Page 32 of Tabloid Princess

I flustered as I tried to shrug and cover my cleavage all at once.

“Thanks.”

He lifted from the chair, towering over me, standing close enough I could catch a faint hint of his aftershave—oriental and spicy.

“Can I ask you a question?”

He nodded. I couldn’t help but notice Freya who was on the phone inside Janine’s open office glance up and frown slightly in our direction. “Why are you going to be here all week?”

I was being terribly rude. I could tell by the frustrated expression on his face. His nostrils flared a little.

“Is it inconvenient for you?”

“Uh, no. Not at all. Just figured you’d have other things to do.”

“Well on Friday I’m opening a new wing at a hospital in Warwick. Does that count?”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

“So what are you going to do while you are here?”

Just then the phone rang. With his eyes on my face he reached an arm past me to my desk, his long fingers grasping the handset. He didn’t take his eyes off me as he answered. “Bright Futures. Prince Oliver speaking, how can I help?”

My chin almost hit the floor and I thought I caught another ghost of a smile.

“If you could hold the line.” He dropped the phone slightly, his hand covering the mouthpiece. “How do you transfer a call to Janine?” He flashed me a true grin then and my mind went totally blank. “Leia, how do you transfer a call?” he prompted when I didn’t answer.

“Uh. Oh.” I stared at the phone. There was a button you were meant to press, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember which one.

“Is it this red one?”

“Uh. Yeah. She’s number seventeen.” I managed to kick myself into action and pressed the red button followed by her office number.

“You okay?” The left edge of his mouth twitched.

“Everyone will know you are here now.”

He glanced down at his watch and so did I. It looked old; a gold face and worn brown leather strap. “I would imagine people already know. The Palace released a press statement half an hour ago confirming that my chosen charity for my birthday would be Bright Futures.”

“Oh.”

He waited, like he was almost expecting me to add something. Maybe he wanted to know how grateful I was. But my mind whirled; it was too much information all at once.

Instead, I dropped another awkward curtsey and then almost fell sideways into my chair.

This was about to change everything.

Everything.

I cast a glance towards the man who was making it all possible. He stood next to Freya while she showed him something. How could one man who seemed so incredibly distant and cut off, change everything for so many people all within such a short space of time?

“I was thinking.” I crossed my legs, pulling down my dress that was now showing too much thigh. “We need to reach out to younger people.”

Janine happened to be at the printer and turned in my direction. I felt the weighted gaze of green eyes land on my face and there was a distinct drop in the conversation from the other side of the room. “What do you mean?”

“Well I’m thinking about Emilia, and her sister…” My words faltered a little but then I dug deep and braved it out. “And me. I wondered if there had been somewhere they or I had to go that was safe and confidential, then maybe things wouldn’t have gone the way they had.”