Page 34 of Royal Charmer
Thor is sitting adjacent to us, the perfect chaperone to the fake couple. Hercules is in the front passenger seat with the driver. Lucas pulls out his phone, texting rapidly, probably reporting back to Anna and Gabriel about his dinner meeting. Finally, he tucks the phone away, lets out a long low breath, and stretches out his legs.
“So, how did the business part go?” I ask in an attempt to move past my irritation. The business dinner was the main reason for our fake engagement, after all.
His lips press into a flat line. “Fine. It would’ve been better if you were there.”
“Iwasthere,” I say through my teeth.
“Barely.” There’s an edge to his voice that puts me even more on edge.
“You’re mad at me for being late? I did the best I could in an impossible situation, and guess what, Mr. Charming? I’m mad atyoufor treating me like I was completely invisible while that woman was all over you. And you didn’t even come to my defense when she insulted me!”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Here we are, fighting like a real engaged couple. I get all the hassle and none of the benefits.”
My head rears back. “Excuse me? I thought I did a pretty good job talking to Celeste, which is not easy for me with someone I just met. Newsflash, I’m an introvert. And I took the time to sign a gazillion books, each with a different inscription, so she and her friends would feel special. So don’t tell me you don’t get benefits!”
He arches a brow.
I gasp, realization hitting me. He means the other kind of benefits. “Gah! Men are pigs. Clueless pigs.”
He studies me for a long moment. “You prefer fictional men to the real thing, don’t you?”
Yes!I cross my arms.“Sometimes I do.”
Silence falls. An uncomfortable, awkward silence.
Finally, Lucas speaks. “I was out of line. You did the best you could to get here. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I say as graciously as I can, given he hasn’t acknowledged the invisible wallpaper thing.
“Are you still mad?”
“No.”Extremely irritated but not mad.
He blows out a breath. “Don’t give Bella another thought. I would’ve been with her by now if I wanted her. We go to a lot of the same parties.”
I cross my legs primly. “Isn’t that good to hear?”
He chuckles and tugs a lock of my hair. “Don’t be jealous.”
“I’m not.”
“Hey, the meeting went well. Jules told me to bring the paperwork on Monday morning to the bank. I think I got it.”
“Really?”
He flashes a smile so big I find myself smiling back. “Yes. And even though you weren’t here as early as I would’ve liked, it was your belief in me that gave me a boost, so thank you for that too.”
“Of course!” I know how much he wanted this. I’m so happy for him I want to reach out and hug him. At the last minute I remember myself and just wave my hands in the air. We’re not playing the engagement game here in the privacy of the limo, so I’m not supposed to touch. “Yay! What were his exact words?”
He pinches my chin. “They were in French, but it was an implied likely.”
“That’s great. I’m so thrilled for you.” And I truly am. Bella really got my back up, but if I’m being honest, it was Lucas’s reaction to her that triggered my own insecurities. I shouldn’t have been so upset. Lucas is my friend.
I relax, leaning my head back against the headrest. “You shocked me when you switched to French. I didn’t know you spoke it.”
“Our family is all bilingual because the ruling power must be in touch with its people. A lot of the islanders speak both English and French since England controlled the island and more recently France. Plus France is close by.”
“Is English your first language? You’re very good at it.”
