“Check on me?”
“After the King’s lecture. I know I got your hopes up about the polling data and—”
“Actually, I think you got your hopes up. I distinctly remember telling you that it wouldn’t work.”
“Do you always have to be right?” he demands, throwing up his hands. “Even when it goes against your own self-interest?”
“I would love to be wrong. But the thing is, despite your jaded, man-whore visage, you’re actually the idealist between the two of us. If you were a little more pragmatic, you’d realize that we’re all totally and completely fucked.”
“I refuse to accept that.”
“I know you do.” I drain what’s left of my whiskey in one long swallow. “It’s a problem.”
“No, the problem is your fatalistic attitude. You give up before you even enter the fight and I don’t understand why. You used to be so—”
Kian breaks off as the front door of the suite opens and Lola comes through it, arms loaded with more garment bags than any one woman should be able to carry.
I’m across the suite in an instant. “Here, let me help.”
“Thanks,” she says with a laugh. “I think I got carried away. But the sale was a treasure trove of vintage pieces. Vera’s going to be thrilled when she sees them. In fact, I need to call her and let her know to ex—”
She stops mid-word, eyes going wide as she looks from Kian to Savvy to me. “I didn’t know we were having company.” Her tone screams that I should have called her. “Did I miss something?”
For a second, it looks like she’s trying to decide if she should curtsy or not—which is insane considering how she treated me when we first met. In the end, though, she skips the pomp and circumstance and settles for extending a hand to each of them in turn. “It’s so nice to meet you, Kian, Savvy. I’ve heard so much about you from Garrett.”
“All of it good, I’m sure,” my brother says with a smirk.
“All of it colorful,” she counters. “Is that good enough?”
“It’s accurate,” Savvy interjects. “So yes, more than good enough.”
Lola turns to me then, her unspoken question hanging in the air between us. “Change of plans,” I tell her because the last thing I want to do tonight is get into the reason for Kian’s visit with her. “Tonight you get to see my Paris.”
Chapter 27
Lola
As I look around the suite filled with royals—and one future royal—I can’t help feeling a little bit like I’ve been ambushed. I know it’s ridiculous; I can tell from the look on Garrett’s face that he didn’t have any more of an idea that his brother and future sister-in-law would be showing up in our hotel suite than I did. But he did get back here before I did, and a heads-up would have been nice. All I needed was a minute to compose myself. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. Speaking of which…
“I guess I’ll go get changed, then.” I glance at Garrett. “Any recommendations on what I need to wear to see your Paris?”
“I’ll help you find something,” Savvy answers, smiling warmly as she crosses the room to me. “It’ll give us a chance to get to know each other.”
I smile and nod, because it’s not as if she’s given me a choice. She’s already got her arm linked with mine and is leading me across the suite to the master bedroom. I’m not sure how I feel about her assuming that that’s where I’m staying…even though it is.
“So, what are the plans for tonight?” I ask as the door closes behind us and I manage to disengage myself from Savvy.
“Something ridiculous, I’m sure. Kian’s in charge.” She rolls her eyes, but her tone is so full of fond exasperation that I can’t help grinning. Garrett and I may be a match made for the paps, but it’s obvious that Savvy really loves Kian—and just as obvious that he’s crazy about her.
The thought tugs at me a little, makes me ache for something I know isn’t possible. I’m not royal material and I never will be. And that’s fine, because I’ve never in my wildest dreams wanted to be. Even now, when being with Garrett seems so easy, I have no interest—and no illusions—about being queen. So why does standing here with Savvy, who is obviously completely in love with her own royal hotn
ess, suddenly feel so bittersweet?
Why does it feel like I’m suddenly facing an end with Garrett when we never even had a beginning? At least, not a real one. Not like the one that Kian and Savvy have obviously got going.
Still, fake it ’til you make it is pretty much my middle name, so I paste a grin on my face and ask, “What does one wear in royal circles when being ridiculous?”
Savvy wiggles her brows. “Something that will knock two pairs of royal socks off, obviously.”