Chapter 9
nine
What a day: a picnic, a palace, and plates of fries and pies. ~ from Gen’s diary
GENEVIEVE
If Gen had been awed by the palace the last time around, going into the Royal Wing was another level entirely.
This was the royals’ personal space but it was no less lavish.
Gorgeous art, antique tables and vases, and fresh flowers adorned the foyer as they stepped inside.
She tried to imagine how many flowers were used for the palace alone, but the potential cost of that made her feel slightly queasy so she stopped.
“They’re from the gardens and greenhouses.”
She glanced up at him, startled to see he was watching her intensely as she took everything in. “What?”
He nodded at the vase. “The flowers. We cultivate them on site, though we do arrange for flower deliveries for larger occasions such as the ball where we danced.”
“Oh.”
He squeezed her hand. “Are you all right? I know it may feel…overwhelming to be here.”
“That’s an understatement. Where’s my room?” She wanted to lie down, and maybe not get up again until she had to leave in the morning.
He tugged her hand as he started down a long hallway. “This way.”
As they walked, he explained the general layout. This wing was extensive, and included suites for the family (with many to spare), multiple guest rooms, common areas, along with staff to manage the separate kitchen, housekeeping, and other needs.
“How many people work here?”
“It varies, but I would guess around 1,200 across the whole palace, plus the staff in our offices.”
“That’s…a lot.”
“To some, yes. Yet, to me, this is simply home.”
Home. That word held so many contrasting connotations for her. Home was what her father had been and where they’d lived while he was alive. But now she was without a home, and it certainly didn’t seem like she could command all THIS one day and make it a home either.
He led her to a door with an elegant placard in script naming it the “Rose Room”.
He opened the door and pulled her inside, and she realized for the first time that they were truly alone.
Apparently, his security agents didn’t need to follow him closely inside the Royal Wing, though she noticed one standing at the very far end of the hallway, many rooms down.
She walked inside, the scent of roses soft in the air and bouquets of them scattered throughout the foyer, the nearby sitting room and likely other places given how prevalent the scent was. The space of this one guest room could nearly have taken an entire floor of her house.
He gestured down a small hallway. “Your bedroom and adjoining bath are down there. There’s also a small kitchen here, but it’s not stocked with very much. Don’t hesitate to call the kitchens if you’d like anything; they’re available 24 hours a day, even for guests.”
“I wouldn’t want to bother anybody. I’ll just order a small meal for dinner, and—”
“You will not.”
She took a step back at his angry voice. “Okay, I won’t order anything at all. I don’t need anything. It’s fine.”
He shook his head and stepped slowly towards her, as if he were approaching a skittish cat he wanted to pet.
“Of course you should order whatever you want, whenever you want it. I meant, you shouldn’t order a ‘small’ meal.
Order a big fucking meal and eat whatever the fuck you like.
Honestly, if I ever hear your mother speaking that bullshit in front of me… ”
A small bit of warmth filled her chest. Not enough to erase years of body dysmorphia instilled in her by her mother, but it meant something that he would say that.
She wanted to hear it a hundred more times, and she definitely wanted to be there when he told off her mother.
Sadly, she didn’t think either would happen.
“See? You don’t want to be stuck with my mother for the rest of your life either. ”
A heavy silence lingered in the air, until he said, “You’re having dinner with us.”
“What? I can’t have dinner with the royal family!”
“It wouldn’t be with the royal family, it would be with my family. While I realize they are the same thing to you, they are not to me. We’re not dressing up today, so you needn’t worry.”
She gestured to her dress. “I still can’t show up in this! I shouldn’t show up at all. They’ll think things if we show up together.”
He took another step closer. “You’re not the only lady staying over, remember? You won’t be the only—and I hate this word—‘outsider’ at the table. Agnes can bring you something to wear if you’re concerned about your outfit.”
“We’re very different body types. I doubt anything of hers will fit me.”
“You’ll manage, and you’ll look beautiful in whatever you wear.” He reached up to cup her cheek. “You always do, despite your poor opinion of yourself.”
She hated when he spoke the truth, particularly about her. “If you want your parents to hate me, having me show up to dinner in an ill-fitting dress, when you know we don’t have a future together, will do it.”
