Prince of my Panties (Royal Package 2)

Jeffrey spins to face me. “So, now you’re saying it was a mistake for him to fall in love with your sister?”

I stop dead, my heart lurching into my throat. “You really think so? You think he’s in love with her? Because I think she’s in love with him. I really do. We’ve only texted about it, but—” I break off with a curse. “That reminds me, I need to charge my phone tonight. It’s dead, so I couldn’t check for messages while I was in town. I’m betting Sabrina has tried to call me, or at least text.”

“I bet she has.” He nods over his shoulder. “Why don’t you call her and find out what she has to say?”

My fingers curl into fists at my sides. My first instinct is to tell him no, but I can’t stop thinking about his question.

What will I do if this prophecy falls apart? If Jeffrey proves that fate isn’t as inalterable as I’ve come to believe?

Well, then…that would change everything, wouldn’t it?

My past, present, and future.

My life and death and all the moments in between. It would be a personal earthquake of such magnitude I’m not sure any part of me would still be the same afterward.

“Go ahead,” Jeffrey says softly. “I’ll be right here. It’s going to be okay.”

But will it?

I suppose there’s only one way to find out.

11

Jeffrey

Elizabeth picks up the phone with a shaking hand, and I hold my breath, though I’m not sure which way I want this to go.

Yes, I want Lizzy to be free of the delusion that’s had such a terrible impact on her life thus far. But I also sort of hope Andrew and Sabrina have found a way to work things out.

I don’t relish the fact that Sabrina lied to my brother, but I like the way she challenges him, matches him, complements him. She would be a good wife and an honorable queen, which is more than I can say for any of the other women Andrew’s dated. Until Sabrina, he definitely had a type, one that had more to do with the size of a woman’s breasts than the size of her heart.

But I haven’t seen him so much as look sideways at another woman since he flew out to fetch Elizabeth from Rinderland and returned with the wrong twin.

So, I’m not really surprised when only moments after getting her sister on the phone, Lizzy gushes, “Oh, how fabulous, Bree! I’m sorry I tricked you into going in my place, but this is why. I knew you two would be perfect for each other, but that neither of you would believe me until you saw it for yourselves. And now you have, and you’re in love, and I just…” Her breath rushes out. “I’m so happy for you both. This really is just…the best news.”

The best news…

It certainly isn’t for Lizzy, but when she turns to me, the ancient phone pressed to her ear, she’s beaming. “Yes, I’m fine, and Jeffrey’s fine.” She pauses, nodding before she assures her sister, “Yes, I promise. We’re good. And I promise I’ll explain everything as soon as I have the chance, but I can’t really talk right now, darling. Goodbye, I love you!”

Before I can stop her—or ask for my brother to come to the phone—she drops the receiver into the cradle, sending a clanging sound through the room.

“Why did you hang up? I need to speak with Andrew.” I start around her, but she darts to the right and holds out her arms, blocking my path.

“No, if you talk to Andrew, or if I keep talking to Sabrina, then we’re both going to end up going home.”

I pause and take a step back. “As opposed to…”

“As opposed to staying here and hiding from our parents for a few more days while I get tons of work done. I mean, you said your mother would be mad that you didn’t show up to the engagement ceremony, right?”

“I doubt she’ll mind now that she knows the truth.”

“Exactly,” Lizzy says, making me blink, but she pushes on before I can untangle her logic. “So, you need to lay low for a little while, I need to lay low for a little while, and I’ve already paid for the cabin for the full two weeks. Seems like a no brainer that we should stay and…lay low together.”

“Why do you need to lay low?” I ask. “No offense to your family, but I didn’t get the feeling your mother cared which of her daughters married my brother, so long as one of you ended up being his queen.”

“I’m not offended at all. You’re correct, and I fully anticipate that Sabrina and Andrew will end up married, eventually.” She rolls her eyes. “But until they make their engagement official, my mother is going to be…dramatic about this. And probably dramatic in my direction, since I tricked Sabrina into going in my place. I don’t have time for drama—I need to finish my collection and get the comps sent into the head of the design department before the deadline. I’ve already lost too many workdays to sickness. I can’t afford to lose any more to whatever Mother decides to do. The last time she was angry with Zan, she got a tattoo on her backside.”