Tyrant Prince
Why?
You’ve been promoted in my phone.
Hawk
What does that mean?
Hawk
Lilian?
Sixth Week of Faire: Romance Weekend
“Whathappenedtothisplace?”It was the first thing out of Margo’s mouth as she stepped into the shop Saturday morning.“Did HGTV swing by to do a renovation, and you didn’t tell me?”
Lilian snorted at the accusation.“Please.You know I would call you if that were the case.”
“Good.Because I would skip work in a millisecond if that happened.Fuck the kids.Art is subjective.Give them paper and crayons.I’m dispensable.”
“You are not dispensable.”
“Fine, you’re right.But seriously, what happened here?”Margo spun on her heeled boots, taking in the new finishings of the shop.
Garlands of fake wisteria, lilies, and other flowers decorated the shelves and the ceiling, along with a string of twinkling fairy lights.It transformed the small space, not only making it more welcoming but covering up all the once bare walls.
“Branding,” Lilian answered.“You were right.This place needed a little something.I went out and bought some decorations.Hawk let me in yesterday so I could clean and decorate.”
“Hawk did, hmm?”Margo gave her a lingering side eye that Lilian ignored.
She’d been only a little surprised when Hawk had agreed to open the faire to her early Friday morning so she could revamp the shop.He’d left her to work, saying he had his own business to attend to in the faire’s office spaces.The fact that he hadn’t felt the need to supervise her was a strange type of compliment.
And when she’d finished, he’d given it an approving nod and a dignified, “Not bad.”
Indeed, her shop no longer looked like a shabby shack selling books.It looked magical.Even Russ gave a low whistle of awe when he walked by.
Adding the flower decor not only brightened the space up.It also went with the theme for the weekend.
Romance Weekend was by far one of the faire’s most successful.The grounds overflowed with flowers from every rooftop and banner.Roses, sunflowers, lilies, daisies… it was as if the largest outdoor wedding was happening in the middle of the Flint Hills.
This was the only week visitors could sign up to renew their vows or have a private ceremony.A beautiful section was roped off in the woods to allow for a semblance of privacy.People went wild for it.
At the same time, the actors were encouraged not to hold back with their flirting.Though everyone was required to attend a forty-minute seminar on the difference between flirting and sexual harassment, complete with strict warnings, should someone cross the line.Knights gave out roses to guests.Wenches offered delicate handkerchiefs.And there was a Joust for Love that only happened on Romance Weekend.
If there was ever a time for Lilian’s shop to shine, it was now.Since her visit to The Pretty Pages, she’d thrown herself into preparing for this moment.She had Margo design flyers and handed them off to the gate staff with instructions to pass them out to every visitor.
No longer would she be known as just Ms.Bodice.She was Lilian Brody, Duchess of Deadlines.Baroness of Business.Princess of Productivity.
At nine o’clock, the gates opened, and the first trickle of guests came in.
Ten minutes ticked by.And then another.Their location at the back of the faire meant it took a while for guests to appear along their path.
“The gates just opened,” Margo said, as if reading her thoughts.She was standing by the poster wall where she’d hung up the flyer, alongside David’s Sir Debauchery.A poster of Logan as Captain Locke was side by side with Jack Sparrow and the same tagline,Hunt the Hunk.
The new flowers and fairy lights draped around the wall highlighted what was once a dark corner.Now it looked like a colorful shrine to the good-looking men of the faire.
“I know I—” Lilian stopped herself short as a group of people came over the hill side.A group of women.All dressed in a smattering of corsets and dresses.
