Inconceivable! (16 page)

After a few minutes, he sniffed loudly and looked at me. “If you’ve forgiven me for my lack of manners last night, I’d love to take you for a ride.”

“In the woods behind the palace?”

“As you wish, my dear,” he said, placing an unruly lock of hair behind my ear.

When we got back from our horseback ride and picnic (thank goodness the rain held off), I packed. My dread of leaving John grew heavier every time I added something to my duffel.
Suck it up, Hatty.

A knock on the bedroom door interrupted my little pity party. John walked in, a hint of sadness evident in his eyes.

“Here. Let me take this downstairs for you.”

“Don’t you have people to do this kind of thing?” I teased him as he grabbed the handle of my duffle bag. “Hey, before we take my bags downstairs, I want to give you something.”

“This sounds important. Should I sit?”

“Sure.”

I grabbed his gift from the wardrobe where I’d kept it since my arrival. Holding it behind my back, I perched on the edge of the bed beside him.

“This is for you.” I placed the quirky little camera in his hand. “It’s a Rollei 35 millimeter that belonged to my grandfather. When he died, my grandmother gave it to me. My granddad took pictures of me with it when I was little. He called it his ‘off-the-clock camera’ because it was so much smaller than the ones he used at work.”

“Hatty, I don’t know if I can accept such a special gift. Do they even make this camera anymore?” He turned it over in his hand, looking at it from different angles.

“I doubt it, but it’s loaded with film and ready to go. Since I don’t get to be with you very often and all this is so new to me, I thought it would be cool if you took some photos while we’re apart. That way, I can see what I miss.”

He gently set down the camera and gave me a fierce hug. “Hatty, this is one of the best gifts anyone’s ever given me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I can’t wait to see your photos.”

“I can’t wait to see you again.” But he hadn’t said anything about when or where our next date would be. With this realization, my heart sank.

He gave me one last hungry kiss. My eyes drifted shut, and I savored the taste of our lips converging. A desperation drove my mouth into motion because I didn’t know when I’d see him again. Soon, I hoped. Very soon.

hortly after I got home Sunday evening, Tilda and Sara arrived at my apartment to get all the details on the weekend while I did laundry. Such a glamorous life I led.

Tilda blew into her cup of steaming chai. “Do you think his father and brother like you? Henri seems like such a goofball and their dad strikes me as being entirely too serious.”

Sara jumped in. “They’re both sexy as hell. If you don’t want them, I’ll take all three.”

“Tilda, you’ve got them pegged―Henri’s a doll and their father is quite solemn. So get this: I asked his father what I should call him, and he said Leo. Think about his stern face. Can you imagine anyone calling him Leo?”

“Did you?”

“Heck, yes!”

“They probably thought that was cute and folksy.” My Missouri charms I unwittingly put on display from time to time brought Tilda endless amusement.

“Okay. Who cares about dad and brother? Tell us about the kissing.” For Sara, the world was a romance novel, its pages turning before her eyes.

“Well. He’s very good at it. When he kisses me, it feels like home. Does that make sense?”

“Absolutely. A beautiful image. Does he use a lot of tongue?”

“Sara!”

“Well?”

“I guess. I mean, I don’t know. How do you quantify tongue?”

“Doesn’t matter. Just tell me this: did you do anything else?” Sara leaned closer.

“Well, I didn’t see it, but I know he has one heck of a kingmaker.”

“How do you know if you didn’t see it?”

“Use your imagination.”

“Not a good suggestion. I’ve got one hell of an imagination.”

We giggled. All we needed was pizza and a handmade fortunetelling game made of notebook paper and this could pass for a high school sleepover. In those days, my friends and I stayed up late sharing every awkward detail about the boys we’d kissed.

“Back to the important part of the weekend,” Tilda said, glaring at Sara.

“Hey, this stuff’s very important! We need to know if they have chemistry.” Sara winked at Tilda and shook her booty.
Lord help us.

“Sara, settle down. Honestly. The really important thing is what his brother and father thought of you. Because if you don’t have their approval, your relationship with the prince is doomed.”

“John said they enjoyed meeting me. Good old Leo asked me a very pointed question about what I planned to do in May, and if dating John figured into my future.”

“And what did you say?” Sara stopped dancing.

“I told him it does. But, c’mon, we just started dating. Suddenly, I’m supposed to be thinking about long-term plans? So ridiculous!”

“I totally get it,” Tilda said. “But you’re not seeing the big picture from their perspective. They’re used to everyone bowing to their whims and following their schedule. And I’m sure they don’t like the fact you’re in journalism. Might do them good to have someone like you around.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll see. I’m going to call my mom in the morning and tell her. She’s going to flip out.”

Mom hated anything she perceived as getting in the way of my career, and I’d bet that’s how she’d see my courtship with John. Note to self: don’t use the word “courtship” because she’ll hate that, too.

“Hey, Mom!”

“Hi, honey! How are things going with the new internship?”

“Good. They’re letting me focus on my investigative story. It’s the perfect arrangement. Much better than at the
Dispatch
.”

“Don’t you miss covering the royals? I thought you did a wonderful job with the blog. Sounded like such a fun assignment.”
Oh, mom. You have no idea.

“Well, that’s actually what I’m calling about. It was a lot of fun spending time with the royal family. Specifically, the prince. John.”

Awkward pause.

“In fact, it was so fun, we’ve decided to spend more time together.”

“What do you mean?” I sensed her hackles awakening in alarm.

“I mean we’re dating. Me and the prince. The prince and I. Us. Together.”

“Dating? Is he the reason you left the
Dispatch
?” Mom cut straight through the bull. No wonder her students both loved and feared her.

“Well, I couldn’t very well cover someone I’m dating. Once we began our courtship, I moved to
Les Valenciennes
.”

“Courtship? What is this, the 1950’s?”
Damn that word!

“It’s just the official term they use in the paperwork.”

“What paperwork?”

“I had to sign paperwork consenting to the terms of our courtship.”

“This sounds absolutely medieval. Why would you ever sign such a document?”

“Because I like him! A lot. It’s fine. It’s more than fine. I’m glad to be rid of that stupid blog. It was complete fluff. Now, I’m working on a story that really matters.”

“As long as you don’t step on any royal toes, right?”

“My story has nothing to do with John’s family. Can’t you be happy for me?”

“I’ll be happy when I know you aren’t throwing away your career for a lifetime of ‘Stand By Your Man.’”

“Trust me. I’m not giving up my career for John. This is the 21
^st
century. It
is
possible to have a relationship and a job, you know?”

“I
don’t
know. I just don’t know about this, Hatty.”

I gritted my teeth, determined to show her I could, eventually, have it all―a successful career, an adoring husband, and two-point-five kids. Boom.