Chapter Sixteen

Good Morning, You Made a Terrible Mistake

Eyes closed, Lorena woke warm and happy, the comfort left over from the most euphoric dream. Rose had come to her in the dark after the ball, and they’d…well, they’d made good use of the night. It had felt so real; Lorena’s muscles even ached. She snuggled into the heated full-body pillow she was wrapped around.

The pillow snuggled her back.

Wait.

A soft arm wrapped around her. Long legs tangled in hers. Cinnamon in the air.

Lorena opened her eyes.

She was entangled with Rose for real, both of them naked. Blonde hair sprawled over her pillows. She stiffened. Shit. It wasn’t a dream.

Rose nuzzled her neck with a happy, sleepy sigh. “Morning,” she mumbled.

Lorena couldn’t respond. She’d slept with her client. Her beautiful, charming, talented-with-her-mouth-and-hands… This isn’t helping. A client is a client. She’d broken the rules of professionalism. Crossed her own boundaries. How was she going to recover from this?

But did she even want to?

Natascha was right; Rose is a fabulous lover. The thought betrayed her. And what Rose had confessed last night after her apology: I think I’m falling in love with you. No one had ever claimed to love Lorena, and she found it hard to believe now. Rose meant it, sure, but that didn’t make it real. Love was something Lorena found for others; she didn’t get it herself.

But damn, had that been great sex.

Lorena took a deep breath to steady herself. She needed to come up with a plan. Something to get her back on track. A plan, a plan, a plan. Think, think, think. But she was surrounded by cinnamon and heat and Rose, and she didn’t really want to let go, not yet. So she closed her eyes and settled in for a moment. I can have this moment.

Someone rapped on the suite door.

Lorena jerked upright, pulse hammering.

Rose clapped her hands over her mouth. “Shite!” she whispered.

“Uh, coming!” Lorena called as she threw herself out of bed. To Rose she hissed, “Get dressed!”

Rose hissed back, “Aye, that’ll go over well! I happened to be here?”

“No, I’ll get rid of them.” Lorena scrambled to find her pajamas. Pants in the laundry basket. She tugged them on. Shirt, shirt…

The visitor knocked again. “Lorena, I’m waiting!”

Queen Catriona herself.

And Rose was nude in Lorena’s bed.

“Coming!” Lorena shouted. Shirt…there! She tugged it on—no bra, oh well—and threw Rose’s dressing gown at her. “Put this on right now!”

Rose yanked it on over her head. “Go answer the door!”

“You’re naked!”

“Now I’m not!” Rose shooed her. “Go!”

“Lorena!” called the queen.

Lorena rushed to the suite door and cracked it open. She curtsied. “Uh, Your Majesty, how can I help you this morning?”

“I would’ve preferred a prompt answer, but that’s neither here nor there. I wanted to discuss Rosamund and Lady Grainne.”

She couldn’t let the queen in; Rose was still hiding in the bedroom. How to get the queen out of here so Rose could escape? “Uh, yes! Let’s walk.”

Catriona raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t going to invite me in?”

Lorena glanced around her immaculate suite. Not a binder out of place. “Um, it’s…a little messy in here. I worked late. Better to stroll.”

Catriona sniffed. “Fine. You might want to fix your shirt first.”

Lorena looked down. Her pajama shirt was on backward. Great. “Sorry. One second.” She closed the door, raced to the bedroom, pulled on a dress, and made a face at Rose, who hadn’t warned her about the shirt. Rose stuck her tongue out in response.

“Count to one hundred,” she whispered to Rose, “and then run.”

Lorena reopened the suite door only as far as she needed to squeeze through and shut it behind her. “Anyway, yes, let’s discuss.” She gestured down the hall, and the queen began to walk. And Lorena hoped Rose would have the good sense to at least count to fifty before escaping.

“Rosamund and Lady Grainne seemed to get on well at the charity fundraiser ball,” Catriona said. “I saw them dance together, and Rosamund was all smiles. And Lady Grainne has a pristine reputation. She would make a picture-perfect addition to the royal family.”

Unlike a foreign matchmaker nobody. Lorena tugged on the hem of her dress. “Yes, they’re getting along well. However, we can’t put all our eggs in one basket. I have five dates lined up for her this week, and only one of those is with Lady Grainne.” Seeing Rose with any of them would twist her up inside, but Lorena had a job to do, and Rose had a duty to her country.

“Five, you say?”

Behind them, the suite door creaked open. Rose tiptoed out into the hallway.

Catriona turned toward the sound.

Lorena loudly continued, “Five! She’ll be busy, I know, but—”

Catriona turned to Lorena, missing Rose entirely. The princess padded away to safety, and Lorena relaxed.

“—she’ll do great. I know she will.”

The queen made a noncommittal sound. “I don’t know that I share your confidence, but she will see it through. Whatever you need her to do, she’ll do. I’ll ensure that.”

