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“Damaris, it’s going to be fine.” I put my hands on her shoulders and turned her to face me. “You need only watch me or another person. Follow what they do, and if you get confused, go from the outside in.”
“I can’t do this.” She paled and tugged at her bodice. “I’m going to mess up, and it’s going to be awful, and I can’t breathe.”
I lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed, then sat with her in my lap and slowed my breathing until she matched it. After kissing her temple, I rocked her to soothe the last of her tremors. “Darling, I’d like you to remember something for me.”
“What’s that?”
“The people at this banquet are the same ones you’ve been haranguing all week over line items in a budget. The only difference will be their attire.”
“Yeah, I know, but what if I do something weird or embarrassing?”
I hadn’t counted on Damaris’s social anxiety when I chose her to be my bride, but it wasn’t insurmountable and wouldn’t have changed my mind if I’d known of it. Although her discomfort in crowds might never entirely fade, I resolved to give her all the support she needed.
Strangely, her anxiety seemed to be triggered only in social settings. She was perfectly fine in crowds of her peers while working.
“You won’t.” I kissed her again, then helped her to her feet. “It would be singularly impossible for you to embarrass me.”
“But what if?—”
“If by some stretch of the imagination you’re anything but the charming, generous, and kind woman everyone knows you to be, I will simply leave my trousers unzipped after a trip to the restroom.”
As I intended, she burst out laughing. “Mercy, Savva. The things you say sometimes.”
“And if that doesn’t work, I shall take you in my arms and kiss you until you forget your discomfort.”
“That would do it.” She smiled wryly and blushed. “My brains about fall out of my ears every time you kiss me as it is.”
“Then I shall endeavor to do it often, but only after you’ve finished your workday.” Offering her my arm, I added, “Are we ready?”
She inhaled, then let out a breath and straightened her shoulders. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
As I escorted her to the ballroom, I reminded myself to keep up appearances and not kiss her in public. We’d managed to hide our relationship for the entire week, letting everyone believe Damaris was simply my assistant. Neither of us wanted our respective parents to find out until we could tell them in person. The palace publicity secretary would also want time to create a press release, schedule formal photos, and…
Knowing I was getting ahead of myself, I concentrated on Damaris.
“Damaris!” A tall woman in a flowing, purple dress and long, elegant braids waved to get her attention before hurrying to intercept us with two little girls in party dresses in tow. Without waiting for an answer, she swept Damaris into a tight hug. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Hi, Kim.” Damaris returned the hug, then stepped back and smiled. “You look amazing.”
“So do you! Girl, that dress is to die for. I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet up for supper earlier. Saul was so busy, but Dr. Sieger’s wife showed us some great places for the kids.”
“It’s okay. It’s been so crazy, I’m surprised Saul got to eat at all.” She crouched and opened her arms for the little girls. “And dang, who are these beautiful little princesses?”
“You know who we are, Aunt Maris.” The elder of the two, her dark hair braided like her mother’s, rushed into Damaris’s embrace, nearly knocking her backward. “LaToya and Kanisha!”
“Oh, yes! Now I see.” Damaris laughed and gave both girls another hug, then stood. “You’ve gotten so big!”
“I’m almost tall enough to sit in the car without a booster seat,” the smaller one said. Frowning up at me, she pointed, then added, “Who’s that?”
“Kanisha, it’s rude to point,” Kim murmured.
“It’s quite all right.” I crouched to meet the little girl’s eyes. “My name is Savva. I’m Damaris’s friend.”
“You’re pretty. I like you.”
Damaris snickered and gave me a merry smile. The sight of her amusement almost made me forget the banquet and everything else. Sadly, I couldn’t whisk her upstairs and finish what we’d started in the shower before dressing.
“All right, monster.” Saul rolled his wheelchair past his wife and swept the girl up to sit on his lap. “Leave the prince alone, and let’s go in to supper.”
