AllFreeNovel
Share Us
GRACE
“Good morning,” Marco greeted me with a warm smile outside of the palace, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he opened the back door of the sleek black SUV.
“Good morning, Marco,” I said, looking up to admire the beautiful blue sky, then inhaling the wonderful scent wafting over from the Mediterranean Sea. “How are you on this lovely day?”
“I’m excellent—thank you for asking,” he said. “Are you ready for your Verdana shopping adventure?”
I nodded, feeling a little weird having Prince Oliver’s credit card in my purse. “I’m ready. And I promise not to bring back any animals this time.”
“I’m sure I’m not the only one who appreciates that,” he said with a wink.
I climbed into the vehicle, sinking into the plush leather seat.
“Grace!” Princess Adriana approached before Marco could shut my door. She had an infectious energy about her that made me smile. “Where are you off to?” She peered into the SUV with curiosity, even though I’m sure she had been in it a thousand times.
“Dress shopping, Your Highness,” I answered.
“Oh, do you mind if I join you? I love shopping, and it’s been ages since I’ve had a day out! And, please, call me Adriana!” Princess Adriana’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, clearly excited at the prospect of an impromptu adventure.
“Of course!” I exclaimed, delighted by her eagerness. “I would love for you to come with me, Adriana.”
It would be nice to have some company, especially someone who knew the ins and outs of royal fashion. It might also give me some insight into her family’s tastes and preferences. Plus, it’s not every day a regular girl has the chance to hang out with a real princess.
“Great! Let me just run to get my purse,” Adriana said, disappearing back into the palace for a moment before reappearing, a small designer bag slung over her shoulder.
Right behind her was a tall man wearing all black with dark sunglasses, one of the same guys who was with Oliver when he had come to see me in Los Angeles. Her bodyguard, obviously, with some type of communication device in his ear. He hopped in the passenger seat up front, as Adriana got into the back with me.
“I’m surprised you can just go out into public any time you want,” I said as Marco drove to the center of town.
“Most outings are planned far in advance—true,” Adriana said. “But I refuse to be cooped up in the palace all day and all night like a chicken. I just want to feel like a normal person sometimes, even though I happened to be born into a royal family with too many rules.”
I nodded. “Prince Oliver mentioned something similar to me.”
Adriana smiled. “We’re very much alike, Oliver and I. We both have yearnings to spread our wings. My mother dislikes this side of us with a passion.”
“Prince Oliver told me something like that as well,” I said.
Despite our vastly different backgrounds, we both seemed to share a desire for genuine connections and a love for life’s simple pleasures. Although having carte blanche to go on a shopping spree and spend as much as I want is not something the average person would ever get to experience.
“What about you?” Adriana asked. “Living in Los Angeles must be exciting with Hollywood and Beverly Hills just outside your door.”
“I don’t know . . .” I shrugged. “I really could do without the traffic and smog. Sometimes I think I should live somewhere else. Like I don’t fully belong there.”
“Well, you’re in for a treat today—fresh air, no traffic, and plenty of shopping,” she promised with a conspiratorial grin as Marco pulled up in front of a charming boutique called Demetrio Couture. “And here we are!”
After we got out of the SUV, I pointed to the sign on the door that read, “Closed for Private Appointment.”
“Uh-oh,” I said.
“Closed for us—Oliver said he would call to let them know we were on our way,” Adriana said with a smile, then gestured to the front door when a few people spotted her. “We should probably head inside.”
A slender man with long dark hair emerged from the back room sporting an open-collared grey silk shirt layered over a slim-fitted white tee, as well as black ankle-cropped wool trousers. Silver rings and leather bracelets adorned his hands and wrists.
Demetrio, I assumed. He looked Greek, but his accent was confusing me.
“Ah, Princess Adriana, welcome!” he said, locking the door behind us. “It is such a pleasure to see you again. And you must be Grace. Prince Oliver called to alert me of your arrival.”
I smiled. “A pleasure to meet you.”
