“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lucy hisses loud enough to stop all our conversations and turn to see what’s got her worked up. I follow her death stare to a tall, bulky blond man dressed in light, fitted khakis and a pink dress shirt who just walked through the door. Hm. I like his style.
“Who’s that? And why is Lucy murdering him with her eyes?” I ask Lorelei. She shrugs.
“That’s Stone Harper, her boss. She hates him, though I’m not quite sure why. She won’t talk to us about him. Every time we ask, we only receive grumbled insults attached to her cursing his name.”
“Interesting.” I note the way a certain passion burns behind her eyes, and I think I might see why she hates him even if Lorelei can’t. Lucy Spence might have a thing for her boss. But that’s not my story to intrude upon. I turn my attention back to Lorelei who is sipping her chai. “So, what are you doing tomorrow?”
“I have a dress fitting with the girls for Karoline’s wedding in the morning. We are getting lunch together after. I really need tospend the evening finishing preparations for the case so that I can rehearse all next week.”
Selene interrupts the table once again as she brings out our sandwiches. After she sets down my Reuben and Lorelei’s BLT, I ask, “I don’t want to intrude or take away from your preparation time, but would you happen to be able to spare some time to go on another date with me?”
Lorelei looks lost in space before she answers. “I really need to get work done, but I wouldn’t be opposed to us watching a movie or something while I work if you want. You can come over anytime after three p. m. tomorrow.”
An open invitation into her home? Yes, please! “Sounds like a plan, bae.”
Lorelei bumps into my side, but instead of grimacing, she’s hiding a smile.
Iread over the script I’ve prepared for myself one more time before dialing Karin’s number from my business cell phone. Which reminds me, I should make sure Lorelei has this number.
Once I’m satisfied with my plan of action, I hit the call button. She waits until the last ring to pick up the phone. “Hello, you are speaking with Her Royal Highness Princess Karin Nilsson of Vespen,” she answers, speaking her country’s native tongue in a prim, proper tone.
I respond in Vespen. “Princess Karin, this is Prince Finley Andersson. I believe we need to talk. Do you have a moment to video call?”
She swallows on the other end of the line, her voice subdued as she stutters, “Y-yes.” I immediately hit the video call button and set my phone onto the holder attached to the table. I’m in a private meeting room in the town’s library. I didn’t want her seeing where I’m living right now. It felt too personal to call her from the cabin.
Her face appears, as pale as mine. We are both from Icelandic countries, after all. Her hair, however, is a rich chocolate color, her eyes just as brown. “Hi, Finley.”
“Hey, Karin. I assume you know why I’m calling, so I’ll jump straight to the point. You hired a stalker to capture photography of and interrupt my dates. I want to hear from you why you did this.” My tone is cool and smooth. Practiced. I’d taken necessary time to calm down from the affirmation that it was indeed her, so now I need to allow her to speak before I take action.
She shifts her eyes away from the screen, rubbing the mustard-color fabric of the sleeves on her dress. “I’m sorry, Finley.” She goes silent again, still not looking into the camera.
I release a breath. “Thank you, but it is hard for me to accept your apology without understanding your reasoning. So please, help me to understand so that we can salvage our working relationship.”
Karin closes her eyes, her chest rising and falling. Then, she opens her eyes as she says hurriedly, “I thought if I had intel regarding your dates that I could somehow recreate what you desired when you came back to Korsa to try and win you over once andfor all.” Her voice is calm. Matter-of-fact. Like what she’s saying was scripted, too. “Once I realized you were falling for the woman, I told the man I hired to interrupt the next date, which was the garden date. He intentionally turned on his shutter sound.”
I’m processing her words, still conflicted. “But why, Karin? I’ve made it very clear that I only thought of you as a friend. Why would you hire someone to stalk my dates even after I’ve made that abundantly clear in the past?”
Tears prick in the corner of her eyes now, and my heart lurches. No matter what she’s done, I don’t want her bawling her eyes out. I hate seeing women cry. “I just had to, okay? I don’t know what came over me. I was acting in jealousy. I’m sorry, Finley. I deeply regret my actions and I promise not to meddle any further. You can rest assured.”
Though I’m not satisfied, that seems to be all I will get out of her. I sigh. “I understand. Thank you for your apology, and I accept. I will offer grace to you this once. If anything like this happens again, I will take immediate action against you and your country. I love this woman, and you are not to mess with her or us.”
Her lips form an “o.” “You—you love her?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Yes. I do.” Right as I say the words, my other phone buzzes on the table. I sneak a glance. Lorelei. “I should go now. Thank you for talking with me.”
I hang up, knowing I went completely off script. I was supposed to tell her that I would be speaking with the king of Vespen and would demand a formal apology to the twins since both experienced the stalker, even if Lorelei wasn’t completely aware of it likeI was that first night. Her tears moved me a little, though. I have a soft spot for crying women.
I check my text.
Have you read the U.S. Constitution through?
I shake my head with a laugh. Only Lorelei.
I have. It was a part of my studies and training growing up. Why do you ask?
She doesn’t respond for another eight minutes.
Okay, so I was reading it for fun after I finished up my case load for the night, and I noticed the 27th Amendment stated…
