it now.” It wasn’t a question. I knew they were, which was why she looked as she did. And just like that, my fear was justified. If Gale and I went out on this date, it was in direct opposition to the queen, and everyone would know we had disobeyed her. If we didn’t go, not only did that make yesterday’s act look like a complete and utter charade, but it would expose that he had lied about the queen giving us permission.
“What is happening now?” I asked, but before she could answer, there was a knock at the door. I stood straight, prepared for who I thought would be the queen, only for it to be Gale, standing in jeans, casual shirt, and jacket.
“Good morning.” He smiled, stepping into the room. “What’s wrong?”
I looked at Gelula, who curtsied before exiting, closing the door behind her.
“Are you sure it is a good morning?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Gelula just told me you fought with the queen last night. Gale. Now everyone is going to be saying that we are—no, I am the one causing a rift—”
“Odette.” He put his hands on my face. “Breathe.”
“Gale.”
“Breathe.”
I took a deep breath for him.
“Good, now before you panic, know that the queen really is giving us the day off.”
“What? But—”
“No buts.” He chuckled, but slowly, his smile fell. “Sadly, we do not know who the palace mole is. But we can confuse the gossip. Yesterday, the queen gave us permission. Now the queen is against it. Whatever the press reports will not change what everyone saw at the lunch-in yesterday, so either I am lying, or the source is. Let them all fight over whatever it is they wish to believe. And let us go out. Let me take you out. Please. Please.”
I laughed and nodded as he playfully begged and pouted. “Okay.”
“Promise me you will not think of protocols or lessons or anything other than having fun today.”
“I promise.”
“Brilliant.” He kissed my lips quickly, and even though it was just a second, all of me tingled. He moved to the door but then stopped once more, turning around and kissing me again for much longer. As his body pressed against mine, his tongue in my mouth and mine in his, he stole all of my breath away. When he finally released me, he placed his forehead on mine, smiling. “Forgive me. It has been far too long since I’ve done that.”
“Nothing to forgive.”
Nodding, this time, he took my hand. He opened the door himself to the surprise of the people waiting outside. But he didn’t mind them or anyone else who watched us head toward the side entrance, hand in hand, nearly hugging. Part of me wanted to put a respectable distance between us, but Gale held on tighter so I couldn’t. I did my best to ignore everyone else, and because of how fast we were walking, we made it out the doors in record time.
There on the gravel was an old and classic red two-passenger convertible with white seats.
“I wished to take a motorcycle, but I was overruled by our handlers,” Gale jokingly said as he held open the door for me, nodding his head to Iskandar, who stood behind the car with Thelma; both of them had motorcycles of their own, though. “They wouldn’t even let me have the top down.”
“I am not a big fan of motorcycles, so it is all right with me,” I replied, getting inside.
“How are you not a fan of motorcycles?”
“They are dangerous.”
“Everything is dangerous when not handled with care,” he said, closing the door and moving around the car to the driver’s side to join me.
He paused and then looked at me. “Would you prefer to drive?”
“Me?”
“Oh, right. What was that thing you asked me for when I was in America?” He tapped his chin. “Oh, I remember. Do you have a license here?”
I rolled my eyes. “Will you please just drive?”
He snickered. “Yes, my love.”
“My love?”
“I thought you were compiling a list of everything I have ever called you?” he questioned, starting the engine. “How do you like my love? Or bevilën.”
“Bevilën?” I laughed. “Beloved? You are laying it on a little thick, don’t you think?”
“I haven’t even begun.”
He winked, and just like that, we were off the palace grounds and on the public streets. And I could breathe again. Winding down the window, I stuck my hand outside, letting the breeze lift it.