Page 16 of The Prince and the Bodyguard
“That would be my guess, but this is the only way I’ve ever heard it pronounced.”
“The French would roll around in their graves en masse.”
“I’m pretty sure they weren’t too fond of us to begin with, so we’ll survive.”
That coaxed another snort-laugh out of him, which made me strangely proud. I liked seeing him laugh. I liked making him laugh.
We made our way to the beverage table, where the options appeared to be boxed wine, beer that came in a thirty-pack, and the usual assortment of sodas.
“Good lord,” Eddie muttered as he surveyed the beer selection. “Is that… Bud Light?”
“Afraid so,” I said, grabbing one for myself. “Welcome to academic budget entertainment.”
“This is criminal.” Eddie studied it with the expression of someone handling evidence of a crime. “I mean, genuinely criminal. There should be federal laws against calling this beer.”
Despite myself, I laughed. “You’re a beer snob.”
“I prefer the term ‘person with functioning taste buds’,” he replied primly, then snatched the bottle from my hand and took a sip. He immediately grimaced. “Although I suppose when one’s palate has been trained on proper ales and stouts, anything mass-produced tastes like water with delusions of grandeur.”
“Well, this particular water with delusions ain’t even cold,” I observed, noting the distinct lack of condensation on the bottle. “Back home, we use this for cleaning car parts.”
“Finally, someone who understands that beer should actually taste like something.”
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who thinks Guinness is the height of brewing sophistication.”
“Please.” Eddie scoffed. “I may be British, but I’m not a cliché. I can appreciate a Guinness, but give me a proper IPA any day—something with enough hops to make your eyes water and enough character to stand up for itself.”
“Now you’re talking my language.” I grinned. “Though down South, we’re partial to a good wheat beer when it’s hot enough to melt asphalt.”
“I’ll have to try that sometime,” Eddie said, and something in his voice made me look at him more carefully. There was a softness there, a genuine interest that went beyond polite conversation.
“I’d be happy to introduce you to some proper Southern brewing,” I found myself saying before I could stop myself.
“I’d like that very much.”
For a moment, everything else faded away, and all I saw was him. Those green eyes focused on me, that pale skin slightly flushed, and those pink lips so soft and kissable. I wanted to…
Sarah appeared beside us. “You two are so cute,” she announced.
Eddie’s cheeks reddened even more, but he didn’t deny it. Instead, he shifted closer to me, close enough that I could smell his aftershave and feel the warmth radiating from his arm. I put my hand on his lower back, partly because it seemed like the kind of thing a boyfriend would do and partly because the urge to touch him was too strong to resist. The small of his back was warm through his button-down shirt, and I could feel him lean slightly into the contact.
“How did you two meet?” Sarah pressed, clearly eager for the full story.
“We were roommates,” I said easily. “Sometimes, the best relationships develop naturally from friendship.”
It was a perfect non-answer that managed to be completely honest while revealing nothing about the actual circumstances of our arrangement. But before Sarah could follow up, Professor Chen approached with someone I didn’t recognize.
“Ah, Mr. York,” he said with enthusiasm. “I was telling Professor Williams here about some of the insights you’ve brought to our discussions of European integration. Professor Williams specializes in comparative political systems.”
Professor Williams smiled with genuine interest. “I’d love to hear your thoughts on how the European model might inform other regional integration efforts.”
Eddie’s face lit up as he shifted into academic mode. “It’s fascinating, really. The EU’s evolution from the European Coal and Steel Community demonstrates how economic integration can serve as a foundation for broader political cooperation, but the model isn’t easily replicable because it emerged from specific post-war conditions.”
“Exactly.” Williams nodded approvingly. “Many scholars overlook those historical particularities.”
“Indeed,” Eddie said. “The challenge is that most attempts to copy the European model ignore the crucial role that shared trauma played in creating the political will for integration. ASEAN, for instance, developed along completely different lines because the regional context demanded a much more flexible approach to sovereignty.”
I couldn’t help but stare at him as he spoke. Of course I’d known he was smart, but this was next level because I literally had no idea what he was even talking about. Sure, I didn’t have three years prior knowledge in this field, but even so, the way Williams beamed at him showed she was impressed too.
