Except Finley is a man, and I am a woman. I am immensely grateful I am wearing a sports bra.
The arm not holding my phone in the air braces around me, preventing me from stepping away from him. My head is tilted up as he lowers his. Finley’s eyes twinkle like sunlight reflecting off the ocean. The smirk he was wearing slips away, in its place parted, light pink lips. Just like my dream…
He’s so close I can feel his warm breath, and that feeling of being electrocuted alive radiates through every molecule of my person. It’s painful and weakening.
Without another moment of hesitation, I throw myself backward, stumbling a few times as I catch my balance from the momentum of exiting his arms. My vision blacks out for a second before coming back to.
As I catch my breath from the sheer racing of my heart, I blurt, “What in the world is going on?” I glance between Finley and Lucy. Finley has lowered my phone, but the heat in his eyes as he gazes upon me is like a campfire in the middle of a snowy forest. Lucy is still standing with her arms crossed, boasting the biggest smile I’ve seen out of her in a while.
“I told him,” she finally says. “About the switch.”
Internally, I sigh with relief. I was praying she would tell him. “But what does that have to do with stealing my phone?”
Finley doesn’t answer because he’s still heating this apartment to a thousand degrees with that stare. It’s so hot, yet shivers are becoming my constant companion at the moment. Finally, Lucy elbows him, shaking him loose of whatever trance that was.
“Should you tell her, or should I?”
At that moment, Finley Andersson, Crown Prince of Korsa, future king, types something in my phone before passing it off toLucy, picks up a crown of flowers that I apparently missed him setting on the stand by the door, and takes two large steps in my direction.
My cats flank my side and mew, clawing at my legs. I kick them away but almost fall, so I stop. Finley pauses directly in front of me, bends to one knee, and reveals a flower crown woven of white and pink Chrysanthemums.
My heart stutters, immediately recognizing the symbolism of those colors—white for loyalty and innocence and pink for new love and affection. Why is he kneeling before me with this wondrous crown of my favorite flowers?
Finley gazes at me through his long, black lashes from his lowered position, and says, “Please keep in mind that I have your sister’s support and blessing.” Then he clears his throat as I fight not to pass out. “I added my number with my first and last name, as Lucy says you prefer, to your contact list. Lucy has already given me yours. Lorelei Raine Spence, will you do me the immense honor of dating me with the goal of marriage and queenship in mind?”
My vision blurs in a more permanent capacity, and at the moment, I realize what’s happening as a familiar numbness settles into my limbs. I hear my cats screeching before they claw at my legs. “Lucy, I need juice. Now!”
As I collapse, I lean towards Finley who is still on one knee. He tosses the crown and bravely catches me, tugging me tightly against his chest as he cages me in strong arms. The momentum of my fall rocks him backwards; my eyes flutter close to the pounding of his heartbeat in my ear as I lie wrapped in the fallen prince’s arms.
Chapter Ten
Finley
“Chew, Lorelei,” I instruct as I prepare another sugar tablet in my hand. We’ve already given her two cups of apple juice, and this will be her second sugar tablet in the span of thirty minutes as we sit on the floor in her living room.
Turns out Lorelei is hypoglycemic, and I’m not the cause of her weak knees and racing heart and sweaty palms.
“I’m chewing as fast as I can,” she mumbles between jaw movements. Then she sips on her third glass of juice. She’s no longer sweating or shivering. Instead, she’s barely making eye contact with me and is careful not to touch me when she accepts the sugar tablet from my hand.
“Why did you let your sugar drop like that, Lor? That’s not like you. What happened?” Lucy asks as the cats who have been glued to Lorelei’s side continue to lick their paws.
Lorelei flicks her eyes to me before looking back towards her sister who sits beside me with her legs tucked underneath her holding the rag we were using to dab Lorelei’s sweaty forehead.
“I got sucked into that book you recommended.”
“Still. You are always on top of your game. You take care of yourself.”
Lorelei sips the rest of the juice down and whispers, “I’m not perfect. I have bad days, too.”
Lucy immediately takes her hand. “What happened?”
Lorelei fidgets with her pant legs, rubbing the fabric between her fingers. She looks at me then back to her sister. “Can we talk later?”
I receive the memo and stand. “Well, ladies. It’s getting late and it appears like everything is under control here. Lucy, thank you for a great evening. Lorelei, I hope we can talk soon.Kryaa paa diig.Feel better.” She nods, and Lucy smiles softly, mouthing “thank you” as she continues to rub the back of Lorelei’s hand.
I spot the flower crown on the floor where I tossed it as Lorelei fell, so I pick it up and give it to her before leaving. Her cats nuzzle against my hand as Lorelei takes the crown from me, and she gawks at them like it’s odd behavior. It grants me a tinge of joy as it seems her felines approve of me.
As I’m walking down the steps, I verbally pray, “Lord, please work this out. I don’t understand why this happened, why the girls switched, but I know You arrange all things for a purpose, and if You laid it on their hearts to switch places, it must have been for Your purpose. All I know is that I don’t think any other woman would satisfy me the way Lorelei does. I don’t even know why she does, but I can’t deny the feelings I have coupled with what I do know about her. She’s got to be it. Please, God. Work this out for Your—and my—good.”
