Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress

‘There’s something else.’ She was glad she’d remembered. ‘I need an army of waiters and waitresses who look really good.’

‘The local modelling agency,’ Tino replied promptly. ‘If the world’s media are going to be there, they’ll do it all for free.’

Of course they would. Young starlets, hungry for fame, would leap at the chance to be snapped at the ultimate society ball. ‘Not free, but standard service rates, OK?’

‘Sure. I can organise it if you like. What do you want them to wear?’

‘I haven’t the budget for outfits to be custom made. Nor do we have the time. But somehow they have to look fabulous, uniform—it needs to be obvious they’re there to help but in keeping with the theme.’

‘Classical, right?’

‘Classical with a hint of naughty.’

‘Kind of like you, princess.’

She managed a sort of smile.

He looked thoughtful. ‘Every model worth her weight in diamonds has a Calvin Klein tee shirt.’

She looked sideways at him. ‘Tee shirt? We’re talking the ultimate in glamour, Tino.’ What had she got herself into? What on earth was he going to have her wearing?

He flicked his fingers. ‘Don’t worry, leave it to me.’

With the amount of things she had to do, and the amount of time in which to do them all, she didn’t have much choice.

Friday afternoon she finally got to see her old friend Cassie. It wasn’t for long and as she walked back to the hotel she hoped that James wouldn’t be there. She needed a little time because right now she was feeling wobblier than a three-quarters-set jelly. Seeing Cassie had been more upsetting than she’d expected and if James was in one of his intrusive, cynical moods she’d lose it.

But he was there, stuck at the desk, up to his neck in paperwork, shirt sleeves rolled up. She gave him a bit of a smile and moved to the little balcony. Opened up the laptop and stared at the budget she’d put together for the party. The columns and rows blurred together. Eyes that had been dry for so long filled and the tears that threatened burnt them, making them water all the more.

James stepped round the corner. ‘Are you OK?’

‘Fine,’ she replied briefly, still staring at the screen. ‘Just a bit tired.’

‘Did you catch up with your friend?’

She nodded, blinking. ‘It was great.’

She felt mortified that she’d sent Cassie fluffy letters and silly postcards—where the biggest concern she’d related had been which party to go to at the start of Fashion Week. She’d had no idea of the struggle and trauma Cassie had been through—the secrets she had been keeping. Liss’s own hurts were laughable compared to that and she had no right to be feeling this tiny spurt of envy.

She’d felt it as Cassie had bent to listen to the small boy when he’d burst into the room for a minute before dashing back out again. Cassie’s face had illuminated, the love plain for anyone to see. It had tugged at Liss in a spot she didn’t know she had until that moment.

Cassie had told Liss some more of what had happened all those years ago. Not that much, but Liss could read between the lines and had seen the shadow of vulnerability flash in her face. And now Cassie was so happy. Liss felt such a tide of thankfulness wash over her—that her friend had found the love and joy she deserved. Sebastian had abdicated—given up an entire kingdom for her.

Liss couldn’t imagine anyone offering her that kind of whole, unwavering, unconditional love. She didn’t deserve it. She’d been nothing but frivolous—modelling, partying, offering no real depth or contribution. So she did some charity work—a little, but not a lot—and what of it? Not as much as she could or should given her position.

And where did she go from here? Now Alex was Prince Regent and looking for the diamond, the instability meant there was no way he’d let her come back for fear she’d set off even more wild headlines. But in truth she’d been isolated from her country for so long it didn’t even feel like home any more. The places she’d gone to as a teen had turned their backs on her—going out these last couple of nights had been no fun, alone and unsupported.

James had been right back in Sydney. She was lost. And she didn’t know where or how she was going to find what she wanted.

‘She must have been pleased to see you.’ He was still standing in the doorway, watching her.

Their lives were poles apart. Cassie had laughed and hugged Liss when she’d apologised for how trite her letters must have seemed, told her not to be silly, that they’d lit her up for days.