Gio served mimosas, clearly thinking of her, and mentioned that brunch was ready to be served right after takeoff. I handed her a glass. She took it, but waited till we were alone again and said, “That sounds interesting.”
The engines revved up as I said, “You’ll see it and decide for yourself.”
She still held her glass without drinking. “I’m coming with you because I’m curious.”
Good. We were moving now. I patted her knee like we were friends and said, “And you’re attracted to me.”
She curled closer to me and stared into my eyes like she could see through me. “That too. But marriage is a whole other concept. It’s permanent.”
I pushed the armrest up so nothing was between us. “So, I did some research on you last night, Nicole Steel.”
She shrugged and tasted her mimosa. After a couple of sips, she said, “My life is out there for the world to read.”
Yes it was. Her grades, her inner thoughts, her pictures, everything was online. My life was too, but the difference was that she chose to put everything out there. I clinked her glass with mine and said, “Two of your sisters are married to billionaires, one married a baseball star, and you’re a cousin of Phoenix Steel, the singer.”
She leaned back like she was disappointed in me. “You meant my family, not my life philosophy.”
I sipped my own drink and held it as we took off. Once the roar of the engine quieted enough for conversation, I said, “I’d been curious to discover what my father saw in you that made him think ‘princess’.”
She finished her drink and raised her eyebrows. Then she said, “I’ve never met a royal, until you.”
“Yet you’ve met elites and held your head high, so that might be one of the qualifications my father saw.”
If she married me, she’d see royals every day for the rest of our lives. I kept the thought to myself, since she hadn’t agreed to the plan yet. The staff began to set up a buffet for us. While they worked, I asked her, “How are you dealing with the scandals about you today?”
She rubbed the back of her neck like she had a secret, but then she leaned closer and said, “Honestly, my blog and sponsors seriously spiked in views. This trip has netted me more in a day than I usually make in a month.”
The staff dispersed and I playfully elbowed her to get up.
“So you’re more profitable with me,” I said, as I headed to the buffet to grab some breakfast. “That’s a reason to marry me.”
She took a plate and followed behind me. “You’d net me spikes, absolutely.” Once we had plates of croissants, fruit, yogurt, the small waffles I still enjoyed, and cups of coffee, we returned to our seats.
“Let’s discuss this ‘what if’ scenario,” she said.
I put my food down and practically bounced in my chair. I hadn’t expected her to bring this up. “Excellent.”
She cut her waffle and mixed her yogurt with her blackberries. “If I did become your princess, would I still be allowed to blog?”
Good question. And if she was truly considering this, this was a contract item to discuss. I added cream to my coffee and offered her some, but she refused. I said, “I’d support your petition to the king for permission.”
Her lips curled down and her eyebrows rose. “I’m not a child. Asking permission isn’t really my thing.”
A snicker came out of my mouth. This was why I had taken up mountain climbing. No one told me what to do there. I finished my bite of waffle and said, “Me either, but if we make it a condition of our marriage, I’m sure my father would concede—as long as you don’t reveal too much about our royal family.”
We both ate in silence for a few minutes. As she finished her yogurt, she asked, “Royal secrets?”
I winked at her and said, “Not really, but I spend most of my day in the public spotlight. When I’m home, it’s supposed to be a respite.”
Her brown eyes seemed to search mine for answers. I wasn’t sure what her question was. But then she broke her gaze and took a bite of her croissant. Once she finished her bite, she said, “This conversation is hypothetical only.”
For her. But if I followed through, I would have money and freedom from my father. Sure, I’d also have a wife, but she’d be more tolerable than my father’s leash on me. I finished my plate. Gio came over and took them from us but left us a carafe of coffee.
The staff cleaned up and, for a few minutes, we were silent. Once we were alone, I pressed into her side and kept my voice low as I said, “I think you want me.”
Her face had a blush and she took a deep breath. “I do. I don’t lie. But that’s not part of the conversation.”
My hair stood on its ends, but I whispered, “Why not? You get me if you say ‘I do’.”
