Page 29 of Party Favors

“Right now I’m just an administrative assistant and don’t even have the official title of event planner. I’d really like to get a promotion, and this birthday party is my ticket to make that happen. I’m already planning events; I just don’t have the title.”

“That doesn’t sound fair.”

“You have to pay your dues,” I said. “I’ve paid mine about four times longer than anyone else, though.” I felt a tiny bit of resentment creeping in and shook my head, determined not to let myself get down. “My dream is to do showers.”

“Like installing them?” He sounded so adorably confused.

I held in my laugh. “No, ‘showers’ as in ‘parties.’ Here in the States we have like, baby showers or bridal showers. It’s a gathering to celebrate a new life or a new relationship. I love how much emotion is involved, all the joy. It feels like an honor to join in on something that is so important to the people involved.”

“We have those types of parties in Monterra, too.”

I felt a bit embarrassed that I had assumed he wouldn’t know what I was talking about. “You’re right—they have them all over the world, and it’s a tradition that’s been carried on for a long time in some cultures. I looked it up once, and they started calling them ‘showers’ because of a custom in the nineteenth century where presents were put inside of an umbrella and then they would shower it down on the bride.”

“I would guess that getting smacked in the head with a high chair wouldn’t be fun.”

Now I did laugh. “Maybe that’s why they stopped doing it.” I realized that for our whole walk home, he’d been the one asking me questions. My mother would be so upset with me for being so impolite. “What do you do for a living?”

“I work at a nonprofit.”

That caused me to stumble as I basically tripped over my own feet. A nonprofit? Really, Universe? He couldn’t have been like, a professional dog kidnapper or a loan shark or a scammer telemarketer? He worked for a charity?

Then I considered the fact that Nico also devoted all of his time to charitable causes, and it made my attraction to Max grow even stronger.

He let me fall against him until I found my footing. I just knew he was going to ask me if I was all right again and I couldn’t take it a fourth time. This poor man did not have to keep coming to my rescue.

“I’m okay. Just having some staying-vertical issues that aren’t my fault,” I said.

“Yes, I saw the way that sidewalk leapt out at you,” he agreed, seriously. I smiled.

“Do you like your job?” I asked.

“Very much. My father thinks it’s a waste of my education.”

“Where did you go to school?”

“Yale.”

I was impressed. He didn’t strike me as wealthy, though. He was too down-to-earth for that. “Did you have to put yourself through school?”

“Basically, yes.”

“I’ve noticed that you use some American expressions and phrasing.” It made sense. Nico’s younger twin brothers, Prince Dante and Prince Rafe, also attended American universities and their Monterran accents were much lighter than their older brother’s as a result.

“Have you noticed?” he asked playfully, calling attention to the fact that I’d been observing him so closely that I’d been able to detect speech patterns.

Back to feeling pathetic again.

“My mother is from California, and growing up, I spent my summers there with my cousin, Sunny,” he added when I didn’t respond to his question. “I’ve spent a lot of time in America.”

That piqued my interest. Monterran royalty did have a tendency to marry American women. Maybe that had happened with his family and Max was a secret prince. “Are you like, nobility or a lord or something?”

“LikeLord of the Dance?” He sounded confused.

“No, I ...” How was I supposed to explain that I was attempting to make sure that he wasn’t royal?

“What does that have to do with my speech patterns?” He was teasing, but I no longer wanted to discuss this particular topic because of the potential traps and pitfalls waiting for me and my assumptions.

“Working at a nonprofit seems pretty noble to me. What did your dad want you to do instead?” I asked, changing the subject.

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