Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
ELENA
T houghts whirled through Elena’s mind as she climbed the stairs to the small apartment she’d insisted they rent when they arrived in Sterling City. Her keys jangled in her hands as she readied to open the door. She’d almost walked out without them earlier. Had Caroline not reminded her, she would have locked herself out again.
She was still learning how to live a normal life.
Although today’s events had been what she thought a normal life looked like. She glanced down at the stain on her shirt. She bet normal people spilled drinks on themselves all the time.
The corners of her lips turned up at the notion, though she wasn’t certain it was the spill itself or what had happened afterward.
Her fingers caressed the fabric of the jacket hanging around her shoulders. The man, awkward but seemingly nice, had made an impression. He’d been more than polite. He’d shown an interest in her.
And for no other reason than he’d spilled coffee all over her in a chance meeting. He hadn’t pandered to her because she was a princess. She liked that. She also liked a few other things.
Her lips curled at the corners as she tried to find the key on her keyring. Before she could, the door popped open.
“There you are,” Caroline said, her eyes falling to the stained blouse. “And looking worse for the wear.”
Elena skirted past her into the apartment they’d rented when they’d arrived and dumped her handbag onto the shabby couch that had come with it. “Yes, someone smashed into me and spilled my coffee all over me.”
“Well, I’ll try my best, but I am not certain I can remove that stain.”
“Don’t give it a second thought, Caroline. I am not worried about the blouse.”
“No? Is that because you are worried about the jacket you have acquired?” Caroline arched an eyebrow at her as she crossed her arms and offered her a knowing glance.
“No,” Elena said, avoiding her gaze.
“No? Are you certain?”
Elena flicked her emerald eyes to Caroline. “I am not worried at all, Caroline.”
Caroline offered her an amused grin as she crossed the small living space and pushed into the tiny bedroom. “Oh, I see. You are unworried because you are not telling me everything.”
Elena dumped the jacket on her bed before she whipped open the cluttered closet and dug through it. “I brought far too many clothes.”
She yanked out a teal shirt before she shoved it back in and rummaged around.
“You are avoiding my question. What happened?”
Elena pulled out a green top. “Am I? I have already told you. Someone spilled coffee on me, and I must change.”
“Someone, is it?”
Elena offered her ladies’ maid a coy glance. “A male someone.”
“I see,” Caroline said. “And this male someone…he, uh…offered his jacket?”
“He did. And now I must return it.”
“I shall handle it, Your Highness,” Caroline said as she lifted the garment from the bed and carefully folded it.
“You will do nothing of the sort. I will return it this evening as we planned.” Elena pulled the jacket from Caroline’s hands and set it on the bed.
“As you planned? You have made plans with this male someone?”
“I have.”
“For?”
Elena spun away from her. “To return the jacket. Does this make me look sallow?” She held up another shirt.
“It’s perfectly fine to hand off a jacket, Your Highness.” Caroline appeared behind her in the mirror. “Or are you not simply handing off the jacket?”
Elena tossed the shirt away and tried another. “We may be eating as well.”
“So, this is a dinner date.”
Elena locked eyes with herself in the mirror, Nathan's face playing in her mind alongside the word "date." The idea appealed to her; she had never been on a real date before. “Maybe.”
“Your Highness!” Caroline said, her eyes wide.
“Don’t, Caroline. I came to Sterling City to escape and live my life. And I plan to do it. I’ve never been on a date before, and I plan to enjoy it. ”
“You have so. You have been escorted–”
“Escorted, yes. Date, no. No one will be there to monitor me, or peer over my shoulder. There will be no royal protocols, no standards to keep. Freedom.”
She selected the emerald shirt, pleased with how it brought out her eyes before she crossed to the tiny, shared bathroom and closed Caroline out of it.
“Your Highness, this is not wise. Perhaps this man knows who you are!”
“He didn’t act like it,” Elena shouted through the door as she touched up her makeup. “He treated me like a real person. And he is quite handsome.”
“And you are enamored.”
She frowned at her reflection. “I am not enamored… Though I will admit, I felt a connection to him.”
The sigh could be heard through the door.
“Do not sigh at me, Caroline. I cannot explain it, but…I want to see him again.” A smile brightened her features as she recalled their conversation. She tugged her top off and tossed it in the trash bin before she shimmied into the second one and emerged from the bathroom.
