“Exactly that. Hmm.” His eyes were drowning in amusement as he held out my cranberry juice.
I took the glass. “You’re exasperating.”
“You would not be the first person to accuse me of such.” He turned back toward the table and took a bottle holding a deep amber liquid. He poured some in a glass, but not enough for more than a couple of sips.
“Looks like I’m not the only lightweight in the room,” I said when he clinked his glass to mine.
Edward stared into the room, his eyes losing focus. I took a drink, but he only held his glass at his side, hanging from his fingers. “My life comes with special guidelines the rest of my peers are not required to follow.”
I scanned the crowd with him, lingering on those who were having a good time compliments of eighty-proof. They laughed a little louder, danced a bit closer, touched more boldly.
“I guess it wouldn’t look so regal if the future ruler was yacking in the bushes with everyone else at the end of the night.” I sipped my cranberry juice but didn’t really taste it.
I’d spent my first decade of life watching the royal family, assuming I knew everything about their lives. But I was wrong. A few days with Edward had already shown me how mistaken my assumptions had been.
“And we wouldn’t want anything to make the people think we’re humans just like them.” Edward grunted, lifting his chin at a few girls who’d just swept through the doors and were waving at him like they were flagging in a cargo jet.
“You mean you are human?” I opened my mouth in a mock expression of shock.
“Mind-blowing, I know.” He glanced away from the girls, staying planted beside me.
“So you can’t drink. Much,” I added when he shook his glass in front of me. “What else is poor Edward Royston missing out on?”
His eyes flashed, their color appearing so light in the darkness they shined. “You’re a smart girl. What else do you think a twenty-two-year-old man like myself might be forbidden from indulging in?”
I sipped on my juice as I considered it. “I’m going to assume the king puts the kibosh on all extreme sports. No spelunking, cliff-diving, or Formula 1 racing for you.”
Edward’s chest moved with a silent chuckle. “Polo and scuba-diving are as risky as sports get for me. Royal orders.”
“Well, you kinda are the one and only son of the king and queen. I’m sure if they’d had a spare or two, you could totally get into downhill skiing or something really dangerous. Like dodgeball.”
He smiled, shaking his head. “If only.”
“Okay, so you don’t get to drink to excess or participate in especially deadly activities. What’s so awful about that? You preserve life, limb, and liver.” I pulled at the neckline of my dress. The temperature in the room seemed to be dialing up by the minute, probably from the growing number of bodies dancing.
“The restrained drinking I can handle. The prohibited activities I can tolerate.”
“So we’re commiserating over your restrictive lifestyle because . . . ?” My hand circled as I waited.
All he had to do was look at me, and I got it. My eyes went wide as my expression ironed out.
“Oh,” I gasped, my eyes managing to go even bigger when I found myself staring at his general belt region. “Oh.”
Edward finally took a sip of his drink. “We couldn’t risk an heir to the throne being born out of wedlock, could we? Because it wouldn’t be an heir then; it would be a dirty secret the crown would have to cover up. I’m sure plenty of kings before me bore children out of marriage, but technology being what it is these days, I can’t look at a woman without the world insinuating we’re secret lovers.”
My forehead creased as I debated what to say.
Did I lead with comfort?
Understanding?
Justification?
My standard fallback of humor?
Nothing seemed quite right given the Prince of Norland—the most desirable bachelor in the country—had, in so many words, confessed he was living the life of a monk.
“That must free up a lot of time for . . . other stuff,” sputtered from my mouth. “Like chess and ping-pong and being the only sober one at a party of your peers.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw him staring at me. “Leave it to you to say the totally wrong thing but be exactly right.” He clinked his glass to mine once more, reaching for the cranberry juice when he noticed mine was almost empty. “And not the only sober one.”
“Yeah, but mine’s a personal choice, not a royal decree or whatever.”
“Any other personal choices of yours that are similar to my royal decrees? Or whatever?” His mouth moved as he took another baby sip from his glass.
