Love By Design

Chapter 34

Containing my eagerness as we arrived at the Imperial Boutique was a considerable effort on my part. My excitement was through the roof and I was practically buzzing as we reached the location.

Nestled within the castle grounds of the Toussaint Grand Palace, the three-story boutique was something straight out of a movie. It was a goldmine of gorgeous garments and stunning suits. Everyday wear and special occasion attire worn by The Royals of Toussaint, past and present, were stored at the opulent establishment.

Two tailors, Pippa and Armand graciously guided us on a tour around the luxurious boutique.

“What is it with Cionne and crystal chandeliers?” I quip as I gaze up at yet another ornamented fixture on the ceiling.

“They have a deep-seated animosity towards me, clearly.” August comments, squinting up slightly.

His response makes me laugh as we’re led inside the lavishly decorated surroundings of the grand fitting room. In a well-lit space adorned with luxurious drapes and intricate tapestries, I find myself standing amongst rows and rows of clothing racks and gilded mirrors.

“These dresses are stunning,” I comment.

The soft click of a DSLR camera catches my attention and I turn to find August taking a picture of me in the middle of the room.

“You look like a kid in a candy store,” He remarks, a boyish smile appearing on his face as he looks through the camera. “Twirl for me.”

I humour him, spinning slowly as I strike the most ridiculous poses.

“Beautiful.” He praises as he snaps away on his camera.

Bounding back over to him, I couldn’t help but laugh as he shows me the images.

“Oh god, this is why I design and not model.” I shake my head, swiping through the photos. “You’re not even taking pictures of the dresses in the background!”

“Photography 101, dear Hartt,” He begins. “The subject must always be in focus.”

Zooming in on one picture, he’s captured me mid-laugh, my eyes crinkled and my hair slightly dishevelled from my impromptu spinning. He’s looking at the image of me on the viewfinder, grey eyes almost twinkling and the fluttering feeling cages itself in my chest.

Before I can say anything else, another voice echoes in the room.

“Well, look who finally decided to grace us with his presence.”

I turn towards the source of the familiar voice.

Prince Tobias stands by the entrance wearing a white button-up shirt and a pair of tan-coloured trousers. Behind him, two security guards as well as Pippa and Armand are all talking animatedly between themselves.

Remembering royal protocol, I instantly straighten up, preparing myself to curtsy as he walks towards us.

“How did you know we were here?” August questions, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Tobias shakes his head at August disapprovingly.

“No ‘hello’?” He tuts. “Your manners around royalty are appalling, dear cousin, truly. I should have you hung, drawn and quartered at the square.”

August only grunts in response, grey eyes narrowing as he speculates the presence of the prince.

“Miss Hartt.” Tobias extends his hand towards my direction, greeting me in acknowledgement.

“Your Highness.” I bow my head, curtsy and shake his hand all at the same time.

So much for being less anxious.

“A pleasure to see you again,” He smiles warmly at me. “How are you finding Toussaint?”

“It’s beautiful, sir.” I reply. “Cionne is a wonderful city.”

“Tobias, mademoiselle, please.” He laughs. “Calling me ‘sir’ makes me feel so senile.”

I nod, smiling politely. Addressing royalty by their first names feels inappropriate, even with his encouragement.

Tobias observes us both, hazel eyes shifting between August and I with amusement.

“I quite like the colour palette of your outfits,” He comments. “Very his and hers.”

August frowns before clearing his throat, seemingly unimpressed by the royal’s observation. A pause settles between them as Tobias regards him with a knowing, almost teasing smile on his face.

“I was informed about your little research trip by your dearest Genevieve,” Tobias discloses.

I turn to him, blinking. “Gigi?”

From the corner of my eye, I see August narrow his eyes at Tobias suspiciously.

“Since when were you and the editorial assistant close?” He questions, tone dry.

“We’re well acquainted,” Tobias replies with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulder that bore similarities to August. “I believe she’s working on an article about Toussaint for MODUE Magazine. And she was rather concerned for her best friend’s safety, gallivanting off in another country with a man she barely knows.”

