“We miss him every day.” Beside her, Stephen stepped back, fixed on swirling the champagne in his glass but never drinking. It was this business with Carlos. Every time it came up, he changed ever so slightly.
“How do you know one another?” he said after a moment.
“Laura starred in a movie Daddy coproduced.”
“A fantastic movie and experience,” Laura said, sipping her champagne. “Love the tiara, Corina.” The actress tiptoed up for a better look. “A family heirloom? I remember your mother speaking of crown jewels from Castile, right?”
Corina made a face at Stephen.Ha!“Yes, but this one is not one of ours. It’s on loan from a friend.”
“I’m so jealous. I wanted to wear one, but Jeremiah wouldn’t let me. Something about royal protocol.” She snorted a laugh. “But really I think he’s afraid I might start to act like I’m princess because of this movie.”
“Why not?” Corina said. “My grandmother used to say every little girl should play princess now and then.”
“What’s going on over here?” Actress Martina Lord peered over Laura’s shoulder.
“Martina.” Laura looped her in a hug. “I was just telling the prince and Corina that Jer refused to let me wear a tiara tonight.”
Martina’s gaze flitted to Corina. “Well, at least Corina pulls it off well.” She offered her hand. “Good to see you.” Martina played Magdalena, warrior and first queen of Brighton Kingdom.
“You know Martina as well?” Stephen asked, sounding a bit put off.
“We met in Atlanta.” Corina kissed the lean cheek of the southern-born-and-bred actress. “I can’t wait to see your portrayal of Magdalena. What an exciting character to play.”
“I hope I did her justice.” Martina reached for a drink from the passing server. “She was quite a woman, strong in battle but fierce in love.” She held up her glass, glancing around the group. “To the royal—Wait, Your Highness, Corina, you don’t have a glass. Server, pardon me.”
Corina smiled. Martina was so deliciously and boldly southern. In short order, she had champagne in Stephen’s and Corina’s hands.
“Now, my toast. To the royal family of Brighton, the House of Stratton. May you reign another four hundred and fifty years.” She bowed to Stephen. “May you find a love as true as King Stephen I did.”
Laura raised her glass. “And to Queen Magdalena for her love, beauty, strength, and perseverance.”
Corina raised her glass with a side glance at Stephen. “To the House of Stratton,” he said, sweet, low, a bit somber.
Martina waved her hand between the two of them. “We’ve established how we know each other. How do you two know each other?”
“We met at uni.” He smiled at Corina, breaking off whatever bothered him moments ago.
“Uni?” Martina made a face. “What’s a uni?”
“University,” Corina said. “I did some postgrad work at Knoxton. We were in the same course.” She wanted to slip her arm through his, kiss his cheek, and tell him everything would be all right.
“I see. The samecourse.” Martina gave the word a flirty tone, trying to make something naughty out of it.
“A leadership class.”
“Prince Stephen, you cad.” Clive Boston, larger than life, barged into the tête-à-tête with savoir-faire and a wild mop of blond hair.
“Clive.” Stephen shook his hand. “I hear you gave a stellar portrayal of my ancestor.”
“Of course I did. It was the role of a lifetime.” His brown gaze skimmed past his costars and landed on Corina. “Corina! There you are. I hear you’ve been hunting me down.”
“With a sawed-off, double barrel.”
Clive laughed, too loud. Too much. “Clever girl. I like clever girls.”
“Are we still on for tomorrow?”
“For you, gorgeous, anything. Is that tomorrow?” By his exhale, she could tell he’d been drinking. By his slur, she could tell he’d been drinking a lot. Clive squeezed past Stephen, roping his arm around her. “Why have we not been in touch more?”
