She could do this.
“I’ve been out of town and didn’t tell them I was coming back. I wanted to surprise them.” She squeezed Jason’s arm. “Grandpa will be thrilled, don’t you think?”
If only that was still true.
Jason nodded. His eyes looked leery and her chest squeezed. He was going to keep her out. “Will Mrs. Seamons …?”
“She’ll like the surprise,” Kylee reassured. “She had someone she wanted me to meet tonight and was royally ticked off when I told her I couldn’t come.”
“Ah.” Jason understood what that meant. “She’s decided to pair you off.” He smiled like a loving grandfather. If only her own grandfather loved her. “Well, whoever it is will be instantly smitten with you in this dress.”
“I hope so.” Kylee forced a laugh. Mimi had never tried to set her up, always telling her she wasn’t attractive enough for a man to notice her. Now Kylee knew she was wrong. Chandler was the most attractive man on the planet, and he wanted her and only her. It was easy to put a radiant smile on her face with a devoted love like Chandler’s backing her up.
Jason opened the door and informed his younger counterpart, a smiling young man named Miles. “Please see Miss Seamons into the gathering area while I greet any other latecomers.”
Kylee breathed easier even as Miles looked her over like a wolf.
“Of course,” he said. He took her arm and Jason shut the door behind them. “Wow, Kylee. You look incredible.”
“Thank you.” She placed her hand on his arm and let him escort her through the huge foyer to the even more massive gathering area on the right.
The crowd was large, which was good. It was large enough she could blend in, get what she needed, then get out. But not large enough that she couldn’t find her target.
She lifted her hand from Miles’ arm and thanked him, then started working her way through the crowd, saying hello to her grandparents’ friends and some military people she’d known her entire life. Everyone was happy to see her and very complimentary. She had a confidence that felt like it was coming from heaven and from Chandler.
There were other people she didn’t know personally, but some she recognized, senators and judges who should not be mingling with the likes of King Frederick. But there you were …
She saw her grandmother, grandfather, and the self-proclaimed King close to the rear wall in a greeting line of sorts. “I see the target,” she said quietly.
“I’m going to serve him a drink in just a moment,” Bailey said. “Do you want to wait and see if I can manage it then?”
“No. I’ve got this.” Kylee put all the confidence that her prayer, Chandler’s words, and Chandler’s kisses had given her into her voice. Then she stepped into the line of people waiting to talk to her grandparents and the king. Her heart picked up a beat and she second-guessed her brave words. Did she have this? Or would Mimi best her, tear her to the ground, and belittle her into submission just as she had since Kylee was sixteen and her parents died?
The line moved forward. Kylee felt the self-doubt creep back in. Her palms grew clammy and her feet felt like lead blocks. She looked down at her voluptuous body spilled into this tight dress and could already imagine the cutting comments her grandmother would make for all to hear. Could she really do this? She looked back at the arched entry, tempted to run as fast as she could in these spike heels and too-tight dress.
If she did, maybe she’d be a distraction and Bailey could finish the job. But would she ever forgive herself for wimping out? Would she ever be enough for Chandler if she couldn’t stand up to her grandmother once and for all and prove that she was confident, brave, smart, and beautiful? At least she was to the one man who mattered most to her.
Chandler.
She put a hand to her racing heart and said another desperate prayer for help.
ChapterFourteen
Praying nonstop for strength, Kylee opened her eyes to see Bailey not too far away. Her beautiful friend was wearing a simple white blouse and a black skirt with her hair in a bun. She was still beautiful, but King Frederick wouldn’t spare her a second glance as a server. Kylee looked down at her shiny dress and she suddenly had the strangest vision. It was as if she were seeing herself from the outside. Her shape was just as rounded and crazy out of proportion as it had always been—actually more so with the extra padding on her bustline and hips to hide the mic, camera, knife, and extra hair-gatherer. The thing was, she could see that her curves were smooth and eye-catching, and her face and hair looked gorgeous, especially her dark eyes that seemed to sparkle.
She knew exactly why they were sparkling. She was a woman in love, and her man more than returned that love. He would do anything to protect her and help her see how she appeared to him. He loved her from the inside out.
“You’ve got this,bellissima,” Chandler said in her earpiece.
She wanted to scream that she loved him and tell him thank you a million times for helping to infuse her with the confidence she felt right now. A confidence that wouldn’t dim because she finally believed every incredible word he’d said to her. He was her everything, and if she lived through tonight, she was going to tell him that and kiss him for a very, very long time.
She gave generous, fake smiles to the men who ogled her and noticed Klein and Reed moving through the party, getting their share of feminine wanton glances as they served appetizers. She was so glad they were inside the house with her.
The line moved slowly forward and her nerves grew, but her confidence didn’t wane like it normally would knowing she’d face her grandmother soon. Interesting that she wasn’t afraid of the murderous, conniving dictator. She was pretty certain the man had nothing on her grandmother. She opened her purse and reapplied her lip gloss, then as she put it away, she stealthily pulled out the little hair-gathering contraption and slid out the end that would rip out Frederick’s hair, putting the container back in her purse. Her hands didn’t even shake. She thanked heaven above.
“Kylee’s moving in,” she heard Reed say in the earpiece. She was glad there wasn’t constant chatter in her ear. That would’ve made it hard to concentrate.
“We’re right here for you,” Papa said.