“Your Highness,” Caroline said as she hurried after her, “please. I am only worried about your heart.”
“My heart?”
“Yes. In less than six months, we’ll return to Eldoria. What will you do then?”
Elena eyed her before she answered. “Perhaps this will not last the six months. At least I’ve had my fun. And now, dear Caroline, I must go.”
“Just a moment,” Caroline said, stepping between Elena and the door, “you’re flying close to the sun, dear. I have watched you grow from a spirited child to a remarkable young woman. And I understand your desire for freedom, but remember, our shadow often stretches further than we anticipate.”
Elena met her gaze. “But tonight, my shadow does not wear a crown.”
She grinned at the woman before she swiped the jacket from the bed and headed for the door before she grabbed the jamb and twisted back to face Caroline. “Oh, before I go…”
“Yes?” Caroline asked.
“How does one eat a…hot dog?”
A loud laugh escaped her ladies’ maid. “Oh, Your Highness, perhaps I ought not worry about this. After you have tasted your hot dog, you may not wish to see this man again. Handsome or not.”
“We shall see,” Elena said with a grin as she scurried across the small apartment and flew out the door, slamming it behind her.
It opened a second later after she’d already made it halfway down the first step of stairs. “Your Highness?”
Elena stopped and glanced back at Caroline. “If you’re planning to talk me out of it–”
“Your keys,” Caroline said, dangling them from her hands.
Elena heaved a sigh as she climbed back to her door and grabbed them. “Thank you, Caroline. I would be lost without you.”
“Have fun, Your Highness.”
“Oh, I plan on it,” she said with a wink before she darted down the stairs and pushed into the late afternoon air. She had just over thirty minutes left before she was to meet Nathan. Her walk to the park would take nearly that long.
Her mind whirled as she tried to determine why she’d agreed to this meeting, but something about the man had intrigued her. She bit her lower lip to temper the smile spreading across her face, but she couldn’t.
She’d never had the option to meet someone for dinner. Was it merely the thrill of a normal life that she chased or was there something about Nathan?
A whirlwind of excitement and apprehension churned within her. A pang of doubt shot through her, though, as she wondered about the wisdom of her actions. Was the thrill of one normal evening worth the risk of her royal secrets coming to light?
As much as she was trying to pretend she was normal, the weight of the crown loomed heavy on her.
“Just for tonight,” she murmured to herself as she crossed a side street.
Yet, the deceit gnawed at her. Was she setting herself up for heartache?
The striking of the clock on the local university’s campus near her apartment made her quicken her steps. She’d be late if she didn’t hurry.
She pushed through the crowded park entrance and searched the area around the fountain. Nathan milled around, pacing back and forth near it.
She grinned as she approached him while his back was turned and tapped his shoulder. He spun to face her, his features breaking into a smile. “You came.”
“Well, I had your jacket.”
“I thought you may abscond with it.”
“No,” she answered with another grin, “I have not. Here you are, and thank you.” She shoved it toward him, and he accepted it, sliding it over his shirt.
“I’m very sorry to say that color isn’t the same as mustard, so you may want to stand five feet away from me when we eat.”
She glanced down at the shirt before she flicked her gaze up at him through her eyelashes. “ Oh, yes, sorry. I–”
“It’s all right. It really makes your eyes stand out. They’re beautiful.”
She offered him a soft smile. “Thank you.”
His eyes lingered on her for a moment too long as the sun cast long shadows around them. “Well, I owe you a hot dog.”
“Yes, you do,” she said as he led her to the cart and purchased two.
They settled on a bench together with their small meal, and she stared down at it before she watched him bite into his.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
“No, I just…it’s my first hot dog.”
A laugh escaped him. “No. Are you joking?”
“I am not,” she said as she studied the item again.
“Don’t they have hot dogs in England?” he asked.
“Uhhh,” she murmured, choosing to go along with the lie about her former place of residence, “certainly, but my parents were strict about my diet.”
“Hmm, well, you may not like it.”
“I will never know unless I try it.” Without any further hesitation, she bit into it. The salty meat, doughy bun, and sharp tang of the yellow mustard mixed in her mouth.
“Wow, you just went for it. I’m impressed,” he said as she chewed. “Well?”
