10. Cataleya
“How do I look?” I ask, showing my dad the modest dark blue dress that I’ve picked out for myself. I’ve been staying at my parent’s home since I returned to Solvaria and my father has been a shining light during these dark times. “It’s pretty, right?”
“Oh, you look marvelous,” he says, cupping my face and pecking me on the temple. “Christian is a lucky man.”
Or maybe I’m just a lucky woman.
I keep looking at myself in the mirror, picking at all of the imperfections I see. My hands smooth out my dress. I adjust the earrings I’m wearing, as well as the necklace resting across my covered skin. This blue dress covers my neck down to my mid-calf.
If this is going to work out between us, I have to do my job by looking the part. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but Christian is right. People will chew me up and spit me out if I don’t start acting like a proper future monarch.
“Are you feeling nervous?” my dad asks. He’s been in the background, watching as I fix my look in the mirror. “You haven’t acted like this since… Well, I can’t even remember.”
“I think I’m fine for the most part,” I reply earnestly, though I can feel a lump forming at the back of my throat. “There’ll be headlines about this, I’m sure.”
“Can’t wait to read them all.” My dad smiles, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is a difficult time for you, Cata. Are you sure you want to take this on?”
My jaw clenches. My eyes scan my reflection in the mirror, searching for anything I’ve missed. “I don’t think I have much of a choice.”
“Don’t say that,” my dad says, shaking his head slightly. “That doesn’t sound like you. You’ve always had a choice.”
“Well, then, this is the right choice.” Turning around, I reach out for him and grab his hands. I give them a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry. I’m going to be fine. Christian is a great man and he’s going to show me the respect I deserve.”
My phone vibrates and I don’t even have to look at it to know it’s Christian. I give my dad a quick kiss on the cheek before hurrying out the door with my purse.
Christian waits outside of my parent’s home in a dark black convertible with tinted windows. I can’t help but smile as I hurry down to meet him. He exits the car and makes his way to the passenger side to open the door for me.
“Ah, thank you!” I say breathlessly, offering a nervous grin as I slip into my seat beside him.
He nods and closes the door. Then, he reassumes his spot in the driver’s seat. My God, he looks impeccable. And he smells like a dream, too. I focus my gaze on my home, the trees, anywhere else so that I don’t have to stare at him.
Because if I do, I won’t be able to focus on anything else.
“You look beautiful, Cataleya,” he says in a quiet voice as he starts the car. I nearly don’t catch the words, but when I do, I smile and wave them off.
“You don’t have to hit me with words of flattery, Christian. It’s not necessary.”
“But I mean it. You’re beautiful.”
Oh, God.My heart starts to race and heat rises quickly to my ears. I don’t even know what to say anymore. I’m not usually like this, but with a few words, Christian has rendered me speechless.
On the drive to the restaurant, I twiddle my thumbs and stare at my shoes. Every time Christian moves his body closer to mine, my breath hitches in my throat. For some reason, he looks especially handsome tonight.
He has styled his blond hair as he usually does, but now he’s wearing a gray suit and a white shirt that fits him impeccably, showing off his muscles and strong physique. Maybe it’s his cologne that’s driving me crazy. It’s making me want to brush up against him and kiss down his neck until…
Cataleya, what the hell are you doing? You’re not supposed to be thinking that way about him! He’s only your partner on paper. Nothing real will come out of this arrangement, for God’s sake.
“You’re awfully quiet today,” he says, catching me off guard.
I smile, but the nerves make it die quickly. “Yeah, I… I’m not a fan of the paparazzi.”
Christian hums. “Don’t worry about them too much. They follow me everywhere nowadays, so it’s something you’ll have to get used to.”
“I have a lot of things I’ll have to get used to as your wife.”
“Yeah. And I’m sure you’ll adapt quickly. You’re good at that.”
There’s a chance I may be delusional, but I can honestly feel a lingering tension between us as we pull into the restaurant parking lot. Considering he booked our reservation in advance, there’s a special spot for his car around the back of the building. It’s an attempt by the owner to help mitigate against the paparazzi that will eventually show up.
He helps me out of the car. Then we link arms together as we’re guided through the restaurant by a secret side entrance, being led to a cozy booth in the exclusive section of the establishment.
“Have you ever dined here at Ambrosia?”
“Never,” I reply with a shake of the head. “I’ve heard good things about it, though.”
“It’s a treat. You’ll love the tiramisu, I’m sure.”
He’s not wrong about that. Christian orders for the two of us, and I let him take the reins since he seems to know more about this place than I do. The dishes are primarily Italian and the wine selection is second to none.
Meanwhile, he’s explaining all the duties that await me as the future Queen of Solvaria. Events, galas, parties, and occasional visits to other countries. I nearly choke on a bite of spaghetti as Christian tells me about twelve hour days consisting of nothing but shaking hands and smiling.
“Are you okay?”
I cough into a fist and nod, struggling to swallow that damn piece down. “Yep. I’m fine.”
“I hope I’m not scaring you with all of this. I know it’s a lot.”
“Nope. I’m ready for anything.” Wiping my mouth with a napkin, I stare down at my half-eaten plate with a bit of defeat. Am I, though? Can I really be the next Queen?
What if I fuck something up on accident? What if I mess up diplomatic relations with another country? What if I embarrass Christian?
Much less, how are we supposed to keep up the appearance as a happy, enamored couple? Before this, I had no issue cussing him out in the middle of my hotel room. This same man is now going to be my husband one day.
At least he’s nice to look at.
“I’m not going to completely compromise my principles to act like your housecat. But I”ll do my best,” I say, setting my utensils down.
I’m starting to feel a bit queasy. The pressures are settling down upon my shoulders and the gravity of the situation is kicking in. “I may need a little help now and then, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Christian sends me a smile that nearly makes me forget everything I’m worried about. “This is why you’re the best person to have by my side. Most people wouldn’t be able to handle this sort of thing, but I know you will. Being strong-willed isn”t a bad thing as long as you know when to bend.”
He pays for the bill calmly, not arguing at all at my insistence that I intend to remain my own person.
Taking my hand in his, he brings his lips close to my ear. Goosebumps shoot down my body.
“We’ll be walking out the front entrance, okay? The paparazzi is out there, so I want you to be prepared.”
“Mm-hmm.” Pressing my lips into a thin line, I realize that I’m as tense as a wooden board. “Got it.”
“And I’ve got a surprise for you,” he continues, guiding me through the restaurant. “It”s nothing crazy, but you’ll need to act happy throughout this entire thing.”
“You got it,” I whisper, squeezing his hand.
Holding my breath, I brace myself as Christian opens the front door of the restaurant. Blinding lights flash from all around, but Christian serves as a grounding force that helps me through.
It”s so weird that the man who was my worst enemy is suddenly my lifeboat in an ocean of crazy.