Page 50 of A Royal Promise
He’d thought they were moving in a positive direction—a more romantic one—after the way she’d looked at him at the regatta, but maybe her feelings still didn’t go beyond friendship. The thought made him completely lose his appetite.
“Great, I’ll have to find the perfect time to tell him. One when he’s not super grumpy or mad at me for running off again on a hike by myself.”
“Good luck with that,” he teased.
She hit him on the arm with a pale-blue throw pillow. “Do you see my phone anywhere? I need to request the pizza.”
He pulled his phone out. “I can do it. What kind do you want?”
“Pepperoni and banana peppers?”
“Perfect.” Drew typed out a quick request to the kitchen and slid his phone back into his pocket. “Done.”
“Thanks.” She turned back to him so fast he flinched. “I almost forgot about the gift.” She jumped off the couch and ran into her bedroom. When Bri returned, she was holding a t-shirt with an image of two oars in an X formation that saidMay the oars be with you.
His mouth pulled into a grin. “I don’t think you could have found a more fitting gift.” He stood, taking it from her and holding it to his chest.
“I know you can’t wear it super often because you’re a prince, but I couldn’t resist.”
“There’s no rule I can’t wear itundermy dress shirts.” He winked. “I’ll be like a rowing,Star-Wars-watching Superman.” Drew widened his stance and placed his hands on his hips.
She threw another couch pillow at him while she giggled. “Whatever you say. I’m glad you like it.”
“Like it? Iloveit. Thank you so much.” He gave her a quick hug, careful to not hold on too long and scare her away.
By the time the pizza arrived, his appetite was back—just like his hope. If he was being honest, Drew wasn’t sure he’d ever wear the shirt. He’d rather put it in a frame and hang it on his wall as a reminder that the woman he loved knew him to his core. On the hardest days, it could serve as a beacon of hope that their fake relationship could turn into a real one.
Chapter Eighteen
Bri
Bri ran over to Drew, completing a jump-stop in front of him, her arms stretched out wide. The pink tutu she wore fluttered around with every movement. He smirked as his eyes roamed up and down her outfit.
“You look festive.”
She shot him a playful smile. “I’m glad you think so because…” Bri pulled out the blue tutu she’d tucked into the back of hers. “I brought one for you to wear too!”
She was expecting him to come back with an excuse for why he wouldn’t wear it, but he surprised her by making agive memotion and saying, “All right, hand it over.”
Her eyes searched his, narrowing slightly. “You’ll wear it?”
“You brought it for me, so of course I will.” He took the tutu from her outstretched hand and slid it on over his charcoal joggers until it rested around his waist. Drew fluffed it up before propping his hands on his hips. “How do I look?”
Bri laughed. “Like you’re ready to crush this Survivor Run.”
Today’s race was to raise support for and awareness of the Cancer Research Center in Glencrest’s main hospital. She couldn’t think of a better way to combine two of her favorite interests: philanthropy and the outdoors.
When she spotted Bastian and a slew of palace guards behind Drew, she quirked an eyebrow. “Are we going to have a whole entourage running with us?”
He shook his head. “I got them to agree to stand guard on the course every quarter mile. Only Bastian will run with us—undercover, of course.”
A voice came over the speakers saying, “Welcome, racers. This is your ten-minute warning to get to the starting line.”
“We should go,” Bri said once the announcement was over.
Drew agreed, and after a quick word with a guard, they all scattered to their positions along the road. Bri and Drew made their way to the archway where the race would start, standing in the middle of the gathered crowd.
As they waited for the race to begin, she stretched out her calves and did a standing quad stretch. Drew watched her with amusement.
