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"I never dated her," he answered Holger. "But I did consider it."
"What about Else?" his brother asked in his most disapproving tone.
"I would have talked to her about seeing other people before I asked another woman on a date." Not that he was going to tell Holger he'd already done that.
Since he wasn't going to be dating Lisette, there was no reason to put Else back in her marriage minded parents' sights.
"If you're considering dating other people, maybe you should." Holger sounded like there was more he wanted to say, but held back.
Tor could only be grateful. He hadn't talked about anything real with either of his brothers in so long, he wasn't sure he remembered how.
"I called because we need to handle this story," Tor told Holger.
"You never went out with her, even for coffee?" his brother asked.
Tor stifled a sound of impatience. His brother didn't know him anymore, so he had felt compelled to ask.
"No. We're in a couple of the same classes." Which he now realized she had probably engineered. "Have attended some of the same group study sessions, but nothing else. I know how things can get misconstrued by the media."
"There must be some reason she thinks she can get away with making these claims." His brother's tone was not exactly accusing, but it wasn't perfectly neutral either.
Tor stifled his anger at his brother's assertion. If Holger had said he didn't go out with a woman, Tor would have believed him.
Full stop. Period. No clarification needed.
"I don't think she cares if she gets away with it entirely," Tor informed his brother. "Once the story is out there, she achieves the celebrity she craves. She wants status, to be famous."
And maybe a book deal. At least that's what he'd overheard her saying.
Blythe was looking worriedly at him and somehow Tor found her regard comforting. She wasn't looking at him like she thought he'd done something to bring this on like his brother was implying.
Blythe looked like she was worried about Tor.
Even if that was wishful thinking on his part, he'd take it.
"I'll get our PR and legal team on this immediately. We'll get her to sign a gag order, even if we have to pay for it," Holger said decisively. "Do you want a restraining order?"
Tor considered and liked the message that would send, to Lisette, to the media and to any other women thinking to capitalize on their vicinity to a prince. "Yes."
"We'll keep this quiet, but I need you to put any plans for dating someone besides Else on hold for a few months. We are in some delicate diplomatic negotiations right now."
Considering Holger was the one who had just told Tor he should date other people than Else if he wanted to, the request was annoying. However, not surprising. Once again, Tor's wellbeing, or what his brother considered that to be, was expected to take second place to duty.
Since Tor had no intention of dating anyone, he agreed easily though. "No problem."
"You deserve to be happy, Tor."
Right. As long as that happiness didn't impinge on what was best for the royal family as a whole, or Tapt Oyer.
Tor knew the drill by now.
He said none of that, simply reminding his brother, "You don't have to worry about me."
"I do though. You're my little brother."
"Not little anymore." And years on from needing his sovereign sibling to play the fatherly role, or even big brother role in his life.
They talked for only a few seconds more before Holger rang off.
