Page 26 of Royally Matched
Chapter Nine
Max paced the floor in front of the staircase as he waited for Lily to come downstairs, glancing every few moments to see if she was ready. He had a special evening planned for them and couldn’t wait to see her reaction to all the surprises.
On his fifth round of walking back and forth, he saw Lily come into view at the top landing.
She was wearing a brown silk blouse and a pair of cream slacks along with a pair of beige pumps. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, causing her curls to bounce as she moved.
“You look great,” Max said with a grin.
“Do I look all right for where you are taking me?”
“You sure do.”
Glancing at his outfit, she noted, “You’re wearing slacks and a button-up shirt. Your outfit isn’t any help in letting me know what you’ve got planned.”
“And try as you might to get it out of me, Iwon’ttell you. It will ruin the surprise.”
Max reached out and took Lily’s hand as he escorted her out of the palace.
Patrick climbed into the front passenger seat while Harry opened the car’s back door for Lily and Max. They both slid into the leather seats of the limo. Once inside, Max took the open bottle of sparkling cider and poured them both a glass. He handed one to Lily.
“No smuggled-in champagne?” she mused.
“I know you’re not a drinker, so I opted for something we both could enjoy.”
Her cheeks tinged pink as she said, “That was sweet of you to remember.”
“It’s been that way since we were kids. When all the rest of us were sneaking off and drinking behind our parents’ backs, you didn’t. Was it a religious or taste thing?” Max asked with curiosity.
“A little bit of both. I’ve never gained a taste for it, and I think people can make stupid decisions when they drink too much. It never appealed to me.” She took a sip of the cider, then glanced out of the corner of her eyes at him. “I noticed you haven’t been drinking much yourself.”
“I’ve come to realize I’m one of those people who doesn’t do well when I drink. When my father first forced sobriety on me, I was pretty angry, but the longer I went without it, the more I realized I was better off. Now, I don’t really see a need to drink.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Lily said with a smile. “You keep making wiser and wiser decisions.”
“Well, it helps I have a good influence around me lately,” he said, scooting closer to her. “I never thought I would say this, but I’m glad you’re back in my life, Lily.”
“I know, it’s odd hearing you say that. It’s even more peculiar I feel the same way. I’ve become so used to being around you, I can’t imagine that changing.”
“According to our parents, it doesn’t have to. For once, I’m glad my parents meddled in my life.”
“I feel the same,” she said in agreement. Glancing out the window, she asked, “So, you’re really not going to tell me where you’re taking me?”
Max shook his head. “I told you, you won’t get it out of me. You’ll just have to wait to find out.”
A few minutes later, they arrived at a private airport. They entered the gates and made their way over to the royal jet which was fueled and ready to go.
Lily’s eyes grew round with surprise. “We’re going on that?” she asked, turning to Max.
“You travel a lot, so I’m guessing you’re not afraid of flying,” Max stated, trying to hide his amusement at her reaction. “What’s wrong?”
She pressed her lips together as she whispered, “I traveled on lot bigger planes than that.”
Max shrugged. “Once you’re on it, you won’t feel the difference. Plus, you don’t have to worry about crying kids or annoying people. I promise you, once you go private, you won’t want to go back.”
A few minutes later, Max, Lily, and Patrick were on board the plane and taking off to Max’s surprise destination. He knew the plane ride would be long, so he had the servants stock the plane with several board games, books, and various electronics.
Lily glanced at the stack of supplies and raised an eyebrow. “How long is this trip?”
