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A knock on the door startled me.
Cristina took it upon herself to walk over to open the door. Then the prince stepped inside my office, looking around.
“Excuse the mess,” I said.
Oddly enough, he glanced inside my garbage can before waving it off. “Your untidy surroundings reflect an imaginative mind that is too busy creating and exploring new ideas to be confined by strict organization.”
“Are you speaking from experience?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Our offices are very similar, actually.”
“I seriously doubt that,” I said. “Your office must be pristine, thanks to a cleaning staff, plus I would imagine it’s the size of a football field.”
“Not quite, but it overlooks one,” Prince Oliver said. “Look, I don’t want to be a pest, but I think you are passing up the opportunity of a lifetime. Meet me for dinner and we can discuss this further. No strings attached.”
“Dinner?” I said, not expecting that.
Prince Oliver nodded. “I’m staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel, but I’ve heard about a restaurant called Fixins Soul Kitchen that I must try.”
I blinked twice. “You’re kidding.”
“Never stand between a man and his macaroni and cheese,” he said. “Have dinner with me. Strictly business, of course. I’m an engaged man.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you eat mac and cheese,” I said.
“Well, I do need to also try their chicken and waffles,” Prince Oliver said. “And the fried green tomatoes, of course.”
I was speechless.
“Are you aware that your mouth is open, but nothing is coming out?” he asked. “Why are you staring at me that way?”
“This is definitely a scam,” I said. “I’ve never heard of a prince who eats soul food. You should be eating escargot and tuna tartare, and drinking tea with your pinkie extended.”
“I assure you that my pinkie is always pressed firmly against my other fingers whenever I drink tea,” he said with an infectious grin. “Life’s too short not to enjoy the simple pleasures of other cultures, is it not? Will you join me for dinner?”
“What if I said no?” I asked.
Prince Oliver shrugged. “Then I would ask again.”
“Do you ever take no for an answer?”
He held my gaze. “No.”
Biting my lip, I thought about it. I felt a mix of emotions all swirling together inside of me.
Anticipation.
Dread.
Hope.
Was this really the break I needed? Was Cristina right? Did I really have nothing to lose? I doubted a dinner with the prince would change my mind about planning his royal wedding, but I could at least extend a courtesy and hear him out.
I finally conceded. “All right, Your Highness. I’ll have dinner with you tonight to hear more details about your wedding, but I’m making no promises beyond that.”
His eyes lit up in triumphant delight. “Perfect.”
I had to admit, the idea of an all-expenses paid trip to Europe was awfully tempting. Still, as I watched him saunter away, confidence in every step, I couldn’t ignore the nervous feeling stirring in my gut.
