Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
ELENA
A s Elena smoothed her dress, she caught her reflection narrowing its gaze back at her. A flutter of excitement tangled with a trace of doubt in her stomach. “Caroline!” she called, her voice a mix of anticipation and concern.
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“Ugh, please stop calling me that. You’re going to forget and call me that in front of people. Remember, I’m Ellie.”
Caroline arched an eyebrow, giving her a head shake. “I’m sorry, Ellie , what is it that you needed?”
“That’s much better,” Elena said as she lifted her chin and stared back in the mirror. “Do you think this dress is too much for pizza?”
Caroline’s tone was playful yet pointed as she appraised Elena’s choice with narrowed eyes. “For a pizza date? It might be a touch over the top. You’re dressed as if you’re off to watch Prince Alexander at a polo match, not go to a pizza parlor.”
Elena heaved a sigh. “I knew it. I must change.”
She glanced at the clock, her shoulders slumping. “And I haven’t much time.”
She dashed to the closet, her hands flying through the array of clothes as a silent panic began to set in. Each piece she touched whispered a tale of a past life, none of which seemed to fit the narrative of the evening ahead. “I haven’t a thing to wear,” she lamented, the weight of the simple yet profound decision pressing down on her.
“Oh, Your Highness–”
“Ah!” Elena said with a wag of her finger.
“Ellie,” Caroline said, “perhaps something a bit more casual. Slacks paired with your emerald top, and the lovely scarf you received from your mother for your birthday.”
“Oh, yes, that might be quite lovely. Do you think Nathan will think so?”
Caroline tugged the shirt from the drawer with an amused sigh. “I think if Nathan does not find you lovely in any outfit, he is not worth your time.”
“Aren’t we snobby,” Elena said with a chuckle.
“When it comes to you, we are, yes. You, dear, are a special woman with or without your crown. I only hope he sees that.”
“I think he does. I think he sees the true me,” Elena mused, a hopeful lilt in her voice that quickly faltered into uncertainty. “But what if I’m wrong?”
The question hung in the air, a shadow over her burgeoning excitement.
“Then, you may have some unrequited feelings, I’m afraid. And you will experience what most average women do…a broken heart.”
Elena frowned as Caroline unzipped her dress. “But from the way he looked at you in the park, I don’t believe you’ll have to worry about that.”
Elena shimmied from the dress and spun to grin at her ladies’ maid before she tugged her top over her head. “I hope not.”
She pulled on the pants and slid into the shoes Caroline delivered to her before she stood. As her ladies’ maid styled the scarf around her neck, Elena’s phone chimed.
“Oh, that must be Nathan,” she said as she reached for it. “It is!”
She let out a squeal as she toggled into the app to read his message, her grin fading quickly. Hey…I have some bad news. I’ve got a change of plans.
Her heart, previously fluttering with anticipation, now sank with disappointment.
“What is it?” Caroline asked.
“Nathan. He says he has a change of plans.” She frowned as she typed a response. Oh no. I hope everything is all right with you.
He answered within seconds. Everything’s fine…it’s just that I’m stuck with my little sister. I’m sorry. I really wanted to see you tonight.
Elena crinkled her brow at the message. Does she not like pizza? I’m happy to switch. I’d like to see you, too.
The chat bubble appeared next to his name. Elena’s heart thudded as she waited for his response. You don’t mind if my sister tags along?
Elena bit her lower lip at the odd statement. While she would have enjoyed a quiet date between the two of them, she didn’t mind meeting his family. Not at all. I’m looking forward to meeting her.
“Well?” Caroline asked.
“He has his sister with him. Apparently, he thought I would prefer not to go if she was there. I assured him it was not a problem.” She glanced at her phone, a smile spreading over her face. “Looks like we are back on.”
“Good,” Caroline said. “Then you’d best be on your way or you’ll be late.”
“Yes,” Elena said, her eyes going wide as she grabbed her purse.
“Keys, dear,” Caroline called as she raced to the door.
Elena twisted and swiped them from the entry table, shoving them in her purse. “Thank you.”
She hurried out the door and down the stairs and into the evening’s cool air. She threaded through the streets to the address Nate had passed along. Opening the door, she was met with a rush of warmth carrying the aroma of garlic and tomato sauce. Nate rose from a table, a grin on his features as he approached her. “Hi.”
“Hello,” she said with a smile.
“Thanks for coming. I totally did not see my parents dumping my sister on me like this. I’m sorry.”
