He held my gaze, making my heart flutter and my palms sweat. I wasn’t sure if it was the look in his eyes or the unknowingly intimate question he had asked, but I was surprised to find myself so willing to answer.
“White-chocolate-covered Oreos,” I replied, holding his gaze. “She would buy a dozen boxes and hide them from us.”
The children’s laughter broke Knox’s and my gaze, but it didn’t stop the butterflies that were taking flight in my stomach. I had to get this under control. The lust I felt for this man was starting to get out of hand.
“Hey, Belle.” A girl in her teens walked up to our group.
“Sadie!” Belle jumped up and hugged her.
“Hi, Archer,” Sadie greeted.
“Hi, Sadie!” Archer smiled and went back to work building his block racetrack.
“Belle, Mom wanted me to come get you. They’re packing more food pantry boxes, and she said you wanted to help with that.”
“I do!” Belle smiled.
Realizing that the room was now nearly empty, I turned toSadie. “Could I come with you? I’d love to help pack some boxes and see more of the school.”
“Of course! We could use all the help we can get,” Sadie replied enthusiastically.
“Knox, do you mind letting Vince and Mrs. Sallow know where I went?”
“No problem. Have fun,” he said, smiling at me for the first time in days.
The two girls and I walked through the hallways to a large gymnasium. There were a few dozen volunteers, including Tej and Chauncey, carrying bags and baskets of clothes to tables set up along one wall. A few other volunteers sat next to a table covered in canned goods and boxes of nonperishables with bags in hand for the shoppers.
It warmed my heart to see so many people serving the community. And better yet, everyone had a smile on their face, and the chatter was loud throughout the room as people talked and laughed together.
Sadie and Belle walked over to a woman filling a cardboard box with food.
“Hi, Mummy!” Belle said, wrapping her arms tightly around the woman’s waist.
“Hey, Bells. Want to help me finish packing this box?” She looked up and saw me standing behind the girls.
“Hi. I’m Birdie. I was hoping to help you guys.”
“Freya.” She offered her hand and shook mine. “Are you one of the royal suitors here helping with the event?”
“I am. How did you know?”
She looked me up and down and a small quirk of a smile hit her lips.
I sighed. “I told Vince I was overdressed for this. But Lord Bronson insisted I dress to impress.”
“Honey, I would dress the same way if I were vying for theprince’s attention. I don’t blame you at all. The accent also gave you away, though,” she added with a wink.
I let out a self-conscious laugh. Sometimes I still forgot that here, Knox and I were considered the ones with the accents, rather than the other way around.
As we filled box after box with canned goods and nonperishable items, I let my thoughts drift to Oliver, trying to piece together what was missing in my feelings for him.
On paper, he was perfect: Handsome with his square jaw, clean-cut look, and top-notch fashion. Loving and protective toward his family—certainly not the type to check out at the first sign of trouble. Passionate about his country and how he could better serve his people. Genuinely kind, thoughtful, and a great conversationalist.
So why wasn’t I more attracted to him? It was the question I couldn’t stop asking myself. Why did Knox make my heart race and my body shiver, but Oliver didn’t?
“Birdie, I’m so glad to see you helping the Carmichaels.”
Queen Isobel had approached the opposite side of the table. Her bright red hair was knotted on top of her head. She wore a chunky black turtleneck sweater paired with fitted black pants and caramel leather knee-high boots. She exuded elegance even in casual clothes.