“We’re on a work trip.” August’s expression shifts to one of irritation. “What did she think I was going to do? Kidnap her?”

Tobias only shrugs, expression somewhat smug.

Next to me, August openly glares at the sibling of the crown prince– as if trying to communicate with him.

“Her friend only had the best intentions,” Tobias chuckles. “She wanted to make sure that you weren’t going to do anything… unseemly.”

“Unseemly?” August deadpans.

Tobias ignores his comment as he turns to me.

“I was rather surprised to find Miss Winters in my inbox, detailing your little trip. Though it was slightly more frightening how she acquired my personal email,” He chuckles. “Quite a character that one, your Genevieve.”

I laugh nervously.

Only Gigi would track the private information of a prince to make sure the person I’m travelling with doesn’t have psychopathic tendencies.

“I thought nothing of it at first,” Tobias continues, turning his attention to August. “You haven’t visited Toussaint in years, despite my persistent invitations. So you can imagine my astonishment and utter delight when I received word of a certain Peroxide Prince’s private jet landing in Cionne. Not to mention the weekend booking of the presidential suite at The Royal Maisonette as well as access to the Toussaint Foundry and the Imperial Boutique.”

There’s a teasing lilt to Tobias’ voice, almost like he knows a secret he’s itching to reveal. August glances over to him, doing nothing to hide his increasing agitation.

“A little heads up would have been nice. To welcome you in noble fashion.” Tobias concludes.

“I figured you’d be occupied,” August replies, unimpressed. “You know, with royal duties.”

“Actual royal obligations fall on Elias.” He speaks of his older brother. “I’m never too busy for my favourite cousin.”

“I appreciate that, Your Highness.” August replies, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Another silence falls as they engage in a staring contest and I can only watch between the two.

“How is the regalwear collection faring, mademoiselle?” Tobias turns to me.

“It’s going well,” I reply. “We’re in the ideation phase at the moment so we’ve been gathering a lot of primary and secondary research, hence why we’re in Toussaint.”

Tobias regards an indifferent August with a bemused look.

“Rather strange how you are in company, dear cousin,” Tobias’ eyes are gleaming as he assesses August. “I expected Sebastian to be in charge of this work trip. He is the lead designer, after all.”

“He’s busy,” August replies in a tone that left no room for further elaboration.

“Well, I do hope that this trip will be beneficial with the research for the collection.” Tobias nods towards me. “Have you visited the trousseau?”

I shake my head. “It isn’t on the schedule.”

Tobias redirects his gaze to August.

“Cousin!” He exclaims over dramatically. “You cannot possibly have a designer step foot in the Imperial Boutique and not visit the Royal Trousseau.”

I turn towards August excitedly to find him already watching me.

“Alright,” He sighs.

“Excellent!” Tobias grins. “It’s been a while since I was present at a garment fitting. Elias is very adamant he will not be trial fitting his wedding tuxedo until he meets his bride-to-be.”

“I’m not playing dress up, Tobias.” August deadpans.

“Aren’t you here for research?” Tobias clicks his tongue disapprovingly. “You’ve come all this way to Toussaint’s very own wonder of the world.”

“No,” He deadpans.

Glancing over at August, I deflate at seeing his aversion to the fitting.

“Miss Hartt?”

“Oh, it’s okay.” I shake my head, disheartened. “We don’t have to if–”

“Cousin, how cruel!” Tobias turns to August. “Are you genuinely capable of rejecting these doleful puppy dog eyes?”

He makes an elaborate gesture towards me and I blink, about to retort when August’s loud sigh cuts me off.

“Fine,” He concedes with a glare.

Tobias winks at me with a knowing smile.

“You as well, mademoiselle.”

Being fitted into one of the dresses feels like the scene in the movies where the main character goes through some wild transformation. The dress I’m wearing is a beautiful floor-length ball gown, the skirt cinching in at the waist and flaring out in layers and layers of shimmering tulle. The upper half of the dress is a beautiful halter neckline with a detailed design of lace and embroidery. It’s backless too, the sheer fabric dipping just below my spine.