She slid her hand into his as they crossed to the table. “It’s not a problem.”
A young blonde waved as they reached the round table covered in menus. “Hi.”
“Ellie, this is my sister, Maddie. Maddie, this is Ellie.”
“Hello, Maddie,” Elena said as she eased into the wooden chair with a smile. “Lovely to meet you.”
“Hi,” the girl answered with a nervous smile. “I’m sorry to ruin your date.”
“You haven’t ruined anything,” Elena answered. “I’m looking forward to the chance to get to know you.”
“You’re so pretty,” Maddie said.
“Well, thank you,” Elena answered.
“Are you ready for your first piece of pizza?” Nate asked.
“First pizza?” Maddie asked. “ Is he serious?”
Elena nodded with a giggle. “I’m afraid so. My parents were quite strict about my diet.”
Nate passed along their order for a pepperoni pizza and three sodas.
Maddie sipped hers after the waitress delivered it. “So, you’re English?”
“What gave me away?” Elena asked with a grin before she sipped the bubbly soda.
“Your accent, which I love,” Maddie said, her eyes wide.
Elena smiled at her. “Thank you. So, are you Nathan’s only sister?”
She raised her chin as she nodded. “Yep. We have another brother, though.”
Elena shifted her gaze to Nate. “Who is the oldest? You or your brother?”
“I am. Stephen is the middle child and Maddie is the baby.” He smiled at her before he flicked his gaze to Maddie, then back to Elena.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters, Ellie?” Maddie asked.
Elena shook her head. “No. I’m an only child. But I have some cousins, one of whom is very much like a brother to me.”
“You’re lucky,” Maddie said. “Did your parents spoil you?”
“Maybe a little,” Elena answered. “And why do you say that? Do you not like Nathan?”
Maddie giggled as she shot her brother a glance. “No, I like him. Why do you always call him Nathan?”
“I like it. Why?”
“We all call him Nate.”
Elena shifted her gaze to him. “Do you prefer that?”
“I don’t mind you calling me Nathan, I kind of like it.”
“He looooves it,” his sister teased.
Elena held in a giggle as she slid a hand across to grab his .
“All right, enough teasing. You haven’t even asked about your surprise.”
“You’re right, I haven’t. And I have waited long enough.”
Maddie shifted in her seat, leaning forward as Nate lifted the bag and passed it to Elena. “I helped him pick it out.”
“Did you? Well, that makes it extra special.” She dug into the bag and pulled out the object wrapped in tissue paper. It crinkled as she unwrapped it, her heart melting as she studied the little object clutched in her hands. “It’s a carousel!”
Nate leaned closer to her with a grin. “It is. Because you said you loved them, and we rode one together on our first date. So, now you can always remember it.”
Elena smiled at the object as she wound it and let it play. She lifted her gaze to him, the smile never leaving her face. “I love it.”
He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’m glad.”
“Thank you.” She shifted her gaze to Maddie. “Both of you.”
After it wound down, she carefully wrapped the carousel in its tissue paper and stowed it in the bag, making room for the pizza that arrived.
“Oh, my goodness,” she said, her eyes wide, “that is quite a bit of grease.”
Maddie grinned at her as she nodded. “That’s the point.”
“Is it?” Elena asked as Nate slid a cheesy triangle onto her plate.
She picked up a fork as she studied it again before she waited for her companions to get their own plates.
Maddie giggled at the sight. “Why do you have a fork?”
“How else do you eat it?”
“Pick it up, silly,” Maddie answered, demonstrating as she took a bite.
“Oh, with my hands. Like the hot dog.”
“I didn’t think you trusted me with cutlery yet,” Nate said.
Elena set her fork down as she eyed the pizza wedge again. “You’re right. Perhaps I shouldn’t.”
“Why?” Maddie asked, wiping her hands on her napkin.
“Hasn’t Nathan told you the wild tale of how we met?”
She shook her head, taking another sip of her soda.
“I was in the coffee shop when he plowed right into me and spilled the coffee all over me.”
“Nate!” Maddie said as she playfully shoved at her brother. “You klutz.”
“Guilty,” he answered with a chuckle. “And it gets worse. I then tried to help her.”
“And made it so much worse,” Elena said.
“How?” Maddie asked with wide eyes.
“Well, he tried to dab it away.” Elena demonstrated with a napkin. “But it smeared the coffee everywhere. My entire blouse was soaked through.”
Maddie laughed and shook her head. “Oh, no. I can’t believe she went out with you after that.”
