra days.”
I nodded. Good for them. Old friends.
Old chaps as they say.
Holy cow. I was losing it.
“What do you guys plan on doing?” I reached for a chip, noticed my hands were still shaking and returned them to my lap.
David spoke. “I have a few meetings tomorrow I couldn’t reschedule, but this weekend we’re going to the observatory and maybe the beach or something.”
I looked to Cian, but I wasn’t comfortable enough to gaze directly in his eyes. “What are you going to do tomorrow then?”
He hesitated. “I’m sure I have work to keep me busy.”
I stared at him. “That’s no fun. You’re on vacation.”
He shrugged. “My work never ends.”
Something about his matter of fact tone made me sad. Like he really never had a chance to relax and unplug from the world.
David stood. “Serena, can you help me find that salsa we got at the farmers' market? I couldn't find it in the fridge and I want to see if Cian can handle the heat.”
His abrupt interruption caught me off guard but I just nodded. “Sure.”
I followed him inside and moved to the fridge, opening it and pointing t
o the container stored on the door, in plain sight. “This one?”
He took it out and moved to the counter to pour it into a serving bowl. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” I shook my head and headed back out when he stopped me.
“Wait. I was actually wondering if you had some time to show him around tomorrow? I have meeting after meeting scheduled and I don’t think I’ll be able to get away.”
I blinked, waiting for him to say he was joking. He didn’t. “You want me to entertain a prince?”
He nodded. “Yeah, Cian’s really low key. Just show him some of your favorite places.”
The thought of spending alone time with CIan was doing funny things to my insides. He’d been so rude earlier, but now he just seemed kind of sad and lonely. He did say signings were stressful. I wouldn't be graceful in that situation either.
“Please Serena?”
David rarely begged. Spending time with Cian wouldn’t be the worst thing I ever did. Worst case, I’d get time to listen to him talk with that accent of his.
“Okay.”
David searched my face like he was waiting for me to crack and say I was kidding. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
I nodded and headed back to the patio. I took in a deep breath before sitting down and gathered the courage to ask out a prince. Well, not ask him out like a date. Ha. No. That would be ridiculous. This was a family friend.
“So Cian, I have to put in some time at the animal shelter in the morning, but I was thinking maybe I can show you around or something after?”
I refused to look at David while I waited for Cian’s answer. He glanced around seeming a bit confused.
“Well, David–”
“I’m actually going to be pretty busy tomorrow. I won’t be able to leave the office as early as I thought.” David sounded guilty and I didn’t want Cian to feel like he was being pawned off.
“I get home pretty early, so I have the whole day free.”
His eyes met mine and a genuine smile appeared. “I don’t want you to go out of your way.”
I bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling too wide. “I had nothing else planned.”
“If you’re sure it isn’t an inconvenience, that would be very nice. Thank you.” His easy smile put me at ease. This wouldn't be awkward. Nope, I wouldn't let that happen.
His Royal Regret: Royals of Lochland Book 2 Page 2