“This is all Greta Highlander’s fault,” Richard said forcefully. He crumpled up his linen napkin and tossed it angrily on the table. “If I weren’t so polite, I’d tell her where to put her stupid advertising frisbees.”
In my time at Sweet Mountain, I hadn’t seen him so much as hint at an unkind word about anyone. He was as steady as they came. But this was different. And there was no doubt that the three of us felt the same.
Olive shook her wild mane of curls. “Politeness is overrated if you ask me. Tori deserves better.”
I stared down at my lasagna, feeling righteous anger burn inside my gut. Olive was right. Tori deserved better. She’d worked hard her entire life just to be accepted. She was a far better person than I would ever be, and yet she’d never have the advantages I would. My title was secure. My expectations set. I’d messed up a hundred times, yet our citizens still expected me to step into the role my father had created for me and succeed because of our family history. Tori had been unfairly judged and unfairly treated. It wasn’t right.
I had to do something about it.
No more making excuses.
I stood up abruptly from the table, my napkin falling to the floor. “Richard, would you mind driving me somewhere? I have an errand of the utmost importance to run.”
He and Olive both blinked up at me in surprise, but they recovered quickly.
“Of course,” Richard answered. He pushed his chair back. “Just let me get my coat.”
“And don’t worry about the mess. I’ll clean it up,” Olive added, waving us away.
We headed out the entryway and climbed into Richard’s old pickup. The seats were covered in old, cracked brown leather. The dashboard was faded and warped from spending countless years in the sun. The whole cab smelled like a pine tree—no doubt from the little green paper tree hanging from the rearview mirror. Richard started the engine and then glanced over at me.
“Where to, son?”
“Does Greta Highlander keep an office in town?”
His hand faltered on the stick shift. I could feel him staring at the side of my face. “Yes . . .”
“Then, that is where we’ll start our quest.”
There was a heavy feeling of unanswered questions hanging in the air, but Richard simply put the pickup in reverse and pulled us out of the driveway. He took a similar path as the school bus did every weekday morning. But instead of driving all the way to school, he veered off toward the downtown area of Sweet Mountain and pulled into a parking lot beside a smart-looking brick building with a black awning. Highlander Realty was painted in thick gold lettering on the windows. An Open sign hung in the door. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the conversation I was about to have.
And for what I was willing to give up to make Tori happy again.
“Okay, I’ve got a plan,” I said, opening the door. Richard made a motion to unbuckle his seatbelt, but I grabbed his arm. “I think I need to do this alone if that’s fine with you.”
I knew that Richard would do anything within his power to make Tori happy. I’d witnessed it myself through his constant and selfless love of the granddaughter he’d been left to raise on his own. It was that same love that flowed through Tori, as evidenced when she’d made a deal for his job. A love that I now recognized in the actions of my own father when he’d sent me here to a tiny little town on the opposite side of the world.
I understood it now.
Richard stared at me for a long time with those dark blue eyes—the same color as Tori’s. Indecision flashed over them. But finally, with a sigh, he removed his hand from the belt and nodded.
“I’ll wait here for you.”
It was nice to be trusted by my host. I allowed that trust to bolster my confidence as I strolled into Greta’s office. The interior was much like the owner, meticulously designed and put together. A miniature glass chandelier hung over a set of gray wing-backed chairs. A white wood-paneled receptionist desk sat empty beneath two elegant glass sconces. A hallway on my right lead to what I could only guess were offices.
My arrival was announced by the tinkling of a bell from the door. I didn’t have to wait long before my target came strolling down the hallway, dressed in a tight maroon dress with matching heels. Greta already wore a smile that stretched from ear to ear, her perfectly bleached veneers on full display.
“August.” She stopped in front of me and placed her hands on her hips. “To what do I owe the pleasure? I don’t suppose you’re looking to invest in real estate? But you’re far too young for that.”
She let out a laugh that felt forced. I did my best to smile at her, even as I would’ve liked nothing better than to take her by her thin shoulders and shake her for what she’d done to Tori.