“Well, she had to. I gave her my jacket, and she had to return it.”
“Ohhh, so you trapped her into a date.” Maddie nodded in understanding at her brother before she shifted her gaze to Elena. “Now, it makes sense.”
Elena giggled as they continued to tease Nate.
“Go ahead and laugh, ladies. I’m fine.” Nate held up his hands.
“How do you like the pizza, Ellie?” Maddie asked.
Elena glanced down at what remained of her pizza. It wasn’t her usual fare, but she didn’t mind it. What she liked more was the company. It didn’t matter what she ate. She was thoroughly enjoying her time with Nate and his sister. “I do like it. I’m glad we didn’t cancel. ”
He stared at her as he wrapped her hand in his. “Me too.”
“Ew, get a room, guys,” Maddie groaned.
“I’m sorry, we weren’t doing anything untoward,” Elena said with a chuckle.
“What’s untoward?” Maddie asked.
Elena took another bite of her pizza. “You know…improper. Unsuitable.”
Maddie slid another slice of pizza onto her plate. “Oh, right. Well, Nate was thinking untoward things.”
Elena offered him a mock expression of shock. “Were you?”
“I wasn’t. I was thinking only…toward things.”
Elena couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping her. She covered her mouth as it brought tears to her eyes. “Toward things, is it?”
Nate raised his chin. “Absolutely.”
“Well, good. At least I know you have no devious intentions with me.” She offered him a coy glance, her eyebrows pinching for a moment as he avoided her gaze, shifting in his seat as though he was uncomfortable.
“Uh-oh. I think he has some devious intentions,” Maddie said.
He let out a nervous chuckle. “That’s not even close to true.”
“Uh-huh,” Maddie said with a chuckle and a nod. “Come on, Ellie, let’s go play some games.”
She grabbed the woman’s hand and tugged her from her seat. They spent another two hours enjoying each other’s company over skeeball, foosball, and pinball machines before Ellie reluctantly allowed herself to be pulled from the warm pizza shop into the cool night air.
“Oh, I had a lovely time,” Elena said as they strolled down the sidewalk. “Are we going the same way?”
“Uhh, yes,” Nate said as he slid an arm around her. “I’m walking you home.”
“Oh. Is this one of the toward things you were thinking about earlier?”
“Yep,” he said with a grin as Maddie trailed behind them, her phone in her hand.
Elena shifted her gaze over her shoulder. “Are you coming, Maddie?”
“Yeah,” the blonde said with a frown.
“What’s wrong?” Elena slowed until Maddie caught up with them, and slid her arm around the blonde’s waist.
“My stupid friend. I hate her.”
“What’s she done to deserve that?” Elena asked.
“Probably didn’t text her back fast enough.”
“No,” Maddie snapped as she frowned at the screen. “She posted this picture.”
Maddie twisted the phone toward them. “She knew posting that would upset me because she knows I’m totally crushing on that guy.”
“I see,” Elena said with a nod. “And she has decided that whilst you spend the evening stuck with your brother and his boring date, she will take advantage of putting the moves on your man.”
“Yeah, totally,” Maddie said with a frustrated moan.
“Well, if I were you…”
“Yeah?” Maddie asked.
“I would take it as a blessing.”
Maddie screwed up her face. “Huh?”
“He is clearly not good enough for you. If he was, he never would have posed for that picture. He would have been so lovesick over you that he couldn’t even look at another woman.”
“Yeah, but–”
“No buts, my dear. You are an amazing woman. You deserve someone who cannot live without you. Not a man who would betray you that way. Remember your worth, Maddie.”
“Yeah,” the blonde said with a nod. “Yeah, you’re right. He should feel lucky if I dated him.”
“Absolutely, right,” Elena said with a grin as they reached her building. “This is me. Would you like to come up? Caroline is baking biscuits, eh, that’s cookies to you.”
“Sure,” Nate answered.
Elena grabbed his hand and tugged him into the building, mounting the stairs. They climbed to the third floor, and she dug in her purse for her keys. “Sorry. I always forget to get them ready.”
Before he could answer, Caroline pulled the door open. “Your h–here. Hello, Nate, lovely to see you again.” She peered between the two of them at Maddie. “Hello there.”
“Caroline, this is Maddie, Nathan’s sister.” Elena followed her ladies’ maid into the apartment and set her bag down.
“I’m baking biscuits. They are Ele–Ellie’s favorite. Would you like to try one?” Caroline said to Maddie.
