Page 38 of Royal Catch
Phillip nods once. “Our sister Silvia studied in the US. You must’ve been there quite a while to pick up the accent.”
“Mmm-hmm.” I focus on arranging my napkin in my lap and order my cheeks to stop flushing hot. This is the first time I’ve had to answer so many direct questions about Polly.
The door to the dining room opens. Saved! The arrival of not one, not two, butthreehandsome princes is a welcome sight. They’re dressed similarly in button-down shirts and tailored pants, all of them with the same thick dark brown hair and tall muscular build. One has a neatly trimmed beard; the other two have sexy scruff.
“There’s the royal bachelor, star of the Rourke reality show!” the one with the beard exclaims, pointing at Gabriel. He holds a pretend microphone out to him. “Who will you choose, Polly or Francesca?”
Gabriel glares at him. “Idiot. That was supposed to be a secret. Luckily for you, Polly already knows. Donotmention anything about the reality show in front of Francesca. She’s due any moment.”
Beard man grins down at me, completely unrepentant. His eyes match Gabriel’s aquamarine color. “Sorry and hello, Princess Polly. I’m Lucas.” He shakes my hand and turns to Gabriel. “We all watched the show earlier when we visited Father. They forgot to have a rose ceremony, though.”
“Enough,” Gabriel says.
Lucas salutes him and turns to me, hitching a thumb toward his newly arrived brothers. “The ugly one is Oscar; the crafty one is Adrian.”
Oscar flashes a smile, and he’s stunningly gorgeous. Honestly, if I were picking, I’d say he should be called the royal hottie in the press. Gabriel is obviously the most gorgeous, but he’s above all that kind of nonsense.
Oscar takes my hand and kisses the back of it. His aquamarine eyes are warm on mine. “I can only hope one day to transform from ugly duckling into a swan. So nice to meet you, Polly.”
I actually blush. “Thank you. You too.”
Adrian greets me warmly—hazel eyes on that one—before taking the seat next to Emma.
I turn to Gabriel and whisper, “Why did he call Adrian crafty?”
“He’s a card shark.”
“Ah.”
“Silvia just arrived,” Lucas tells Gabriel. “She went straight to Father.” That’s his youngest sister, Adrian’s twin.
Gabriel inclines his head.
“That’s everyone, right?” I ask Gabriel. “Where’s Francesca?”
“I don’t know.” Gabriel signals to a servant to check on her.
An uneasy feeling goes through me. What if she bailed? Or fell ill? I don’t think I can be the sole focus of five princes and a princess without slipping up somewhere.
Lucas grins at Gabriel, his teeth a flash of white against his dark beard. “I can’t believe you of all people went along with this competition. Temporary insanity? It’s the only reasonable explanation.”
“It was the least I could do for our father given his condition,” Gabriel says.
“I thought we weren’t to speak of it to outsiders,” Emma whispers.
All eyes turn to me. I look to Gabriel.
Gabriel exhales sharply. “I’ve shared with Polly because she’s going through something similar with her father.”
His siblings offer quiet sympathy to me. I nod, blinking rapidly as I think of Mike.
Gabriel continues. “This competition has brought him some happiness in his last days. I’m sorry I shielded you from that truth. He doesn’t have much longer.”
Suddenly the importance of Gabriel choosing the right bride hits me. I knew his father was in bad shape, but I hadn’t realized he was in his last days. No wonder they had this crazy competition, narrowing us down within a week. He must choose Francesca. Bile rises in my throat. I knew he’d marry another, but the reality of it so soon is hard to stomach.
“What?” Lucas exclaims. “I visited with him earlier, and he didn’t say a word about it. In fact, he was joking with me.”
“He shields you as well,” Gabriel says. “He wants you to enjoy your life. I want you to have a chance to say goodbye.”
