Chapter 298

“Excuse me,” Nicholas said to Bridget and walked away from her. He met me at the base of the stairs.

Behind his back, Bridget narrowed her eyes slightly, but then shrugged and walked back into the kitchen. I still had no idea how she could be so bright. Maybe she’s slipped some liquor into her coffee to take the edge off. She didn’t seem drunk though.

Was it possible she just had a natural sunny disposition, even after drinking a whole bottle of wine?

How unfair.

“I’m sorry about this, Piper,” Nicholas said. He nodded his head toward the front of the manor, and taking the hint, I began walking beside him in the way he’d indicated.

He led us to a small sitting area near the front door of the mansion, where wicker furniture was arranged in a semi-circle. We didn’t sit, though. We just stood there in the middle of it.

“I know this isn’t what you envisioned about this week,” Nicholas said. Softer, he added, “Me, either.”

We’d recently talked about playing out a fantasy. We had thought while we were here, we could pretend to be strangers and fall in love again. We knew we’d have to hide it from Jessica and Bridget, but we had thought in the moments alone that maybe we could have our chance.

Now, it seemed, even our moments alone would be monitored.

“It’s not your fault,” I said. “You had no way of knowing your father would want the cameras here.”

“I should have, though. He cares about appearances. I should have known he wouldn’t let us escape, even for such a brief time.”

I glanced to make sure no one was looking, then I reached out and placed my hand on his arm.

“You can’t predict everything,” I told him.

He shook his head, unsatisfied. Nicholas was always pushing himself to be the best. I always thought this quality would help make him a great king. He would settle for nothing less than excellence in himself. Now, however, I’m a bit worried about his blood pressure going up.

The man needs to relax.

“Listen,” I started. “Maybe it won’t be so bad? I mean, sure, we won’t have as much privacy as we would have hoped, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun, right?”

It was harder for him. Being a prince, on camera, he couldn’t show even a modicum of weakness. Even showing he could have fun might reveal too much.

“I suppose,” he replied, but didn’t seem convinced. I guessed I couldn’t blame him.

What I could do was try to help him relax as much as possible however I could, in front of the cameras or not.

Yet before I could make an offer to help him, the front door opened and we both instantly silenced.

Julian walked in, and new anxieties suddenly flooded my mind.

Julian had kissed me last night.

It wasn’t like I had forgotten. No one forgets getting kissed by a handsome prince, even if it isn’t the handsome prince you have romantic feelings for. I had just put it into the back of my brain for now, filed it away for later.

Later, it seemed, was now.

When I saw Julian, my entire body went stiff. I hadn’t told Nicholas about the kiss, hadn’t had the chance. I didn’t even know if I should.

Julian had said it was a mistake. He had said they should forget it, never talk about it again. Telling Nicholas would only paint it into his mind forever, potentially forming an even larger rift between the two brothers.

I didn’t know what to do, or what to say, or how to act. So I stood there like the universe’s most awkward statue, staring wide-eyed at the door.

Julian turned and spotted us. “Morning,” he said with his typical smirk. He wasn’t quite as bright as Bridget. He winced at any over-loud noise like he had a headache. But he didn’t seem too unusual either. He just nodded his head at us and walked away.

He was entirely keeping his word when he’d promised to pretend the kiss never happened.

I needed to get better at doing the same.

I looked back to Nicholas, but a servant interrupted us next.

“Please excuse me,” she said. “Nathan is calling everyone out onto the deck for a meeting.”

“He’s not even wasting a moment,” Nicholas sighed.

“It will be okay,” I told him. “We’ll find a way to keep relaxing… somehow.”

His expression was grim. He didn’t believe me.

Together, Nicholas and I met the others out on the back deck.

The camera crew had finished preparing and were now ready to shoot. I thought maybe they were going to capture the meeting, but Nathan, after glancing at all of us in our breezy cottons and linens, sent the crew down to film the ocean for cutaway shots.

“As you can all see, I have arrived with a camera crew,” Nathan said, when he had all of our attention. “The King thought it best not to allow this opportunity to pass. This is your chance to have more intimate time with the camera, to let the folks at home know the real you.”

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. That wasn’t the reason he’d given Nicholas.

“Of course, we want you to showcase your best selves,” Nathan said. “Which is why I must insist that you wear your swimsuits as much as possible.”

Veronica and Jessica looked at each other. Bother were wearing sensible floral dresses. Jessica had a wide-brimmed hat.

“Don’t have such worried looks, girls,” Bridget said, smiling wide. “This gives us a chance to show the princes what we are working with.”

Jessica frowned. “My prince isn’t here.”

“Prince Joyce will see the footage,” Nathan said.

Jessica perked. That seemed enough to convince her.

Nathan spoke up once more, “The princes will also be expected to wear their swim trunks. No shirts, if you please. Our viewership will undoubtedly increase.”

Beside me, Nicholas sighed.

On the other side of Nathan, Julian tilted his head. “Guess I’m glad I’ve been working out.”

I knew, for fact, that neither prince had anything to worry about.

I wasn’t necessarily worried about my own body either. With the return of my wolf, I’d gotten more toned than I’d been before, while still maintaining some of my curves. I didn’t have anything to be ashamed of.

But… I didn’t exactly want to run around in a revealing swimsuit anyway. Wearing my two-piece felt too… intimate, like wearing underwear in public. And knowing how Nicholas had reacted… I imagined he wanted to keep me dressed like that all to himself, not share it with a camera and the entire kingdom.

Hopefully part of the King’s mandate wasn’t to allow Nathan the right to pick which swimsuits we wore. My entire body wanted to shrivel up imagining him going through my closet and picking out my skimpy two-piece.

“I expect you all will wish to return to your rooms and change for the day,” Nathan said. “You’ll want to look your best for your princes and your kingdom.”

“Thank you, Nathan,” Bridget said. “We’re thankful you are giving us the opportunity to look our best.”

No one agreed with that sentiment. We all just sort of begrudgingly made our way back inside.

Upstairs, as I was opening the door to my room, Nicholas caught me by the elbow and helped me inside. I looked at him, a question in my eyes.

“I’ll help you change,” he said softly, warm breath hot on my ear.

My whole face went red.