Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
“I hear you like yachting.” Edward says this with an entirely straight face after I put my phone away again. And I’m not sure if he’s trolling me or if this is a genuine question.
I clear my throat and glance around. No one is listening to our conversation. “I’ve only been a couple of times on a smaller yacht, to tell you the truth. On the larger yachts, I’m a total tourist.”
“Such an unfortunate event.”
“Mm, yeah.” I grimace, shaking my head.
“The good news is that everyone was safe, I understand.”
“Yes,” I agree with some relief. “Definitely.”
“And no criminal charges either.”
Fuck me. Criminal charges? I hadn’t thought about this angle of things. I mean, I know the coast guard is doing some manner of investigation, but an actual police investigation? I stare at him.
“For negligence? Or some such?” he asks delicately.
“Believe me, there was no negligence. From anyone,” I say instantly, eager to protect Stef. Can princes be charged with negligence? I don’t want to find out.
“Very good.” He gives me a sympathetic smile. “My apologies, I didn’t mean to insinuate—”
“No, no—”
“Or offend—”
“No offense taken.” I cough abruptly. “Sorry, champagne went down the wrong way.”
We consider each other in a sudden silence.
Then, the music fades, and someone announces dinner. The crowd starts to move toward the doors to head toward the banquet ahead of tonight’s dancing. Getting food into everyone should help keep things from getting too out of hand. Then again, who knows with James and John and what may unfold.
Trust James to have a sit-down dinner for at least a hundred of his friends and family to celebrate his twenty-fifth birthday.
There’re probably more than that. Entering the sumptuous banquet hall better known for state dinners than private Windsor family events, the table shines with crystal and china, impressive spring floral bouquets with a spill of spring flowers, and fine linens.
Every seat has a name card, and the staff guide the guests to their assigned seats.
I’m seated with Duke Edward in the royals section.
Then, I blink as Prince Auggie comes to sit beside me at his assigned seat, with Thomas Golden sitting down opposite him.
Further down are Auggie’s sister, Anne, and her boyfriend, Gav.
On the other side of Gav, James’ brother John is deep in animated conversation with Gav.
As ever, Auggie’s fashion sense is impeccable, my protégé. He has a great smoky-eye look for the evening.
“Hey, so good to see you,” I tell him honestly, surprised at how relieved I am to see him. A glance across the table shows me that Edward and Thomas are already making introductions and engrossed in conversation. “It’s been a while.”
“Good to see you too, Theo.” Auggie smiles, looking happier than I ever remember seeing him. He’s relaxed. “This is a great surprise. Please, let me introduce you to Thomas. Thom,” Auggie calls out to get his attention.
Thomas glances over and gives Auggie an affectionate smile.
“Thomas, I’d like for you to meet my friend Prince Theodor.”
“Theo,” I say easily.
He grins. “Auggie’s told me good things about you.”
“Oh God.” I laugh, shaking my head. “I can only imagine.”
“Good to see you too, Eddie.” Auggie smiles.
“Boys!” James manifests at the end of the table, thrilled to see us. “Excellent, you’re all here.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Auggie says.
“Ha, you just want to be sure I don’t bring the kingdom to ruin,” James tells Auggie with a grin.
“Well, I suppose there’s that too,” Auggie says easily. “By the way, my father sends his regrets. And I quote: ‘I want all the young people to have an excellent time, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do when I was twenty-five with far less impulse control.’”
Everyone laughs.
“Twenty-five is a milestone,” I tell James. “Very worthy of celebration. Joyeux anniversaire.”
“What did you do, Theo?” Auggie asks me curiously. “For your twenty-fifth birthday?”
“Ah, I think I was drunk in my pants from noon on the Amalfi Coast, I think.” I shrug a shoulder to more laughter from the group.
“I’m still sorry I missed that escapade.” James shakes his head. “College exams being what they are.”
I wave him off. “There are always other birthdays. And celebrations. Anyway, I’m now, in fact, trying to minimize the number of public-facing and private events where I’m drunk in my pants.”
“The night is young,” Auggie teases me.
“Theo’s turned over a new leaf.” James tries to look solemn. I’m fairly sure he fools no one.
“Mm.” I take a drink of water and fidget with the glass. “What have you been up to, Auggie? I know about this guy.” I nod at James. James shrugs, waving me off.
“We just returned from America,” Auggie says, glancing fondly at Thomas across the table.
“Yeah. We went on a holiday with my family. It was great,” Thomas explains. “Off to the Pacific Northwest on an island getaway for a few days.”
“Sounds terrific,” I say.
“Did you do any sailing?” Edward asks. “While you were there?”
My fake date’s got to be trolling me. A surreptitious glance over reveals Edward’s entirely deadpan and all polite-seeming as he looks at Auggie. Not even a strand of hair is out of place.
Meanwhile, Auggie nods. “A little, yes. We couldn’t miss the opportunity.”
