Page 148 of Tall, Royal and Grumpy

It didn’t exactly get any easier after that. It was painful actually, only having a few days together and then being torn apart again. But having no other choice, Kai and I learnt to adjust to the workings of a long-distance relationship. Constantly being in contact, figuring out phone sex, and looking forward to the days we could be together made being apart slightly more bearable.

We learnt to appreciate the time we had with each other too. Even if it was only two visits and one international animal welfare event in the six months after his first visit to Jahandar.

It helped that my relationship with Kareem improved significantly. We started movie nights once a week. Awkward as fuck at first, but at some point, we began sharing a sofa and a bowl of popcorn.

We had dinner together every night too, where we talked about things other than work, and laughter became a common sound in the dining hall. He asked me regularly about Kai, though I never once told him I knew he dropped Kai the occasional message.

Otherwise, the only other person the entire Jahmal Palace was missing was Mama Katiya.

It took four months for all of us, including Shehryar, to convince my long-distance-relationship mentor to go live with Prince Arsh in Touma. Mama Katiya had been reluctant to leave Shehryar, me, and her work behind. But when we found a brilliant new hire, Mona, Mama Katiya packed her bags and left to be with her man. Although I suggested he go with her, Shehryar outright refused to resign from his role as my private secretary and I didn’t dare bring it up again.

I had to admit, as much as I’d been happy for Mama Katiya, it sucked big time that I couldn’t just pack my bags and go live with Kai or vice versa the way she had.

That being said, nine months passed by quicker than I expected, and November came around bringing with it cooler weather. And Kai’s thirtieth birthday.

Except, guilt was eating me alive.

“Are you sure it wasn’t wrong of me to tell him I wasn’t going to make his birthday?” I asked Mariyah as she turned the page of her book, reclining in the seat opposite me.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if he knew you were coming, would it?” she said without lifting a lash.

I flicked nervously at my nail. “But he was really upset on the phone…”

Kai and I had been planning my trip to Touma for his birthday since he visited me in Jahandar in May. He extended the invite to Mariyah so I could spend some time with her there too. But two weeks ago, Prince Arsh had called and asked me to tell Kai I could no longer come until after his birthday, so they could surprise him on the morning of his birthday with my arrival.

I hadn’t slept properly since, because all I could hear was his upset “You can’t come?” in my head day and night and it was killing me. Even though it was a lie, and Mariyah, Shehryar and I were on a private state plane, just over an hour away from landing in Touma.

Mariyah closed her book with a set of fingers marking her page and shuffled in the cream leather seat. Her blue eyes were soft, and her blonde hair was plaited into two boxer braids.

“When he sees you there, he’ll be so happy that he’ll completely forget why he was upset in the first place,” she said, then smirked. “Plus, I’m sure there are other ways you could convince him not to be upset with you too. Ya get what I’m saying, Princess?”

My cheeks smarted. She knew about the toys and handcuffs I had packed in my suitcase.

“I didn’t need to hear that.”

I grimaced at the discomfort in Shehryar’s voice. I’d momentarily forgotten he was scrolling through his laptop in the seat on the other side of the aisle.

Mariyah scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Then go somewhere else.”

Shehryar’s jaw tightened. “We’re on a plane. There isn’t anywhere else for me to go.”

I let out a heavy sigh, but neither of them seemed to notice. Why would they though? They were so enamoured with each other that when they argued the entire world disappeared around them.

“You could jump out of the plane,” my best friend snarked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

“Ladies first.”

“Then please, by all means, step up first. Because the peanut-sized knob between your legs doesn’t count as a dick.”

“O—kay!” I quickly interrupted as Shehryar’s expression turned thunderous. “That’s enough. Please.” Mariyah lost her defensive posture. “The moment we got on this plane, you two have been at each other’s throats. Did something happen? You two are never normally this bad.”

They looked away like scolded teenagers, refusing to answer. Clearly, something had happened.

I shook my head tiredly. “Whatever it was, can you forget about it for the next twelve days, please? I want to spend time with Kai and have fun with all of us there. That isn’t going to happen if you two won’t stop bickering.” I searched their turned away expressions. “Please. For me.”

“Okay. Fine,” Mariyah grumbled, her eyes lifting to me apologetically.

“Thank you.” I smiled at her and looked to Shehryar. “Sher?”

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