Page 52 of Rags to Royals

“Linnea says she definitely knows people who work with W.H.O.,” Henry says, holding his phone up.

Mariah’s mouth falls open. “You just texted her? Just now?”

“Yeah.”

“But… she’s on herhoneymoon!”

He laughs. “She wouldn’t have answered if she couldn’t.”

“But it’s like two in the morning in Cara!” Greta adds. Yes, she knows as much about Cian’s family and home country as we do.

“She and Jonah are here in the states visiting his family,” Henry says. “The podcast was right.” He winks. “But don’t tell anyone.”

Mariah and Greta giggle. They are in heaven right now and I feel myself smiling just watching them. I’m going to have to talk to them about getting their expectations built up around me and Cian and everything, but I’ll let them enjoy this for now.

My phone starts ringing, and I pull it from my pocket as Henry tells the girls about the time he met Jonah’s parents. Expecting to see my mother’s name on my screen, I frown when it’s a local number I don’t recognize. But this happens all the time. I’m not the only mechanic in the area, but I am the only one right in Emerald.

“This is Scarlett,” I say, standing up and stepping away from the table so I don’t interrupt the conversation.

“Hi, Scarlett, it’s Amanda Brown.”

Amanda Brown is Mariah’s principal. I try to keep my sigh inaudible. “Hi, Ms. Brown, what can I do for you?”

I’d responded to her email but, as with Hannah, I did not apologize for Mariah’s words and I didn’t make Mariah do so either.

“I’m actually hoping you have a phone number I need. I’m trying to get a hold of Dean Brady. They tell me you’re fixing his car and I assume you have his number?”

I pause. Then I turn slowly back to face my kitchen table.

Where “Dean Brady” is laughing with my family over pizza.

“I do,” I say. “I can give him the message to call you. I think that would be better than giving out his number without his consent.”

Cian seems to sense my gaze on him and looks up. He gives me a smile that makes my stomach swoop. Why does he have to look sogoodin my kitchen with three of my favorite people in the world and my favorite pizza?

Yes, I like pineapple on my pizzaandmy chicken sandwiches.

“That would be great,” Ms. Brown says. “Would you be able to do that right away? I need to speak to him about something that’s a bit of an emergency.”

I frown. How can the principal of my daughter’s school need to speak to Cian’s fake persona about something that’s an emergency?

“I’ll text him right now. Maybe he’ll be able to still call you tonight.”

I’m going to make sure he calls her tonight. I have to know what this is about.

And if she’s going to ask him out, to be her date to some ‘last minute’ function or something, I am going to…

I’m not sure. But I won’t be happy.

Over the guy I don’t want to date and cannot marry. Even though he did kind of ask me.

So there, Amanda.

“Thanks so much, Scarlett. I really appreciate it.”

“You bet.”

We disconnect and I walk to the table. “Amanda Brown, the high school principal, would like you to call her. She says it’s a ‘bit of an emergency’.”

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