Page 13 of Royally Matched
Chapter Four
Max could feel his father’s eyes prying into the back of him, watching every decision he made as he glanced through the documents in front of him. The king had insisted Max work alongside him to make sure he was prepared for when he took his place as the head of state for Triola.
Max, on the other hand, would have much preferred to simply relax in his suite, have gone to play cards at the local gentleman’s club, or to spend time with a couple of the noblewomen.
“You missed that one,” his father pointed out a section in one document regarding the repairs to several of the bridges in the capital’s heart. “When you go through the briefings about public work projects, you need to make sure you read every part. There can be crucial parts we need clarification on before we approve them.”
“Yes, Father,” Max said with a nod of his head. Though he would rather be anywhere else, a small part of Max still wanted to impress his father and show him he could handle the workload of being king.
“Once we are finished with this, we will travel over to Grace Memorial Hospital. A new children’s wing has opened, and they asked for the royal family to make an appearance.”
“Good thing I wore a suit today, rather than coming to work with you in sweats and a t-shirt.”
His father made a disapproving grunt under his breath before saying, “I hope for your sake you’re joking. It’s bad enough you’re constantly photographed with a myriad of trashy women, but at least you always manage to get photographed looking appropriately dressed.”
Max found it amusing his father drew the line at wearing casual clothing. Thank goodness he didn’t know all the other things Max had done that he would consider far worse.
“Is that why you want me to come today? To help clean up my image?” Max questioned, though he already knew the answer.
“Yes, our primary focus over the next two months is to restore the public’s trust in you. That way, when we announce your engagement to Lady Liliana, it will help solidify your re-branding.”
“Whatever you think best,” Max muttered under his breath, resolving himself to accept his father’s commands for the time being. Hopefully over the next two months, he could find a way out from his arranged engagement. He had no desire to be married to Lily.
A half hour later, the royal family arrived at the hospital. As their chauffeur pulled into the reserved parking spot for their limo, Max prepared himself for the paparazzi that would be waiting. They would expect their arrival and target him. He had no desire to answer more questions about Starla or his lifestyle. Max simply wanted to get this appearance over and retreat to the safety of the palace.
“I shouldn’t have to remind you to be on your best behavior,” his father stated, making it clear he expected Max not to mess up the beginning of his redemption tour.
“I will make sure to turn on the charm in all the right ways,” Max affirmed. “Believe me, I want this to go smoothly just as much as you do.” Max knew the sooner he got the public back on his side, the sooner he could get back to living his life the way he wanted.
The king, queen, and crown prince all exited the limo, claps and cheers echoing around them. Mixed among them though, were a few boos and nasty comments directed Max’s way. Perhaps getting everyone to overlook his choices would be more difficult than Max thought.
“You’re disgracing Triola by being with that tramp singer,” one woman shouted. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
The crowd hurled several more insults at him as he made his way to the platform. Max didn’t easily embarrass, but the public’s reaction made Max uncomfortable. He suddenly wished he hadn’t been forced to come to this appearance, but knew he had to make do until he could leave.
What upset Max the most though, was the fact he did not understand whyeveryone wasso upset with him. He knew the tabloids and news outlets had been harsh, but he honestly thought it was to drum up business. He didn’t realize it was what the public thought of him as well.
As he climbed the steps to the top of the platform, his eyes caught familiar faces. Apparently, his father had invited the Lockharts to attend the event. Not surprising, since he had made it clear Lily would be a constant presence to get the public used to seeing them around one another.
Someone from the crowd shouted another unflattering remark about Max. Lily’s eyes momentarily darted over to him. She had a look of pity on her face before she quickly averted her attention to the king who was taking his place in front of the podium.
Max wasn’t sure what to make of Lily’s reaction. Part of him was grateful she cared, but a bigger part of him didn’t want to be pitied, let alone by the woman he was being forced to marry. If for no other reason than to change Lily’s image of him, he wanted to sway the public to his side again.
“Good afternoon, my fellow Triolans, I am grateful to be here with all of you to celebrate the opening of the Grace Memorial Hospital Children’s Wing. For too long, Triola’s sick children have had no place of their own to go, but with state-of-the-art equipment, the finest doctors and nurses, and a completely modern facility, that will no longer be the case. Moving forward, these children,” he gestured to the youth sitting on the platform behind him—a couple held crutches in their laps, a few sat without hair (a trademark of cancer) and one in a wheelchair, “will have a place where their voices can be heard, where they can feel valued, and where they can receive the best care in the world.”
There was clapping and cheering around the outdoor venue, and for a few moments—Max’s past was not the focus of the day. Though he knew it wouldn’t last, he was grateful to have even a short reprieve.
* * *
Lily’s attention should have been on the king as he finished his speech, but she couldn’t keep her eyes from drifting to the back of Max. He was holding up respectably, despite the negative beginning to the afternoon.When the people first screamed at him, Lily had felt bad for Max, but it quickly changed to admiration as she watched him.
Having the constant barrage of insults would have broken lesser men, but Max had held himself upright and refused to let them crack his veneer. She found that rather attractive, but of course, didn’t want him to know that.
The royal family, along with the Triola nobility and politicians, made their way into the lobby of the children’s hospital for the reception. The children’s wing had floor-to-ceiling glass windows that allowed the natural light to flood the area. There were a few dozen tables set up around the area, which included a table filled with an array of delicate desserts. Waiters were weaving in and out of the crowd, handing out appetizers and drinks to the guests.
“You need to find a way to put yourself next to the Crown Prince,” her mother urged, discreetly gesturing towards Max.
“I can’t very well march myself up there and plant myself next to him,” Lily countered, not liking the way her mother insisted she press herself on Max.
