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The only thing that makes me nervous is not being able to book out the entire place. But at this late stage in the game, that’s impossible. We’ll just have to prepare as best we can and keep the other guests away from the wedding during the ceremony and reception.
“What are you thinking?”
I glance up to find Chloe there, no Betsy in sight. “Are we alone?”
“Yes, I told Betsy we needed to look around a little more and chat, but Freddy, I think we found the place.” She clasps my hands in hers, and shakes them like she’s trying to hold back a squeal. The joy in her voice—and on her face—is a shot to my heart.
I want to tease her about her optimism, about wishing things into being, but instead I keep my face devoid of emotions and nod. “I believe it should work for the security team as well.” Then, because no one is watching after all, I gently extricate my hands from hers and fold them behind my back before I begin walking again, this time toward a large stone fountain that’s gurgling. The sound of water hitting water is rather soothing, though it does nothing to relieve the pounding in my head.
Nothing but sleep does that.
But I can’t—won’t—tell Chloe that, because then she’ll insist on going back to the hotel when she needs to be doing stuff for the wedding.
“Hey.” Her soft voice is beside me again and I look over. Clouds have rolled in where there was once sunshine in her eyes. Did I do that to her by walking away? The last thing I ever want to do is hurt her, though I’m not sure how my actions would have done that. Maybe she’s just worried that I’m going to give away that we aren’t really engaged.
“Hey.” I sigh and sink onto a stone bench beside the fountain, feet spread wide and head hanging down. “Look, Chloe, I’m sorry I’m rubbish at pretending. I’ll …” But do I really want to promise I’ll do better? Rubbing the side of my head, I press on. “I’lltryto do better.”
She lowers herself beside me. “I’m sorry it’s so hard for you.” Her whisper floats between us, nearly smacking me. I want to scream the truth—that it’s not hard to pretend to love her. It’s hard to pretendnotto love herwhileI pretend to love her.
Blimey. That makes my head hurt even worse. I knead my temple more furiously.
“But I do appreciate you trying.”
All I can do is grunt in reply. I’m not sure rubbing my head is actually helping. In fact, it feels like I’m doing more damage. But massages are like that, aren’t they? You have to get a wee bit hurt in order to experience the healing on the other side.
If only this fake engagement was like that too, but I have a feeling that it will only end in disaster.
I breathe out through my nose, fighting the pain piercing my skull. “So, what’s next? Just sign some paperwork and pay the deposit, I wager?”
“I think so.”
“Let’s do it then.” I stand quickly, but black dots flash around the corners of my vision and I thud back onto the hard stone bench. My head sinks into my hands and I try to breathe steadily through the pain and waves of dizziness.
“Whoa there, Muscles.” Chloe touches my back, my shoulder. “Come here.”
Come … where?
I glance up, the light of the sun making my stomach roil. She’s scooted to the end of the bench. And she’s patting her lap.
“No.” I shake my head and wave her off. “I’ll be fine.”
She snorts. “Stop being so stubborn and lie down. I’ll be your pillow.”
Mypillow? “You’re a princess. I’m not using you as a pillow.”
“How can you keep me safe if you can’t even stand up? Come rest for a few moments and then you can go back to saving the world.”
I groan. “Stop using logic to sway me.”
“It’s working then?” Her voice holds a smile.
“Chloe, it’s just not appropriate.” Then again, neither is this entire situation.
“Look, I understand that you see these definitive lines between us as royalty and bodyguard. But in this moment, just until your head is better, can we simply be Chloe and Freddy, two friends who are helping each other out?”
I feel myself giving in. But I have to throw one more jab, one more attempt to be strong. Sure, my eyes are still shut and I’m cradling my head like a baby, but if my father saw me right now, he’d tell me to man up and do what I came here to do—protect the princess. Reclaim the family name.
He’d tell me not to jeopardize twelve years of loyal service to the crown by being improper with the princess.
