Chapter 4 – Henry
“Have you requested a background check yet?”
My hand tightens on the glass of iced tea I’m holding. It’s a miracle the glass doesn’t slip through my fingers and fall to the ground with all the condensation. The clouds that threatened to darken the afternoon disappeared as soon as the party started and the sun was now beating down.
“What are you talking about?” I ask my cousin, not bothering to turn to him. We’re both doing the same thing—staring across the lawn.
However, I’m confused as to why he’s looking at the chicken. I, on the other hand, can’t seem to tear my eyes away from Ellie.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Simon scoffs. And he’s right. I do. “That’s the move.”
“The move?”
“Yes, when someone sparks our attention, good or bad, that’s our move. Our indicator that we’re interested.”
My lips press together in a concerned frown. He was right again. That was our move. As a member of the Caledonia royal family and a minor celebrity of sorts, we always had to be careful about who we let near us. Especially within our inner circle.
“So…” Simon draws out the word, turning to me with a knowing smile on his face. I wait until my cousin has taken a drink before I decide to respond.
“Yes.”
A brow lifts in delight but he doesn’t say anything.
Clenching my jaw, I give in and tell him what he wants to know.
“Eleanor Lyn Bailey. Twenty-six, youngest of two children from parents Craig and Mary-Lyn. Master’s degree in environmental engineering, with no priors or criminal record. Will that suffice? Or do you want to know her social security number and allergies?”
“It will do for now,” Simon jokes. “I’m sure by the end of the week I’ll be getting a packet informing me about your new relationship.”
Or engagement.
The thought pops into my mind. The idea doesn’t shock me, I realize, my lips twisting in a small grin. I really like that idea.
I’m getting ahead of myself, however.
“I hate to say you’re right,” I begin and stop, leaving Simon hanging. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.
“Bastard,” he mumbles quietly, but there’s humor in his voice.
“Have you done the same with the”—I pause, not sure how to end my sentence without insulting my cousin or the performer—“the, umm, chicken?”
“Firstly, she’s a rooster.”
“I’m sure the distinction is very important to her.”
“And secondly,” Simon continues like I didn’t say anything, “no, I haven’t. We had a brief encounter on the way here but…” He lets out a long, tired sigh. “She’s not…I mean I can’t. Shit. Look, things are a little complicated right now.”
There’s something in his voice that has me giving him my full attention. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I meet my cousin’s eyes. I don’t know how I missed it. The tiredness and strain on his features.
“What’s happening? Is it your brother?” I ask, remembering the family issues we’d talked about months ago.
“No. No. It’s nothing really. Jasper is good, I promise. My father has…thrown down the gauntlet, in a manner of speaking, and my carefree days are coming to an end.”
Well, that was shocking. King Hector, Simon’s father, was a stern but fair man who loved his three sons fiercely. To hear of him speaking to them in such a harsh way was surprising.
My curiosity was piqued.
What could he have possibly been telling them to do? To correct?
Even though King Hector was my uncle, lines were often drawn between what was family knowledge and what were royal secrets.
Words are on the tip of my tongue, my curiosity getting the better of me, when Simon gives me a tight smile and excuses himself. I watch him make his way up the stone patio before disappearing inside the hotel. Something was definitely up with my cousin.
Left to my own devices, I take one last sip of my watered-down iced tea before placing the glass down and beginning a slow walk around the lawn. I say hello to a few people and smile at the delighted squeals of the children. My niece has a huge smile on her face as she dances around with a performer who is dressed like a chameleon.
It’s then I notice that Ellie wasn’t a part of the party anymore. She wasn’t even outside on the lawn. Stopping my slow walk around the perimeter of the party, I anchor my hands on my hips and scan the area again. Where the heck was she?
Swirls of different emotions wash through me. Disappointment at not being in her immediate presence. Confusion as to why she would have left the party. Fear.
The fear that I wouldn’t see her again.
I’d never felt so out of control and yet centered at the same time. She was grounding me, making me more aware of the world outside my royal duty while also causing my entire world to upend. It was madness.
These feelings, this strong reaction, was utter madness. But I didn’t care.
“Sir, we have to get moving.” Jonas appears out of nowhere.
Still scanning the lawn for any sign of Ellie, I give a small nod. As much as I would love to stay and celebrate more with my niece and find Ellie, I have a commitment I have to keep.
In sync, we leave the sunny lawn and make our way through the hotel. Sliding into the back of the dark SUV, I see a folder waiting for me on the seat.
Elation spreads through me. I can’t help but smile as I grab the folder and start reading through the pages. Armed with even more information about Ellie, an idea forms in my head. One that is a bit over-the-top but worth the risk.
The papers fall to my lap as I tell my men, “You know what, boys? I think a little break is in order.”