by Banks, Evie
She heard Chase sigh on the other end.
“Then we would ask your daughter.”
“My daughter!” Renee craned her neck to check if her sudden screech had awoken Cassandra. Nothing.
“Yes, Ma’am. If the heir abdicates his or her duty, then we go to the next person in line, which is your daughter, Cassandra.”
“I’d like to see you try,” she growled into the phone and slammed it down. She had never considered the possibility that an eleven year old could be put in that position. Her whole purpose in walking away from the offer was to protect Cassandra, to give her a normal life. Was there an eleven year old in the world who would be able to turn down the offer of wealth and fame and palaces and balls?
She stared angrily at the phone and was still curled into a tight, sleepless ball when Cassandra emerged sullen eyed in the morning and went, still scowling, to school.
CHAPTER FIVE
RENEE HAD BARELY opened her eyes when she heard a banging at the door. She had fallen asleep on the sofa and rolled awkwardly out of it because her joints were stiff and her leg had fallen asleep. She squinted at the clock. 2 p.m. It wasn’t Ray; he had a key and even if he had been gone ten years he would just barge right in and demand to know why there wasn’t any beer in the fridge. Cassandra was still at school. If it was those weird Brits, she was going to unleash some Texas hell on them. She stumbled to the door and peered through the spy hole. “Oh jeez.”
“Hey there, Sugar,” said Brenda when Renee opened the door. “I brought you some food. Thought I’d see how you were doing. It’s not like you to miss your shift.”
Brenda breezed into the room carrying bags filled with to-go boxes of food from the diner. It filled the whole apartment with good smells. She set the boxes on the counter and then went around the apartment opening blinds and windows. “Why have you got yourself all shut in like this?”
“I told you, I’m not feeling very well.”
“Like hell you are. I could hear from a mile away that something was bothering you and it’s not your health, although your hair looks like it hasn’t seen the good side of a brush in a week.”
Renee tried to smooth out her hair.
Brenda made herself at home in the kitchen and started putting the boxes away. “This refrigerator is absolutely empty. All you’ve got is some mustard and green olives. What are you two living on? Sugar, you should’ve told me you’ve been having a hard time without Ray. Do you know how much food we throw away each day? We can’t even donate to the homeless shelter because food that has been prepared for over five hours is considered inedible. Can you believe it? The homeless eat better than we do. Shoot, sometime I forget my potato salad on my counter half the day, but I haven’t dropped dead yet from eating it. Renee, are you ok? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Renee had been standing with her arms wrapped around herself while Brenda clucked away in the kitchen.
“There’s nothing wrong, not really.”
“Then why do you look as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders? Here, I’ve got the coffee pot going, let’s sit.”
“Don’t you have to be at the diner?”
“I told Bryan I was taking a long lunch break. He can handle the counter for a while. This is the slowest time, anyhow. Now, unload.”
Brenda poured a steaming cup of coffee and handed it to Renee without bothering to add milk because there was none in the refrigerator. They settled into kitchen chairs facing each other. Renee took a swallow of coffee, letting the scalding liquid jar her awake.
“It’s complicated. Some…relatives passed away.”
“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry!” Brenda reached out to pat Renee’s hand.
“I didn’t know them very well because they were very distant relations. Never met them, actually.” Renee tried to think how she should phrase this next part without giving everything away. “It turns out I’ve been left a large sum of money.”
“Why, that’s amazing! Not that your relatives passed away, but that you’re going to be indirectly blessed. You never have to let Ray in that door ever again if you’ve got the funds to take care of yourself and Cassandra. This is good news!”
“Maybe.”
“What do you mean maybe? Of course it is. After all, you didn’t know them so you can’t feel guilty about inheriting it. How much are we talking about? Five figures?”
Renee shook her head.
“Six figures?”
“I’m not sure. It might be more.”
Brenda’s mouth fell open.
“Sweetie, your life is about to change,” she said in an awed whisper.
“That’s what I’m worried about. I don’t know if I’m…responsible enough for that kind of money. I mean, look at my life! I made a series of dumb choices and now I’m barely hanging on by my fingernails. Does that sound like the type of person who can handle a substantial amount of money?”
Renee was on the verge of tears. Every miserable moment of her life seemed immediately present. All she could see was every wrong thing she had ever done. Ray walking out was only further proof that she had screwed up. Brenda saw the anguish Renee was going through and got up to hug her.
“Everybody makes mistakes. The fact that you recognize yours shows that you have grown in wisdom. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle whatever it is. Besides, there’s lawyers and accountants to help you out with that stuff.”
Renee nodded, seeing the truth of what Brenda was saying. “I’m also afraid of what so much money would do to Cassandra.”
“What are you talking about? Cassandra’s about as sensible as they come.”
“She is now, but what about when she’s a teenager and into boys and going out? All that money, knowing she never has to work…. It’s enough to warp anyone. Just look at what a mess that Wilton girl turned into, the one whose grandfather founded the big fast-food chain.”
“Her sister turned out all right and she was raised in the same house,” said Brenda.
