call me Samantha.” Margie’s eyes widened and I heard Chadwick sigh.
“She’s having a hard time adjusting to being royalty,” Chadwick explained.
“He’s right. Everywhere I’ve gone in the last week or so people refer to me as Duchess, ma’am, or some other title. I’ve shaken hands with a million people and had my photo taken two million times.” I paused, trying to find the right words. “But here? Here I want to be Samantha. I’d prefer Sam even, but I’m willing to compromise. I just want to feel at home.”
Margie smiled sadly at me. “All right then, Samantha. I’ll let you make your own dinner tonight.”
“Thank you.” I felt relieved that we’d gotten that out of the way. I talked to them for a while, standing in the kitchen, laughing as they told me stories about the locals and their families. Stanley offered me a glass of wine and I forced Chadwick to take one as well.
After a while, Chadwick and I meandered around the house, looking at the rooms. The mixture of Chadwick’s sly jokes and the wine had given me the giggles. When we opened a closet only to have an avalanche of blankets fall out, I died laughing as Chadwick tried to push them all back in. I held his glass while he cursed under his breath and used his shoulder to force the door shut. Eventually we ended up in the library upstairs.
We were looking at a painting when I saw the package on the desk. There was a note tucked into the twine that held the brown paper in place.
I wanted you to have something here that would make you feel as if your mother was with you.
Happy Housewarming.
-A
I shook my head as I unwrapped the copy of Pride and Prejudice we had argued over. I opened the book and gently flipped through the pages as Chadwick looked over my shoulder.
“Oh, is that Pride and Prejudice?”
“Second Edition.” I closed the book and ran my fingers over the spine.
“I’m guessing this was from Alex?” Chadwick stood back and narrowed his eyes.
“What makes you assume that?” I looked around the room, trying to pick a place to put the book.
“One, you haven’t had a ton of guests today. Two, that silly smile.” Chadwick wiggled his eyebrows over his glass.
“Shut it, Chad. Yes, it was Alex.” I sighed. “I guess this is why Ned didn’t join us for lunch. He must have snuck up here while we were eating.”
“You like him.”
“Ned?” I laughed.
“You like Alex.” It wasn’t a question. I looked at Chadwick, wondering what I should tell him. Maybe it was the wine, but I felt like I could trust him with just about anything.
“Yes.” I groaned. “A lot. So much more than I should. I’m starting to not even care that he’s a prince.”
“His title is why you’re playing hard to get?”
“I’m not playing hard to get. What the hell would I do with a boyfriend who’s in line for the throne?”
“What the hell would he do with an American duchess?”
“Harsh, but true.” I fell down into the old leather chair behind the desk. “And you summed up the whole problem in one sentence.”
“I don’t get it. You like him. He likes you. Why fight it?” Chad leaned against the desk. “You’re making this more difficult than it should be.”
“Maybe. I don’t know.” I leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling. “Hey, there’s a pattern up there.”
“You’re drunk.” He looked up at the ceiling. “Ew, someone put wallpaper under the molding. That needs to go.”
“Heh. Tipsy, not drunk.” But I was on my way to being drunk. This is why I didn’t drink in public. He was also right about the wallpaper.
“Samantha?”
“Yeah?” I leaned my head to the side so I could see him.
“What would your best friend tell you to do about Alex?” He lifted his glass to his mouth.
“Jess would tell me to hit that.” He sputtered into his cup and I laughed. “Actually, she has told me to hit that. Several times now.”
“She sounds like a smart woman.”
“You’d love Jess.” I turned my attention back to the ceiling. “Her boyfriend e-mailed me pictures of engagement rings. He’s going to pop the question soon. I was sad at first that I wouldn’t be there to celebrate with her, but then I realized it had worked out for the best. They’re going to need their own space.”
“I’m sure she’ll still want you to celebrate with them. Maybe you guys can go dress shopping this