Page 27 of A Wise Prince

He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Let’s just say, he’s a work in progress.”

I place my hand on his heart and look up at him. “I think he has a good heart.”

He closes his eyes as though he’s in pain before looking back down into mine. “I appreciate that, but I’m not so sure. I guess it remains to be seen.”

“Auggie…” I say as I reach up and touch his cheek. Something inside me wants to kiss this man, wants to show him he’s good. He’s like a puppy that needs rescuing, a dangerous puppy that might bite me. But beneath it all, he’s good. I know it.

For a split second, I think he might kiss me too, but then a timer dings.

“Let’s go,” he says to me as he grabs my hand and we head off in search of the wine.

CHAPTERTEN

August

The soundof Kate’s laughter makes me grin like a fool. We’re running through the corridor, trying to make it back to the library. She’s hobbling, so I swoop her up and toss her over my shoulder as I sprint. She has both bottles in her hands.

“Auggie!” she cries out between her laughs. “Put me down!”

“No way! We are winning this thing!” I yell, my competitive nature taking over as we make it to the library with Chris on my heels.

“Olly-olly-oxen free!” I yell as I place Kate on the desk with the bottles just as Mia, Anna, Chris, and Logan make it into the room.

“Seriously?” Kate asks.

I shrug. “It’s the rules.”

“It’s…not…the…rules…you…ass,” Anna manages to say in between breaths. “You…just like saying it.”

I chuckle and shrug again.

“Let’s go grab some food,” Chris says as he looks at his watch.

We all head toward the kitchen.

“You kids hungry?” Tessa asks as she lays out a platter of sandwiches. Bowls of potato salad and chips also are set out on the longest kitchen island I’ve ever seen. There are seven bar seats on the side of it.

“Yes, ma’am,” I say to her as I grab a plate and pass it to Kate. “Ladies first.”

“Oh, isn’t your father joining us?” she asks.

“He has a conference call,” Chris explains as we all start digging in. “When it’s just us kids, we tend to be very informal.”

She grins at him. “It’s like that at home too. The chef is always keeping our favorite snacks for us in the pantry. Sometimes my sister and I will just go and have cereal for dinner when my parents are away.”

“Which kind?” I ask her.

Her face tinges with pink. “Fruity Pebbles is my favorite,” she says quietly.

“Soul sisters! I knew it!” Anna says loudly as she fist-bumps Kate. “I freakin’ love that cereal. We have some if you want any. I totally got addicted to it when we used to spend our summers at camp in the States.”

“Seriously?” Kate asks.

Anna nods, her mouth full of potato salad.

“It’s Anna’s favorite,” I explain. “Tessa spoils her and keeps it here.”

“She doesn’t spoil me…much,” Anna whines.

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