She glanced around to see Stephen striding, so confidently, toward her.
Balancing the roses, she adjusted her grip on the plastic bags. “I said yes, didn’t I?” She pushed the elevator button, her heart beating with a thousand emotions.
At her apartment, Corina invited the men in, pointing them toward the bedrooms down the short, dark hall, feeling sure she’d lose the grip on the flowers. “There are fresh towels in the bathroom linen closet.” She exhaled when she set her packages on the kitchen island.
“Corina, the Crown thanks you,” Thomas said, his bass voice resonating sincerity. “We’ll reimburse you for any expenses—”
“Please, expenses.” She dug a bag of peanut M&Ms from a Publix bag. “You mean the whopping five dollars I paid for these?”
“Those are my favorite,” Stephen said with a casual, flip air that didn’t sound at all like him. “I might as well give you five quid now.”
She didn’t laugh. Only because she wasn’t sure what he was doing. Humor? Deflection? Embarrassment?
He glared back at her. “Just a joke, Core.”
Core.He’d used the pet name on their second date. After a semester of enduring Stephen’s flirting three times a week during a leadership course—had there been an inkwell on his desk, her hair would’ve been in it—they were at once friends. Companions. As if they’d grown up as the boy and girl next door. Everything was easy. Conversation. Laughter. Even the moments of silence.
“You can help yourself to anything. Forfree.” Because that had always been the Del Rey kitchen policy.
While Stephen and Thomas set up in the guest room, Corina emptied the Publix bags, arranging the Oreos, M&Ms, grapes, cherries, and apples with caramel on the kitchen island. Then she shoved the water and Diet Coke into the refrigerator.
In her bedroom, she changed into shorts and a top. Only now did she realize how subliminal it had been for her to choose peanut M&Ms. Plain were her favorite. But peanut were Stephen’s.
She’d hardly considered her action as she strolled through Publix.
During their honeymoon month, Stephen had eaten peanut M&Ms by the gallon. Or so it seemed.
“I might not get any more until I come home.”
“Darling, I’ll send you a bag every week.”
“Promise?” His kiss tasted like chocolate.
“Promise.”
She kept her promise. Stopping by the sweet shop every week for a large bag of peanut M&Ms, then heading straight to the post office. Her routine became so regular after a while that the post mistress had the shipping box addressed and ready to go before Corina arrived.
She returned to the kitchen–living room the same time as Stephen. A block of wind hammered the penthouse as Corina poured the M&Ms into a crystal dish.
“I remember how you sent me a box of peanut M&Ms every week.”
“Yeah, so I did.”
Stephen tossed a few of the candies in his mouth, seeming lost, uncomfortable. “Oh yes, Thomas is catching a quick wink.”
“He can sleep through the wind hitting the condo?”
“He was Special Forces in Afghanistan. He can sleep through rockets, mortar rounds, explosions. I’ve seen him sleep at attention.”
“Isn’t he blessed.”
Their eyes met, and Stephen’s demeanor was humble and contrite. “Thank you for letting us come.”
“Have you thought more of my request?” She set out a cutting board and rinsed the apples, his presence soaking into her reality.
She wasmarried. At the moment.To him. Where did a girl go after marrying a prince? After saying “I do” to the love of her life?
A bang resounded from the balcony door. Corina leaned away from the sink to see the Adirondack smashed up against the glass. “Rats. I forgot to bring in the balcony furniture.”
