Page 62 of A Royal Promise
“Of course I’m worried. There are footprints in front of your house.” He stepped into the cottage, closing the door behind him and locking it. “I’m not leaving until they find whoever was out there.” Drew moved into the living room and plopped down on the couch, patting the seat beside him. “Let’s watch a movie.”
She remained standing, crossing her arms over her chest. “You should go back to the palace, Drew. It was nothing. I overreacted.”
“I’m not leaving until I’m positive you’re safe. Nothing willeverhappen to you on my watch.”
She looked at him, searching his features. He’d been saying things like that a lot lately—and not when there were people around to hear, which had her questioning what was real and what was fake. But they were best friends, after all. Maybe he wanted nothing to happen to her for that reason alone. Maybe she was reading into everything lately.
He kicked off his shoes and rested his feet on the coffee table in front of them, settling deeper into the couch. “What movie are you feeling?”
She knew she was fighting a losing battle, so she sighed and took the seat next to him. “How aboutThe Proposal?”
Drew turned on the television and pulled up a streaming platform, scrolling until he found the movie. He clicked play and pushed up from the couch.
“Where are you going?”
He smiled at her. “We can’t have a movie night without popcorn and candy.”
Bri leaned over and grabbed the remote, pressing pause. Even if Drew would never admit it, she knew he loved this movie as much as she did. She played around on her phone until Drew came back with snacks.
When he sat back down beside her, he was closer than before, his thigh touching hers. Trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach, she grabbed a handful of perfectly buttered popcorn.
Once she finished chewing, Drew extended an open box of watermelon-flavored sour candies her way. Her eyes widened. “Do you carry my favorite candy around with you?”
“No, but I do have the palace staff put boxes of it in a secret spot only I know when they bring your weekly groceries—in case of emergencies.”
“What emergencies call for these?” She reached in and grabbed a mini watermelon, popping it into her mouth.
“Low blood sugar. Or a…candy emergency.”
“I would say tonight is a candy emergency.” She grabbed the box from him, pouring herself a handful, eating them one at a time, savoring the sour coating that morphed into a sweet watermelon flavor.
She held a piece of candy out to Drew. “You know why these taste nothing like actual watermelon?”
He smirked at her before taking it from her hands and eating it. “I don’t. Please enlighten me.”
“It’s because the chemistry of watermelon’s flavor is so complex, scientists still haven’t found individual molecules that mimic the taste of actual watermelon.”
“Huh…you learn something new every day.” He smacked his lips like he was evaluating the flavor. “I think I like the candy watermelon taste more.”
Bri deadpanned as she whirled on him. “You didnotjust disrespect my favorite fruit like that.”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean.” He raised his eyebrows before eating another piece of candy and then a whole handful of popcorn. “Can we start the movie? I’m ready for my Betty White duet.”
“Your Betty White duet?”
“The fire dancing scene.”
Bri cackled as she imagined Drew dancing between Betty White and Sandra Bullock. She hit play on the remote.
“What? You have no comment on that?”
“I have plenty of comments, but I’m saving them.” She motioned toward the television. “For now, I’m starting the movie so we can get to the scene, and I can unleash them all.”
He took a swig of water and settled back into the couch. “As you wish.”
“Now you’re quotingThe Princess Brideto me?”
Drew smirked, but his eyes remained on the screen. “I am.”
