Will I meet my future husband tonight? Only time will tell.
Nia sips slowly, scanning the crowd as if searching for someone.
Setting down my drink, I lean an elbow on the table. “Is your man here?”
The ribbons in her curls flutter when she shakes her head. “Not yet. But he will be soon.”
“How did the two of you meet?”
“We met here, actually. He was the only one in his group who didn’t offer to buy me a drink.”
“And that made you want him?” Seems a bit odd to me.
“No, his beautiful eyes and pouty lips did that. I decided to give him a chance because of his response when I asked why he didn’t offer.”
I find myself leaning closer, the condensation on my glass slipping down my fingers.
She mirrors my position, resting her forearms on the glossy tabletop. “He told me that he wouldn’t catch my attention by being like all the rest. So, naturally, I asked why he wanted to catch my attention when there were so many other women in the pub. Do you know what he said? He said, ‘I haven’t noticed any of the others since the moment you walked through the door.’ When I tell you I swooned, I mean I damn near fainted.”
The nicest thing a man has said to me was that I looked like I had strong teeth. That was about four years ago, when Father and I took a trip to one of the villages off the mountain.
“He sounds amazing.” Perhaps her fellow has a single brother.
Fae light sparkles in Nia’s eyes as she tilts her head toward the entrance. “I do hope you think so, because Nolan and his friends just walked in.”
Sure enough, three newcomers traverse the maze of people and tables. The golden-haired one at the front must be Nolan. Although he appears to be a few inches shorter than the two at his back, he is quite possibly the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.
Actually, no. Handsome isn’t the correct word. He’s downright beautiful, like an oil painting by one of the old masters you might find hanging above some rich person’s fireplace.
Nia’s fingers curl around my wrist. “This is just wonderful. I was hoping Nolan would bring the prince.”
I swallow so hard, my ears pop. “Did you sayprince?”
Her shapely brows lift, her eyes widening with shock. “Did I not mention that Nolan works for Prince Ronan Reve?”
“No, you didn’t.” That is definitely a detail I would’ve remembered.
“Nolan is Ronan’s personal guard. The prince just turned twenty-seven last week. Rumor has it, he is finally on the hunt for a wife. The two of you would make the most stunning match!” She tucks the hair that has escaped my braid back behind my ears and then pinches both my cheeks. “There. Now, you’re perfect.”
Perfect.
Heavens, do I despise that word and the unwelcome weight it brings. Still, Nia means well, so I do my best not to let my smile falter.
“Oh! I almost forgot!” She takes both of my hands in hers and squeezes my fingers as she looks me dead in the eye. “Do not gawk when you look at the prince. He hates that.”
Right. No gawking.
One final squeeze of my fingers and Nia slips off her stool, running straight into the arms of a man with dark chestnut hair almost as curly as hers.
It would appear Nolanisn’tthe one with golden curls after all.
How interesting…
Not that he’s not handsome—he is. But when compared to the one in the front, I wouldn’t look twice.
“If that’s the greeting my guard receives, then I can only imagine how happy you are to see your favorite prince,” the beautiful man drawls with a roll of eyes so blue, they’d make a cornflower jealous.
Prince Ronan Reve.