Lorena wasn’t sure she wanted to know exactly what that meant, and she was even less sure the queen’s methods would work with Rose. Now that they’d slept together, Rose would likely become more determined to focus her love efforts on Lorena instead of the suitors. And that was just the first reason last night had been a massive mistake.

Love, Lorena was relying on her making this match. She couldn’t fail such a visible client. The queen could—and would—make or break her entire career. Her business wouldn’t survive a failure at this level. She’d taken on the challenge, knowing how difficult it would be, but not that she would fall for the princess herself.

Sleeping with Rose had been unprofessional, but confessing she had any feelings for her at all was worse. She should’ve kept her growing emotions on the down-low. Natascha had encouraged her to take advantage of Rose’s experience, but she hadn’t known the full story. How Rose had flirted from day one. How Rose had confided in Lorena regularly. How Lorena had been fantasizing about her, and how those kisses (and more) were fantasies come to life. What did it say about Lorena that she’d allowed this to happen?

Lorena tuned back in to Catriona. The queen was talking about Grainne, listing out all her attributes, good and bad, but it was all already in Lorena’s Suitors binder. Nothing new.

They stopped at the end of the hall and returned. Rose waited by Lorena’s door, now dressed for the day in a navy dress with coral jewelry. Her damp blonde hair was freshly showered and brushed smooth, and she smelled of heather soap. Lorena struggled to keep her expression neutral, not to give anything away. Catriona couldn’t tell…right?

“Morning, Lorena. I wanted to talk to you about the date tonight.” Rose glanced at her mother. “Are you done, Mum?”

Catriona nodded and dismissed Lorena with a wave of her hand. She disappeared down the hall, and when she was out of hearing range, Rose grinned.

“Bet she doesn’t suspect a thing.”

Lorena swallowed. “About that…”

“I really do want to discuss that date. As in, can we cancel it? I’d rather spend the day with you again, like we did for our fake date.”

“Shh!” Lorena guided Rose by the elbow into the suite and shut the door behind them. “Anybody could’ve heard you out there, you know.”

“Och, right. Sorry. You’re not ready.” Rose took her hand. “It can be a secret date. I’m okay with that, for now.”

“No, that’s not it.” Lorena pulled away. “I can’t go out with you. Period.”

Rose crinkled her nose. “Why not?”

Lorena stared at her in disbelief. “Because I’m your matchmaker. I was hired to make you a match.”

“And you did. It was you. Good job!”

“No, I didn’t! I’m not!” Lorena’s voice was rising. She forced herself to quiet down. “My job is riding on me finding someone your mom approves of. My career, my business, it’s all on the line here. So no, this can’t happen.”

“It already happened.”

“It was highly unprofessional of me.”

Rose snorted. “Maybe you’ve picked up on the fact that I like when you get unprofessional?”

Lorena’s cheeks warmed. “Yes, clearly. But it can’t be anything serious. It’s just a little fun.” She had feelings for Rose, sure, but she could quite efficiently stuff them down into the basement of her soul until this month was over and she was safely home in Virginia. She could—and would—survive without a serious relationship with the Ìovorian crown princess.

That was all it had been, after all. A little fun. It hadn’t meant anything, no matter what Rose thought she felt. No matter how Lorena’s stomach sank at the thought of being a fling.

“Lorena.”

She started.

“This isn’t just a little fun.”

“Well, I’m saying it is. Feel free to leave if you’re not happy with what I’m offering. Door’s that way.” It came out curt. That was the only way Lorena could push Rose away.

Rose huffed. “Fine. You want me to go on the date tonight? I’ll go. But you’ll regret it.” She stormed out of the suite.

Lorena rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to regret doing my job,” she muttered.

After all, her business was everything to her.

Wasn’t it?

*

ROSE: What do you know about Lady Maeve Thomson?

FELLOW INMATE: The Countess of Blairhill? Why?

ROSE: She’s my date tonight.

FELLOW INMATE: She’s vegan, or at least she always eats the vegan meal.

FELLOW INMATE: Big on manners. Don’t be rude.

FELLOW INMATE: Likes musical theatre and fashion.

ROSE: Good to know. Thanks!

Rose flipped her phone over on her vanity and walked into her closet. Out of the depths, she pulled a ragged pair of jeans and a tee that hadn’t fit for ten years. Smiling, she slipped out of her fine dress and changed into the clothes that looked like utter flaming garbage in comparison. Some stellar fashion right there. We’re here to make eyes bleed. Even the well-trained Alistair did a double take when she walked out of her room.

As the car pulled out of the garage, she sent another text, this one to her matchmaker.

ROSE: On my way to the restaurant. Hope you’re happy 🙃

Lorena didn’t respond, but it didn’t bother Rose too much. I’ll get a response one way or another by the end of the night.

