“Long-range lenses will still capture the future queen in her swimwear.”
“Perhaps, but I’m taking a swim regardless, though I wish we could find a way to go to the beach. How often will we get a chance to swim in the Pacific?”
“Royals don’t often get that chance to be that free.”
“I wonder…”
When he didn’t continue, Rebecca tugged at his tie. “Wonder what?”
A devious smile spread across his face. “Nothing, merely an idea. I’ll tell you more if I can pull it off.”
Just what was her husband up to?
fourteen
REBECCA
A few weeks later
Rebecca looked through the portfolio of the man she was meeting—a potential stylist. Though she’d told Mara ages ago to consider all genders in their search for a stylist, she had to admit she didn’t think they’d find a man with the right aesthetic for her style or, really, the style she needed and wanted to have as the future queen.
Yet, as soon as she saw Mason’s portfolio, she immediately connected with it more than any other that had been submitted. It would be unusual to have a male stylist, but she was sure she could pull it off. This meeting would also help determine if they could work well together; having talent was one thing, but working for and with the royal family required a certain level of grace and diplomacy.
Mara peeked into her office. “Your Highness, your next appointment is here.”
“Show him in, thank you.”
She stood and came out from behind her desk to greet him, a warmsmile on her face. She’d purposely kept her look simple and loose today, partly because of her recent second surgery, but also because she wanted to gauge Mason’s reaction. This was how she dressed much of the time, and she needed someone who understood casual as well as fancy. Today, her wavy chestnut hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and she wore a sleeveless, knee-length navy dress. Simple though the dress was, it was still elegant, expensive, and stylish.
After he bowed, she shook his hand. “Thank you for coming, Mason. Please have a seat.”
“Something to drink?” Mara asked him.
Mason nodded. “Water would be great, thank you.”
“Of course. Ma’am?”
“Nothing for me, thanks, Mara.” Rebecca led him to a small conference table in her office and gestured for him to sit. He waited until she sat, however, before he followed her lead. “I’ve looked at the portfolio you sent, but I see you’ve brought it with you as well.”
He put the black case on the desk and unzipped it. “Yes, Your Highness. This isn’t the full portfolio as you saw online, but I pulled a few looks and ideas together specifically for you. While I don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, any of these suggestions could likely be altered for it.”
Mara brought in his water and he took a few sips while Rebecca flipped through the images, smiling at some, frowning or pausing on others. All the pages were inside sheet protectors and some featured pictures from red carpets, while others were magazine covers or interior story photos, or even professional shots.
“Hmmm. Okay, well, this gives me a lot to think about. Tell me, why did you select these particular images to show me?”
“Based on your current style, which does suit you, Your Highness, I didn’t think you’d want a complete makeover. Perhaps a gradual one, if you are looking for a new style, but you’d want to adjust slowly under the watchful eye of the press and public. I picked items or ideas that could help with that transition.”
He was sharp. “And why do think I’m looking to ‘transition’, as you put it, to a new look?”
He gave her a small smile. “That’s one of the main reasons anyone calls a new stylist, Your Highness—to get a new look and then get help to continue that look or change it as needed. As you will soon shift into a new position, this may be the time to make a change, if you wanted to do so. Of course, there are other reasons to hire a stylist. For example, someone in your position may simply want additional help in this area, and may want to outsource some of the tasks related to it.”
She nodded, but didn’t entirely agree with him. “That’s an interesting, and perhaps even an astute, observation. Tell me about this look. Why do you think it’s right for me?”
She pointed to a cover image of an actress named Larkin Montgomery on the cover of a famous magazine. She was wearing a suit of Catharine’s new peoplewear line, which featured clothes that could be worn by people of any gender. The interior article also featured another similar image of Larkin contrasted with an actor named Ashton Rhyder wearing essentially the same suit, along with others wearing a variety of clothes. This particular issue featured multiple covers of actors in a major upcoming film.
Mason gestured to the outfit. “Not that suit in particular, but you have worn pantsuits before, Your Highness, and very well.”
He went into the history of the photoshoot, though she already knew some of it as Cat had told her about it.
