Conflicted, she glanced up. Robert’s wary gaze was locked on her. She wasn’t sure how she was feeling today. Three months ago, those pictures and headlines would have sent her into hiding. She counted it as a victory that she’d appear in public the same day. She would get through this appearance and then take some time to figure out if she was ready to tell Tristan about her past.
They pulled up to the large indoor facility. When Ele stepped from the car, Juliana appeared by her side, as her team had arrived simultaneously. The two sisters made their way to the designated spot. The scheduled photo op was an opportunity to show palace support for the team. With their appearance in the knockout stage, the country’s enthusiasm knew no bounds. Hoping to capitalize on the public’s support of the team, the palace had set up big screens in public squares throughout the country and was shutting down government agencies early, so fans could watch the game. Football fever was real.
A raised dais with a media pipe and drape stood colorful but empty away from the field. Once everyone arrived and set up, the team of personal protection officers flanked the sides of the dais.
Ele’s gaze immediately zeroed in on Tristan. He stood next to Rowan and the boy she knew to be Caleb. Compared to the older guys on the team, it was easy to see Caleb’s youth. Her eyes flicked down the line, taking in the rest of the team. Jamie wouldn’t have to work hard to know all of their names. In fact, he probably knew what clubs they played for and other important facts.
As she finished her cursory inspection, her gaze returned to Tristan, practically willing him to look up. Finally, his eyes met hers. So much passed between them. She sensed his concern but also his … she couldn’t be sure but something like pride maybe. Always on the verge of a smile, his lips twitched and then spread, his grin unstoppable. She looked away before her feelings bubbled up and spilled out.
Nicolas Ramsey stepped forward. Curiosity piqued, she wondered about his life. He maintained a close relationship with his ex-wife, and Ele wanted to know the story there. He made a statement and took questions, and then Rowan moved from behind him.
He was an imposing figure, broader and taller than the other footballers, reminding Ele of a rugby player. He was handsome enough to be a model if footballing didn’t last much longer. His complexion was darker than Tristan’s, and he wore a day-old scruff on his cut jawline. His lips were perfectly shaped, like an artist wanting to display the quintessential form had drawn them. His light-brown eyes were surrounded by heavy brows. Where Tristan was lighthearted and smiling, Rowan was severe and serious. She couldn’t help but wonder how Tristan and Rowan were so close despite their obvious differences. Speaking to the press though, Rowan displayed a charm that surprised her.
He took his last question, and one wayward reporter turned toward her and Juliana.
“Your Highness,” the bespectacled man said, directing his question to Ele, “what did you think of Tristan Davenport’s quote about you?”
She smiled tightly. “We are here to support the team and their great accomplishment last night,” Ele stated, clearly not willing to go down this path with the reporter.
“ ‘GLOBAL WARMING IS NOT JUST A THEORY,’ ” he continued, his voice getting louder as the other paps turned their cameras her way. “Doesn’t necessarily sound like something a friend would say.”
A spark of heat ignited in her belly.
She looked for Millie, keeping her face neutral. Millie’s bland expression communicated the truth of the reporter’s claims. Ele’s eyes flashed back to the mob of people and the light of flashes. She saw movement in her peripheral as Tristan tried to step up to the podium. She watched helplessly as Ramsey put a hand on Tristan’s chest, stopping him. Their eyes met, and she slightly shook her head. The last thing they needed was for Tristan to comment. He held her gaze, trying to calm her. But her hands formed fists as heat and acid percolated in her belly. She swallowed compulsively, warmth spreading out, licking up the column of her neck. Ramsey tried to end the questions, but more paps joined the fray, shouting out to Ele.
Juliana, who had been silent by her side, stepped away from her, leaving Ele exposed. She saw this going badly in her mind, and that one thought sent her down the rabbit hole. There was jostling near her, and then all of the cameras turned away, focusing on something to her left. She turned her head and saw Juliana as she lifted her arm around Rowan’s neck and pressed her mouth to his. He was indecisive for a split second before he seized her around her waist— to push her away, Ele thought. But then his hands tightened on her waist, and he pulled her into him. The kiss turned carnal, and as the paps’ cameras fluttered and bulbs flashed, Robert maneuvered Ele away from the melee and into the waiting Range Rover. Belatedly, she realized Michael must have gone to get it when the press conference went bad.
Robert jumped in the back with her, and Michael pulled away.
Ele braced for the vise grip on her lungs, the constriction on her chest, but it never materialized.
They drove for a while; Ele had no idea how long.
Finally, Robert looked over to her. “Okay?” he asked, his voice even.
She nodded.
He smiled. “Good girl. I’m proud of you.”
Ele tried to smile back, but it just wouldn’t come. Her mind was racing, not one thought tangible. They continued to drive, and she realized Robert was giving her time to get ahold of herself.
Bless him.
“What was Juliana thinking?” Ele said when she could finally form words.
“Saving you,” Robert answered.
Ele blinked. “How often has she done that?”
“To that extreme? Not once. But in little ways, deflecting attention? Quite often.”
A myriad of memories bombarded Ele. Jules’s hand grasping hers at appearances, the upstaging and effusive attitude with the press, her more flamboyant outfits. The “incidents” Juliana always seemed to cause that often followed a social bomb by Ele.
She dropped her head into her hands. “How did I not see it?”
Robert sighed. “You couldn’t.”
“How much more do they pay you to be my head of security?”