Chapter 12
Tamara
Tuesday morning.
No alarm, no morning rush, no responsibilities.
I woke just after nine-thirty, tucked snugly under my duvet, sunlight spilling over my face. I didn’t open my eyes for a while, enjoying a quiet doze as I thought about what I was going to do for the day.
First of all, coffee. A big mug of it. Maybe then I’d sit on the couch and watch something mindless for a while, really soak in the lazy atmosphere of the day.
Alex said we would hang out today, but he was drunk at the time and I hadn’t heard from him since. If I didn’t hear from him by the afternoon I’d give him a call, I decided, but until then I’d leave it in his court.
The main thing I had to do today, and something I’d been dreading, was talk to my sister. We’d barely spoken since our confrontation a few days ago, except for a few passing comments. We needed a good, deep chat. Only problem was, I still didn’t know what to say to her. I was furious that she’d dropped out of school without so much as a care, and I struggled with the temptation to kick her out of my flat and send her packing back off to America. I wouldn’t, though, even though that was what my mom suggested I do when I called to tell her what I’d learned. I wasn’t that cruel.
After nearly half an hour of resting and waking up, my phone rang. Alexander’s name filled the screen and my heart jumped. I couldn’t answer fast enough.
“Good morning,” I chirped.
“Good morning,” he replied. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”
I laughed. “This time, no.”
“Jolly good. Anyway, pack an overnight bag, will you? I’m just waiting outside.”
I shot up in bed. “What?”
“An overnight bag,” he repeated. “With clothes and toiletries and other such things.”
I growled. “No, I figured out that much. Why am I packing one? What do you mean you’re outside?”
“I’m taking you away for the night. I thought that much would be obvious.”
Visions of Alex and I spending the night together somewhere other than my cramped apartment flashed in my mind. I had no idea what kind of place a prince might go for a night away, but I bet it was worth seeing. A second later I remembered my plans for the day and the bubble of happiness popped.
“I can’t go,” I said. “There’s this thing going on with my sister and me.”
“What kind of thing?”
“We had a big fight,” I said, not sure how to sum up the situation. “We’ve barely talked since.”
“She’ll still be there when you come back,” he reasoned. “Whatever’s going on with you guys could probably benefit from a little time apart. Besides, this is going to be worth your while. You’ve been working hard recently and you deserve a break.”
He had a point. And hell, I did deserve a break. Things had been tense on set between Michael and me, which made work more stressful than usual. Plus, I’d been looking forward to seeing Alex today, and getting a whole night with him was beyond what I could have hoped for.
“Okay,” I said. “Give me ten minutes to get some stuff together.”
“Wonderful. We’ll be here.”
“Wait, we?”
Alex hung up, and I grunted in frustration and chucked my phone to the end of the bed. Now I wasn’t so sure whether this was a good idea. Who would he bring along on a night away? Was I going to meet someone in his family? I shelved that thought, since it was too stressful to dwell on, and packed a bag as quickly as possible.
I knocked on Jo’s door on my way out.
“What?” she asked.
“Alex is taking me away for the night,” I called through the door. “You’ve got the place to yourself, but don’t do anything stupid.”
No answer.
I hefted my bag onto my shoulder and went outside.
Alex was waiting for me in a black SUV, one of the tinted windows rolled down enough to let out a snuffling doggie snout.
“Sir Hank!” I exclaimed, jogging up to the car.
The mutt, hearing his name, began to whimper excitedly. Alex rolled more of the window down for him and he pushed his whole face out, barking once in greeting. I ruffled his head and he lavished me with slobbery kisses.
“What am I? Chopped liver?” Alex asked, peering back at us from the front seat.
I laughed and moved to the passenger door, sliding into the seat and depositing my backpack at my feet.
“Oh, I didn’t see you there,” I said playfully.
Alex growled and grabbed my arm, hauling me partway to his side and plastering a firm kiss on my lips. I giggled and wrapped my arms around him. Keeping my balance was precarious, but worth it. Something jabbed under my armpit and nearly sent me crashing into the console. I looked down to see Hank had pushed his nose up between us.
“He’s not big on PDA,” Alex said. “Ed hates him for it. He and Clarissa always make sure to look around before they make out in the gardens, just in case. My brother can’t stand getting dog hair on him.”
I straightened up. “Poor Hank just doesn’t understand why anyone would want to kiss anyone other than him.” I reached a hand back to pet him. “And I don’t disagree.”
Alex smiled and pulled away from the curb. Sunlight poured through the windshield and picked out the strands of gold in his hair and made his skin glow. Forget royalty, this man was clearly divine.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Can’t tell you that. It’s a surprise.”
“You’re big on surprises, aren’t you?” I said, cocking a brow.
“What’s not to like about a surprise?”
“Aren’t you worried that you’re going to hype something up only to wind up disappointing me?”
He shot me a crooked grin. “No.”
“Why not?”
“You’re not that kind of person,” he said. “You can find enjoyment anywhere.”
We drove out of the city and cruised through the countryside for a good hour or so. I marveled at the endless rolling fields, painted the lightest of springtime green. The sky was an idyllic, cloudless blue, stretching far into the distance. We turned off the highway and onto a small winding road bordered by bluebells and beech trees, and Hank started whining in the backseat.
“He knows we’re close,” Alex explained.
“Close to what?”
I got my answer soon enough. We reached a black wrought iron gate, which swung open with the press of a button on Alex’s keys. Beyond that the trees gave way to a sprawling lawn, and the road widened. When we crested the next hill, my mouth dropped in awe.
