Tempting the Crown (The Crown 1)

“Probably.”

“Then, yes. I’d love to go.”

I grinned. “Thank, God. I thought you were going to turn me down.”

She laughed. “I would like to kick these movers out of the apartment.”

“Soon. They’ll be gone and you’ll have your own place.”

“You know I never really wanted my own place.”

“I know. I’m sorry. But we can hang out tonight and we’ll make some plans. You can come to the palace anytime. I’m going to have my own apartment here.”

“Holy shit.”

I looked up when the elevator dinged. Ayla walked into the suites.

“Brooklyn, I have to go, but I’ll make sure you have all the details and an invitation. And a car.” I smiled. If I was dating the king, I could send a car.

“Wow. You can do that?”

I wasn’t completely sure, but I thought it was worth trying. Sutcliffe would go crazy. I decided I’d try to flex my muscle with him a little.

“I can’t wait to see you.”

“You too, Mol.”

“Thanks for doing this.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to a ball.” I smiled. Maybe there was a way to smooth things over with my best friend.

“See you soon.”

I hung up and looked at Ayla. She was holding a leather-bound notebook. I was nervous about whatever was in there. It looked like a lot of information to cram into my head in such a short amount of time.

“Are you ready to get started?” she asked.

I nodded. “Lesson number three hundred fifty-two.” I sighed.

“I promise to make it as painless as possible.” She smiled lightly. “But as usual, we are pressed for time. We need to review the guest list, royal customs for balls, and I think we’ll need at least three hours for your wardrobe.”

“Three hours?” My eyes popped. “Shouldn’t I spend more time studying the attendees than having my hair done?”

Ayla laughed. “It’s all equally important.”

“I don’t see how that’s possible.”

She patted the sofa. I sat next to her, making sure my ankles rested against each other in a slight slant as she had taught me. I was amazed at how quickly I had started to adapt to the nuances of acting royal.

“As Royal Consort you’ll have to reconcile what is important to the king against what you’re accustomed to as an American. I don’t pretend that it’s easy. If it were, there wouldn’t be a position for someone like me. Royal expertise is an honored and respected profession in Galona. I trained for years, Molly. Becoming royal isn’t something to be taken lightly.

“It’s not any of my business to know whether that’s something you need to consider. It’s my job to make sure that you have every tool you need to be on the king’s arm. I’m here to help you.”

Ayla was too polite to be rude.

She wouldn’t be callous like Sutcliffe. She wouldn’t push me like Damon. I believed she genuinely wanted me to succeed, but I heard her subtle messages. This role was unlike anything else I’d ever experienced. And it wasn’t for everyone. Dominic’s story had taught me that some relationships weren’t strong enough to withstand the cloud over the crown.

To Ayla, spending hours to choose fabric and accessories wasn’t a waste of time. It completed the package. Being dressed in a well-known designer with a stunning clutch held just right was equally as important as knowing the names of foreign dignitaries.