Lone Prince (Royally Unexpected #7) - Lilian Monroe Page 0,27
done and telling me about all the gossip about the castle.
One evening, we sit curled in one of the smaller living rooms, watching a big fire burn in the hearth. “I haven’t seen the Prince in days,” I say.
Vikki glances at me, sipping a warm mug of tea. “He keeps to himself.”
“Will he stay here all winter?”
“I doubt it,” Vikki says. “He’ll probably to go back to Stirling before the weather gets really bad.”
“Oh,” I answer, hope flaming in my gut. Why does that excite me? Is it because I’ve been thinking of staying in Stirling with Grandma until she’s healed?
“It makes me sad when he’s here,” Vikki says, glancing at me. “He’s so different now.”
“How so?”
“Colder. Doesn’t laugh anymore.”
“I can’t imagine him being very jolly before.”
Vikki chuckles, throwing me a glance. “You’d be surprised. When”—she drops her voice, glancing over her shoulder—“when his fiancée was alive, he was really happy. Always had a smile on his face. Wouldn’t leave her side.”
My shoulders drop as my chest squeezes. I’ve judged the Prince so harshly. Thought of him as a spoiled, arrogant ass—but what if he’s just hurting?
Pinching my lips together, I push my sympathy down. We’ve all been through shit. We’ve all lost people we loved and had our lives change as a result. I know I have. Just because the Prince has been through something similar doesn’t give him the right to be rude.
But I think of those moments I had alone with him, and I wonder who the Prince really is. Why doesn’t he trust me? Why did he seek me out, then leave me alone for over a week? He’s hot and cold. Trusting and suspicious. Rude and kind. He’s one big contradiction, and I just want to figure him out.
Vikki sits up. “I have an early start tomorrow. They say the storm should clear overnight, so we might get out of this place come morning. Maybe we can go see the visitor’s cottage in the afternoon.”
“Sounds nice.” I smile. “Good night.”
Vikki takes my empty mug as well as her own down to the kitchens, and I stay by the fire until the embers glow red and the night is black outside. Then, I peel myself off the couch and make my way upstairs.
If the storm clears, that means I can leave. I can go see Grandma. I have enough information to put together an updated design.
But do I want to go without seeing the Prince at least one more time?
My new iteration of the palace renovation is coming along nicely, but my eyes are turning square. I’ve been looking at my screen too much. When I glance out the office window at the clear blue sky outside, I save my work and turn off the computer. I need to get out of here. I’ve been at the palace two weeks now, all of which have been spent holed up inside waiting for the storm to clear.
Reading my mind, Vikki pokes her head in the office. “Just finished the lunch service. You ready to go see the visitor’s cottage?”
I smile. “Thought you’d never ask.”
”Come on. I’ll show you.”
“I, uh.” I clear my throat. “I don’t have appropriate clothing for that weather.” I bite my lip, remembering my unfortunate arrival at the palace. I’ve been warm and safe inside, but no matter how blue the sky is, I know it’s freezing out there.
Vikki’s smile beams. “We brought some up to your room earlier. I’ll help you get dressed, and then we’ll head to the kennels to take the dogs.”
“The dogs?”
Vikki laughs, as if my question delights her. “Yeah, the dogs. You’ve never been dog sledding?”
My eyes widen. “No. We can’t take the dogs… Can we?”
“It’s either that or a snowmobile, but Mrs. Reed told me I wasn’t allowed to take the snowmobiles out anymore. I crashed one last winter and almost killed myself.” Vikki laughs again, a melodic sound that lights up her whole face. As if crashing a snowmobile is funny. As if almost dying is something to laugh at.
But that’s Vikki. Completely in her element. At home.
Unlike me. I wish it didn’t bother me that I’m such an outsider. I should just treat this as a working holiday. A chance to see a foreign land…
…but my heart clenches, and I know I feel some sort of connection to this place. Deep down, I know I belong here, but I’m still a foreigner. It’s hard to reconcile those feelings.