“Well, I was captain of my high school’s spelunking team and was voted Most Likely to Die in a Free Climbing accident, so that’s where our similarities end.”
His smile dimmed when the trio of girls approached the drink table—or more likely, Edward. His hand settled into the small of my back, gently guiding me away from the table. Where his fingers touched me, I felt his warmth seep through the cotton of my dress, warming my skin. It caused a ripple of tingles to cascade down my spine, but Edward didn’t seem to notice the affect his innocent touch had had on me.
I cleared my throat, not missing the looks I was receiving from the girls clustered where we’d been, appraising me as though I were a roach that needed to be squashed beneath the soles of their stilettos.
He moved in front of me once he’d led us into a quiet corner. “And what about the relationship category?”
“What about it?” My voice was a note too high.
One dark brow carved into his forehead, silently accusing me of knowing exactly what he meant.
“Oh. You’re asking if I abstain like I do with alcohol or if I show a lack of restraint like I do with my spelunking.” My throat burned, so I took a long drink of juice.
“So?” he pressed after I wasted another minute slurping down juice.
“I’m more of the abstain frame of mind in regards to that topic.” My feet rolled from my heels to my toes on repeat. “I’m a fan of maintaining a healthy uterus and other reproductive organs.”
My whole face flamed with heat, and I’d never been so thankful for a dark room. Had I really uttered the words “reproductive organs” in front of Prince Edward? In response to him asking me how much I was getting at my ripe old age of twenty and three months? And had I given away that I was a big ol’ virgin?
From the way he was staring at me, yeah, I had.
“Can we change the subject from our sexual experience?” My eyes closed when my words echoed in my ears. Add yet another treasure to the list of inappropriate phrases to drop in a prince’s presence.
“Sure. Pick a subject.” Edward butted his shoulder into the wall, getting comfortable.
Probably close to fifty people were here now, and he was acting like I was the only one present. He was probably just making good on his promise of looking after me, but I was grateful for it regardless.
As the seconds ticked off while I struggled to find a topic that didn’t involve anything too inappropriate, I noticed a newcomer arrive through the massive front doors. He entered with the kind of confidence that suggested status or power or both, but his posture was relaxed, his expression pleasant. And he was quite nice to look at, though in the opposite way Edward was. Instead of dark and brooding, the stranger was fair and warm, the corners of his mouth seeming to be stuck upturned, instead of frozen down.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
Edward seemed to notice who I was talking about right away, but he took a minute before replying. “Was that a wistful tone, Miss Everly?”
“It might have been. Until you managed to replace it with general annoyance.”
Edward finished what was left in his glass, glancing away from the guy greeting everybody he passed. “That is Theodore Hamilton.” His jaw moved. “He has a place across the lake, with his family
.”
My nose crinkled. Fancy name probably meant some fancy title. “Is he some kind of duke, lord, or knight?”
“No. His dad started a tech company thirty years ago that took off.”
Someone said something that made Theodore Hamilton laugh, and it seemed to fill the whole room. It was a nice laugh, the kind that hinted at a happy life.
“Self-made. Even better.”
Edward’s chest pushed out with his inhale. “His father is self-made. Theo still has to prove himself.” His head turned to me. “Do you want me to introduce you?”
I swallowed, looking away from the newcomer. “Maybe later.”
“Okay, I understand.” Edward nudged me as though he got it. Right before his head tipped back and he hollered, “Theo!”
I swatted his arm, blinking at him with betrayal. “Edward, I said later.”
“Later means never.” His shoulders lifted beneath his dark shirt, his eyes flashing when Theo wove through the crowd toward us. “That’s the procrastinator’s creed.”
“I can’t believe you did that,” I said under my breath, checking my dress and combing my fingers through my hair. “When and if I wanted to meet him, I would have introduced myself.”
Edward lifted his glass to his lips, only realizing it was empty when he tipped it back. “Sure, you wouldn’t have.”