She swallowed, licking her lips as she glanced down at the hot dog again. “It’s not bad. I think I like it.”
“Well, good. I’m glad to hear that. I would have hated for our first date to have been ruined.”
She swallowed the next bite as she flicked her gaze to him. “Is that what this is? A date?”
He hesitated, his expression tentative. “That depends.”
“On?”
“Whether or not you’d like it to be. ”
“I see,” she said as she took a sip from her soda. “Well, I suppose that would be quite fine with me.”
He grinned at her. “Then it’s a date.”
She matched his expression before she returned to her hot dog. “So, has your day improved?”
“What?” he asked before he ate his last bite.
“Earlier today, you said you were having a bad day. Has it gotten any better?” She focused on him, noting an unidentifiable emotion clouding his eyes.
“Yes, it has. Thank you for asking.”
“Of course,” she said with a smile, finishing her hot dog before she sucked the last of her soda from the cup. “I’m glad to hear it has improved.”
“Want to walk?”
She nodded and rose as he did, following him down the path through the park.
“So, tell me more about you, Ellie.”
She hoped he didn’t catch the color rising in her cheeks in the dusky light. “There really isn’t anything interesting to tell. I’m just an average girl who has just moved to Sterling City.”
“That doesn’t seem even remotely possible for a beautiful woman like you.”
She shrugged, keeping her eyes trained on the path. “Well, it is. I’m just average Ellie. Nothing special here.” She hesitated before she flicked her gaze to him. “What about you?”
“Oh, umm, I’m afraid I’m even less interesting than you. I…am just an average guy. Although, I’ve lived in Sterling City all my life.”
“I see. So, what does average guy, Nathan…oh, what is your last name?”
He seemed to hesitate before he rubbed his chin. “Parker.”
“Right, Nathan Parker. What does an average guy named Nathan Parker do to keep busy in Sterling City?”
“Oh, uh, nothing very interesting. I’m…a lab tech at GenoTech.”
“GenoTech…that’s the biotech company, right?”
He flicked his gaze to her, his posture stiffening. “You know it?”
“I’ve heard of it. It’s…quite a large company. I imagine they employ many people here.”
He smiled, seeming to relax again. “Yes, they do. Wait, you don’t work there, too, do you?”
She shook her head. “No. Definitely not.”
“So, then what does an average girl…oh, I don’t have your last name, either.”
She bit her lower lip as her eyes searched for inspiration. “Greenfield.”
“Ellie Greenfield. What does Ellie Greenfield do?”
She swallowed hard as her mind raced. Someone passed by on their cell phone, and she drew inspiration from their conversation snippet. “I’m an editor. Freelance at the moment, but I can make my own hours.”
“Oh, that’s interesting.”
“Not really. It’s all missing commas and pesky typos. Very uninteresting.”
He chuckled at her. “You are really determined to make me think you’re boring, but I can’t stop thinking you’re not.”
“I really am,” she said as they rounded a bend.
Twilight transformed the park into a realm of shadow and light. The warm glow of the streetlights cast dancing shadows across the cobblestone paths.
In the distance, Sterling City's skyline flickered like an urban oasis amidst the park's natural serenity. Music drifted through the air, accompanied by glowing lights that pierced through the gathering darkness. Elena’s eyes went wide as she stared ahead, a grin spreading across her features. “A carousel!”
“Yep,” he said with a nod.
“Oh, can we ride it? Will you ride it with me? I love carousels. I have–”Her voice cut off as she realized she couldn’t tell him she had her own carousel at her country estate. “I have such a love of carousels.”
She twisted to face him, in search of his response, finding him smiling down at her. “What?” she asked.
“You,” he answered, his eyes lingering on her again with a slight grin. After a second, he bobbed his head. “Yes, we can ride the carousel. It’d be a pretty awful first date if I didn’t take you on the carousel after you asked.”
She couldn’t erase the smile from her lips as she wrapped a hand around his arm while he purchased their tickets. She tugged him forward toward the merry-go-round, and they snaked through the stanchions. The lights of the carousel blinked like a beacon of childhood joy. The whimsical music blasted through the night air.
After Nathan handed the tickets to the attendant, she pulled him toward the platform with a giddy laugh. Her heart skipped a beat as she wound through the maze of painted horses and gilded chariots.
