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“It’s a pleasure to meet you, girlfriend Hope.” Kiera eyed Chad suspiciously. “You don’t have girlfriends. You date every girl and their sister. T’s always telling me you’re a woman magnet.”
Hope grew even stiffer, if that were possible.
Oh, great. How could his little buddy Kiera not have his back? Usually his royal friends were the epitome of social cues and helping him out.
“That’s in my past. I am settled and focused on Hope.” He stared into Hope’s blue eyes. “Hope is the only woman for me.”
Hope didn’t look convinced, and neither did Kiera. Luckily, Faith pranced up and gushed, “Princess Kiera! Oh my! You are even prettier than the photos I’ve seen of you.”
“It is an honor.” Kiera curtsied, acting like a princess, which she rarely wanted to do. “And who are you, beautiful American lady?”
“Faith Radisson, and I should curtsy to you.” She dropped into a deep curtsy. “Ahhh. You are the best! The honor is all mine. I can promise you that.”
Chad and Hope exchanged a smile. Chad appreciated the break in tension. At least Faith was flourishing and relishing her tour of the castle and meeting her second royal.
Kiera gave Faith a conspiratorial look. “Do you want me to show you my favorite parts of the castle?”
“Yes!” Faith cheered.
Kiera took her hand. “I’ll take her to her suite after I show her the swimming pool, the flower gardens out back, and my suite.”
He’d already shown them the swimming pool, but nobody told Kiera that. Chad had shown them the family’s open area, but not any of their suites. He was always respectful of his friends’ privacy at their home. They got little privacy in their public lives.
“The gardens are even prettier than the solarium,” Kiera told Faith.
“I can’t wait!”
“Kiera,” Chad put a little steel in his tone. “No sliding down the pole of death with Faith.”
“Pole of death?” Hope queried.
Kiera met his gaze, and he could see she’d been planning on it. It was a favorite trick of hers to slide down the brass poles that ran the length of the exterior wall of the castle, shocking and terrifying guests and her own family. Kiera was a light and joy to everyone. If something happened to her and they lost her like they’d lost Queen Anne, Chad didn’t want to imagine the ache for his close friends and the entire kingdom.
“All right,” she conceded. “We’ll take the elevator.” She made her voice sound as slow and sad as Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Then she instantly perked up. “But can I show her some safe tricks? I’m a better ninja warrior than Derek or Ellery.”
“Of course, angel.” Chad smiled. Derek and Ellery were the top America Ninja Warriors in the world, but Kiera might be more talented than even that impressive pair.
“I can’t wait,” Faith said. The two walked off together toward the swimming pool and spa area. “Hope and I get to stay at the castle tonight. Do you think maybe in the morning we could use your workout facility and swim in the pool with you?”
“Yes!” Kiera pumped a fist in the air. “Well, you’ll have to work out with the boring adults. Derek and Ellery especially love that gym, but I’ll join you for swimming. I’m brilliant at tricks in water. Too bad the wedding will take all afternoon and evening, but tomorrow we will play as long as you can.”
“Perfect.”
They disappeared through the solarium doors.
“That is perfect,” Chad said. “I fear Kiera gets lonely in a world of adults sometimes.”
“Faith usually doesn’t act like an adult,” Hope agreed, smiling.
“She’s great.”
Chad was finally alone with Hope. He studied her beautiful face. She still looked closed off. Instead of giving her a charming line, he gestured to the view. “Breathtaking?”
“Oh yes, it’s gorgeous,” she said, walking to the balcony ledge and leaning her elbows on it.
“It is,” he admitted. He walked to her side and looked out over the valley, the blue lakes dotting the greenery and the towering mountains on the opposite side of the valley framing the perfect picture. He loved it here.
“Hope,” he said softly, turning to her. “Thank you for coming with me.” It wasn’t even close to the charming line he wanted to say to her. It was odd for him to be at a loss for words, but with Hope his words had to be perfect, sincere, and sweep her off her feet.