“Edward, what’s up?” Theo called as he approached, his gaze cutting from Edward to me in a way that had my lungs rebelling against their intended purpose.
“Theo.” Edward’s head moved. “What’s up?” His words were stilted, stiff, as if he were reading lines from a script.
“Thanks for the invite. This place turns into a ghost town come October first, and it gets boring fast.” Theo’s attention drifted to me, a pair of dimples setting when he smiled. “And who’s this?”
That smile. Damn. It was sunshine drizzled over homemade waffles.
Edward filled in for me since I’d been rendered temporarily mute. “This is Charlotte.”
Theo was quiet, like he was waiting for something else, but Edward stayed silent. And my vocal chords still had yet to function.
“And how do you know this guy?” Theo asked me.
“Actually, we just met.” My shoulders relaxed when words finally formed.
“Distant relation? Potential suitor?” Theo winked at Edward, tapping his arm with his fist in jest.
“I’m taking care of the manor this winter. We met a few days ago when he showed up unexpectedly.” I might have nudged Edward at the unexpectedly part. He and his friends had made themselves comfortable and didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave.
“So you’re just one of us normal people?” Theo lifted his hand at me.
Clapping it felt an odd thing to do, but he was clearly waiting for me to do that, so I high-fived him. “As normal as they come.”
Theo’s gaze dipped to my glass. “What are you drinking? I’ll get you a refill.”
Edward took my glass before I could hand it to Theo. “Cranberry juice,” Edward answered, pouring the juice himself. “She’s a regular wild thing, this one.”
I shrugged in response to the look Theo was giving me. “I’m not a big drinker.”
“Smart.” He filled his own glass with what looked to be some kind of flavored vodka. “We should hang out. Your positive influence could rub off on me.”
Edward’s frown deepened when Theo took a heavy drink, but I laughed. Not only was he nice to look at, Theo had a sense of humor and clearly didn’t take himself too seriously. All traits I listed in the pro column when it came to potential suitors.
“I’ll give you two a chance to talk.” Edward cleared his throat and backed away. His eyes locked on mine as he was about to turn around. “Unless you need anything.”
I waved my glass, the juice sloshing against the sides. “I’m all set.”
Edward gave a stiff nod then disappeared into the throng of partygoers who were all too eager to see him.
“You sure you’re not some cousin of Edward’s?” Theo slid closer now that it was just the two of us.
I didn’t mind, but I didn’t have a ton of experience in these kinds of situations. Talking with boys I was interested in situations.
“Definitely not,” I answered. “I’ve got the least royal blood you could find in Norland.”
“And you’re not, like, childhood friends or something like that?” Theo didn’t miss Edward’s head turn in our direction, despite the half dozen girls circled around him, vying for his attention.
“Nope,” I said, shifting so my back was facing the party. “Why do you ask?”
Theo’s shoulder pressed through his dress shirt. “I’ve never seen Edward act so, I don’t know . . . territorial over a girl before.” His eyes searched me, his dimples setting deeper upon completion.
Glancing at Edward, I wondered what I was missing. I guessed he was kinda staying close and checking my direction, discreetly, every few seconds, but nothing extreme.
“That’s territorial?” My head tipped as I studied Edward another moment.
“For His Highness Edward Royston, yeah, that’s territorial. You guys aren’t like . . .” Theo clucked his tongue to fill in the blank, but I’d picked up on his undercurrent from his tone alone.
“No,” I replied instantly, louder than I’d intended. My cheeks warmed. “Definitely not.”
The corners of Theo’s eyes creased when he caught Edward glancing our direction again. “You’re sure?”
One of my eyebrows went high. “Pretty sure I’d be in the know if I was having a sordid love affair with the Prince of Norland.”
Theo chuckled, clinking his glass to mine before taking another drink that drained half of his glass. “Yeah, I guess I should have known. You’re not exactly Edward’s type.”
My grip tightened around the glass. “Not his type?” I echoed in a tone that didn’t hint at any of the hostility I felt over being told, in so many words, I wasn’t up to the prince’s standards.
