Page 55 of Royal Charmer
“I was five and waiting my dignified turn,” Oscar shoots back.
Lucas jabs a finger at Oscar. “He couldn’t say his Rs when he was little. Every time he asked for a fork, the whole family thought he was asking for a fuck.”
“What the fork, Oscar?” Adrian quips.
“Where my fuck?” Oscar says in an innocent boyish voice. “I need my fuck.”
We all crack up. The brothers keep up their banter, ratting each other out to me with their hilarious histories. They did run wild around here. I’m laughing so much I forget to worry over the whole relationship thing. Servants arrive, presenting us with drinks, and quietly leave us to our conversation.
I’m enjoying my wine, feeling surprisingly relaxed with the royal company when a servant enters and intones, “Their Majesties, King Gabriel and Queen Anna.”
I straighten up, thinking I should stand and curtsy, but everyone else remains seated, so I just bow my head to them. Gabriel is dressed formally in a charcoal suit with tie, his jaw clenched tight, his expression grim as he walks Anna toward the head of the table, his hand on the small of her back.
“Hello, everyone,” Anna says, positively glowing. She’s dressed stylishly in a pale pink short-sleeved dress with a deep V in front and a cute bow on the side. She’s rocking the pregnancy look.
A chorus of hellos follow. She squeezes my shoulder as she passes me. “Good to see you again, Alice.”
I smile, turning to see her. “You too.” She stops short, staring at my hand tucked in Lucas’s hand, where it rests on top of his thigh. That’s where he put it. I pull my hand free and the ruby ring catches the light, glittering. I quickly tuck my hand under my leg.
Anna meets my eyes with a pleased look. She was, after all, the one who came up with the fake-engagement plan.
“You’re glowing with your pregnancy,” I say.
She rubs a hand over her large rounded belly, smiling down at it. “Thank you.”
“Gabriel, this is Alice,” Lucas says.
I turn to a glowering Gabriel towering over me, and swallow hard. I bow my head, a little shaken by Gabriel’s glower. “Nice to meet you, Your Majesty.”
“You too, Alice,” he says formally.
Something is going on with him, and I fear I’m about to witness a showdown between him and Lucas, who, as far as I know, is the one with the biggest beef with him. I look to Lucas, but his expression is impassive.
Gabriel is seated at the head of the table now, Anna next to him. The brothers are all serious and quiet. Is Gabriel a party killer? There’s a definite tension in the air. Gabriel signals for a servant, and a man rushes forward to pour water for Anna and then for him. I suspect Gabriel has ordered it this way in deference to his wife’s pregnancy. Surely, warm, friendly Anna wouldn’t have chosen to marry Gabriel if he was always glowering and intimidating, right?
Only a few moments later, two servants file into the room with platters of the first course, a cold soup.
“Hope you like gazpacho,” Anna says. “I had a craving.”
“Whatever the baby wants,” Oscar says.
Anna grins. “Careful, sometimes she wants macaroni and cheese with ketchup.”
The brothers groan in disgust. Gabriel remains silent, his gaze on me and then Lucas. He does not look happy.
I focus on my soup. I’m thinking maybe Lucas should tell Gabriel his good banker news to ratchet down the tension level in here, but I keep quiet in case Lucas is waiting for a special moment.
The table is silent as we enjoy our soup, the only sound the occasional clink of a spoon. Then Gabriel says sharply, “I heard from Jules.”
Lucas straightens, setting his spoon down. “Yes. It’s looking good. I was going to share the good news after we ate. I believe I can sign off on the loan after the site visit on Wednesday. They just want to see what we’re doing here.”
“That’s wonderful!” Anna exclaims.
“Nice work,” Oscar says. Adrian smiles and keeps eating.
Gabriel remains serious. “Lucas, you went behind my back with your ridiculous engagement idea after I specifically told you not to. Jules mentioned it, catching me off guard.”
I suck in air. I didn’t know the king was opposed to the idea. Why didn’t Lucas tell me? I never would’ve gone through with it if I knew the king was against it.