“Welcome to Springfield Manor,” Alex said.
I couldn’t think of a better name for the beautiful house. It was set over two stories, with a high gabled roof and rock siding. Sun reflected from the dozens of tall, white-lined windows, nearly blinding me.
“It’s gorgeous.”
Alex parked by the front door, pulling on the handbrake. “It’s all ours for the night. I gave the staff the day off.” He flashed me a grin. “Private. Just like you wanted.”
I stared deep into his eyes, wondering how I could have gotten so lucky. Then Hank barked in my ear and planted a kiss on Alex’s cheek.
“I think somebody would like to go inside,” Alex said, chuckling.
We got out of the car and Alex opened the door for Hank, who went shooting off around the back of the house.
“There’s nobody else around for miles,” Alex said. “It’s Hank’s favorite place to chase rabbits and dig holes. Ed hates it when he does it at the palace so I give him free rein here.”
Alex came around the side of the car to take my bag, then grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the front door.
“What is this place?” I asked. “Who owns it?”
“I do,” he said. “Well, my family does. It’s one of our summer residences.”
I didn’t even have a single summer residence and my mind was spinning. Alex unlocked the front door and led me inside. The inside was just as thrilling as the outside. The high ceilings and abundant windows gave the space a light and airy feel, and the tasteful décor made it look lived in and cozy.
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
Alex smiled and brought me to the kitchen, which was a wonder of stainless steel and crisp white tile. He dumped our bags on the kitchen table and walked to the fridge. “Wait until you see my favorite part.”
He rooted around in the fridge and produced a bottle of champagne, winking.
“Your favorite part is the champagne in the fridge?”
“Of course not,” he said. “I’m not that easy to please. Come on.”
Alex took me by the hand again and we moved back through the house, passing a dining room and a sitting room before guiding me through a glass door into a glass-walled conservatory. It was warm inside, enough so that I could see myself lounging in there in my underwear. Sunlight flooded through the ceiling and walls, greedily sucked in by the various plants that bordered the room. In the middle of the floor was a small sitting area with round couches, faced toward the back garden.
“This is beautiful,” I sighed.
Alex walked over to one of the tall, leafy plants in the corner. He fingered a waxy leaf and smiled. “I used to play jungle explorer in here when I was a kid. When Edward grew out of it, I made Victoria play with me instead.”
Movement in the back garden attracted my attention and I looked out to see Hank bounding toward us.
“Let me take you out back,” he said. “There are so many things I want you to see.”
A small brick patio gave way to a backyard composed of a lush, expansive lawn bordered on one side by apple trees and the other by scraggly pines. Flower beds were bursting with red and blue and yellow scattered throughout. It smelled of sunshine and springtime earthiness. I never wanted to leave.
“Do you play croquet?” Alex asked, placing the champagne and glasses on the patio table.
“The one they play in Alice in Wonderland?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Not really, but I could learn.”
I couldn’t think of a game more fitting of this place. I’d become a croquet champion if it meant getting to stay here forever.
“Perfect.” He grinned. “Back in a flash.”
Alex jogged off around the side of the house, leaving me to bask in a warmth that came from more than the sun. I watched Hank weave through the apple trees, inspecting the bases for fallen treats. It was too early in the season, poor guy.
Alex returned, arms laden with croquet gear. “Why don’t you pour us each a drink while I set up?”
“Can do.” I uncorked the bottle and watched as he set up the game, coming over once he was finished and handing me a wooden mallet.
I passed him a glass in return.
“To surprises,” he said, lips turned in a wry smile.
I laughed. “To surprises.”
Half an hour later, I was a little tipsy, losing badly at croquet, and having the time of my life. Alex batted each ball through the hoop with practiced ease, whereas I circled each hoop five or six times before getting through.
I paused after my latest goal in the shade of an apple tree, panting. The activity could barely be considered exercise, and I swung my mallet back and forth. A colorful bird hopped through the branches above me, vibrant yellow with a black and white head. It trilled a charming tune. I stared up at it, smiling, not noticing Alex watching me.
“Great tit,” he said.
I looked at him. “Huh?”
He pointed to the bird. “The bird,” he said. “It’s called a great tit.”
“And how do you know that?”
He walked toward me, using his mallet like a cane. “If you ever tell anyone this I will personally have you hung, drawn, and quartered.”
“Sounds kinky.”
Alex rolled his eyes, threading an arm around my waist when he reached me and pressing his cheek against mine as we both looked at the tit, still hopping through the branches.
“I like birdwatching,” he said. “It relaxes me. The world around me might be going to shit, but I can look up at that great tit and know that it eats mostly caterpillars, and that the width of the black band across its chest means it’s a male. It’s a simple thing in a world of complexity.”
As much as I wanted to tease him for his nerdy hobby, his explanation struck a chord in me. The events of the day had made it easy to forget the situation with my sister, but I couldn’t forget it for long. I still had no idea what to say to her.
Alex noticed my change in mood. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Have you gone off me now that you know my secret?”
I chuckled and turned my head to kiss him. “Of course not. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
Alex took me by the hand and led me away from the tree, pulling me down to sit on a spot of lush grass and wrapping me in his arms. “Let’s talk about it.”
I shook my head. “Let’s just sit for a while.”
Part of me didn’t want to spoil the perfect day, but another part of me worried that I would scare Alex away with my emotions. I didn’t want to complicate things. I didn’t want to change things.
Alex didn’t argue. He leaned his head against mine, and we watched Hank roll on the grass, tail wagging like crazy.