“Perhaps I might invest someday,” I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. “I’ve grown fond of Sweet Mountain in my short time here. Especially the people.”
“Hmmm, yes.” She nodded, the loose curls around her face bouncing with every movement. “The people of Sweet Mountain are exceptional. You’ve got us pinned there.”
“Especially people like the Thorpes.”
I didn’t miss the slight tensing of her shoulders or the pursing of her brightly painted lips. The corners of her mouth quirked up, and she blinked her thick lashes at me. “Oh, sure. Of course.”
“Which is why I’ve come here to request that you let Tori Thorpe into the National Honor Society.” I kept strong eye contact with her, not daring to blink.
Inwardly, I was channeling my father over all the years of lectures he’d given me about personal responsibility. There was nothing more intimidating than a king sitting in his office armchair, looking down at you with grave disappointment. I was sure he used it in all of his political maneuverings to great effect. And now, I borrowed it from him. Everything had come down to this moment—a moment where for once, I wasn’t thinking about myself.
Greta laughed hollowly and moved behind the receptionist desk to straighten a stack of papers. “I’m afraid that’s not up to me.”
“I think we both know that’s not true. After all, you were the one who interviewed her.”
She looked up at me, her eye narrowing. “Yes, and the results of that interview are strictly confidential.”
I could see that reasoning with Greta was going nowhere soon. It was time to lay all of my cards on the table, even if that meant giving up something very precious to me. But Tori was worth that and more. The time I’d spent with her in her home had opened my eyes to how much I took for granted. She deserved this, much more than I deserved my “fun.”
“What if we were to make a mutually beneficial deal?” I asked. “Then maybe, the results of that confidential interview could be altered?”
Greta laughed, her high-pitched giggle piercing my eardrums. “I doubt it. Tori Thorpe just isn’t NHS material. I think I know that better than anyone. And besides, what could you possibly offer me?”
I clenched my jaw and then loosened it, wishing women like Greta didn’t exist in this world. What had Tori ever done to her? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Except try to impress her, and that certainly wasn’t a crime.
“How about an official sponsorship from an official Valtanese Prince?”
My hands grew shaky, so I clenched my fists tight in my pockets. This was it, no going back. Whether she took my deal or not, my secret would be out there. I had no doubt that a woman like Greta Highlander would use this information to her advantage. It would be spread throughout the town like wildfire, unable to be contained.
Goodbye to my freedom.
“Valtanese? Like the winery?” The muscles in Greta’s face relaxed as she stared cluelessly at me.
“Yes. The monarchs of Valta own your town’s impressive winery. They’ve invested much in this little town and could be interested in doing more. If you were to agree to our deal, the Prince of Valta would offer you his services as a sponsor for your business. I’d imagine that would add a little clout to your
advertising practices.”
The flare of interest in her eyes was all I needed to know that I was on the right track. Greta leaned toward me, her fingernails tapping on the top of the desk. “And how exactly would you set up this deal? Where’s my guarantee? For all I know, you’re bluffing.”
“Your computer, please.” I gestured to the closed laptop next to her. I’d been expecting this. “Give me but five seconds, and you shall have your proof.”
She handed the laptop over and crossed her arms rightly over her chest, her judging stare never leaving my face. It didn’t take me long to google myself. Entering in the Prince of Valta as a search term immediately pulled up pictures of my whole family. We’d done a summer portrait in one of our impressive gardens this last year, and the newspapers had printed it. I turned the screen so Greta could see. Her beady eyes darted across the screen, growing larger and larger. With a start, she looked up at me and then back down at the screen and up again.
“Is that you?”
“Augustus, Prince of Valta at your service.” I bowed my head slightly, not enough to give her respect, but enough to show my status.
Greta’s response was as predictable as could have been expected. After a minor freak out, as the kids at Sweet Mountain High would say, we got down to business defining the terms of the deal. As much as it pained me to do anything for this woman, the reassurance that Tori would be happy in the end was all it took to help me grit my teeth and sign the hasty contract she drew up. The deed was done. And when I finally dragged myself back to Richard’s truck, I was thoroughly exhausted.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” I said, putting my lap belt into place.
