Page 78 of Party Favors

He smiled at me, like he thought I was adorable. “You really are a fan.”

I was not going to tell him about my replica of Kat’s wedding ring or the many dresses I’d bought to copy her style or how my screen saver was of the royal family’s castle.

Or the pen set my mom had bought me when I’d graduated from high school, each one featuring a different member of the Monterran royal family.

“A bit of a fan,” I agreed. “Should we turn the wedding on?”

We headed over to the couch and I set my plate on the coffee table in front of me and turned on the TV. I found the channel showing the wedding and put down the remote.

“Should we get Basta something to eat?” I asked.

At the mention of her name, she lifted her head, eyes slightly opening. Then she immediately went back to sleep.

“It’s too early for her,” Max said. “She’ll be begging for treats later, though. Is Vella going to join us?”

“This is too early for her, too. It’s usually when she’s coming home, not when she’s getting up.”

He took a bite of one of his pastries and then said, “You mentioned something the other day about how she keeps her bedroom door locked. You’ve really never seen the inside?”

Finally, someone I could confide in about how weird that was. “Yes! When I first moved in, all I wanted to do was break down her door and find out what she was hiding in there. I even watched some videos online on how to pick locks.”

“Which basically makes you an expert on it,” he teased.

“Exactly. But now that we’re friends, I just respect her need for privacy. I do wonder if she’s got some of her ex-boyfriends in there chained to the wall.”

“A collection of really creepy dolls?”

“I could see that. Or maybe she’s guarding a portal to Narnia. Who knows?”

On-screen, members of the royal family were arriving. The streets had been cleared, but blinding white snow glistened on every rooftop. Crowds lined the streets, holding up signs and cheering for the royals.

“It’s so pretty there,” I said. “It must be an amazing place to live.”

“There is definitely a provincial charm, with medieval buildings and cobblestone streets that make you feel like you’ve walked into a different time. The sun is different there, this soft golden haze over everything. The people are open and friendly. Monterrans are notorious for their work-life balance.”

“I should be better about that.”

“Everything has its positives and negatives, and that mentality isn’t so great when you need a plumber. Tradespeople don’t always come when you call, and it’s normal for packages to take weeks to arrive.”

“Do you miss it?” I asked.

“The mail system? No. But there are a lot of things I miss about Monterra.” He shifted his body to face me, putting his arm along the back of the couch. “Although New York is pretty great, too.”

“It’s probably due to that fantastic tour guide of yours.”

I’d meant for it to be a joke, but my heart untethered itself from my chest and tried to climb up into my throat when he said, “It is due to her, yes.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

While I sat there not knowing what to say to his comment, I made a mental list of all the reasons why I couldn’t fall for Max Colby.

I had emotional trauma from being repeatedly rejected by men I was attracted to and didn’t want that to happen with him because it would be so much worse, given that I liked him more than I had ever liked anyone else.

---