“We could though. If you’d only give me and my family a chance. I can show you—”
She stepped back and his hand fell away. “I’ve given you so many chances, don’t you see? Every time I give you any leeway, you take control and force me into situations or scenarios I don’t want. You’re pushing me towards what you want, not what I need.”
She sighed. “You refuse to understand what I’m saying. Can you ask a driver to take me to the Kaur’s, please? I really want to leave.”
He was silent for a few moments, watching her. “Leave me or leave the palace?”
“Both? Honestly, what’s the point, Gabriel? We don’t fit. Maybe we never will.”
After a few more moments, he ran a hand over his face and nodded. “I’ll escort you out.”
“You don’t need to.”
“I want to. I’m still a gentleman, Genevieve. I still care for you. I think you care for me, just not for this life. I can’t blame you for it, but that doesn’t mean I want to stop pursuing you.”
He used the suite’s phone to make the call, then escorted her out. It was a long and quiet walk out of the palace. He kissed her hand and helped her into the car, and he waited for the car to drive off. She was proud of herself for not looking back.
The car ride was also quiet, but she didn’t mind it. Her house was so rarely quiet and she had too many thoughts swirling.
When she arrived at the Kaur’s their butler opened the door and led her inside. Sam must have seen the car because she came bounding down one side of the dual staircase in the foyer.
Sam kissed her on each cheek. “I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“I was out when the rain started and the road to my house got washed out. Can I stay over tonight?”
Sam beamed. “Of course! Did you-know-who drop you off?”
“Long story but no.”
They heard laughter from one of the parlors. “Why don’t we head to the diner and talk? Mama and Papa are entertaining tonight and thankfully my presence isn’t needed.”
Gen glanced at the doors, and the stormy night beyond the frosted glass embedded in them. “The weather’s not great. Are you sure? We can talk here too?”
More laughter, coming closer. “I’m sure. Let’s change and head out.”
Sam was taller and less curvy than Gen, but had some loose clothes that would fit Gen. Thankfully they were the same shoe size, so she grabbed a pair of Sam’s tennis shoes and gave her feet some relief.
They headed back towards the front door, pausing to make sure their guests wouldn’t see them, but Sam let the butler know where they were going.
There was a multicar garage but Sam usually parked on the street when her parents had guests over, so the guests could park there instead on rainy nights.
The Silver Light Diner was a staple in Valentia, especially for their generation.
Tucked away just off a main road, it had been launched to mimic the American-style diners they’d watched in movies.
Though the food was a mix of Vallerian and American, it was always good, always cheap, and it was also open 24 hours a day, closing only during the two-week national holiday in August.
After parking, they ran towards the door to beat the rain. They’d forgotten an umbrella, but neither of them seemed to mind.
The bell on the door jingled as they walked in. It wasn’t as busy, not surprising for a stormy night. If it had been a typical summer day, all the booths would be full. As it was, they claimed their favorite spot in a back corner on the front side of the diner.
“Hi, ladies, welcome back.”
Gen glanced up, smiling at their favorite waitress, Francine. Frannie had gone to a different school than she and Sam had, but they were all the same age and had bonded over their love of well-cooked fries and American-style pies.
Sam took one of the menus Frannie was handing out. “Hi, Frannie. Slow night?”
“Not too bad actually. We had a rush with the after-work crowd.”
Sam leaned forward, a knowing smile on her face. “Oh? Did a certain someone come by today?”
Frannie just rolled her eyes. “As a matter of fact, he did. What of it?”
“Did you say yes when he asked you out again?”
“No. I know his type. I’ve heard him talk about this person he was dating or that one. He’s not looking for serious, and I am. We just won’t fit.”
Tension clamped down in her stomach; Frannie’s situation sounded a lot like Gen’s, minus the ‘future king’ bit.
Sam seemed to pick up on Gen’s mood shift and asked Frannie for a minute to decide what they wanted. After she walked away, Sam leaned over and put a hand over hers. “Are you all right?”
“Frannie and I seem to be living parallel lives, that’s all.”
“Is she in love with the prince too? I thought she being annoyed by a gardener or something?”
“No. I mean, she is, with the gardener. His name’s Ettore, and he sounds a lot like Gabriel.” Gen spent some time talking through everything that had happened with Gabriel that day, and really since the ball when they had first danced.