I feel an odd tugging at my heart as I stare at myself in the mirror.

The choice of colour sends me into a nervous frenzy: white.

Stepping out in four-inch high heels, I walk slightly off balance as the ball grown grazes the floor.

“It’s rude to stare, dear cousin.” Tobias calls out and I spin to see August standing by the velvet-upholstered chaise in the back of the room.

Dressed in a classic black tuxedo, August is wearing a blazer with satin peak lapels and matching buttons. His crisp, white shirt is tucked into black sleek, slim-fit trousers giving the outfit a polished look. On his feet are black leather shoes, completing the ensemble.

In moments like these, it’s so fitting.

There’s a reason for his title as the Peroxide Prince.

Cautious of keeping the dress in its pristine condition, I tread carefully as I make my way towards August.

“You look…” He trails off as he meets me in the middle.

“Sparkly?” I motion towards the abundance of twinkling tulle of the dress, marvelling at the skirt’s airy feel despite the seemingly endless layers of fabric.

“It’s…”

“Glitter, I know.” I laugh, feeling skittish for some reason. “You hate glitter.”

Nervousness coils and settles in my stomach as August fixes his gaze on me. His grey eyes flicker with an urgency of sorts but he turns away before I can properly place the emotion.

“But look,” I tilt my body away from him slightly. “No laces. Just zippers.”

“Oh?”

“It’s on the side, you just pull it down here…” I gesture to my waist. “And it comes straight off apparently, Pippa told me.”

August swallows and I realise too late at the very suggestive implication of the design.

An intense flicker of light brings me out of my fairytale daze and August winces slightly. He turns his attention towards the source, eyes narrowing as Tobias takes another photo with a brighter flash.

“Tobias,” He hisses, shaking his head in annoyance as multiple flashes of the camera continue to go off. “Are you done?”

“Not quite.” He chuckles. “Pose for the camera, les jeunesmariés!”

August frowns, pressing his fingers to his lids and I instantly remember his sensitivity towards intense lighting.

“Are you okay?” I position my hands above his to cover his eyes.

Even with the high heels, I still have to look up at August.

The frown on his face deepens as his gaze drops down to the dress I’m wearing. It’s probably making his discomfort worse, with all the white tulle and glitter reflecting the brightness of the lights in the room.

“You both look absolutely stunning,” Tobias comments. “Tailored fit to perfection, if I do say so myself.”

I turn to the hazel-eyed blond standing just a few feet away, a quirk of a smile on his lips. His comment is strikingly similar to Gigi’s and my heart skips a beat.

“You’re a royal pain in my ass, Your Highness.” August mutters.

I face him, worriedly. “Are you—”

“Done here? Yes.” He turns sharply towards Tobias. “Tu perds mon temps.”

I blink.

You’re wasting my time.

August steps away, barely glancing at me as he disappears back into the changing rooms with Armand. I furrow my brows at his abrupt shift in behaviour, uncertain if I might have unwittingly said or done something that could have triggered the sudden change.

“I would apologise for his actions,” Tobias starts. “But you’re probably aware of how temperamental he can be.”

“He’s not that bad,” I reply, wringing my hands nervously. “I enjoy spending time with him. Professionally, of course. He’s a great person— great boss, even. Very considerate and, um, competent.”

My eyes remain fixed on where August disappeared as I stand rooted to the spot, trying to calm the fluttering inside my chest.

Tobias tilts his head, looking at me with a curious expression.

“My gravely ill-tempered and cantankerouscousin, are we talking about the same person?”

“I can hear you.” August’s deadpan voice echoes from behind the curtains of his fitting room.

Recalling the events of both yesterday and today, it’s obvious to me that I appreciate August’s presence and thoroughly enjoy his company. I find myself enjoying our time together more than I’d care to admit, though I’ll certainly never confess that out loud– especially not to his cousin.

“Do you know what Toussaint is known for?” Tobias asks out of the blue, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Aside from textiles, of course.”

“Umm,” I blink, racking my brain to think. “Pomegranates?”