Richard didn’t ask me how I’d managed such a feat. He just nodded and then began the trek back toward home. I had the sneaking suspicion he already knew what I’d done.
“Would you mind calling me a ride to the airport?” I asked as the house came into view.
What had once looked so shabby was appearing painfully beautiful to me in that moment. What I wouldn’t have given to stay for the rest of my term. To live happily in this home with the people who’d accepted me so readily and changed me in ways I hadn’t anticipated.
“Are you sure about this?” Richard put the pickup in park.
“Yes.” It was only a matter of time. My father would send for me as soon as word got out. It was better to leave now than to be hounded by the paparazzi, who would descend on this town like locusts. The Thorpes and my new friends didn’t need that. “Thank you for everything, Richard. I sincerely appreciate you taking me into your home.”
He looked sorrowful as he patted me on the shoulder. That goodbye hurt bad enough. I wasn’t sure how I was going to stand saying goodbye to the girl upstairs.
Even a royal heart like mine could break.
14
Tori
I knew I shouldn’t have been letting myself fall deeper into my funk. As the days passed by, I kept saying that I’d pull myself out of it. That one morning, I’d hop out of bed and shake off this terrible mood, and everything would be back to normal.
But I just couldn’t. It was as if an anchor had been tied to my ankle and was slowly pulling me down, down, down to the depths. I couldn’t get loose. I couldn’t swim for the surface. All I could do was lay on my bed and make the best effort I could to video chat with Erin, as we’d been doing every night this week. It was obvious she was checking up on me. I didn’t mind it. She mostly did all of the talking. She’d been chattering away for the past five minutes straight, not even concerned that I hadn’t had a thing to add to the conversation.
“All I’m saying is I don’t want you to ditch town like your mom,” Erin said, finally ending her spiel to take a breath and then laugh nervously. She watched me closely through the camera as if trying to spot a sign that I was about ready to bolt.
“I don’t really blame her, you know,” I said, turning over to stare at the framed photo of my mom next to my bed. In it, I recognized the same curve of her cheekbones. The same brown hair. The same slightly crooked bottom teeth. We had so much in common. “I don’t blame her for her mistakes. She was only a kid. Can you imagine being pregnant right now?”
Erin made a face. “I’m pretty sure I’d die. That is if my parents didn’t kill me first.”
“Right?” I chewed on my tongue for a second, thinking about how different things could’ve been. “You know, sometimes I wonder how things would’ve been if someone in this town had shown my mother some compassion. Instead of judging her for her mistakes, what would’ve happened if they’d closed in around her and supported her through a scary thing like teenage pregnancy? My grandparents were awesome, but they weren’t enough to keep the stigma away. It had to be lonely, feeling like she didn’t belong. Like she’d never be good enough, no matter how much she tried. I know that pain.”
A lump had formed in my throat. I tried to swallow it down, but instead, tears formed in my eyes. With a quick motion of my hand, I tried to wipe them away before Erin could see them. She sat quietly on the other end of the line, sympathy clearly written in her frown.
“Tori, I know you feel a lot like your mom right now,” she said softly. “And yeah, what happened to you this week was totally unfair, but that’s where your similarities with your mom end. Your mother took that shame and that pain and let it define her whole life. Now, she barely knows her own daughter. She never calls on holidays or birthdays anymore. She’s totally wrapped up in herself. That’s not you. That’s not my best friend. You’re so much better than that.”
The tears that had formed were threatening to spill over onto my cheeks. The portrait that Erin had painted of my mom was definitely true. I couldn’t argue with it. My mother had left. She’d ghosted her entire family. She couldn’t even bother to write more than a few sentences on a postcard every few months. Could I do that to the people in my life? Could I leave grandpa with that heartache? Or Erin? Or even August?
