Page 24 of The Prince Who Loved Me

Cris was out of his chair before the chic brunette made it past the hostess stand. Brandi frowned at him for not being as attentive to the less attractive woman.

“That’s our cue.” Charlotte slid off the stood. “I’ll send you that website in a minute.”

Paisley finished her drink. “Text us updates so we know what’s going on. Like when they get drinks and stuff.”

The two women headed off and Brandi changed stools to get a better view. A few moments later, her phone buzzed.

“Your Blind Date dot com?” Brandi read her phone. “Apropos.” She held up her own glass. “Here’s to being a sacrificial lamb.”

Chapter 6

If Sebastien timed his morning right, the kitchen would be empty since breakfast was over, and Brandi wouldn’t yet have made it downstairs to leave for work. Her car was still in the back lot. He nudged Fountenoy Hall’s back door open and peeked inside.

So far, so good. He slipped into the kitchen, keeping the large bouquet of flowers that he had ordered below the island level. Once inside, he glimpsed up the servants stairs. No one was coming.

Brandi would be on her way to Belle’s soon. If she didn’t drive, she’d use the secret passage in the butler’s pantry that led the way to the distillery. Either way, she’d be alone. First, he’d apologize for what was seen as his lack of confidence in her running Belle’s. Tell her he believed in her. He’d prove it later with the books he’d ordered from the local bookstore. And then finally, finally confess that his heart has been filled with her since they met. Hope he hadn’t waited too long.

Damn. Wendy’s voice filtered in through the dining room followed by Leslie’s smooth tones and Brandi’s softer ones.

Were they all coming in here? He had checked Wendy’s meticulous calendar to make sure there weren’t any events, guaranteeing the Hall’s special events coordinator wasn’t going to be there. He hadn’t counted on family. He didn’t want to do this with an audience.

“So which date is this?” Wendy asked.

“My fifth, maybe? I don’t even know anymore. But how can you go wrong with someone named Nick?”

Who the hell was Nick? Brandi never mentioned a Nick. And Nick was a stupid name. It’s what happened when shaving. It involved blood. Who named a kid after a razor cut? Nick hadbad parents.

The large bouquet seemed to wilt with every word Brandi spoke.

“This is the first blind date, so we’ll see how it goes.”

The voices grew clearer so he rushed to the back door. Before he could hustle outside, Rob thundered down the back stairs, inadvertently blocking Sebastien’s escape. Damn again. He slapped the flowers against Rob’s chest and the man scrambled to keep them from falling.

“These are lovely, your Highness, but I’m a taken man,” Rob said.

Sebastien stepped away from him as the women came into the kitchen and stopped short when seeing them.

Wendy gave a gasp of surprise, hand going to her heart. “Are those for me? I thought you were upstairs working on your book. When did you go out?”

Sebastien clapped Rob on the shoulder and gave him a small shove, hoping he would catch on. “You found a good one, Wendy.”

Rob stopped his stumble and held out the bouquet.

“They’re beautiful.” She buried her nose in the petals. “Thank you. I don’t remember the last time a man brought me flowers.”

“You’ve been together seven months and this is the first time you brought her flowers?” Leslie asked.

“To be fair, I never brought him flowers, either.” Wendy inhaled deeply.

“Those really are lovely, Rob.” Brandi leaned down to sniff. When she stood straight again, she grinned at Sebastien. “Not what you were expecting for breakfast, huh?”

There was no dark look on her heart-shaped face, no tightness in her voice, no avoiding eye contact. Maybe she had thought nothing of his dismissal of her dreams. And maybe shehad buried it because she’d rather not risk a confrontation.

“I think pancakes would taste better, but I’m willing to try them.”

“I should get these in water.” Wendy grabbed Brandi and headed into the butler’s pantry with Leslie following. “Help me find a vase.”

Rob leveled a stare at Sebastien when they were alone for the three seconds finding a vase would take. “You’re an idiot.”