Tobias turns to me, chuckling lightly.

“Though we are the main importers of pomegranate supply in Europe and the Mediterranean, no.” His mouth quirks into a warm smile, pausing for a brief moment before continuing. “Toussaint is the country of lovers.”

He says the statement matter-of-factly, straightening himself up as playfulness forms in his expression.

“Lovers?” I respond, a little obtusely. “I didn’t know that.”

“Saintians are very passionate people.” He nods. “We’re terrible cliches but I’m afraid that’s the only way we know how to express ourselves. In ardoreet in ambitione.” He continues in a somewhat lecture.

“Of course,” I nod, though I’m struggling to understand why the conversation is heading towards this particular topic.

“I’m sure you’re aware of his past reputation in the media.” Tobias gives me a knowing look as he tilts his head towards the changing rooms. “My cousin, though only half Saintian, is full of heart. His intentions are genuine, please know that. All that is required is a small measure of patience extended to him. A modicum of tolerance, if you will. Despite his endless list of fashion faux passes, he means well en amoureux and I would like to think that he’s deserving of it.”

The oddly heartfelt conversation throws me off guard as I try to think of an appropriate response. I think of the beautiful women August has been involved with in the past that the media has written about and my mind trails off to the ones in his company that he doesn’t openly disclose at present.

“August is admired by a lot of people,” I say, trying to maintain professionalism. “I don’t think there’s a scarcity of women or men interested in him nor is he lacking in female and, um, male companionship, Your Highness.”

“And are you one of those companions, mademoiselle?”

My eyes widen.

“N-no!” I blanch. “Well, yes but not really. I mean, I think August is fantastic. I really admire him and the work he does. I mean it when I say he’s a great person. But we only work together. Well, worked. Past tense. I would never— We haven’t—”

A flashback of the club enters my hazy mind and I mentally veer away from the topic completely.

“I don’t think August sees me like that,” I continue. “N-not that I want him to or anything. We aren’t— like that. Our relationship is… strictly business. Just work colleagues. I’m just an intern, after all.”

I’m rambling out of nervousness now, telling myself for my own peace of mind, more than anything. I don’t want to end up saying something I’ll regret but, at the rate I’m going, I most likely will.

“I should probably change back.” I gesture towards the fitting rooms.

Tobias nods, humming as he steps aside and I bow awkwardly before taking my leave.

Slipping back into my pink silk dress, I rid myself of the thoughts of even comparing myself to the people August has been involved with in the past. Actors, models, actors and models.

Sitting on the velvet chaise in the middle of the room, I watch as August quietly emerges back into the main room.

“Here,” He says curtly, handing me a tote bag. “Books and secondary sources you might be interested to read through. I bought a few copies.”

“Thank you.”

Taking the bag from him, I couldn’t help but notice the distracted look on his face as he avoids my gaze.

His slightly standoffish behaviour is apparent but I refrain from saying anything as we begin to walk over to Tobias.

“Thank you, Armand, Pippa.” The hazel-eyed prince nods towards the royal tailors. “You’ve both been a tremendous help. I’m more than happy to accompany my cousin and his guest for the rest of the tour.”

They both bow and take their leave, Armand pausing for a moment before turning to me.

“It was very lovely to meet you, Hallie.” He smiles, curly brown hair bouncing as he nods towards me.

“You too,” I smile politely. “Thank you so much for your help.”

“I’m excited to see what you design for the collaboration,” He continues, shuffling on the heels of his feet as he stands in front of me. “Are you in Toussaint long?”

His gaze is curious, long lashes framing bright blue eyes and I couldn’t help but wonder what they would look like if they were shades lighter— softer and more muted, almost grey.

“Just one more day,” I answer.

“Did you like seeing the sights?”

“We didn’t really look around.” I turn towards August, expecting him to elaborate but he stays silent. “Aside from the boutique, we only visited the museum and the foundry.”

