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The guards were out of the vehicle before Ellery could reach for her door handle. They moved fast for such well-built dudes. She knew them both from the many hours they spent working out at the gym, keeping an eye on Derek. She’d said hello to both of them many times, but she’d never had a conversation with either of them. They obviously didn’t want to be distracted from their duties as they rarely responded to anyone at the gym, even the gorgeous women who tried to flirt with them when their princely boss gently turned down the women first.
Their faces were as animated and concerned as Ellery had ever seen them. At least they realized how out of place this was. Could she tell Derek to please just drop her off right now? She could get her groceries and walk home or jump on the bus.
“Please wait. I’ll get your door.” He gave her such a sincere look that she could only mutely nod.
He climbed out and the guards were waiting. They talked in hushed voices, but it was easy to see the burly dudes did not approve of Prince Derek strutting into a grocery store in the poorest neighborhood in Chelsea. They were only five miles from the gym in Beacon Hill, but it was a different world for sure.
As the men discussed their obvious concerns and Derek looked to be trying to reassure them, a police car pulled up on the other side of the Bugatti. Oh, my. Ellery wanted to jump out and tell them all this was a bad idea, that she could get her own groceries and she’d see Derek Monday at early morning workouts. Maybe she could promise she’d go to lunch with him on Monday to calm him down. If only she knew why he seemed intent on dating her. She could line up hundreds of beautiful ladies who would jump at the chance to be with him. None of whom had the baggage and hang-ups she did.
This was turning into a mess. Why had she let Naomi talk her into trying to protect the royals? Why had she committed to going to Augustine with Derek? It was insane. She didn’t fit into his life outside the exercise and ninja warrior parts. Couldn’t he see that? Moments like this were why she’d never agreed to go to dinner with him.
Two policemen climbed out of their patrol car. Within twenty seconds, Derek had them smiling, then laughing, and then he was shaking their hands, tilting his head regally to his guards, and striding around to open her door.
He offered his hand, and she placed hers in it. All kinds of good feelings rushed through her as he helped her to her feet and wrapped his arm around her waist, as if he were a ‘regular Joe’ and they were some couple who waltzed into the grocery store together every Saturday night.
She glanced back. The security guards were a few steps behind them, and the policemen lingered by the Bugatti. One of the security guards nodded tightly to her, and one of the policemen waved and grinned.
Looking up into Derek’s handsome face, he had a relaxed expression and a twinkle in his blue eyes. “What was all of that?” she managed.
“Brax and Ollie weren’t thrilled about leaving the car, or the two of us going into the store with only one guard. Luckily, some of your kind-hearted policemen showed up at just the right time and solved the issue by offering to hang out near the Bugatti while we’re gone.”
“Kind-hearted,” she murmured. They were probably enamored with Prince Derek and his car and also with-it enough to realize they didn’t want to deal with an international incident when some teenager tried to boost the Divo. With only forty vehicles like it in the world, she imagined the resale was higher than the original hefty price tag.
“How does this work?” His eyes were lit up as if they were on some adventure.
“Have you been to a grocery store?”
“Only messing around buying some drinks as a teenager. I have groceries or food delivered in to avoid … causing a stir.” He gestured to the people in the parking lot gathered in small crowds to whisper about a royal walking into the local store. Luckily, nobody had approached them. Yet.
Was he humble enough that he didn’t want to cause a stir, or cocky enough that he didn’t want to mingle with people far below his status? From her interactions with him the past four months, and keeping an eye on him throughout competitions and at the gym, she was ninety-nine percent certain it was the former. He was always kind to those who approached him.
“I guess I’ll have to teach you,” she said.
“Please.” Such a simple word, but said in his husky voice with his appealing accent, it shot heat through her.
They approached the sliding glass doors and a line of grocery carts.
“Some people make a list so they don’t forget anything or make unnecessary purchases. Some wander around the store, grab what they need, and grab some things that look good as well.”
“Ah, I see. Are you a list-maker, or do you like to wander?”
“The list is all in my head.” She smiled but realized for the thousandth time that despite them both spending their days at the same gym and pursuing the same dream, their lives and worlds were entirely different. She rarely deviated from her standard grocery list because she often didn’t have any extra money. It was important that she and her mom eat as healthy as they could afford to, her for her career and passion to succeed at ninja warrior, and her mom to fight the MS with any tool they could utilize.
“All right. I’ll just push the cart and observe the master shopper at work.” He released her waist to get a cart.
Prince Derek was pushing her shopping cart. Surreal.
As they made their way through the produce, meat, and dairy sections, she was amazed that people stared, whispered, even took pictures, but nobody walked up to them. It may have been the hulking bodyguards, who looked intimidating in their black suits with serious looks on their faces, but it may have also been because people didn’t know how to approach a celebrity like him.
She’d gotten so used to Derek at the Warrior Gym that she’d pushed away the reality ofPrinceDerek in another public setting. The gym crowd was used to a prince in their midst. The men often spoke to him and the women constantly flirted with him. Here, people stared at him like the royal novelty he was and kept a respectful distance. She imagined she’d do the same if Jason Momoa or Chris Hemsworth walked into the Market Basket while she was choosing the least moldy-looking cauliflower head.
She had all the fresh food she needed, but she had to pick up a few non-perishables. They were in the cereal aisle, grabbing the granola her mom liked, when she felt the security guards ease closer.
Glancing around, she saw a darling little girl with black braids wrapped around her head like a crown, and a nervous-looking young mom shadowing her.
“Excuse me, Mr. Charming Prince?” the girl said, stopping ten feet away.
“Hello,” Derek said, releasing the cart handle, easing around Ellery, and walking up to the girl. He stuck his hand out, smiling at her and bowing slightly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss …”
