Royal Ruse - Emma Lea Page 0,20

married…or engaged. Lucas didn’t think it would be a problem because he was asking Clarissa to marry him last night.” It was hard not to choke on her name. “She broke up with him instead, and then he asked me.”

“And you said yes?” Mom asked as Dad frowned fiercely.

“He asked me to pretend to be his fiancée so his parents would still let him go.”

Mom rolled her lips together and Dad frowned harder—if that was even possible.

“I get something out of it too,” I rushed on to explain. “I get to do my dissertation on Kalopsia and how they are rebuilding with the reestablishment of the royal family. Lucas said he can get me an interview with the king.”

Mom and Dad shared a look, and I held myself still, waiting for their disappointment. My parents never got angry at me, they just had to tell me I disappointed them and I would do whatever I could to un-disappoint them.

Mom sighed and looked at me, really looked at me. “And you’re okay with that?” she asked. “You’re okay with him asking you to be his fake fiancée after Clarissa broke his heart?”

I scoffed. “I hardly think Clarissa broke his heart,” I said.

“He asked her to marry him,” Dad said cautiously.

“Pfft. He only asked her because he thought it was the next step in their relationship. I asked him if he loved her and he couldn’t give me a straight answer. You know how Lucas is, he’s always doing ‘the right thing’ or rather, the right thing for everyone else. I think this time he’s actually doing something for himself and if he needs me to make that happen then I’m more than happy to do it. Besides, he’s not the only one benefiting here. You know how hard it’s been for me to come up with a topic for my dissertation. What could be better than spending a few weeks on a Mediterranean island doing research while staying at the palace and having access to the king?”

Mom sighed and looked at Dad, who shrugged.

“We’re just worried,” Dad said, looking back at me. “We know how you feel about Lucas and we don’t want you getting hurt.”

“What?” I asked. “What do you mean, ‘the way I feel about Lucas?’ We’re friends.”

Mom reached over the table and squeezed my hand. “It’s okay, honey, we know you feel more for him than just friends.”

“What?” I spluttered. “I had a crush on Lucas, but that is in the past. We’re just friends, Mom. That’s all.”

“Mm-hmm,” she hummed, turning her attention back to her food, not believing me for a minute.

“Did you ask him over for dinner tonight?” Dad asked.

“Oops, I forgot,” I said, pulling out my phone and shooting off a quick text.

“So when do you leave?” Mom asked, and I was thankful she’d moved on from the previous topic of conversation.

“Next month,” I replied, taking a bite of my burrito. “Oh, and I got this enormous bunch of flowers from the king this morning,” I mumbled around the food in my mouth. Classy, I know.

“What?” Mom asked, her eyebrows popping up into her hairline.

I nodded. “It’s massive. He must have seen the TikTok thing. He sent it with a card saying congratulations and he can’t wait to meet me.”

Mom and Dad did that silent communication thing that only two people who had been together forever could do, and I sighed.

“It’s fine,” I said. “I know we’re basically lying to the king and to Lucas’ parents, but no one will get hurt. Lucas gets to escape from his family for a few months and I get to write an amazing dissertation for my doctorate. This is a win-win situation.”

“If you say so, honey,” Dad said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Mom stayed suspiciously quiet.

Chapter 6

Lucas

What was I doing?

I had been asking myself this same question repeatedly all day.

I’d avoided Effie as much as I could because if there was anyone who could tell I was lying, then it would be her. I didn’t think she would tell our parents, but she would probably tell me to stop lying to them and just stand up to them for once.

That was easier said than done.

Standing up to my parents was above my pay grade. Effie did that. She was the one who’d always pushed the boundaries and didn’t let my parents get away with anything. Me, on the other hand, I was happy in my peacemaker role. I had no desire to rock the boat or grow