Theo motioned at me. “Smart.”
I gave him a look. “Don’t most single, twenty-something males claim ‘smart girls’ aren’t their type?” I motioned at the dance area, where guys didn’t seem concerned with striking up a conversation or getting to know a girl’s thoughts on economies of scale. “The smarter a girl is, the more likely she’s able to see through an act.”
From the corner of my eyes, I saw Theo looking at me. “I like smart girls,” he said as though it were a confession. “Hey, you want to step outside for some fresh air?”
“You just got here.”
“I can’t really hear myself think.” Theo indicated where James was playing DJ, thumping his fist in the air in time to the beat.
“Yeah, me either.” I set down my glass and walked toward the doors. “It’s dark and nothing’s in bloom, but do you want the grand tour of the gardens?”
“I want a grand tour of the broom closet if you’re leading it.” Theo grinned at me and I would have sworn I felt the earth skip a beat in its rotation.
Calm yourself down, Charlotte. It’s just a boy. One you met a whole five minutes ago.
“Wow. Parking was a free-for-all.” Theo blinked at the assortment of cars littered across the driveway. “This is what happens when the uber-rich are expected to park without the assistance of a valet.”
“Forget about the parking. I want to know how this many twenty-somethings were able to drop everything on a week night for some last-minute party way out here.” I closed the door of the zippy-looking red two-seater directly below the front steps. Someone clearly wasn’t able to close their own door without the help of a valet either.
“Most everyone here will never experience a full day’s work in their life. They’ll keep blowing the fortune generations before them made and living off of their trust funds. Their job is partying.” Theo followed me through the maze of cars, toward the gardens facing the lakefront.
“Hate to point out the obv
ious, but you’re here too.”
Theo nudged me. “And so are you.”
“Only because looking after Valmont is my job.”
He pointed his glass at the lake. “And my office is right across the lake, so I was able to get in a solid ten-hour day before gallivanting the night away with Norland’s most eligible singles.”
“You live on the lake year-round?” I asked.
“This is the best time of year to be at the lake. When everyone else goes back to the city.” He motioned out at the still water. “I’m able to do most of my work from a computer and phone. The rest is a lot of meetings and schmoozing up clients, so I travel some too.”
“You mean I don’t have to call you Duke Such-and-Such and you’re gainfully employed?” I wandered back to where he’d stopped to study the sundial perched in the center of the rose gardens. “I’m liking you more by the minute.”
Theo bowed his head. “I also do my own laundry and know how to park my own car, if you need a couple more reasons to like me.”
“Aren’t you an evolved one,” I teased, motioning at the sundial. “This was a gift given by the King of Sweden in 1890 to King Heinrich.”
“Big spender,” Theo muttered before moving on with me down the pebble pathway.
“Then you’ll be very impressed with the gift the royal family of Denmark gave as a wedding gift to Prince Samuel and Princess Eloise.” I crouched beside the wild rose bush I’d sneaked flowers from as a child when my dad wasn’t looking. The roses were gone now, but they’d be back.
“Wow. A whole shrub? They shouldn’t have.” Theo laughed when he joined me beside the rose bush. “How do you know all of this stuff?”
Rising, my eyes circled the gardens. “My dad was the groundskeeper here until I was ten. I can name pretty much every flower, shrub, and tree around Valmont.”
Theo paused in the middle of taking his last drink. “Wait. You’re the groundkeeper’s daughter?” I couldn’t tell from his tone how he meant it, but his expression indicated surprise. Theo stared at me in disbelief. “You’re the girl who beat me in the Shore-to-Shore Swim ten years ago, aren’t you?”
Flipping through my memory banks of that summer morning I’d finally been old enough to compete in the annual summer swim stretching from the south shore to the north, I couldn’t recall a young Theo in all his golden glory coming in behind me. But I had won the race for my age division that year.
Glass Castle Prince Page 4