“She only looks normal in comparison,” said Renee. “Look at some of the other celebrities. Do you really want Cassandra to tweet photos of her behind every ten minutes?”
“Well, you know what you do when she exposes her behind to the world?”
“What?”
“You take a switch to her posterior until she can’t sit on it, much less take pictures of it.”
Renee drowned the hysterical sob that threatened to burst forth with another swallow of hot coffee.
“Is there anything else that’s bothering you? So far, apart from your concern that a very down-to-earth girl like Cassandra will suddenly morph into some alcohol addled brat, I see no reason not to accept this gift,” said Brenda.
“Well, there are some strings attached.”
“Aren’t there always,” said Brenda with a sigh. She blew on her cup even though it had begun to cool.
“These strings are unusual,” said Renee. “The money is enough to take care of me and Cass forever, but I have to work in the family business.”
Brenda looked puzzled. “That is a very unusual condition. How would a relative who has never met you know that you were right for the job?”
“It’s mostly a public relations position. Like a figurehead. I wouldn’t actually have to do much except greet people and be nice.”
“Kind of like Miss Texas,” offered Brenda. “Or a Walmart greeter.”
“Yeah, kind of.”
“Renee, you pull in more tips than any other waitress and the reason for that is because you’re so nice and relatable. I can see you in a role like that. And you’d be really pretty if you had the right clothes and did something with your hair.”
“Gee, thanks. All this time you’ve been thinking I looked like a dump.”
“That’s not what I’m saying at all. But with Ray out of your life and some money in your pocket, you can afford to spend some time on you for once. Quit trying to make amends for some imagined sin
you committed long ago. And do you really see waitressing at the diner as a career path? What, you’re going to wait for me to die so you can move up into my spot? That’s not much of an ambition. You already know what it’s like to be a waitress and do the working mom thing. You don’t know what it’s like to be a wealthy PR person. It might be amazing. Don’t you at least want to find out?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you don’t do it, you’ll always wonder and that’s no way to live life.”
Renee was silent.
Brenda pulled the boxes towards her on the table. “Let’s figure this out over lunch. Are you ready to eat some steak and potatoes? Or would you rather have a double decker turkey sandwich with French fries? I’ve also got a whole box of sliced watermelon and half an apple pie.”
Renee realized how hungry she was. She’d had nothing but a single cigarette since her life had been flipped upside down the day before.
They ate their way through the boxes, laughing and imagining what Renee should do with her inheritance. An RV was a definite possibility. Renee didn’t say it out loud, but she thought wistfully of her father’s horse ranch. Maybe she could buy it back; she’d like to ride again. Brenda filled her in on what had been happening at the diner. A waitress had quit, Antonio had burned a hole through a frying pan, and Bryan had slipped on his own spilled coffee and was trying to figure out if he could claim workers compensation from his own business. “Oh and there was a man looking for you at the diner.”
“That’s strange. What did he look like?”
“Handsome. And he had kind of an accent. Seemed a little strange.”
Renee blushed. Chase was handsome, but she had too much to deal with right now, not to mention that she was still married, though she had already taken some preliminary steps to fix that. Renee quickly changed the subject to what to do about Cassandra and that led to another quarter hour of talking about the difficulty of raising good children.
Later, after Brenda had gone back to work and Renee was left feeling more buoyant than she had in weeks, she picked up the phone and Chase’s card. He answered almost immediately.
“I’m in.”
CHAPTER SIX
CHASE SOUNDED LIKE he’d had the wind knocked out of him because he was breathless when he spoke.
“Mrs. Krebs, that is bloody fantas—pardon me—that is absolutely fantastic. There is much to do and not much time to do it in. We’ll come over tonight to discuss everything in more detail. There are so many arrangements to make.”
Chase sounded overwhelmed with relief and joy, and Renee thought she could hear Roberts in the background whimpering in relief. She felt humbled that her answer was so important and was slightly dazed when she hung up. What had she gotten herself into? She felt as if she ought to do something to celebrate or prepare, but her lack of funds prevented any excursions. She thought she would treat herself and Cassandra to some of the apple pie Brenda had brought over, but Cassandra called to say she was staying after school to try out for the volleyball team. Renee decided to pour all her energy into making her apartment and herself presentable for when the British gentlemen came to visit. She had been unprepared and embarrassed when they had last visited, surrounded by mounds of clothing and bed sheets. This time they would see that she would not, in fact, embarrass their country. Her country, she reminded herself. She got busy folding and removing all the laundry she had left piled up, and gave both the kitchen and bathroom a good scrubbing. She refused to touch Cassandra’s room as she wanted to teach her daughter to be responsible for her own mess. Afterwards, she took a long shower and felt for the first time, that perhaps she would make something of her life, that things were finally moving in the right direction.
She dressed in a skirt and blouse and was just toweling off her hair when there was a knock at the door. Chase had not specified when he and Roberts would arrive so she ran to answer it, but was confused when she found herself facing a man she had never seen before.
