“Because I’ve never told anyone.”
Eight
Serafia got up early the next morning, slipping from Gabriel’s bed to get ready. An hour later she returned and started sifting through his clothes for the perfect outfit.
“It’s seven-thirty,” he groaned as he sat up in bed. His hair was tousled and as the sheets pooled around his waist, Serafia couldn’t help stealing a glance at the hard muscles she’d become accustomed to touching each night. “Why are you up so early clinking wooden hangers together?”
With a sigh, she turned back to the closet. “I’m trying to figure out what you should wear today for the parade.”
“I’m going to be in a parade?”
It was becoming clear to her that in the early days of working together, Gabriel had paid very little attention to what she’d said. The prime minister’s office had arranged for a full week of activities and Gabriel had been briefed on them in detail while they were still in Miami. And yet each day was like a surprise for him.
After the incident at the vineyard, Serafia was afraid to know if Gabriel had a problem with parades, too. She didn’t dare ask. “Yes. As we discussed in Miami,” she emphasized, “they’re holding a welcome parade for you this morning that will go through the capital of Del Sol.”
“Are there going to be marching bands and floats or something?”
“No, it’s not really that kind of parade.” She pulled out a gray pin-striped suit coat. It would be too hot for his ceremonial attire and that was better saved for the coronation parade, anyway. A nice suit would be just right, she thought. Eyeing the ties, she pondered which would look best. She knew Gabriel would be more inclined to skip the tie, but that wouldn’t look right. She frowned at the closet. The more she got to know Gabriel, the more she realized she was trying to force him into a box he didn’t really fit in, but he was still royalty and needed to dress appropriately.
“People are just going to stand out on the sidewalk and wait for me to come by and wave? Like the pope?”
Serafia looked at him with exasperation and planted her hands on her hips. “You’re going to be the king! Yes. People want to see you, even if it’s just for a moment as you drive by and wave. It won’t be as big as your formal coronation parade, but it gives everyone in Alma the chance to come and see you, not just the press or the rich people at Patrick Rowling’s party.”
“For their sake, I hope there are at least vendors out there selling some good street food,” he muttered as he climbed out of bed.
“Get in the shower,” Serafia said, laying the suit out across the bed.
Gabriel came up behind her and pulled her into his arms, crushing her back against his bare body. “Wanna get in there with me?” his low voice grumbled into her ear.
Serafia felt a thrill rush through her body, but she fought the reaction. They didn’t have time for this now, as much as she’d like to indulge. There were thousands of people already lining the streets in the hopes of getting a good spot to see Gabriel. She turned in his arms and kissed him, then quickly pulled away. “Sorry, but you’re going it alone today,” she said. “We leave in less than an hour.”
She was amazed they were able to keep to their schedule, but everything went to plan. They rendezvoused with the rest of the motorcade a few miles away from the advertised route. Gabriel was transferred to a convertible where he could sit on the top of the backseats and wave to the crowd. Royal guards and Del Sol police would be driving ahead of his car and behind, with guards running alongside them.
“Remember,” Serafia said as he got settled in the back of the car. “Smile, wave, be sure to turn to look at both sides of the street. People are excited to see you. Be excited to see them, too, and you’ll win the hearts of your people. I’ll see you at the end of the route.”
“I thought you might ride with me.”
Serafia shook her head. “You’re Prince Gabriel, soon to be King Gabriel. As far as anyone else knows, I’m your social secretary. Social secretaries wouldn’t ride along on something like this. We don’t need to give the newspapers any more material to put into their gossip columns. So no, I’m not going with you. You’ll do fine.”
Ignoring nearly everything she’d just said, he leaned in and gave her a kiss in front of fifty witnesses. Hopefully none of them had cameras. “See you on the flip side,” he said.
Serafia shook her head and climbed into another car that was driving ahead to ensure that the route was clear and to secure the end rendezvous location.