The car parked outside the restaurant; Rose finger-waved goodbye to her chauffeur in the rearview mirror. A few citizens walking by saw her, and she took her time with selfies and autographs. The longer it takes, the better. Finally, she sauntered inside, and the host led her to a private room where a proper young lady sat at a table alone. Her brown-gold hair was cut in a sleek bob, and her black off-the-shoulder gown was all kinds of classy. Too bad Rose wasn’t here for any of that.

The woman stood and curtsied. “I’m Lady Maeve. Pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”

Rose popped her gum and slung herself into the opposite chair with a wink. “How’s it hangin’?”

Maeve blinked twice before sinking into her chair. “How’s your day been?”

“Absolute balls, but you know. It be like that sometimes.” Rose shrugged and, though it killed her to be rude, didn’t ask the same question in return. “I need some foooood.” She considered snapping her fingers at the employees, but she couldn’t do it. Couldn’t be rude to customer service workers, even on her worst behavior. So she waited for the server to return, inspected her fingernails, chomped on her gum, and ignored her guest.

When the waiter arrived to take their orders, Maeve requested a seasonal salad. “No chicken, please. I’m vegan.”

“Can I get a steak?” Rose asked him. “Medium rare, please.”

Maeve blanched. “That was a living animal.”

Pop. “Yup. And it’s gonna keep me alive. Circle of life, babe.”

But Maeve rallied her spirits. “So, tell me about yourself. I don’t put any stock in tabloids, and I’m afraid I don’t know much about you other than hearsay.”

Rose didn’t bat an eye, even though it was nice to hear. “I like to party, have a good time. The tabloids might exaggerate, but they don’t get it completely wrong.”

Maeve crinkled her nose. “I find it highly unlikely a woman of your position gets up to the kind of chaos they accuse you of.”

“Och, I’m a woman of many positions, if you catch my drift.” Rose made a crass gesture, and Maeve’s eyes flared.

The waiter returned with their food. Rose spat her gum onto the edge of her plate and sliced into her steak with zeal as Maeve forked her salad. Rose savored each bite, making a show of it, and let out a loud belch at the end of the meal.

Although Maeve frowned, she didn’t give up. “Have you seen any plays lately? Àverness’s theatre scene is second to none.”

Rose loved theatre, but she couldn’t bond with Maeve. She was here to make a point. “Nah. Theatre’s for nerds.”

Maeve set her utensils on her dish. “Well. Not that this hasn’t been…an experience…but I have an early morning tomorrow. So I’d better be going.”

Politeness dictated Rose offer to walk her to the car, so of course she couldn’t do that. Instead, she threw up a V for Victory sign. “See you around, then.”

Maeve pressed her lips together, tucked her purse over her shoulder, and left.

Rose let out a long breath. Done. That had been surprisingly difficult, but she’d survived. She paid the tab and went out to her chauffeur. Halfway to the palace, her phone rang. Lorena. She picked up with a smile. “Love, how are y—?”

“You won’t believe what I heard about you.” Lorena sounded pleasant. Too pleasant. Scary pleasant. “I certainly didn’t believe it. After all, what could possibly possess someone to treat a person like that?”

Rose didn’t feign innocence. “I told you this date was a mistake.”

“I believe your exact words were that I’d regret it,” Lorena said. “And believe me, I do.”

Rose had expected to feel satisfied, but shame burned her face.

“I truly didn’t think you could be so rude. Even after Lochlan, I thought, ‘No, she doesn’t have it in her.’ But no, you proved me wrong.”

Rose had never felt so small, not even in the face of her mother’s lectures. “I didn’t mean—”

“Yes, you did. You knew exactly what you were doing, and right now, I’m embarrassed to have recommended you to anyone at all, much less a fine lady like Maeve Thomson.”

Rose’s phone beeped with an incoming text.

“I’ve sent you Maeve’s phone number because I think it’s safe to assume she didn’t give it to you.”

Nope, definitely not.

“You will call her and apologize.”

Rose winced. “I don’t think she’d pick up, honestly.”

“Then you leave a message.” Lorena’s voice still dripped with sugary venom. “You acted like a jackass tonight, and you know it. She deserves better.”

She did. That was the worst part. Maeve had done nothing to deserve Ìovoria’s shittiest date; she’d simply been caught in the middle of a fight she didn’t even know was happening. “Fine.”

“Good.” Lorena sighed, and it was such an exhausted sound Rose wanted the ground to swallow her up, car and all. “Rose. Why?” Lorena’s voice was so quiet. So hurt. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Rose swallowed the growing lump in her throat. “This could really be something. You and me. But you won’t even go on a date with me.”

“Rose, you haven’t thought about what this means for me. For my life, my career.”

“We have something special, and you know it.”

“We do,” Lorena admitted, but there was no victory in it. “But have you thought about what dating you means for me? Because it’s not just dating you.”

