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“That’s ridiculous. You should go back and ask again.”
“Emile, the world doesn’t work like that. Banks don’t just give you money because you have an idea of what to do with it.” She almost laughed at the confusion on his face. “Surely you know that?”
“I guess I’ve never really thought about it before.”
How could he have gotten so far in life without understanding the basics? He’d come to her with no money in his pockets and yet seemed to have no idea how the world truly functioned. Between that and his inability to cook or clean or do laundry, Kate was starting to wonder if this was the first time he’d ever lived a normal life.
She was still pondering the question as they reached the cafe and started to climb the stairs to the apartment.
“Thank you for a lovely day, Kate. I enjoyed it immensely,” Emile said.
“Thank you for joining me.”
He gave her those eyes again, that look that felt like it was full of promise, but — like the other night on the couch — when he bent down he merely grazed her cheek with the barest hint of a kiss before disappearing into his bedroom.
“Good night.” Her voice was barely a whisper when it came out, and she wasn’t even sure if he’d have heard it.
Lying in her own bed minutes later, the pink teddy tucked in beside her, Kate was still wondering how Emile had ended up on her doorstep. There was so much about him that she couldn’t work out, and as time went on she just became more confused. Where on earth had he come from?
CHAPTER16
EMILE
Emile was almost embarrassed to admit, even to himself, how much he enjoyed waking up in his room in Miller Springs. It was cozy in there, like a little nest, and the blue walls almost seemed to glow when the morning sunshine came in through the window. He hadn’t thought that you could be more comfortable than you could be in a palace, but somehow this room made him feel calmer and more refreshed than his suite back in Charcieux.
He didn’t set an alarm; he knew it was time to wake up when he heard the shower start on the other side of the wall.
That was another reason why he enjoyed waking up in Miller Springs so much; the thought of Kate naked greeted him every morning. He tried not to picture it too vividly — it wasn’t doing much to his self-control to constantly be thinking about her. Not that he could think about anything else, either, it seemed.
When he heard Kate moving around in the kitchen, he levered himself out of bed and got into the shower himself. Maybe he was a total pervert, but he kind of liked the idea that she had been in there just before him. There was still the scent of her body wash in the air as he got washed, and he could lose himself in the fantasy that they were showering together…
“Morning, sunshine!” Kate beamed as Emile came into the kitchen, fully dressed after showering alone, much to his chagrin.
“You’re in a good mood,” he noted.
“No reason not to be, really.” Kate shrugged, pouring him a cup of coffee. He’d never had to wait for coffee in the palace, either, but it felt like it meant more when someone made it specifically for him without being paid to do so.
“No, I suppose there’s not.”
Kate had more worries than almost anyone that he knew back home. Hell, almost everyone in Miller Springs had something to worry about, if he’d learned anything from overhearing conversations in the cafe. And yet, they all maintained such a positive attitude.
“Did I get any mail?” Emile asked hopefully, and felt his stomach dip when Kate shook her head. He’d updated his family with his new address weeks ago, but there had been no word from the palace at all.
“Are you expecting something?” Kate asked, seeing his fallen expression.
“Nothing in particular, don’t worry.” He tried to brush it off, taking a sip of his coffee. No one made coffee like Kate and if there was anything that would perk him up, it would be that.
Except, he couldn’t stop his mind drifting during his shift at the cafe. He was able to still joke with the customers and he only messed up the usual number of orders, so he didn’t think anyone would notice that something was up, but he felt despondent.
He wasn’t in a hurry to get home, exactly. He was still seething that his parents would exile him for a little bit of partying. But, he’d always assumed it would be an option to go home and that, once the press furor around his illegal gambling den visit died down, his parents would send for him and they could at least broker a truce. It had been weeks now since he left Charcieux and they knew where he was, so why hadn’t they been in touch? Was the exile permanent, after all? Had he really messed up that much?
“Penny for your thoughts,” Kate said, as she took some dirty plates from him. “Everything okay?”
He should have known that Kate would notice his mood. There was no getting past her. But he didn’t want to talk about it right now. How could he, when she didn’t know anything about his background? You couldn’t exactly just announce that you were a prince when you were in the middle of a breakfast shift at a cafe. She probably wouldn’t even believe him. It sounded absurd. A prince who wasn’t welcome in his own kingdom.
So, he plastered on a smile and gave her a wink, to which she shook her head. “I’m fine,” he insisted, despite the roiling in his stomach at the prospect that he might never be able to return home.
“If you insist.” Kate obviously didn’t believe him, but she left him alone with his thoughts for the rest of the afternoon and when they’d closed up for the day, Emile made his excuses and slipped out before she could protest.
