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“I have counseled against such a haphazard approach,” Mr. Popov said, obliquely reproving the Prince, but not coming right out and doing so.
Emma gave him a wry look. “If what you told me is true, I’m not sure Konstantin should be taking any kind of legal advice from you.”
The lawyer looked offended, but before he could say anything else, Konstantin dismissed the older man with a wave of his hand. “Emma is right. You made a grave error in judgment five and a half years ago and every day since by not telling me what you had done. Whether you should remain in our employ is still up for discussion.”
The lawyer looked like he wanted to argue, but Konstantin’s forbidding expression kept him silent. “Keep your phone on in case Emma changes her mind and wants clarification of anything.”
Mr. Popov nodded and stood. “Of course, Your Highness.” He bowed toward Emma. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Carmichael.”
As the man walked away, Emma rolled her eyes at Konstantin. “Now, I know he lies.”
“He is a lawyer, of course he lies, but he’s not lying about the TRO.”
“I’m sure there are lots of honest lawyers,” Emma said rather than revisit the restraining order issue.
Konstantin looked more abashed than she expected from her comment. “I am sure you are right. I spoke out of turn in my frustration.”
“And because you are feeling guilty.”
“Yes.” He frowned. “I am surprised you realized that.”
“There was a time I knew you very well, Konstantin.” And not just his body. While he’d seen her as a convenient sexual partner, he had been the love of Emma’s life.
And she’d paid attention to his every mood. His every reaction. Emma had naively believed they had so much in common.
They’d diverged in one crucial way that really said how very little any of the other aspects of their relationship mattered.
Emma would never have dumped him for the sake of duty.
“I never lied to you, Emma. I told you our liaison was to be temporary. I told you about the contract when I’d never told another person.”
“That’s not true. Tiana knew.”
“As did the rest of our royal family and our legal advisors, but I never told other friends or women I dated.”
“Slept with, you mean. You weren’t a big dater.”
“I dated you.”
He had. Not at first, but she wouldn’t move into his apartment if he wasn’t willing to have at least a semblance of a normal relationship, which meant dating.
Konstantin had insisted they couldn’t meet each other’s friends and families, but she’d understood his reasoning. He didn’t want to be at the center of a media storm when people found out he had a live-in lover.
“You dated me like a married man does his mistress. You were very discreet.”
“And you said you understood the need for that discretion.”
“I was a naive nineteen-year-old when we met. I fell for you like a ton of bricks and you were from this world I couldn’t even fathom.” Emma gestured to the restaurant. “Even this isn’t really my world. My world is a fixer-upper house that I love, a job that will allow for a trip to Disney World with Mickey once, maybe twice in his childhood.”
“But that world, it is no longer yours either.”
She sighed. “I know. I’m smart enough to realize some things will change now you’ve decided to acknowledge your son.”
“It was not a matter of deciding but of knowing about him.”
“You keep saying that.”
“And you do not believe me.” He took a sip of his coffee and stared at her over the rim of his cup, his expression unfathomable.
