To Kiss a King - NIcole Burnham Page 0,69
or to laugh. Amanda was circumspect. Before marrying Marco, she’d served as an etiquette coach to children of diplomats and other high-ranking individuals. What could she possibly have said that would rise to the level of a Code Orange?
“There are rules for reviews on those sites, so I take it her reviews did not contain profanity.”
“No, but they weren’t what a member of the royal family would post.” Zeno unfolded a printout, apparently a screen shot of a review. “This is for a toaster oven.”
As Zeno held the paper aloft and prepared to read, Sergio turned around and coughed. Then Margaret started laughing and mumbled a, “Pardon me, Your Highness.”
Zeno turned in the seat so he couldn’t see Margaret or Sergio as he read aloud. “This toaster oven does, indeed, toast a variety of items. Unfortunately, one cannot eat anything after this toaster oven has been used—even other food—because the stench created when you hit the power button is overwhelming. I don’t know if faulty wiring or faulty components are to blame, but if you value your mealtime, do not click the buy button. You may as well take your meal into the midst of a fetid garbage dump to eat, because the odor from this toaster oven will permeate your taste buds, if not your entire kitchen. You’ll feel like you’re surrounded by rotting fish and other waste as you eat. PS: On a positive note, if you happen to receive this toaster oven as a housewarming gift, you’ll quickly meet your new neighbors and perhaps your local firefighters when they come to investigate the noxious fumes.”
Sergio’s face went crimson as he fought to contain his laughter.
Zeno lowered the paper. “The toaster oven manufacturer has been the subject of online, well, I’ll call it mockery, Your Highness. There were other reviews in a similar vein. A shorter one was for a ten-year battery. She noted that it lasted three weeks in her smoke detector, but made a nice ten-year ornament on her Christmas tree after she removed it from the detector, tested it to confirm that it was dead, and then tied a ribbon to the top.”
Eduardo bit back a grin and tapped his fingers against the desktop. “So humorous, but nothing salacious. And no false claims about any of the items.”
“Correct, Your Highness. A true Code Orange. If the reviews hadn’t contained humor, I doubt they’d have caught anyone’s attention. But now that they have, they’re being repeated. I’ll be asked about them in the press room today.”
Eduardo leaned back in his chair. “This solves one of the great mysteries of the universe. We now know how Amanda and Marco found common ground to marry.”
“Please say I can use that,” Zeno begged. “Not quoting you, of course, Your Highness. I’d prefer to steal it.”
“If you think it will help defuse the situation, be my guest. Now are we finished?”
When everyone said they were set, Eduardo stood. He could see in their expressions that, while the Code Orange issue had drawn some of the tension from the room, his senior staff remained concerned about his relationship with Claire and what it could mean for the Strada il Teatro project.
“All right. Priority number one this week is the Strada. Zeno, please drive that home to the media. Margaret, when you meet with any groups who have an interest in the appearance of the Strada—say, one of the museum foundations or theater charities—let them know how excited we are about the proposed plan and remind them that we’re all in this together. We don’t want them to see us as an adversary, but as a partner in protecting their interests for the future. We want their support to remain strong.”
“I will, Your Highness.”
“And Sergio, you know what to do. Finalize whatever sections of the plan you can so we can provide supportive members of parliament with an early preview. When the formal plan is introduced and it’s time for us to take a step back, I want them primed to argue in favor of it.”
At Sergio’s nod of understanding, Eduardo planted his hands on the desk. “This is important. You all know why. It’s also important to me personally.”
He looked at them one by one, needing to drive the point home. “I married a wonderful woman in Queen Aletta. Each of you know what she meant to me and what she meant to this country. It’s right that people wish to honor her legacy. That being said, I don’t want my