Erin sniffled, tears thickening her voice. “You know, you have a lot of people around here who love you, whether you want to admit it or not. And we don’t care about your past. Or your mom’s past. We like you for who you are, Tori.”
I sniffed as well, dabbing the tears out of my eyes. Leave it to Erin to make me bawl. She was so brutal sometimes.
A soft knock came at my door. “Princess? Can I talk to you for a second?”
My heart thumped painfully. I sat up quickly and finished wiping away the tears. That was August standing outside my door. He’d been walking on eggshells around me all week. Poor guy was probably glad all we’d shared were two tiny kisses. No way could a guy like that want to be with an emotional wreck like me.
“I’ve got to go, Erin,” I said into the phone. “Talk to you later.”
She blew me a kiss, and then the video ended. I dropped my phone on my comforter before going to answer the door. August stood there in a dark gray hoodie and jeans I’d picked out for him. He looked good. Unfairly good. My face was probably streaky from crying, and my hair could’ve benefited from a brush. Still, the sweet way he smiled at me was enough to lift my spirit just a bit.
“Hey, Princess.” He moved a bit closer, his tangy cologne tickling my nose. “How are you?”
“I’m . . . fine.”
My talk with Erin had been a tearjerker, but I had to admit that it seemed like something had clicked inside of me. Separating myself from my mother was helping. Her fate wasn’t my own. It didn’t have to be that way. And maybe this was the turning point—the moment I set the anchor loose. I could only hope.
“Well, I just thought I’d stop by.” August glanced behind him at the empty staircase. Something seemed to be on his mind. Shifting his feet, he stuffed his hands in his hoodie pocket. “I needed to say something to you. Is this an appropriate time?”
I nodded, even as a nagging worry hit me. Was he here to officially end things between us? I couldn’t say I blamed him. Still, as he met my eyes with the most sincere
look, that worry was pushed aside. August might have seemed like the world’s biggest snob when he first arrived, but he wasn’t even close to that. Sure, he had problems of his own, but he was caring. And sweet. And made me laugh, even when I was angry at him. Falling for him was totally worth it.
“I just wanted to make sure that you knew how much I think of you. How much I respect and admire you.” He swallowed hard and cleared his voice, his frown deepening. “You’ve made this trip to America worth more than I ever could’ve expected. In the short time we’ve known each other, you’ve changed me. You’ve shown me how to be better. You’ve called out my snobbish behavior when no one else would and rubbed it in my face.”
The slightly ornery grin that threatened to appear on his lips made me laugh. The feeling warmed me in a way I hadn’t felt for several days. It was nice. More proof that the fog was lifting.
“Thank you for that,” I said, leaning my head against the doorframe. “You’re making me feel better already.”
“Good.” He cleared his throat again. “That’s all I want to do, to set things right. No matter the cost. You understand that, right? You’re worth it.”
I had no idea what he was talking about. He glanced down the stairs and licked his lips impatiently. And when he looked back at me, his hungry eyes were set firmly on my lips.
“I just . . .” His gaze flicked up to my eyes and then back down to my mouth. “May I?”
That same hunger was growing in my gut at an exponential rate. Flashbacks to our time at the Falls played in my mind. A time when I’d been deliriously happy and free. I nodded, wanting nothing more than to feel that way again with August’s lips on mine. He didn’t waste any time. Yanking his hands out of his pocket, he pulled me next to his chest and captured my mouth with his own.
It was far more passionate than either kiss we’d shared before. There was an urgency in his touch. A taste of finality. His hands moved up and down my back, massaging me in a way that made me melt. I gave into him completely, relishing the minty taste of his mouth. My arms were pinned between us against his chest, my hands clasping desperately to his sweatshirt. Everything felt like it was on fire. My cheeks, my ears, my gut. We were both breathing heavily, and I couldn’t help but moan slightly when he deepened the kiss.
My Royally Cute Enemy: A YA Sweet Romance (Sweet Mountain High, Year 2: A Sweet YA Romance Series Book 3) Page 11
