Lost in Las Vegas

by Kristen Painter

  “I know you will,” my dad said.

  We walked straight back to our apartment. I was lost in thought. So much so that it took me a second to realize Sin had said something. “What was that?”

  “I just said how amazing this trip is going to be.”

  I frowned. “You really think so?”

  “Sure, why wouldn’t it be?”

  “I just… I don’t know. We were just kind of getting settled into life here.”

  He opened the door to our apartment and let me in first, following behind. When the door was shut, he spoke again. “Our life here is great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not the most…engaging life.”

  My heart sank a little. “I knew it. You’re bored. Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I didn’t want to make you feel bad. I love you, and I love my new life. It’s just not as…”

  “Challenging?”

  He nodded. “I miss running my own business and coming up with new ideas and feeling like I was accomplishing something. I’m sorry. I’m sure in time that would change. But right now I don’t feel as useful as I’d like.”

  I wrapped my arms around him. “You know what? I totally get it. Becoming a royal is a big adjustment. And not one any class can truly prepare you for.” I wanted to change all of that for him. And I realized how important this royal tour might be. Not to mention how it was happening at just the right time.

  Had my dad sensed Sinclair was getting restless?

  Sin hugged me back, kissing the top of my head. “I would never want to cause a problem for you.”

  I leaned away to see his face. “I know you wouldn’t. But I love you, and you’re my husband, and your happiness is very important to me. And that is never something I’d consider a problem.” I smiled with everything I had in me. “We need to start packing.”

  New light sparkled in his eyes. “You’re sure you want to do this trip?”

  “I’ve never wanted to do anything more in my life. Outside of marrying you, which I already did.”

  “Trip, Mama?” Spider sat a few feet away.

  Sugar wasn’t too far behind him. She sat up and pawed the air. It was something new she’d just started doing. “Trip, Momlady?”

  And that was her new name for me. Momlady. Cats were so funny. Talking cats, even more so.

  Sin let me go to answer the cats. “Yep. Looks like we’re all going on a new adventure. Better pick out your favorite toys.”

  At the word toy, Sugar perked up. “Mouses?”

  “Sure,” Sin said. “Bring all the mouses you want.” He looked at me, grabbing my hand. “I promise I’ll be the best Prince Consort you could possibly imagine. I will kiss every hand and shake every baby you put in front of me.”

  “You’re already the best Prince Consort I could possibly imagine. And it will be great to see your folks again.” I was starting to get excited about this. A little.

  “They will be so thrilled we’re coming back. I’d better call them and let them know.” He didn’t let go of my hand though. And he hadn’t stopped smiling.

  “You really love a road trip, huh?”

  “Who doesn’t?” He tugged me close again. “There is nothing better than getting to see the country while also being in control of your journey. If you want to stop to see the world’s largest ball of tin foil, you can. If you want to stop at a roadside stand and buy homemade jam, you can. If you want to take a detour, you can do that too. Your day is up to you. I’m sure we’ll have some sort of schedule to keep to, but there has to be free time built in.”

  I squinted at him. “Are you making that up?”

  “About the free time?”

  “About the world’s largest ball of tin foil.”

  “No, it really exists. Haven’t you ever been on a road trip?”

  I shook my head. “Not really. I mean, I’ve been on sleigh trips, but you know how fast that thing travels.”

  He picked me up and whirled me around, making me laugh. “Oh man, Jayne, you are in for a great time.”

  When he put me down and I caught my breath, I tipped my head and tried not to look too skeptical. “If you say so. Although I do really want to see that ball of tin foil now.”

  He chuckled. “As your driver and tour guide, I will do my best to make it happen. Now let’s get those suitcases down and get packing.”

  Easy for him to say. Even easier for him to do. Planning for a trip that required me to be Princess Jayne in an official capacity took a little more doing.

  Good thing we’d just about squared that closet away. I took a deep breath and headed in.

