‘I thought you’d relaxed today.’
‘There were moments,’ he said.
‘You were happy,’ she insisted. ‘I saw it. You can’t deny it. It was fun. How long is it since you last had fun like that?’
Theo didn’t want to think about it. His mind was on tomorrow. He didn’t want to be reminded of that day in St Ives, when he and Sophia had broken the local protocol and flung chips into the sky and set off world war three—or thegull war, as they’d named it. He hadn’t wanted to be reminded of it. It somehow felt disloyal that he’d had fun with another woman.This woman.
He’d never wanted any other woman. But getting involved with this woman would break all the rules. Personal and professional.
‘A while,’ he simply said.
‘That’s so sad.’
Her expression looked sad, but the Princess was so upbeat. What was going on? She’d been almost flirty in the car. And yet tomorrow she knew that he would be taking her back to Rubanestein. Surely, she should be fearful. Apprehensive.
Instead, she seemed almost gleeful. What was that about?
Unless this entire adventure of hers had been a fraud, an adventure of her making, and now she was relieved that the game was over, and she was glad to be going home.
For Theo, who’d rescued people who’d wanted to be rescued, who’d wanted to go home, her constant flip-flopping made no sense.
Except, he had to admit to his own flip-flopping. His take on the Princess seemed to change at every turn. She was supposed to be innocent and naive. She’d proved herself to be anything but. She was supposed to be a woman who hungered for the crown, and who’d turned her platinum hair, her crowning glory, into a crown of colours, and shown not one iota of interest in wanting to be the leader of Rubanestein or in inciting some rebellion. On the contrary, she seemed to be happy living half a world away and having nothing to do with her homeland.
Theo tried to pull it all together as Millie delivered menus to their table, trying to pretend she wasn’t intrigued at them being together. Her brother’s story made little sense. Her story made less. But maybe, just maybe her story was right. What if her story was right? It was bizarre and so far out there that it seemed impossible, but what if she’d been telling the truth all this time?
Millie arrived to take their drink orders. There was more she wanted to say, Theo could tell, seeing the questions so clearly swimming in her eyes, but she said nothing, merely taking their orders. Sparkling water for the table, and a glass of pinot noir for Isabella.
‘Do you want to tell me about it,’ she asked, ‘about that other time you felt so happy?’
‘Not really,’ he said, turning his attention to the menu. ‘Now, what do you like to order?’
‘We had a good day today,’ she said, looking over the menu.
‘Haven’t we already discussed this? Why are you bringing that up again?’
‘Because we did.’
He could find no way to disagree. ‘It was fine.’
‘You laughed,’ she said. ‘You had a good time.’
‘It has been known to happen.’
‘I bet, not for a long time.’
He said nothing but his silence spoke volumes.
‘So,’ he said. ‘What would you like to order?’
‘I think I’m going to have the steak,’ Isabella said, closing her menu, ‘medium rare. With the garlic roasted chats on the side.’
Theo grunted.
‘Something wrong?’ she said.
‘No,’ he said, closing his menu as Millie returned to their table bearing their drinks.
‘Are you ready to order now?’
