Page 51 of Royally Arranged

Lane looked to be my father’s age, his hair wheat blond and gelled until it glistened. His handshake was feeble. “Pleasure,” he said. “And this must be Nova Valentine, your fiancée. Loved those engagement photos.”

Nova slid her arm around mine. I thrilled at the sensation. “Thank you,” she said. “We loved them as well.”

“It’s always nice when a photographer can get their work out soquickly.Do you like when things are done quick, Hawthorne?”

Nova’s smile fumbled. My mother looked surprised, eyeing Lane like she’d spotted a spider in his hair. Whoever this Earl of Wherever was, he was making it known that he thought our engagement was suspiciously sudden.

“Excuse us,” I said, looking Lane up and down. “I think we should go eat before we lose our appetites.” With my palm on Nova’s hip, I walked us away from the group.

She stared straight ahead. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“Yes, I did. He was an asshole,” I mumbled.

Her pink lips inched higher. “Most of them will be.”

Unsure who else at this party would try to figuratively spit on our feet, I headed toward the only people who, while not fans of Nova, were predictable. “Hey,” I said as we drew up beside my siblings where they were standing in a circle. “Some party, huh?”

Kain smirked. “Whoever they’re throwing it for must be really important.”

“I heard he’s a dick,” I laughed. Pulling Nova closer, I gave everyone a meaningful look. “This is Nova Valentine.”

My little sister lifted her nose higher. “The bride-to-be. I’m Francesca.”

Nova crossed her hands at her waist, tipping her head politely to each person as she spoke. “No need for introductions. I know who you all are.” Costello narrowed his eyes—Nova widened hers, knowing she’d phrased that all wrong. “I hope you’re enjoying Torino.”

“We are. But I wish we could stay longer and see more,” Sammy said.

Kain bumped her gently with his elbow. “If you hadn’t spent all morning helping Mom decorate this room, we could have.”

Sammy shrugged sheepishly. “I’m a sucker when people ask for help.”

“You did an amazing job,” Nova said, gesturing at the decorations. “The staff were happy to have some direction that was ... modern. There haven’t been any parties here in a long time.”

Leaning into Costello, Scotch gave the wide room an appreciative smile. “That’s too bad. It’s the kind of room that’s meant for big events.”

“Hopefully there will be many more in the future.” Nova peered up at me as she spoke. “Torino has been in need of a fresh face leading them. Now they—we—have it.”

I was frozen under her vote of confidence. Costello’s blue eyes flashed, fixing on something behind me and Nova. I moved aside in time to see Valencia approaching. In her long red dress with its golden-scaled front panels, she reminded me of a cobra ready to strike.

Her hooded eyes rested on me, then my brothers, my sister, and the others. “Nova,” she said, her voice bubbling in her throat in a way that some would find sexy, but I just found irritating. “There are some people who want to meet you. Come with me.”

“Right, okay.” Pressing her palms together to say she was sorry, she then spread her hands and waved at everyone. “Sorry! I hope I can get to know you all better before the wedding.” She hesitated long enough to kiss my cheek, leaving a hot flush on my skin as she strolled across the ballroom beside her mother.

Everyone stared after them. Then they stared at me. “I hope that’s the only polite exchange I have to make with her mom,” Kain muttered. “Not sure I could keep from rolling my eyes.”

Sammy focused on me. “Nova seems nice.”

“She is,” I insisted.

Fran squinted at me over a glass of champagne she’d just snagged from a passing tray that I regretted missing. “You might be marrying her, but you don’t have to fall in love with her. She’s a Valentine. You know how they are.”

“Don’t act like she’s manipulating me, okay? She doesn’t have any more choice about this marriage than me.”

Fran pointed with her chin at Nova. The young woman was laughing at something one of the people chatting with her had just said; her head was thrown back, a hand to her chest.

“Doesn’t exactly seem miserable about her situation, does she?” Fran whispered.

I didn’t answer. There was nothing I could say anyway. Nova was either good at pretending to have fun, which was dangerous ... or she was actually enjoying meeting these “important people” her mother had dragged her off to make small talk with.

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