  Chapter Five

  Sinclair

  I didn’t know if Jack was a mind reader or he’d sensed my mood or it was all just serendipity, but I’d never been more pumped about a trip in my life. Okay, our honeymoon was amazing. It really was.

  But this was a road trip. In what I knew was going to be a killer RV. And I was getting to drive.

  I had a feeling that Jayne’s reluctance, which was about as easy to see as her pretty pointed ears, would disappear in a hot second once we got underway.

  And if it didn’t, I’d do everything in my power to help her see just how much fun a road trip could be. I’d stop at every diner, roadside stand, cheesy attraction, scenic overlook and point of interest along the way if it made her happy. Giant balls of tin foil, houses made from beer cans, enormous dinosaur statues…we’d see it all.

  I’d enjoy it too. There was something special about seeing the country at your own pace. Finding all the hidden gems along the way. I’d driven cross-country a few times on my own. But this trip, with her at my side, was bound to be epic.

  Packing was a real undertaking. It took the better part of our two days. In part because there was some clothing that had to be cleaned and pressed but also in part because we were packing for a more involved excursion. Even our honeymoon hadn’t required this level of wardrobe.

  We also hadn’t taken the cats with us on the honeymoon. Ezreal had assured us the RV would be equipped with the necessities they needed, like food bowls, litter box, and a scratching post, but that we should bring anything that might help them feel at home in their new surroundings.

  According to Spider and Sugar, this meant toys, treats, their favorite brush, Sugar’s pink blanket that Aunt Birdie had crocheted for her and Spider’s boo mouse, which was actually a catnip-stuffed ghost he’d gotten last Halloween.

  As for us, well, I’d never gone on a road trip that required taking suits before, but considering that we were representing the kingdom, I understood. At least we were only doing meet and greets and not full-blown royal functions, like dinners.

  Those were a little tedious, if I’m being honest. Usually there was someone interesting to talk to but not always. And on those occasions, being a royal felt like a tremendous amount of work.

  I hoped this wasn’t like that. But if it was, I’d suck it up and keep a smile on my face. After all, I’d married Jayne knowing full well what I was getting into.

  “I think I’m done.” She stood back from her second suitcase, gazing into it like the secrets of the universe were contained inside. And maybe they were. She certainly had everything else in there. “I just need to get the appropriate jewels from Davide and I’m good to go.”

  “What jewels do you need?” I was sure the RV had decent security, but I didn’t love the idea of traveling with the kind of sparklers she typically wore to royal functions.

  “My traveling set.” She looked at me. “This is a state secret, by the way, but I have an exact replica of my snowflake tiara done in cubic zirconia. I have a pair of diamond earrings, a diamond bracelet and a House of Frost sapphire and diamond crest done the same way.”

  “Really? That’s genius.” And a big relief.

  She nodded. “My mom has the same thing. It just takes the risk out of losing the real ones. Or having them swiped, which has never happened yet, thankfully.”
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br />   “And thankfully, it won’t be attempted either.”

  “Right.” She went to the phone and dialed. “Davide? Hi. Yes. You heard? Okay, great. Yes, for him too. Sure, I’m here. Thanks.” She hung up.

  I wiggled my finger at her. “What’s that ‘for him too’ business?”

  Her look said I might not like her answer and she didn’t care. “You’re the Prince Consort. Did you think you weren’t getting some sparkly things too?”

  I shot a look right back at her. “Like what?”

  “Like a good watch and a House of Frost lapel pin.”

  “What’s a good watch?”

  “The same kind my father wears. A Patek Philippe. Although yours won’t have as many diamonds.”

  “Well, then, that’s fine.” I almost laughed. If all I had to do to look princely was wear a flashy fake watch and a lapel pin, I was good with it.

  Davide showed up a few minutes later with a simple black case. It had a fingerprint lock, which he programmed to open using either of our index fingers, and then we were done.

  When he left, I looked at Jayne. “Should we call for the footmen then?”

  She looked around, a little bit of longing in her gaze. “I guess so. I can’t believe we’re leaving this brand-new apartment. We’ve barely moved in.”

