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He guides me out into the living room where my entire family is watching a movie on TV. They pause their show when they see us, and every head turns to stare at us.
"Hey look, it's James Bond and Miss Moneypenny," Cameron says with a sly grin. "Are you off to break into Fort Knox and stop the bad guy from stealing all the loot?"
Amy pokes her husband in the side. "He means you two look fantastic and we hope you have a wonderful evening. Isn't that right, Cam?"
"Sure. Isn't that what I said?"
"Miss Moneypenny didn't go on missions with James Bond, anyway. Get your movie references right, honey."
Cam winks at me. "Have fun, sis."
"Yeah, have a great time," Dad says. "You deserve it."
My brother squints at Ben. "Don't get my sister into any trouble."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
Ben threads his fingers through mine as we put on our coats and leave the house. We get into my car, but Ben insists on driving so our destination will be a surprise. He opens my door for me and holds my hand as I get inside, the way gentlemen do in old movies. I didn't think anyone did that these days. But Bennett Montague isn't like anyone else. He's one of a kind, and I love that about him.
Maybe his mother taught him to be chivalrous. She is a princess after all, and he is the crown prince.
I'm going on a date with a member of a royal family. Wow.
As we drive through the deepening twilight, I start to get an inkling of where we're going. The road signs give me clues. We've turned onto the highway Ben should've taken when he got lost one week ago tonight.
"We're going to Hartmoor?" I say. "Didn't know there were any fancy restaurants there."
"Did you want a posh restaurant? I thought you'd prefer the sort where they give you a bib and a trough of lobster, with a nutcracker to break open the shells and a vat of melted butter to dip the meat in."
"Ha-ha. We wouldn't be dressed like royalty if you were taking me to a place like that."
"Fair point." He glances at me sideways. "Yes, we are going to Hartmoor. But there's a new restaurant in the village. My mate Chance Dixon told me about it. He lives in Hartmoor, and he was a major investor in that new restaurant, which opened six months ago. It's the first high-end eatery in the area."
"That sounds amazing."
"I talked to Chance a few days ago, and he swears The Hartmoor Inn is very posh but not so upscale that you'll feel like you shouldn't belch while you're in the restaurant."
"Belch? A lady never does that."
"You did that the other night. After your brother fed us five-alarm chili with jalapeno cheese bread."
I can't help smiling when I remember that meal. "Your face turned red when you ate a big mouthful of it."
"Felt like my head was about to explode. Can't understand how anyone could eat like that."
"I think Cam has a secret mouth spray that protects his taste buds."
"That would explain it. Does Cameron eat that way all the time?"
"No. Amy doesn't like super-hot stuff. He was testing you."
"Testing me how? To see if I have a strong digestive system?"
I can't help laughing. "He wanted to make sure you're not a wuss. Cameron thinks I need to be protected."
"Didn't you tell him how you rescued me? I was minutes away from becoming a human icicle."
"He knows about that. But Cam still treats me like I'm a little girl. Most of the time, I think it's sweet." I gaze out at the snowy landscape whizzing past my window. "Once in a while, it can be annoying. But he acts that way because he cares."
