Page 24 of The Prince and His Stolen Groom
Madame gave me an appraising look before she said, “Sometimes people like to buy gifts without being obvious. So much easier if I already have the information.”
Kit perked up. “Do you have Princess Francesca’s measurements?”
Madame’s eyelashes fluttered furiously and she looked between Kit and I oddly. “Theprincess’?” she repeated carefully.
Out of Kit’s view, I shrugged and waved my hand, showing her it didn’t bother me at all.
“Yes, of course I have the princess’ measurements! Are you buying her a birthday present?”
“Wedding gift.”
I had to applaud Kit for sticking to their role so well. “This is Prince Brandan of Bane,” I explained, “Francesca’s fiancé.”
“It’s Brendon, actually,” Kit corrected.
Dammit, what did I say?
Madame laughed off her confusion. “An absolute pleasure to meet you, my dear! I’d love to help you select a wedding gift. But first, measurements!” She ushered Kit to the back of the shop, ignoring all their protests. “You’ll need to take the armor off, of course.”
Kit froze and although Madame was taller than them, they had more heft, forcing her to stop in place. “I can’t be seen before the wedding.”
Madame looked back at me with wide eyes, clearly broadcasting:Frederick Woeful, what kind of oddity have you brought into my shop?
I shrugged unrepentantly.
“That’s fine, dear,” she said through clenched teeth. “My tools will find a way.” She ushered Kit behind a curtained area, set her enchanted measuring tape into motion with a flick of her wrist, and then hustled back to me.
“Frederick Woeful, what kind of miserable creature have you brought into my shop?”
I’d almost deciphered her look correctly, I just hadn’t realized she’d be so upset about it. Despite ruining my plans, Kit wasn’t so bad. “Sorry, Madame, I know he’s odd.”
She harrumphed and crossed her arms, leaning one hip against the counter. “Is there a reason you brought him here to be measured? I assume you weren’t shopping for yourself, since there would be no reason to drag him along if that was the case.”
“The clothes are for someone else,” I explained, “they just happen to be the same size.”
“Ahh.” She drew the sound out for far longer than necessary. Her eyes softened and she patted my cheek. “Good, for a moment there, I was worried you had fallen in love with your sister’s fiancé. I like you, Rick. I’d hate for you to break your own heart.”
Kit and I spent a good hour picking out clothes. They refused to let me see the designs they had chosen for Francesca, which needed to be custom made. I wondered how Brendon would feel about his stand-in buying so many gifts for his fiancée, but I couldn’t say anything. I selected some readymade clothes in earth tones I thought would suitBrendon and Madame’s enchanted needles tailored them to fit Kit’s measurements. All the while she murmured bullshit like “this will compliment your eyes,” knowing I wouldn’t be the one wearing them.
We walked back to the castle, my arms overloaded with books and clothes. My hand throbbed, but if I clenched my teeth, I almost forgot about it.
“Are you alright?” Kit asked, slowing their steps.
How many damn times were people going to ask me that? “I’m fine.”
“You’re sweating.”
“This is heavy.”
Kit continued to watch me uncertainly until we reached the castle. I wanted to dump them onto someone else, but I still had half their books in my arms, so I had to follow them all the way to their room. “Thank you for letting me come with you today,” they said when we arrived at their door. “I know you don’t like me.” They handed their armload of books to the attendant.
“It’s not that I don’t like you,” I muttered as Kit took the books from my arms, “I just don’t know who youare.”
Kit looked me in the eye for a long moment before saying, “I think you know me better than you’ll admit.”
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
They excused themselves and closed the door in my face. The attendant let me gawk after them for a few minutes before clearing their throat pointedly and raising their eyebrows at me in a polite-rude-way of asking me to leave or state my business.
