A hint of pink lights up her cheeks. “What?”
“Did I just see you kiss Lars on the lips just a minute ago? You two looked pretty comfortable…”
She tosses her fiery hair, glancing around. The blush spreads further across her cheeks and darkens to a red hue. “Shh.” She pulls me further away from the palace. “It was just a one time thing. No need to announce it, okay?”
I grin at her. “Umm, wow. I had no idea that you were sucked into the royal family likethat.”
She throws up her hands in front of her face, hiding. “It’s… complicated. Lars and I go way, way back.”
My eyebrows rise. “What? Tell me everything!”
She peeks at me from behind her hands. “How about I tell you everything over a cup of coffee? I haven’t had any caffeine today and I’m dying.”
“It’s a deal,” I say, putting my arm around her. “There’s a coffee shop around the corner. Come on, let’s hurry so you can spill your guts all over the place.”
Pippa rolls her eyes but doesn’t resist as I pull her along. I wasn’t kidding about the cafe being really close; when we turn a corner, there it is, all glass and pastel colors inside. We order and then take our seats outside.
I lean forward eagerly. “Tell me everything,” I demand.
Pippa wrinkles her nose. “I met Lars when I went to St. Malo, a prestigious boarding school in Switzerland. And before you even start, I want you to know that I only went to a school that the Danish royal family would send their child to because I was offered a full scholarship.”
I shrug. “I wasn’t judging.”
Her shoulders relax a fraction. “Oh. Well… yeah. I’ve known Lars since we were both just kids. He was a year older than me at school… and he was also my first kiss.”
“Whoa. That sounds like a relationship.”
She glances at me sharply. “It is definitelynota relationship.It’s just… a friendship that has lasted a long time. It’s complicated.”
I stare her down. Is she for real? It seems like she really believes it, but I’m not sure where I stand.
The barista brings our drinks out and Pippa makes a big deal of thanking her and sipping her latte. I level her with a long look.
“So if you’re just friends, what happened between you last night?”
She flushes. “Too much wine. We just… fell into old patterns.”
“Old patterns like sleeping together?” I ask, scoffing.
Pippa looks down at her latte, running her finger over the white cup’s handle. Her mouth twists with humor, but I see a faint echo of sadness on her face too. “Yes.”
I take a sip of my latte, savoring the creaminess of it while I look at her. “Why are you two not dating?”
She looks up, a little bit of alarm on her face. “Well, for one thing, neither of us is interested in being tied down. Also, not to put too fine a point on it, but there are a million expectations of anyone who openly dates a royal. Not the least of them being the you are well bred and well behaved… and looking for a ring.”
I swallow, looking down at my latte. “That does sound like a sticky wicket.”
She smirks at me. “You are actually the only person who probably knows better than I do, Margot. Tell me, has anything come of your insane crush on Stellan yet?”
My eyes widen. I blush furiously. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
She shakes her head at me. “Oh, please. Ever since the second you laid eyes on him, you’ve been making this face at him. Like this.”
She angles her face and flutters her lashes. I make a disgruntled sound.
“Uh! No. I am not like that!” I protest.
“Oooh, you are too!” she cries, laughing. “Talk about a couple that just seems like they are bound to slip up and end up banging the hell out of each other…”
