Page 25 of The Prince Who Loved Me

“You’re not telling me something I don’t already know.”

The women returned, with Wendy’s face nearly obscured by the flowers. She placed them on the middle of the island, then embraced her boyfriend. “Thank you. I can’t believe you brought me flowers.”

“Yeah, I can’t quite believe it either.”

“Okay, Rob.” Leslie grinned at him. “I officially like you.”

Rob’s answering smile was decidedly uncomfortable.

Brandi glanced at the clock on the kitchen’s microwave. “Aunt Leslie, it was good seeing you again.”

“You, too, honey.” She gave Brandi a hug. “You take care of yourself and try not to look for love too far from home.”

Did she raise her eyebrow at Sebastien? He couldn’t tell for sure.

“Are you leaving, Leslie?” he asked.

“Soon, yeah.”

“I’ll tell my mom you said goodbye,” Brandi said.

“I did that last night, honey. I had a feeling she wouldn’t be awake yet.”

Brandi pushed open the kitchen door and Sebastien followed her outside, thankful she wasn’t taking the passage from the butler’s pantry so they’d have a chance to talk.

Without an audience.

“Brandi.”

“Hey, Prince Charming.” She flashed him her full smile,but now he noticed her eyes were still dulled. “What do you have planned for today?”

Nothing except starting the rest of his life. “Can we talk?”

“I have only a few minutes. I have to set a good example. One of the many things I’m learning about being in charge.”

Ooh, nice dig. He nodded, trying to form words. “I’m sorry about what I said yesterday. In my mind I was helping you plan, but not only did you not ask me for help, but it made it seem like I didn’t think you could do it. And I know you can.”

She bowed her head, her shoulders sagging. “Thanks.” But she avoided eye contact and continued to her car.

She didn’t believe him. “Maybe we can talk more about it over dinner.”

“What was it, a picnic on a gondola in Venice? Is that what the rage is now?” Her mouth twisted. “I have a date.”

And not with him, not even with the invitation he had extended yesterday. “Another time, then.”

She gave him a peck on the check before getting into her car and put her key in the ignition. “We’ll talk later.”

She closed the door and blew him a kiss, then went on her way, leaving him alone in the parking lot and feeling like a dumbass.

***

Sebastien sat on the plush brown sofa in the library after dinner with a large, unopened packet of mail while Wendy fussed behind him, straightening pillows that didn’t need straightening and shelving books in meticulous order. The portrait above the brick fireplace frowned at him, but he glared back. Brandi was still on her date, had probably gone for dinner after the drinks with this Nick fellow.

“I think you put the Stephenson in the wrong place.” Sebastien tapped the package tucked next to him to make sure Wendy hadn’t snuck around him and shelved that, too.

“What?” Wendy scrutinized her work. “It’s right where it should be.”

“Maybe it’s that original copy ofLes Misérables.” He over-accented the word and balanced the packet on a finger. It was thicker than the mail normally forwarded from home, which were filled with invitations to parties he didn’t want to go to and correspondence from Her Majesty, his mom. A phone call or even email would be faster, but she liked the old fashioned pen-to-paper method. And secretly, he enjoyed receiving her letters. It was like having a little bit of home with him.