“Ah, that’s a shame.” Armand shakes his head. “Toussaint has fantastic historical landmarks beyond the city and the castle grounds. They reopened the waterfalls of St. Valentine just last week. And Tussore Beach is gorgeous at this time of year. You must visit The Gardens of Dimitrus and Lyra, it’s our very own version of Romeo and Juliet.”

Slightly overwhelmed by the outpour of new information, the places Armand lists go over my head completely so I just nod in response.

“I’m assuming you have a busy schedule in the morning?” He asks.

I blink, remembering that August hadn’t actually planned anything for the day.

“It’s actually our free day tomorrow.”

Once again, I turn towards August but he still doesn’t respond. Instead, he’s schooling the most aloof expression on his face.

“Would you be interested in seeing more of Cionne?” Armand asks excitedly, glancing over at August before settling in my direction. “The sunsets in Toussaint are beautiful. The trail up to Paramour’s Point is perfect for a leisurely stroll and it overlooks the city so you can see the stunning skyline in the evening.”

I glance quickly at August, an irritation flashing in his gaze.

“Oh, I’d love to but…” I try to think of the most polite way to decline. “August and I are actually heading back early so we’ll be short on time. Thank you for the offer anyway.”

Armand nods in understanding.

“If you’re ever back in Toussaint for leisure, do let me know,” He says. “I’ll be glad to show you around.”

He reaches into his blazer and takes out a small rectangular card before taking both of my hands and placing it in my palm. Turning towards August in recognition first, he then bows at Tobias.

“Your Highness.”

Tobias nods at him in acknowledgement, signalling for him to take his leave.

Next to me, August’s expression remains impassive and unmoving as he stares at the business card embossed with the Imperial Boutique logo.

Armand Dubois.

Royal Tailor of Toussaint.

+707 9704080

“Since when did your tailors have their own personal calling cards they give to customers?” August questions, watching as the curly-haired tailor disappears out of the room.

He swipes the card from me and eyes it with a gaze so nettled, I can almost feel the pricking sensation.

“It’s a business, cousin.” Tobias chuckles then adds to taunt him, “Mixed with a little bit of pleasure, it would seem.”

August lets out a disgruntled sound and I’m reaching out for the business card when he diverts it from my reach and pockets it inside his blazer.

Tobias eyes him attentively before whispering to me, though loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I think he’s upset Pippa didn’t give him her contact details,” He says.

August rolls his eyes.

“Clearly she’s the more professional one out of the two,” He scoffs, revealing his disapproval. “This is a business trip, not a sightseeing jaunt in Cionne. Did he expect us to be gallivanting around like tourists? We’re here for work. Christ, Tobias, what possessed the Boutique to hire inexperienced individuals? And ones who shamelessly make inappropriate advances towards my staff, no less?”

Staff.

“I see someone’s not in the best of spirits,” Tobias observes, meeting August’s narrowed gaze.

“This is a waste of my time,” He mutters, his irritation much more evident now.

His statement hurt more than I expected it to and the disappointing feeling lingers in the pit of my stomach.

Dejectedly, I lift my head to meet his gaze but his narrowed eyes are fixed on Tobias.

“I’d extend an invitation for dinner tonight but am I correct to assume you already have plans?” Tobias asks.

“Yes, we do,” August answers abruptly, still avoiding my gaze.

“Reservations where?” Tobias inquires, hazel eyes shifting between August and I.

The room falls into a heavy silence, prompting Tobias to blink at August.

“Come now, cousin. I’m not one to gatecrash your evening engagements.” Tobias rolls his eyes. “I’m well aware that three’s a crowd.”

“The Edelweiss,” August responds, voice clipped.

“A choice as charming as it gets in Cionne,” Tobias remarks with a smile, as he shifts his gaze toward me. “You’re in for a delightful experience there.”

“Are we done here?” August glares at Tobias. “We’re already running behind schedule.”

“August…” I begin but he immediately steps to the side, gesturing for me to lead as we head towards the exit of the changing rooms.

Behind me, I catch snippets of hushed conversations between August and Tobias.

“Follow your heart, dear cousin.” Tobias chuckles, just within my hearing range. “She is quite literally leading the way.”