Chapter 6
Max could admit he’d been hoping to encounter Emberly throughout the morning meetings. However, he hadn’t glimpsed her once, not even when he’d invented an excuse to walk through the lobby so he could glance past the guest counter and down the hallway toward her office.
“We’re heading over to ski.” One of the gentlemen near the head of the table pushed back from his chair. “Would you like to join us?”
“I regret that I must decline your invitation.” Max stuffed the last folder into his briefcase. “But I shall look forward to hearing about the experience.”
Most of the other men had already left the conference room, and as the final few said their farewells to him, he opened his laptop. He had too much work left to do to go skiing.
Besides, he’d recently spent the Christmas holidays skiing in the Alps with his family and so wasn’t set on having to ski in Colorado. Although if Emberly was able to plan something private, he would consider going.
Was he terrible for anticipating seeing her again?
Thoughts of her had filled his sleep. Upon waking in the morning, more thoughts of her had flooded his mind, along with the realization that he hadn’t ended their time together well the previous night.
She hadn’t called him a hypocrite, but essentially that’s what he’d been.
She was right that he’d been doling out counsel for her love life that he was not willing to follow himself.
What was it he had said? Something like Stop settling for mediocre relationships and start putting in the hard work required to have a good relationship.
He almost laughed at himself now for saying such a thing to Emberly when he had never exerted himself in his relationship with Sarah.
No wonder he’d never felt connected to her.
Emberly had been as straightforward as always in pointing out his double standard. Instead of confessing it, he had acted superior and walked away.
No doubt she would want nothing to do with him today, and he would not blame her for that in the least.
With a sigh, he focused on his laptop, clicked onto the tab with his emails, and opened the most urgent of the dozen or more that had come in over the morning.
It should be of no consequence what Emberly thought of him or that she might not spend any more time with him. But strangely, it did matter.
He was trying to understand why he cared so much about seeing her, why he felt a longing to be with her and talk with her and spend time with her. He had just met her, hardly knew her, and would never see her again once he left.
Regardless, the need inside had been building in his chest all morning. Did the need have to do with how beautiful she was? He wanted to get his fill of her exquisite features, striking red hair, and warm eyes again today and see if she was truly as gorgeous as he remembered.
Or did the need have to do with how much fun he’d had with her doing ordinary things like hiking, eating dinner, playing cards, and eating pie? She was comfortable to be with, unpretentious, and he felt as though he could be himself—or at least the part of himself that wasn’t royalty.
The truth was, Emberly was a refreshing change from every woman he’d ever known, and the craving to be with her was only growing.
The other truth was that he’d neglected his work for most of yesterday.
Of course, he’d worked late into the night, and today he had been doing his best to concentrate on his tasks.
It would not be the end of the world if she chose to ignore him. Or assign him a new concierge.
She would not do that, would she?
He sat up and stared through the glass walls to the hallway that led to the lobby. Perhaps that was why she was not around. Perhaps she was even now making the arrangements with another concierge.
With his heart suddenly thudding faster, he pushed back and stood. He had to stop her from leaving with one of the other groups and insist that she remain with him instead.
No, he could not insist. That would be rude of him. He would have to use his best manners and implore her politely.
He stuffed his laptop into his briefcase, gathered up a few scattered notes, then quickly exited the conference room.
Winzig, who had been waiting in the hallway, trailed him to the lobby. Max had no intention of simply walking past the offices this time. He would go right in and find her and talk to her. And apologize. Yes, he would also apologize for his callousness the previous night.
As he started across the lobby, he caught sight of first her red hair and then her profile as she stood near the long counter and spoke to what appeared to be guests—a young couple.
He wanted to go right over, interrupt the conversation, and tell her to drop everything in order to be with him.
But he slowed his steps and halted a few feet away.
She did not spare him a glance. Did she not notice his presence? How could she not?
Max hesitated. Most places he went, people catered to his every whim and wish. They flattered and groveled before him.
Had he grown so accustomed to preferential treatment that he had become arrogant, impatient, and entitled?
It would seem her honesty was helping him to reflect on areas in his life that needed to be addressed.
Associating with her was quite possibly turning him into a better man.
One who would be well equipped to lead a nation—if he didn’t abdicate to Alex.
Emberly spoke for a few more moments, then smiled at the couple as they thanked her and walked away. Only when they were near the door did she allow herself to shift and look at him.
Max half expected her to notice him, then turn on her heels and stalk away. But she didn’t move. Instead, she watched him almost expectantly, as if she were waiting for him to speak first.
“I owe you an apology.” The words fell out and felt right. “I regret suggesting something for you that I was not willing to demand of myself.”
“Apology accepted.” She did not smile, but the brown of her eyes was warm, and her expression held no trace of malice.
“Thank you.” He was not used to such freely given forgiveness.
“How were your meetings this morning?” she asked politely.
As with yesterday when he had first encountered her, she was attired in a professional skirt, a blouse trimmed with lace, and a form-fitting blazer.
Her hair was again styled into the elegant knot, drawing attention to her slender neck, and her ears were dainty and graced with simple pearl earrings.
“The meetings were rushed because, of course, the men were eager to partake in skiing and other activities.”
“Are you eager too?”
“Perhaps.” He was eager to be with her. But he could not say so. “What outings do you have for us this afternoon? You are still planning on leading the activities, are you not?” He hoped he did not sound too pathetic, because that was how he was starting to feel regarding this woman.
One of her brows quirked adorably. “Were you worried I wouldn’t do my job today?”
