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She was kind enough and had really seemed sincere since they had first met. But then there was a bit of a splinter stuck between their interactions that stood out like a swollen thumb.
It was no secret that Lila had always had feelings for Fletcher. She was a rather formidable woman and floated around the store with ease. Her beautiful, straight blonde hair fell down her back, and her blue eyes sparkled. There was a definite sense of mystery about her.
She carried herself with confidence and showed no anxiety when it came to taking control of the store.
Luckily, Madison was able to be honest with herself when it came to dicey situations such as the one that presented itself before her. On one hand, she knew Fletcher was right. She could only hide her insecurities for so long. Eventually, she would have serious royal duties to undertake, which would make her position in the store null and void.
She’d have no time in the store if, or maybe she should say when, the mating ceremony was completed.
She would have to hand the reins of the store over to someone. At least ninety percent of it, anyway.
She could do that. Shehadto do that. Though setting a day for an engagement party terrified Madison to no end, she had feelings for the king. She simply didn’t know whether a non-shifting queen was sufficient for the Kingdom of Willowfrost.
But on the other hand, she didn’t really trust Lila. She approached this bluntly and coldly in her mind as they settled the store for closing, with Fletcher already having left a few hours before to get the chefs to prepare a private dinner.
Lila knew what she was doing in taking over the store. She displayed a remarkable amount of composure in her approach to a subject she knew nothing about. That could also make her sly and mischievous … sneaking into the king’s good books by working for his future bride?
It was a lot to consider, but Madison was tired. She decided to keep Lila at arm’s length and trust her when it pertained to the store. Everything else, she would protect as fiercely as she could.
Madison arrived at the palace just as dusk fell. She absorbed the stunning sunset as she got out of the car the king had sent. She couldn’t catch her breath as she stared at the way the orange sky painted the forests and burned over the steep hills and sloping valleys.
It gave her solace, if only for a moment, inhaling the cooling air and summoning the courage to face what waited for her inside.
She carried herself up the steps to their chambers. He was already there, sitting in the lounge area of the royal suite, swirling a tumbler of topaz brandy next to a crackling fireplace.
He took her breath away for a second. He was wearing a soft velvet robe, the shade of Willowfrost’s midnight blue, with a sage emblem embedded on the wrist. His dark hair was no longer slicked back but brushed casually to the side, ruffled and untidy.
He looked away from her and back at the fireplace.
He’s brooding,Madison thought as she examined his eyes, which reflected the flickering, billowing flames.
She hated to intrude upon him, especially when he looked so gorgeous sitting there. Something was clearly weighing on him.
Madison told herself she would have to intrude. She could no longer run from the thing that scared her the most in the world.
So Madison stepped into the royal suite, closing the door softly behind her.
She wasn’t sure if it was the door or her scent that caught his attention. When he turned, he wore a small smile. She could see his wolf in the way his eyes shone, and the animal’s keen interest was unveiled.
“Good evening, Madison,” he said. “How did the rest of your day go?”
Madison was still holding her bag and purse, having forgotten to place it in her bedroom first. She moved into the lounge and put them down next to the loveseat Fletcher was sitting on.
She sighed, then forced herself to meet his eyes.
“It went well, I think. Lila knows what she’s doing. She’s very easy to teach.”
Fletcher swirled his beverage in one hand, nodding slowly. He could have smugly said I-told-you-so with regards to Lila, but he didn’t. He listened with intent in a way that only a shifter could, with unwavering attention that was so intentional that it was intimidating.
“Is she someone you think you could trust with the store?” Fletcher inquired.
Madison considered telling him about her trepidation about Lila’s history with her interest in him but decided to let that go by the wayside. The king wouldn’t be interested in any suppositions.
So she nodded and brushed her suspicions of Lila aside.
“She is. She’s very easy-going and adaptable as far as I can tell.”
Fletcher’s smile grew large. He tapped the couch next to him for her to sit, the look on his face making her heart flutter.