  “We’ll be back.”

  “I know.” She still didn’t look happy.

  “Hey,” I said softly. “Home is where we make it. And with Spider and Sugar with us, what else do we need?”

  She nodded. “You’re right, I know. I just…” She shrugged. “I feel a little melancholy, that’s all.”

  “You’re allowed.”

  Spider and Sugar came tearing through, jumped on the bed, then back off the bed and out again.

  She laughed. “They’d better get that out of their system. There won’t be room for that nonsense on the camper.”

  I laughed. “Honey, it is not a camper. I promise.”

  “You haven’t seen it.”

  “Yeah, but I have a pretty good idea of what a forty-five-foot RV is going to look like.” I gave her side a little tickle, then grinned my most lecherous grin. “Just think. You’re going to be trapped with me.”

  She laughed. “You’ll be driving. Hard for you to do much from behind the wheel.”

  I stalked closer, still leering. “But when we stop…”

  She shrieked and tried to dodge past me, but I caught her. “I have to call the footmen!”

  I nuzzled her neck. “The footmen can wait.”

  And wait they did. An hour later, after our recreational activities, they arrived to haul all our stuff down to the South exit, where Ezreal and a large crawler awaited us.

  So did Jayne’s parents and aunt and uncle, all there to say goodbye and wish us well. Jayne’s aunt also had a container of eggnog fudge for us, something Jayne immediately took possession of.

  We said goodbye with lots of hugs and handshakes, then I helped Jayne get situated in the back seat with the cats in their carriers. As she kept them occupied, Ezreal and I got the rest of the luggage loaded, a job we easily handled ourselves. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the footmen—they were great guys—but there weren’t going to be any footmen on the road.

  Something I was totally okay with.

  Ezreal drove us to the portal, which was about an hour outside of town. The magical doors existed in several locations, but this one was the most used. It opened into Anchorage, Alaska, which wasn’t exactly the most convenient of locations, but it was a lot easier to walk into Anchorage wearing a parka than it was Miami. Although, as far as I knew, there wasn’t a portal in Miami, either.

  The crawler had to stay on the North Pole side, however, so we each took some luggage and carried it through.

  Jayne took a cat carrier in each hand, while Ezreal and I dealt with the heavy stuff.

  I stared into the back of the crawler. “We’re going to have to make two trips.”

  Ezreal nodded. “Good thing I parked the RV close by.”

  I couldn’t wait to see it, but I tried to keep my excitement on an even keel.

  We followed him through, coming out in an empty alleyway. There was snow on the ground, but blue sky peeked through the clouds overhead. Temperature felt about the same.

  I hadn’t lived in the North Pole that long, but I could sense we’d entered the human world again. Don’t ask me how, but the difference was palpable. The energy just wasn’t the same. That’s the best I could do to describe it.

  “This way,” Ezreal said.

  Jayne went behind him, then I came along, rolling the two suitcases.

  We turned a corner and came onto a deserted street. Whether that was because of magical reasons or the town just wasn’t busy, I couldn’t be sure. The RV was parked across from us. It was enormous, and the navy-blue metallic paint and tinted black windows glittered in the winter sun.

  “Son of a nutcracker,” Jayne whispered. “Is that the RV?”

  “It is,” Ezreal said. “Custom Prevost Motorcoach.”

  My mouth was open, and I didn’t care. The beast parked in front of us was deserving of a little awe. I found my voice again. “Good choice, Ezreal.”

  He turned to grin at me. “Wait until you see the inside.”

  I was itching to. “Let’s get Jayne set up and then we’ll get the rest of the stuff.”

  “Very good.” He set down one of the bags he was carrying to dig a key fob out of his pocket. He pressed it. The lights flickered on in the big rig, then he tossed the fob to me. “Here you go.”

  I caught it and tucked it in my pocket before taking hold of the luggage handles again.

  “Is there more than one key?” Jayne asked.

