Page 22 of Rags to Royals

Henry and I exchange glances. Our departure from Cara has gotten more attention than we expected. How did the podcast find out? And who knew that two teenage girls in Ohio would be listening to the podcast from Cara anyway?

Well, I guess Henry knew.

Henry knows a lot. I’m still very annoyed by that.

“Mariah and Greta are huge fans of the podcast,” Henry says softly. “Ruby too. I know Scarlett keeps up as well.”

This makes my heart clench. They all pay attention? Because of us? That’s…I don’t know what that is.

It’s…hopeful.

That’s how my heart and head take it.

Scarlett is interested. She hasn’t totally forgotten me.

She says she doesn’t want to see me, but she still thinks about me.That has to mean something. Doesn’t it?

But if she’s nothing like the woman I’ve been thinking about,whatdoes it mean?

Fuck. I need to see her.

“So what happened that caused the principal to get involved?” Ruby asks.

“Leah being Leah,” Mariah says with disgust in her tone. “She said,loudly, that we’re so ridiculous and do we not realize that no one believes us about all of this.”

“All of what?” Ruby asks.

“That Mom knows anddatedCian O’Grady who is aprince. And that we all know his bodyguard.”

There’s a long pause.

I look at Henry, eyebrows up.

He winces, then looks at me.

“They talk about me?” I whisper.

“Um…yeah,” Henry says. He rubs a hand over the back of his neck. “It’s been a bit of a problem.”

“No kidding,” I say dryly.

Henry’s been helping to keep my identity a secret for over a decade. But now these two teen girls are bragging about their connection to me and arguing with classmates about it?

“Her mom said there is no way Mom dated a prince and now doesn’t want to see him. She said Mom is all about money and power, so this all has to be a lie,” Mariah says.

I frown. I don’t like this. I don’t like that Scarlett is telling people she doesn’t want to see me. Dammit. But I also hate the idea that I’m some kind of problem for her. And I really hate that someone is doubting her.

Okay, so supposedly I don’t know the woman I spent the weekend with. These people do. She’s from here. These people should know her and trust her.

But if she was into power and money, she would have wanted to see me once Henry told her who I am and that I want to see her.

And she’s not fucking lying.

What is going on here with Scarlett and her hometown?

“So what did you do?” Ruby asks with what sounds to me, through a thin wooden door, like a touch of trepidation.

“Told her that she needed to mind her own business and stop eavesdropping.”

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