“Sure,” the girl said as she plopped onto the stool. “I like your apartment, Ellie.”
“Oh, thank you,” Elena answered before she flicked her gaze back to Nate.
“Why don’t you two take a walk? Maddie and I can share a few cookies here,” Caroline suggested.
Elena noted the mischievous twinkle in her ladies’ maid’s eye as she offered her a sly smile. “Oh, that sounds lovely. Are you certain you’ll be okay, Maddie?”
“Sure. Mmm, these cookies are amazing!”
“There are plenty more where those came from. Would you like a glass of milk?” Caroline offered, buzzing around the kitchen.
“Shall we?” Elena asked.
Nate wrapped his hand around hers and pulled her toward the door. Minutes later, they were back out under the starry sky, strolling hand in hand along the sidewalk.
“I had a wonderful evening,” she said. “Your sister is very nice.”
“Thank you for not making a big deal about her coming along.”
“Why would I? It’s quite nice that you take such good care of her. I’ll bet your parents are very pleased that she has such a wonderful older brother.”
His jaw tightened at the words, but he quickly replaced the taut expression with a wide smile. “I had a really nice time, too.”
He stopped at the corner, pulling her closer to him. “When can I see you again?”
“Name the day,” she said as she stared up at him.
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “Tomorrow. I can’t wait much longer than that.”
She grinned at him. “Tomorrow it is. Just let me know where to meet you.”
“How about if I pick you up here? We’ll do something…simple. Sorry, I can’t promise fancy.”
She crinkled her brow, wondering why he seemed so intent on apologizing ahead of time for their simple dates. She loved them. “There you go again, assuming fancy means good. Would you say our first two dates were fancy?”
He laughed. “No. Definitely not.”
“Hmm,” she said, her features playfully thoughtful, “yet I enjoyed them immensely. So that would suggest I don’t need any promises of fanciness.”
“I guess it would. Which is a good thing because I’m just an average guy.”
“Well, average guy Nathan, I like you just the way you are.” She leaned closer to him as she traced the edge of his collar.
A smile spread across his face. “I like you, too.”
Their lips met, locking together as warm emotions swirled within her. Elena pulled back and stared up at him, buzzing with excitement. “We probably should get back before Caroline stuffs Maddie full of biscuits.”
He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Yeah.”
He gave her another peck before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her back to her door.
They found Maddie and Caroline giggling together when they entered.
“Time to get home, Maddie,” Nate said.
“Aw, I was having fun,” the girl said with slumped shoulders.
Elena pulled her into a hug. “It was lovely to meet you, Maddie. I hope to see you again soon.”
“Wait, is it okay if I text you?” Maddie pulled her phone from her pocket. “You give good advice.”
“Absolutely,” Elena said.
They exchanged phone numbers before Maddie hugged her again. “Bye, Ellie.”
Elena waved as she crossed to the door. Nate smiled at her before he flicked his gaze to Caroline. “Nice to see you again, Caroline. Ellie, see you tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it.” She crossed to the door and closed it behind them, collapsing against it with a muffled scream. “Oh, Caroline!”
Caroline grabbed her by the hands and pulled her to the couch. She flitted back into the kitchen to grab a plate of biscuits. After handing one to Elena, she settled onto the couch next to her. “Tell me.”
“It’s wonderful. He’s wonderful. He’s so…no rmal. We just have fun. There’s no pretense, no distance. It’s just us being us.”
“Mmm,” Caroline said as she bit into her cookie, “is it him you like or the idea that you do not need to be Her Royal Highness?”
Elena clicked her tongue. “Him. The added bonus is he sees me for me. Not for my title.”
“I see,” Caroline said. “And you will see him again tomorrow?”
“I cannot wait.” Elena’s phone chimed as she answered. She leapt from her seat and raced to her purse. “I bet that’s him.”
She pulled her phone from her bag and toggled it on. Her grin quickly faded as she stared at the screen.
“Your Highness? What is it?”
Elena’s heart thumped against her ribs as her eyebrows pinched. She crossed to Caroline and collapsed onto the couch. “This.”
With trembling fingers, Elena turned the screen toward Caroline. The image displayed–a stolen moment of her and Nate, intimate and unaware–was like a cold splash of reality. Accompanying the photo, a message loomed ominously. Not quite fitting behavior for a princess.
Elena’s breath hitched, the implications of the message spiraling into a vortex of fear. Who was watching her, and what did they want?