“The only thing I am interested in right now is my bed, so if that’s all…” I stand, swaying tiredly. It’s been a long day, and the producers still have to deliver the flowers early in the morning.
Unlike the Bachelor, this show doesn’t make them stand around in suits looking miserable as I slowly make my decision. The men will check the hall outside their rooms in the hotel tomorrow morning to see who gets what, and cameras will be there to catch the reactions.
I’m off the hook until my date with Asani.
I use that time to get some much-needed sleep.
9
Spencer
T
henextday,Isend a text on the group chat BROBEER.
I’m still not sure what I’m doing, but whatever it is, it has to do with their sister and the princes deserve to know what I’m thinking.
Even if it wasn’t about Lyra, I’d still want to talk to them.
Kalle has the obligatory pint waiting as I slide onto one of the stools before the bar. Bo and Gunnar are already there, playfully arguing about some childhood slight. Odin sent his regrets from Saint Pierre. I’ll call him later.
“Are you here to tell us what Lyra is up to?” Kalle asks, planting both hands on the bar as he leans over it.
He took over The King’s Hat after he got out of sports, and before he got into being a prince. He hired his best friend, Edie England, to run the place.
Fast forward, and Kalle and Edie are now engaged, the royal wedding fast approaching. Edie handed over the management to Mabel Crow, sister of Bo’s wife, because learning to be a queen takes up a lot of time.
These days, Kalle and Edie both spend more time with their royal duties but both still like to show their faces at the pub as much as they can.
And thanks to the free beer, we still meet here when there’s a reason to.
Kalle’s question stops the discussion. “I haven’t heard anything,” I tell them. “And I don’t expect to.”
“Odin says she’s in Saint Pierre,” Bo offers.
“That’s where you’re going to get the info from. It’s supposed to be radio silence, kind of like all of them are sequestered. At least that’s what I remember from when Odin did the show.”
“But he wasn’t gone for that long,” Gunnar points out.
“I don’t think he appreciates people bringing that up,” I say, picking up my glass.
Gunnar and Bo follow suit, and Kalle waves at us to wait while he pours himself a beer. And then we drink in unison.
I wonder what it would be like to slowly sip a beer with the princes.
Kalle is the first to admit defeat this time, unusual because even all these years, there’s no way I can keep up with the steel-lined stomachs of the Erickson brothers.
And Lyra. She can almost drink her brothers under the table.
“Too much head,” Kalle grumbles as I set my glass down, a respectful half empty.
Gunnar gives it a good try, but only Bo is able to finish the entire pint with one breath.
“Do you know how many pints we go through when you guys do that?” Edie asks, standing beside Kalle and pulling glasses andbottles down. “They see you do that, and everyone here wants to try.”
“It means we sell more.” Kalle refills Bo’s glass. “Good for business. Speaking of Lyra business—”
“Which we weren’t,” Gunnar interrupts.
