“Sophie had nothing to do with this.” I rushed to defend her. “The prince just told you that Garrett Smith went through my company’s press office. Sophie has nothing to do with that.”
“She is a reporter,” retorted Aline. “Who’s to say that she didn’t take the job purely for the opportunity to set up this kind of scenario? Perhaps she colluded with that Garrett Smith to make this happen.”
I opened my mouth to further deny Sophie’s culpability, but Nicky spoke before I could.
“I hardly think that’s here or there, Aline. And to be honest, I’ve been quite impressed with Ms. Kent’s work for Kyra. She brings a fresh new angle to the role, and she’s been very loyal to both of us. There’s no need to consider ending her employment.”
Aline sniffed and pursed her lips. She couldn’t argue with the prince, but from the daggers she was shooting at me, I was certain I’d get an earful later on.
“We had only one purpose in meeting with you today.” Nicky continued speaking as though there’d been no interruption. “We thought you should be aware that the interview will be appearing in a newspaper within the next week. Since there isn’t anything you can do about that, after giving it some thought, I don’t see why this shouldn’t be treated as though it were an interview officially sanctioned by the Palace.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why on earth would we do that?”
“Because.” Nicky leaned back, tilting his head slightly. “It would allow you to save face. This is coming out, whether you like it or not. It’s up to you how the Palace reacts to it.”
A nervous tic jumped in Aline’s cheek. I wondered if she sensed how fully she had been beaten just now by the prince who sat next to me.
“Tell me this, please, sir.” Ignoring me, she leaned forward a bit. “Did you know about the interview? Before Ms. Duncan spoke with Mr. Smith? Were you aware that it was going to happen?”
Nicky didn’t blink. “What do you think, Aline? Do you truly think that Kyra doesn’t share everything with me, as I do with her? She knows that I trust her judgement. The interview was completely focused on her work with agricultural sustainability and food sourcing. She wasn’t asked anything about her personal life. Actually, I imagine the general public will find it quite boring.”
For a long stretch of silence, tension crackled in the room. Finally, Aline sat back in her chair with a long sigh.
“Fine. But if there’s any fallout from this, sir, please know that I’ve warned you. And if we’re going to behave as though we knew about the interview all along, we’ll need to see it before it goes to print.”
“You can see it, but you cannot make changes.” I spoke up at last, my voice firm. “You cannot demand that he change anything or cut it in anyway. You can see it for the purposes of promoting it.”
Aline shrugged. “Make sure it’s sent to me.”
“We’ll see to it.” Nicky stood up, pulling me with him. “Now I’m sure you have tons of work that we’ve kept you from, so we’ll say good morning and be on our way. Thank you for your gracious cooperation and understanding, Aline.” The faint tone of irony in his voice didn’t escape me, and I bit the inside of my lip to keep from snickering.
We walked back to the cottage hand-in-hand, silent. Once we were safely inside, Nicky turned to me. “Kyra, don’t ever make me lie for you again. Please. I’ll be on your side for the rest of lives. I think I’ve proven that more than once. But you have to trust me and be open with me about everything.”
I nodded, unable to speak for a moment as my throat tightened. I coughed a little. “Of course, you didn’t technically lie to Aline—”
“I bluffed and quibbled, and that is as close as I want to get.” Nicky stared down at me with a stern expression on his face. “I don’t want to be pushed into a corner where I have to choose between my love for you and my own integrity. Can you understand that?”
“Yes.” I twisted my hands together. “Nicky, I’m sorry I put you in that position. I didn’t think—well, I just didn’t think. I acted before I considered all of the ramifications.”
“Ah, Ky.” He drew me into his arms. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Not really. You’re marrying into a very complicated family that is often too much business and protocol for its own good. I’m sorry about that.” When I would have protested, he touched my lips with one finger. “I’m sorry that’s what my family is like sometimes. But I’m not sorry or selfless enough to tell you not to marry into it. You’re stuck, darling, with it and with me.”
“If I had to be stuck with someone, I would choose you every time.” I rested my cheek against his chest. “Nicky, do you really think that once the Palace sanctions the story, claims they approved it, that it will be that much of a problem for us? Will it simply fizzle out and fade away?”
He didn’t reply at first, and when he did, his words were measured. “I do. I think that by making the interview approved and official, we’ll have taken away any sense of lure. It’s the forbidden fruit that’s the sweetest, they say, isn’t it? So yes, I think it’ll fade away quickly. I believe that this story will be largely ignored and forgotten quickly. It’s really not going to be a big deal at all.”
OH, IF ONLYNICKY HADbeen right.
We had five days of relative peace, during which time Sophie walked around with an expression of pinched worry and Aline glowered every time I happened to encounter her. Nicky heard through the family grapevine that the Queen had been apprised of the situation—that the interview had taken place—but had thus far made no comment to either her son or to Nicky himself. I wondered if, like the rest of us, she was waiting to see what would happen once the story went live.
On Friday, Garrett, communicating through the Honey Bee Juices press office, let us know that the piece he’d written based on our interview had been picked up not only by his own paper but also byGreen Waves Review, which afforded me a measure of relief, as GWR was certainly a legitimate, respected outlet. They wouldn’t have run anything that was strictly a fluff piece about a girl marrying a prince.
“See?” I grinned at Nicky when I relayed that bit of news. “It’s going to a non-news story, just as you predicted. We have nothing to worry about.”
Early on the following Monday morning, Nicky’s phone rang before we were even out of bed. Frowning at the screen, he picked it up and answered.
I listened to his side of the conversation with growing dread. His responses to whomever had called were terse, his words bitten off.
When the call was ended, Nicky tossed the phone onto his nightstand and turned to me. I sat up, tugging up the sheet to cover me. This did not seem to be a conversation that was best conducted in the nude.
