Royal Ruse - Emma Lea Page 0,21

a spine or any other euphemism for indulging in selfish conflict. Besides, I was achieving the same goal with a little bit of subterfuge and no one would get hurt. I would get to go to Kalopsia, Frankie would get her research for her dissertation, and my mother had a little bit of drama to keep her happy. Why ruin that?

“Lucas,” Olivia said, opening the door.

“Good evening, Olivia,” I said, leaning forward to brush a kiss on Frankie’s mom’s cheek. “I brought these for you,” I said, handing over a box of truffles from a new chocolaterie in town. Ashby Chocolates was an Australian company which had just opened a store in Boston and judging by the number of customers in the store when I bought the truffles, they were popular.

Olivia took the chocolates and smiled before looking back at me and narrowing her eyes. I swallowed. I loved Olivia and Adam and may have fantasized that they were my parents a few times over the years. I would hate to do anything to earn their disappointment.

“Frankie told you?” I asked, but I already knew the answer.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Olivia asked, rather than answer.

“I can’t see another way,” I answered honestly. “Going to Kalopsia is really important to me.”

“And you don’t think your parents will see how important it is to you if you’re honest with them?”

I snorted inelegantly. “You’ve met my parents, Olivia, can you honestly think they would do anything for me just because I want them to? They would be more likely to dig their heels in further if they knew just how much I wanted to go.”

Olivia sighed and pulled me into a hug. I soaked in the mom-moment; I didn’t receive them from my own mother very often…or ever—this morning had been an anomaly, and an awkward one at that.

“I just don’t want anyone to get hurt,” she said as she drew back and looked me square in the eye.

I smiled. “No one will get hurt,” I reassured her. “Frankie and I are on the same page, here. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement for us.”

Olivia rolled her lips together and continued to stare at me until I began to fidget.

“Just be honest with each other…always,” she said.

“We are,” I replied.

“Mom, stop giving Lucas the third degree,” Frankie said coming down the stairs and rolling her eyes at Olivia.

“I have a right to know what a man’s intentions are for my daughter,” Olivia replied with a sniff.

“Ha,” Frankie barked. “Lucas’ intentions are to get as far away from his parents as he can, right Lucas?” she asked as she slid her arm through my mine and grinned up at me.

“Right,” I replied, grinning down at her.

Why had I never noticed those gold flecks in her dark eyes before? Maybe it was just a reflection from the chandelier above us.

“Come on,” Olivia said. “Dinner’s just about ready.”

I let Frankie lead me down the hall toward the dining room.

“Mother wants to invite you and your parents over for dinner before we leave,” I said.

“Oh, that should be fun,” Frankie replied sarcastically.

“It was either that or a full society-page-worthy engagement party.”

Frankie groaned. “Okay, you win. Dinner with the parents. I suppose it will be a black-tie event?” Frankie looked up at me with a cocked eyebrow and a crooked grin, and I had the overwhelming desire to lower my mouth to hers.

I jerked my head back and forced a chuckle. “Cocktails,” I said and then cleared the roughness from my throat. “It will be a small, intimate cocktail party at the estate. Early next month before we leave.”

“What’s happening next month?” Olivia asked as we stepped through the archway into the dining room.

“The Andinos have invited us over for a cocktail party to celebrate Lucas joining the Kabiero royal court,” Frankie said and I raised my eyebrows.

“How did you know it was called that?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Research. Research is my middle name. I know that although the king’s surname is Kostopolous, he is descended from the House of Kabiero, the original ruling family of Kalopsia and as such, the royal court is referred to as the Kabiero royal court.”

“Lucas,” Adam said, approaching me and reaching to shake my hand. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” I replied.

“Dad,” Frankie said with yet another eye roll. “Mom has already done the ‘if you hurt my daughter, blah, blah, blah’ thing. Can we eat?”

Adam grinned at his daughter and then at me. I could see