He struggled to keep up with her as she dragged him around the carousel in search of the perfect horse.
“This one!” she exclaimed as she found a jet-black horse caught mid-run. She mounted it and clung to the brass pole with a giggle while he climbed onto the horse next to her.
The calliope belted out music as they waited for the ride to begin. It soon began its slow spin around and their horses rose and fell. Elena giggled, flicking a glance to Nathan who studied her with a smile.
She reached a hand toward him, her hair blowing as the carousel picked up speed. With a grin, he grabbed hold of it, and they sailed around in circles together.
The ride came to a stop after a few minutes, and they climbed from their horses, still laughing. While they left the ride behind, she slid her hand into his, her laughter still strong as they stepped under the canopy of darkness. “Oh, that was delightful. Thank you so much for riding with me.”
“Of course,” he said, grinning at her.
She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her skin as a chill shook her. “Oh, it’s gotten chillier than I expected.”
He slid his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Oh, thank you.” She glanced up at him, her heart warming at the gesture as she studied his handsome face. “Now, I have your jacket again.”
“You do,” he said, his voice soft as he pressed closer to her.
“And I will need to return it again.”
He flicked his eyebrows up, a grin spreading across his features. “I suppose we’ll have to plan a second date.”
“A second date?” she asked, leaning closer. “I’m beginning to wonder if you planned this.”
“What if I did?”
“Then I would have to say you are very clever,” she said, pressing a hand against his chest as she shot him a coy grin.
“I don’t know about clever, but I would say I’m very lucky.”
She grinned at him for a moment before he leaned closer to her, tentatively for a second until she shifted closer, letting her eyes slide closed as their lips met.
A rush of warmth from the kiss coursed through her as she pulled back. “I had a lovely evening. And I would very much like to see you again.”
“There’s nothing I’d like more. ”
“How is Friday? Or will you need this before then?”
“Friday’s great.” He winced. “Oh, but there is one problem.”
“Oh? You already have plans?” Her heart sank a little as she wondered if he was seeing someone else.
He shook his head. “No. But…that’s days from now. I won’t make it through without being able to talk to you until then.”
Her grin broadened. “I see. Well, that is quite a dilemma, isn’t it?”
“Quite,” he answered, his thumb rubbing her cheek.
“We shall have to do something about that. Your phone.” She held out her hand.
He dug it from his pocket and handed it to her. She typed in her phone number before she handed it back. “Now, I’m just a text away.”
He smiled down at his screen before he tapped at it, then flicked his gaze to her.
As her phone chimed, she slid her phone from her pocket and read the message. I miss you already.
“You are a flirt, Nathan Parker.”
“I’m not. I’m just enamored. I think you are the most unique woman I’ve ever met.”
“Unique?I sound like gemstone,” she teased.
He flicked his gaze to the stars sparkling above him. “All right. You are the most incredible woman I’ve ever met.”
“Have you met many women? I assure you I am quite a dull girl.”
“Ellie, you are anything but dull.”
She smiled at him, her fingers caressing the fabric of his jacket around her. “Well, I should take my incredible self home. See you Friday? Oh, where?”
“Uh…well…” He winced. “Is pizza okay? I’m not…I can’t promise anythi ng fancy.”
“What is so special about fancy? Pizza sounds lovely.”
“Perfect,” he answered as he tapped on his phone. “I texted the address. How’s six?”
“See you then.” She offered him another grin as she took a step backward away from him.
He reached for her, pulling her into another soft kiss before he released her.
“Good night,” she whispered as her hand lingered on his, their fingers intertwined.
“Good night,” he answered with a smile.
She twisted away from him, glancing back over her shoulder. The grin that spread across her face didn’t leave as the distance increased between them. She tugged her phone from her pocket again and stared down at the message of their plan for Friday.
As she traced the outline of the display, another message popped onto her screen. It made the smile fade from her face immediately.
She stared at it, her heart sinking. Her father’s text managed to ruin her evening and remind her of the complications her fledgling relationship faced. I hope you are behaving yourself in a manner befitting of your station. Looking forward to your return to Eldoria.
Elena frowned at the message, wondering if her father was having her followed. She searched the crowd for anyone watching her. Even if he wasn’t, she still worried. The kiss that had set her heart on fire may just burn her life to the ground.