I make my best effort to smile and pray that no one segues over to me and recent escapades.
“Do you remember that time we all went sailing, Auggie?” Edward asks. “You were a teenager, I think.”
Auggie nods. “That was a fun time. With my parents.” He glances at me. “Have you tried sailing?”
“Mm, yes, more the passenger kind where there’s an actual crew to deal with the sails…” I offer.
Maybe I can hope that Auggie and Thomas didn’t hear about my yacht debacle with Stef on their vacation. It was all the news in Europe, but let’s hope it stayed on this side of the Atlantic. Although Mamma said the yacht accident made world headlines, there’s always space for wishful thinking.
“Bad luck about the yacht,” Auggie offers sympathetically.
So much for that hypothesis.
I just nod while I try to think of a good response.
Not that Auggie’s judging me, but I’m trying to get away from these kinds of associations.
Worse, it reminds me of Stef right then, about the first night I met him, when he said bad luck about the news to me about Aidan. It feels like an eternity ago.
Meanwhile, Edward’s sprung into action after a glance at me.
“I’d love to hear more about your holidays,” he encourages Auggie and Thomas after James makes his excuses to leave.
Following James’ path, I see Frankie arrive, sitting further down the long table with James.
Thomas and Auggie start to tell us about their time away.
Before too long, dinner is served, and I keep looking up at Edward from my plate. It’s like my flirting mojo slunk off and died somewhere. I’m trying my best to rally. I have some more wine.
So far, Edward leads the conversation, and I’m feeling a bit too much like a sullen teenager.
We’ve discussed our meal, the weather, design consultancy, and a little about business too.
Ordinarily, I would be thrilled to pieces about a party.
Especially for James’ birthday and all the effort that’s been put into the event at the castle.
“Don’t worry, my dancing is way better than my conversation skills tonight,” I assure him easily.
“Unfortunately for me, I’m a terrible dancer,” Edward admits, chuckling. “I’m up for dancing regardless.”
“Excellent.” I consider him over what’s left of my meal, a few salad leaves and some venison I couldn’t quite finish because the portions were quite generous.
Even high protein and all that, I’m stuffed, especially if we’re meant to dance.
I need a chance to digest. Some people linger over their meal, waiting for the bar and dance floor in the nearby ballroom to open up.
“Maybe we can get some fresh air? Do you know where we might find some, if we’re allowed? ”
“Yes and yes. This way.”
We rise and soon make our way out to a nearby patio, and the fresh air restores me, along with a moment of quiet. My shoulders ease. I didn’t realize till now how loud the tall-ceilinged room was, now that I’m away from it. Drawing in a deep breath, Edward catches my eye and gives a wry smile.
“How are you holding up?” he asks.
“Shit. Am I that terrible?” I peer at him with rising alarm. James is going to be so annoyed if he thinks I didn’t even try on this fake date with Edward, especially as the first two fake dates with Martin and Douglas went down in flames, and then I stomped on the ashes.
“No, no, not at all,” Edward says quickly, startled. “I only thought that you’ve been through a great deal recently, though I don’t know many details from James.”
I give him a wry smile. “Yeah. Sort of. I mean, I get why I’m looking for some dating cover. But why would you want to be seen with me? My reputation versus your reputation, et cetera.”
He arches an eyebrow. “Theodor, aside from being a prince, you’re a very attractive man. And an interesting one. I was looking for a change from my clubs and relatives with some more… youthful perspectives.”
“Are you in the House of Lords or something?” I ask curiously, soaking in the compliment because I’m shameless for attention. “Too many aging perspectives?”
Edward laughs. “No. I’m in a lot of business meetings, generally, as I have several businesses.
It goes with the territory. And it would probably do me some good in the business world to show I’m not an utter workaholic.
And a complete coin- and stamp-collecting eccentric. ” He gives me a meaningful look.
“Right, okay. Sorry.” My face warms.
“No need to apologize. It’s a reasonable question.”
I shake my head at myself. “I don’t know. Maybe.” I grimace, remaining fully unconvinced, gesturing broadly. “Right. Let’s try this all again.”
Edward peers curiously at me. “What do you have in mind?”
“I mean, let’s start over and go get some media-friendly pictures out on the dance floor…” I draw myself up to my full height and give a disarming smile. “Hi. I’m Theo.”
“Eddie.”
We shake hands. His grip is pleasingly firm; I’ll give him points for that. “How’s, uh, the Fortune 500 or the London Stock exchange or whatever,” I say carelessly.
Edward chuckles. “All very well, I believe. Shall we hit the dance floor?”
“Yes, definitely. Let’s go get seen.”
I offer my arm, and he slips his through mine. We make our way to the ballroom as I put everything out of my mind except the present. There’s no Danish monarchy, no Stef, and definitely no nautical problems. Or, for that matter, Aidan problems. There’s only James’ epic party and having some fun.