  “There’s not actually a key,” Ezreal answered. “You’ll see. Come on.”

  He led us to the door of the coach, which was how this beautiful piece of machinery really should be referred to. Calling something this impressive an RV seemed like a disservice. He pressed his hand to a pad by the door that looked like it also had a camera in it. A second later, with a soft exhale of air, the door opened, welcoming us aboard.

  “Okay,” Jayne said. “That’s cool.”

  “Princess,” Ezreal said with a smile. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  Chapter Six

  Jayne

  I set the two cat carriers down. I felt like an idiot for all the bad thoughts I’d had about this vehicle. “This is stunning. I can’t believe it. I take back everything I ever thought or said about this camper.”

  The interior looked more like a fancy modern apartment than a motorhome. The floor was white marble tiles veined with black, the cabinets were all high-gloss white, and the trims were in black and deep blue with touches of aqua and natural wood. Wherever there was fabric, like on the couches or the captains’ chairs in the front, it was all textured navy leather.

  The backsplash in the kitchen was done in a mix of glass tiles in all shades of blue and marble tiles that matched the floor.

  “RV.” Sinclair and Ezreal said the word at the exact same time, making me hold my hands up in surrender.

  I laughed. “Okay, RV.”

  “Actually,” Sin said, “a vehicle this nice should be called a coach.”

  Ezreal nodded as he positioned our bags off to one side of the living area. “The Prince Consort is right. This is definitely a motor coach. As you can see, we’re in the living-room area, and this behind me is your kitchen.”

  “I love the little booth.” I could see us sitting there, having breakfast.

  Ezreal patted the tabletop. “This folds down, and the booth turns into a bed, actually. Not that you’ll probably need it with the master bedroom in the back, but it’s good to know you have it.”

  “Yep,” I said. “Good to know.”

  “So you like it?” Sin asked.

  “I love everything I can see.” The whole thing was gorgeous. And it felt like a home. A very chic, upscale home that a Hollyw
ood celebrity might live in. I had no idea a camper could be this fancy. RV. Coach. Whatever.

  Ezreal gestured behind him. “The bedroom and bathroom are in the back. There’s a litter box for the cats in the bathroom as well.”

  I couldn’t wait to see that space. The human part, anyway.

  He pointed past Sin. “The main entertainment center is there, but there’s another television in the bedroom and one in an exterior compartment designed for use outside. There’s also a grill and two camp chairs, all in their own compartments. I’ll show you how to open and close the awnings as well.”

  “Is there satellite?” Sin asked.

  “Yes,” Ezreal answered. “On the move, satellite will provide your television and internet services. There’s also a backup snow globe in the bedroom just in case.”

  Magical snow globes had been our main form of communication before Ingvar and his tech team had gotten us up and running with sturdier landlines.

  “Your uncle even designed a small Santa’s Bag for the coach. It’s in one of the master bedroom closets. Just in case you need something from home in a hurry.”

  One of the master bedroom closets? Suddenly, I was a lot more excited about this trip than I had been. “Let’s get the rest of our stuff. I’m eager to get the cats settled and get unpacked.”

  “Speaking of the cats…” He pushed on a narrow panel that ran floor to ceiling. It popped out, then he turned it around and pushed on it again, locking it into place.

  On the other side was an attached scratching post with three platforms set at intervals that I knew the cats would be all over. I smiled. “You did a great job with this coach, Ezreal.”

  He beamed as he came past me. “Thank you, Princess. I hope you and the Prince Consort and the cats are very comfortable.”

  Sin started down the steps. “We’ll be right back, Jayne.”

  “I’ll let the cats out in the bedroom.”

  “Okay.”

  As he and Ezreal left to get the rest of our things, I picked the carriers up and took them into the back.

  The bedroom actually had a king-size bed. I put the carriers on it, then looked around for a way to shut the door. There was a button on the side of the wall so I pushed it. The door slid closed, Star Trek-style. “Are you kidding me? That is so cool.” I couldn’t have the cats escaping after I set them free.