“They’re still picking up in there.”
“I can imagine. It was quite the fete.”
“You didn’t stay long.”
“I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather. I don’t think Mrs. Meyers’ chicken pot pie is agreeing with me.”
“Oh. Well, they seem to be agreeing with me.” He put a hand on his stomach and raised his eyebrows. I laughed.
“Hey, I meant to ask, what will you be doing on the eve of the big masquerade ball in Versailles?”
“You mean the night all of the aristocrats will show up with their daughters and try to hand them over to the prince?”
“Yeah.” I managed to smile throughout, though inside, I felt weird. Maybe the pot pie had gotten to me after all.
“I won’t be working that night. Do you want to reschedule our pub date till then?”
“Oh. No. Well, I sort of wondered if you’d like to go with me to the gala. I . . . my event business is putting it on and my mother said it would be good if I took someone and I thought of you.”
“I was your first choice when thinking of a date?” he asked.
“It’s kind of a work date. I don’t want you to think—”
“Oh.” He put up a hand. “I’m fine with it being a friendly non-date.”
Just as I laughed at his response, the door opened behind him and Prince Elias appeared. The man had impeccable timing. He looked cranky tonight. Again. He hadn’t been very cranky when we’d been alone on the beach.
“Planning another date together?” Prince Elias asked.
“Seems that way,” I said. “Do you need the time and date so you can crash again?”
“Sure. When is it?” He cocked his head as he looked at me, amusement clear in his eyes.
“The night of your gala. I guess you’ll be indisposed. Don’t worry, we’ll fill you in on all the details the next day.” I smiled.
“You’re assuming I won’t leave the gala and come find you.”
That gave me pause. I blinked and glanced at Pierre, whose eyebrows had reached a new height, and seemed to be taken aback by his words as well. I opened my mouth a couple of times to respond, but found nothing adequate to say.
“Don’t worry, Miss Adeline. I’m joking. I won’t intrude on your date,” Prince Elias said after a moment, though he seemed to be enjoying seeing me at a loss for words. He reached down, grabbed the basket, and began disappearing inside. “Pierre. A word, please.”
“Yes, sir.” Pierre glanced at me. “We’ll talk soon.”
“Of course.”
This time, I walked away.
Friday arrived quickly and I was soon on a plane to visit Versailles with my mother and Joss. When I arrived, I parked in the designated space, where the caterers and staff left their cars, and rode the bus to the main property. My mother and Joss were already there, both looking at their phones as they waited outside the main entrance while tourists side-stepped them on their way inside. Joss spotted me first, her smile brightening her entire face as I walked over. She threw her arms around me when I reached them.
“I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too.” I squeezed her back, then pulled away before hugging my mother with the same vigor. “I miss both of you.”
“Just come back,” Joss suggested.
“Nonsense. My brother-in-law would kill me if I pulled her away this quickly,” Mother said. “Besides, some fresh air would be of great use to all of us.” She kept her attention on me. “Have you not been eating? How is the villa? Was everything as we left it?”
“The town seems to be just as we left it,” I said. “Though I haven’t really interacted much with anyone there.”
“Well, you were barely there when your father and I lived there, so I don’t expect you to remember much.”
“Prince Elias is there.”
Both my mother and Joss froze, their jaws dropping.
“And?” Joss asked.
“Tell me you haven’t spoken,” my mother said at the same time.
“We have spoken,” I said. “And he’s a jerk.”
Joss smiled.
“A jerk how?” Mom frowned. “He was always extremely charming.”
“I didn’t say he wasn’t charming. I said he was a jerk.”
“Why is he there?” Joss asked.
“He goes every summer,” Mom said. “He takes his entire posse and rents out every available villa and has nonstop parties.” She shook her head in disgust. “Drunk people everywhere. Naked people everywhere. Sex everywhere. They take advantage of the local women. It’s disgusting.”
“Sounds . . . just like them.” Joss laughed under her breath.
“He invited me to a party the other day.”
“Tell me you didn’t go,” Mom said.
“Of course I went.” I stifled a smile as I looked over at Joss, who was enjoying this entirely too much. “You can’t say no to the prince.”
“Adeline.” Mom exhaled, closing her eyes briefly. “The last thing you need is another scandal. We need you back on your feet, not on your back underneath a prince who won’t remember your name in two weeks.”