“I confess, I was worried I might have tried your patience and that you would be ready to be rid of me.”
“You have tried my patience.” Her lips curled up into a slight smile. “But I’m a woman of my word, and you can’t scare me away that easily.”
“Good.” Relief rushed through him. “When will you be available to begin our activities?”
“Whenever you are.”
“I am free now.”
What was he saying? He had to attend to the issues that had arisen during the meetings, another new, important client, and a dozen other items on his itinerary.
He needed to find a quiet place to work for at least several more hours.
But he couldn’t make himself say it, because the truth was, he wanted to spend time with her.
“What would you like to try first?” She pointed to a poster on the wall behind the desk that had large, colorful photos of people engaging in various activities.
He didn’t bother to examine them closely, because he honestly didn’t care what he did as long as he was with her. “What do you suggest?”
“Based on what I’ve learned about you, I think you would enjoy the cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or the downhill skiing.”
“Correct. I have done them all and enjoy them. But I should like you to introduce me to something different, something I may not have accomplished before.”
Her smile quirked up on one side, making her look mischievous in a completely enticing way. “Would you like me to show you my favorite?”
“I would be delighted to discover your favorite.” For a reason he could not explain, he truly meant the words. He wanted to learn more about her, what she enjoyed, what she was good at, and what she did for entertainment.
“How about if we change into warmer clothing and meet back here at the front of the lodge in an hour?”
“What will we be doing?”
“You’ll have to wait. It’s a surprise.”
Without giving him the opportunity to respond, she made her way around the counter and down the hallway toward her office.
Surprise? She was a surprise, doing things he was not expecting, things most people simply did not do with a prince, like telling him he’d have to wait for a surprise. Had he ever been surprised in his life?
He could do nothing less than stare after her as she walked away in her heels, her hips swaying just enough to draw his attention to her body and all her lovely curves.
She looked as fantastic today in her professional attire as she had last night in her casual clothing.
Truthfully, he could not imagine a time when Emberly, as naturally beautiful as she was, would ever look anything other than stunning.
Before she entered her office, she paused and glanced back at him with a lift of her brow, as though she’d felt his stare following her.
Perhaps an ordinary man would have felt embarrassed for staring so blatantly. But he was accustomed to staring as openly as he wanted and at whatever he wanted. She was meant to be admired. He was committing no crime in simply doing the required duty.
She just shook her head slightly before stepping into her office and closing her door.
Once she was out of sight, he stared a moment longer, then forced himself to disengage. He wasn’t sure what was going on inside him, but he was starting to feel somewhat smitten with Emberly McQuaid. And smitten wasn’t the emotion he needed to facilitate with her.
He returned to his cabin, where Braun was polishing Max’s leather dress shoes while blaring an audiobook on the Reformation and the invention of the printing press. Braun paused the monologue to assist Max into a casual outfit of faded jeans and a corduroy shirt.
With his stomach growling, Max had Braun track down Emberly’s phone number and text her about meeting him for lunch. She agreed and offered to arrange a secluded table in the loft of the Brook Barn.
“You can text me yourself, you know,” she said as she took the spot across from him at the table in the loft. Only one other couple dined on the opposite side of the quiet and cozy area that overlooked the main floor of the restaurant.
“I did not wish to impose upon you.” He picked up the menu at his place.
She snorted. “And Braun’s texts aren’t imposing?”
“I suppose they are too. I apologize—”
“Max.” Her voice was firm, but her eyes were gentle. “You don’t need to keep apologizing for everything.”
“I would rather be overly remorseful than not care enough.”
She paused and seemed to search his face before nodding. “You’re a good man, Max.”
“It’s kind of you to say so.” If only he felt good enough lately, but the fact was that he had felt lacking for quite some time.
“Give me your phone.” She held out her hand.
He hesitated. Did he have any identifying information there that would reveal his princely status? He didn’t want to disclose it to her yet, not with how much he was enjoying himself in this unusual position of not being known.
He swiped up and quickly scanned his screen. As far as he could tell, he didn’t have anything overtly revealing.
He handed it to her.
She took it, put her private phone number into his contacts, and handed it back. Then she typed something on her phone. A few seconds later a text dinged.
He read the new message that had popped up.
Emberly: Thank you for your honesty last night.
She was busy studying her menu—or at least pretending to.
Not only was Emberly incredible, but she was clearly humble enough to accept feedback. That was a rare quality indeed—one he truly admired in people. He typed out a message of his own.
Max: I appreciate your honesty in return.
She glanced at her phone, then began working on another message.
His stomach fluttered with something strange. Was it the butterflies so many talked about? Was this woman giving him butterflies? If so, that was a first.
Her text came through a second later.
Emberly: I’m going to work hard for a love-crazy relationship.
She was? With whom? He wanted to ask if she had anyone in mind. Perhaps he would later. However, for now, he needed to keep that question to himself or risk coming across as too intrusive.
Max: I shall do likewise. Love-crazy all the way.
As she read his reply, she smiled. She set down her phone, pushed it aside, then met his gaze. “It’s worth a try, isn’t it?”
“I agree.”
He wanted to say more, although he wasn’t sure what, but a server approached to take their order, and after that, the conversation moved to other topics. Even so, his mind kept repeating his text. Love-crazy all the way.
He’d essentially vowed to Emberly that he would work hard at a love relationship. Did that mean he needed to get back together with Sarah and put forth more effort, or should he seek out someone new in the two remaining months until his birthday?
Either way, he had to work hard at having a love-crazy relationship. He didn’t know if it was possible to have one. But he did know he had to try.