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“Oh, right,” Alex said, trying to remove the tool belt.
“It clips on the side,” Bexley said.
“I know. It’s just hard to undo.” Alex looked kind of cute as she tried to unclip the thing.
“Here. I’ve got it,” Bexley offered, walking the few steps to her and easily unclipping the belt “Your Royal Highness.” She held it up for Alex to take.
“Thank you, Dr.Woods,” Alex replied sarcastically, taking it from her.
“And we’re cleaning this nasty kitchen today, so make sure you really want to do this. If not, I can always tell Alice you helped, and you can–”
“I’m not afraid of getting my hands dirty, Bexley,” Alex interrupted. “I know you think I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth, and I did, but only because my mother thought the gold spoons would be tacky.”
Bexley had to laugh at that.
“I’m a Princess by birth,” Alex continued, “but I live alone in a small house with next to no staff. I won’t lie: I do have a housekeeper. But I work hard to keep the place tidy for her.”
Bexley laughed again and said, “Then, you can take the sink, and I’ll take the refrigerator.”
“Very well,” Alex replied. “So, Alice grew up on a farm. Did you as well? I don’t think I’ve ever asked.”
Bexley opened the refrigerator door. They’d gotten the electricity turned back on the day before, so she was happy it worked, but it now needed to be cleaned before she’d put actual food in there.
“Adjacent to one. My parents owned a feed store but didn’t have a farm. I worked on some during summer and school breaks, though.”
“So, you know how to operate power tools, then?” Alex began wiping off the counter she’d just sprayed.
“Mostly from my dad. When he needed a new shelf at the shop or was doing work on the house, I tried to help when I could.”
“Only child?”
“Two brothers. Both older.”
“Baby girl,” Alex said.
“Huh?” Bexley asked as she bent down to look at the mess that was the bottom shelf of the fridge.
“My brother has two boys. Don’t tell the tabloids, but he and his wife, Margaret, are thinking about having a baby girl. That’s what they want, anyway.”
“Oh. Yeah, I guess Iwasthe baby. My brothers are only ten months and two years older than me, though, so we were all basically babies together. I never really felt like the baby, and my parents didn’t seem to treat me any differently than my brothers.”
“That’s good,” Alex said.
“What about you?” Bexley asked before she closed her eyes tightly. “Sorry. I know you have a younger brother. You’re the future Queen of England. The whole world knows that.”
Alex stopped cleaning and said, “Maybe, but they don’t know much more than that. We keep things to ourselves whenever we can. Like the little thing I just told you about their baby plans – you and I are the only two people who know.”
Bexley looked up at her and said, “Really?”
“Yes. So if you tell anyone, he’ll know it was me.” She winked at Bexley.
“I wouldn’t.”
“I know, Bexley,” Alex told her seriously. “And Lawrence is two years and thirteen days younger than me. He did everything first, though, I swear. I walked and talked first, obviously, but from the moment we got to school or had tutors, he was the bright shining star. I just happened to have been born first.”
Bexley stood up and said, “That’s what you meant earlier when you said I earned my title.”
Alex bit her lip and looked down at the counter. Bexley worried she’d said something wrong, so went to change the subject.