His skin was olive in complexion and a scar ran from the dimple in his upper lip and passed over his cheek almost to his eye. Rather than detracting from his features, it gave him a handsome, roguish appearance that when coupled with a rakish grin and penetrating eyes, made him almost irresistible. He wore a blue canvas jacket and denim pants, like he worked at a gas station. His eyes were pale in his dark skin which only emphasized the intensity with which he stared at Renee. They were locked on hers and she found it difficult to speak. She felt herself in his thrall and forgot to ask who he was.
“Hello. Are you Georgina Krebs?” he asked very formally.
“Yes,” she said, finally finding her voice. “Actually, it’s Renee.”
“Renee,” he repeated. “How delightful. May I come in?”
He stepped forward before she could reply, but his smile made her feel as if she were the one who had invited him in, and she stepped aside so he could enter, and closed the door.
“This is a lovely home, Ms. Krebs. I’ve been looking forward to talking to you for some time, a few weeks, in fact.”
“Thank you,” she said.
He had switched from complimenting her home to expressing a desire to meet her so quickly she wasn’t sure if he understood that she was thanking him for the first compliment. She wondered where Roberts and Chase were and why they hadn’t told her that another would be joining them.
“Have a seat anywhere. Can I get you something to drink?” she asked before remembering that the only thing she had to offer was tap water and a can of cola that Brenda had brought over with lunch. Still, she had done the right thing by offering. That’s what queens were supposed to do, wasn’t it—be polite and make people feel welcomed?
The man’s eyes roved over the room. She could tell that he didn’t miss a single detail. He noticed Cassandra’s open door and had a view of her unmade bed.
“When is your daughter coming home?” he inquired.
“She’ll be home in a few hours. I haven’t told her yet.”
The man arched his eyebrows.
“Oh? Told her what, exactly?”
“That she’s a princess and we’re moving to England,” said Renee, confused.
“You haven’t told her of her heritage? I’d have thought you would be eager to claim your place and have everyone know about it.”
“Well, it’s a big change, isn’t it? I didn’t want to just lay it on her without preparation,” said Renee, defensively. “I’m sorry, what was your name?”
He turned back towards her from the family picture on the wall he had been examining. “Forgive me. I’m Ammon Bretton.” He gave a courtly nod of the head.
The name rang a bell, but she couldn’t place it.
“Water would be fine,” he added.
“What? Oh, right!” she hurried back into the kitchen to make him a glass of water, mortified that she had already failed in her first attempt at royal etiquette.
“So really, nobody knows?” he asked when she handed him the water. “Not your daughter, not your friends, not your mother in Reno?”
“How did you know about my mother?
“I—I mean, we, have been looking into it. This is quite an important subject, you know.”
“You’re telling me.” They both laughed.
“But absolutely nobody knows,” he repeated.
She shook her head.
“Really, there hasn’t been any time to tell anyone. I only found out yesterday myself. Well, I did tell Brenda.”
“Who is Brenda?”
“She’s works with me at the diner.”
“The largish woman with the owl rimmed glasses?”
“That was you asking questions this morning!”
“Guilty.”
His smile twisted and Renee felt her heart flutter ever so slightly. “When are Roberts and Chase coming over?” she asked.
“I really couldn’t say.”
“Aren’t you with them?” Something wasn’t adding up. A tingle at t
he back of her brain was beginning to beg for her attention.
“No, I’m afraid not. I’m conducting an independent query.”
His eyes swept her from top to bottom and she blushed. She felt herself completely exposed to him. It was not an unenjoyable sensation. There was something quietly thrilling about this man. Suddenly something fell into place.
“Bretton,” she practically shouted.
He seemed startled to hear his name, but recovered quickly.
“You’ve heard of me?”
“There was a Bretton who was possibly in line for the throne. Wait, aren’t you supposed to be in jail?”
The thrilling tingle she had been feeling suddenly turned ice cold.
“It was all a misunderstanding. The evidence was only circumstantial and the lead witness, I’m sorry to say, did not show up to the trial. So it couldn’t have been too serious, could it?”
“Oh. Well, that’s good for you, isn’t it?
“Very.”
The conversation lapsed for a moment, but Ammon did not seem at a loss or flustered. He merely watched her with a half-smile always on his face. The upwards sloping scar gave him a look of perpetual amusement. Renee was very aware of his strong jaw and powerful hands. She had a hard time pulling her eyes away from them because she had been imagining them on her skin.
Get a grip, she told herself. “Was there something I could help you with today? I don’t mean to sound rude, but why are you here?”
“I just wanted to find out if you were going to accept the offer of the crown and it appears that you have. It changes my plans quite a bit.”
He moved slowly towards her, not taking his eyes off of hers. She was incapable of looking away.
“How does it change your plans?” she asked. Her voice was hardly above a whisper.
He was directly in front of her now, only a foot away. She struggled to breathe normally because the air felt charged with electricity.
“It complicates my plans, you see. But there’s always ways around that.”
He raised a rough hand and touched his fingers to her cheekbone. She gasped. A small voice in the back of her mind screamed that she should get away as fast as possible, but that voice was drowned by the pleasure of his touch.
