Anton steps forward, and the men embrace. I take the beat to compose myself and come up with some sort of excuse for why I went all medieval knight with my,‘Who goes there?’pronouncement.
“Rose, what were you doing?” Anton turns to me, looking bewildered.
“I thought he was paparazzi.” My excuse is weaker than a square of off-brand toilet paper. “I have the exclusive,” I add, as if that makes it any better.
“Right.” Anton shoots me a befuddled look before turning to his cousin. “Duke, this is Rose Kasper. She’s my…exclusive interviewer.”
I shoot daggers at his teasing face.
“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Kasper.” Duke extends a hand, and I shake it. “Thought maybe Anton had hired some attractive personal security.”
I laugh, but it’s overdone and manic-sounding to my ear. Anton looks at me funny. Gosh, I am blowing this tonight.
“I don’t need security,” Anton says. “That’s the best part about living here. Normalcy.”
I glance between the two men, keeping my face neutral even as my mind flies to the question of why Duke is in town. The royal family isn’t expected to arrive for a couple weeks, when they’ll celebrate the holidays together.
Anton must be wondering the same thing. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Duke cracks a grin. “I came early for family Christmas.”
“Brilliant.” Anton turns to survey the parking lot. “Wait. Where are you parked?”
“I got dropped off.”
It’s a dodgy answer, and my senses immediately fire to life. What if Duke is the one who has it out for Anton?
I’m grasping for a reason to stay in their company, but Anton is oblivious. He’s directing Duke around to the far side of his truck. “Hop in.” He turns back to me. “You good?”
“Um, yeah. Great.”
“Thanks for attempting to rescue me from the paparazzi.”
“You betcha.” I salute.Why, Rose? WHY?
“Okay, then. Bye.”
“Toodle-oo.”Oh my gosh. The cold is turning my brain to ice. That, or the terror I suddenly feel for Anton’s safety is making me incapable of stringing together a complete thought.
There’s only one thing to do.
I hurry around to my driver’s side, and the second I’m in my car, I call my dad.
He picks up on the first ring. “What’s going on?”
“Anton’s cousin, Duke, appeared out of the darkness in the parking lot at the River Foxes stadium. Did we know he was coming to town?”
Lennox curses, and I hear typing on the other end of the phone.
I glance out my window to where Anton is parked. He motions for me to go first out of the parking lot.
I attempt a casual smile, but I feel anything but casual or smiley right now. I was hoping he’d pull out first so I could discreetly tail him, but of course he’s being a gentleman.
Dang it, Anton. There’s a time and a place for being polite, and the moment when your life may be hanging in the balance isn’t one of them!
In his defense, he has no idea he’s in danger. Because I haven’t told him. Neither has anyone else. No wonder he despises his status as a royal. How’s he supposed to trust anything?
I pull out of the parking lot and pretend to head toward Cashmere Cove. When Anton goes the opposite direction, I crank my wheel.