Responsibility. Paparazzi. Rules. Everything that came along with a relationship with royalty. Everything that had scared off Jamie, once upon a time.

*

THE GLENLOCH DAILY NEWS

ROWDY ROSAMUND GOES ON A HOT DATE

What a catch! Rowdy Rosamund went out with Lady Jamie Breathnach, countess of Glenloch, for a ride in the Highlands, followed by a leisurely picnic. In the photo below, the two young lovers share a fiery kiss on the gingham blanket. Lady Jamie must have hopes for joining the royal family, and Rosamund will certainly make it easy for her to achieve those ambitions.

*

“I can’t do this.” Jamie Breathnach, countess of Glenloch, held the offending newspaper in one shaking hand. She stood in Rose’s suite, both girls seventeen, the morning sun shining too brightly through the window.

Young Rose reached for her.

Jamie pulled away.

Rose had never envisioned herself begging, but she almost dropped to her knees. “Please. Come on. It’s not that big a deal.”

“Not that big…?” Jamie shook the paper in her face. “They all but called me a whore for the crown! And that stupid nickname for you—”

Rose winced. “It’s fine. They just don’t know us.”

“I don’t want them to know me!” Jamie’s eyes were wide, her chest heaving. “And the responsibilities of being a royal, oh my God, I can’t even wrap my head around it all. I wasn’t prepared for all this. I thought…” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not ready.”

“Oh—okay.” Rose bobbled her head in something resembling a nod. “Okay, that’s okay. I can wait—”

“No, you don’t understand.” Jamie’s voice cracked. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.”

A lump grew in Rose’s throat. She struggled to come up with something gracious to say, something princesslike, something her mum would be proud of. Instead, what came out was a broken “Please. Don’t leave me alone in this.”

Shaking her head, Jamie backed out the door, then broke into a run down the corridor. Rose’s eyes burned, and she pressed the heels of her hands into them with a wrecked sob. Her stupid position ruined everything.

*

She’d been seventeen. Sensitive, unvarnished. But she hadn’t been wrong. Part of the requirements for being a princess—now crown princess—was putting up with the publicity and the responsibilities and, yes, the name-calling and the loneliness. These had haunted her since she was a child, and they’d haunt whomever she ended up with.

Was it too much to ask Lorena to take that on?

“Are you still there?” Lorena asked over the phone.

Rose started. “Aye. Sorry. I was thinking.”

“Thinking is good. Call Lady Maeve. I doubt she’ll give you another chance, but it’s the right thing to do either way.” Lorena sighed again, and Rose pictured her pinching the bridge of her nose under her glasses. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Rose looked out the car window. “I’m almost home. Will you come see me when I get there?”

“Maybe.”

Why did that sound like a no? Rose took the optimistic view. “Okay. See you soon.”

Another noncommittal noise, and Lorena ended the call.

Rose bit her lip and dialed Maeve’s number. As expected, straight to voicemail. “Erm, hi, Lady Maeve, this is Princess Rosamund. I wanted to apologize for tonight. I acted like an arse. I…had other things on my mind, and I didn’t give you a chance. Ruined both our nights. Anyway, I’m not asking for a do-over. Simply hoping to repair the relationship. This is my private mobile, if you want to ring me. I understand if you don’t. Erm, have a good night, or try to, given I acted like a prick. G’night.” She hung up, not expecting to hear from Maeve ever again.

ROSE: Called her and left a voicemail.

LORENA: Thank you.

The car pulled into the palace garage, and Rose made her way down the corridors, hoping she’d find Lorena waiting for her. But Lorena was nowhere to be found. And she didn’t answer Rose’s knock on the suite door, so Rose trudged to her room and cuddled Iver, who licked her cheek.

She’d fucked up. She needed to talk to someone, but whom? Lorena was upset with her. Her mum would lecture her. Her brother used to be her confidant, once upon a time, before he abandoned her to play with horses.

ROSE: Are you free tomorrow?

FELLOW INMATE: I have dressage practice in the morning, but my afternoon is open as early as noon. Why?

ROSE: Can I visit? Or call?

FELLOW INMATE: Come visit! I haven’t seen you in forever.

ROSE: See you at noon, then.

It would be good to see Callum again. He’d disappeared to the countryside before she’d returned home at the news of his abdication, and he hadn’t visited the palace since. With any luck, he’d have good advice about how to handle the delicate situation with Lorena.

Rose snuggled Iver. “Do you wanna go to the summer home tomorrow? Hmm? Will you be a good boy if I take you for a drive?”

His head popped up with interest at the word “drive.” He loved going for rides in the car.

“Of course, you will,” she cooed. “You’re such a good boy. Yes, you are.”

He wagged his tail as if to say yes, I am.

No matter how she fucked up, whom she offended, at least she always had Iver.