The King and the Kindergarten Teacher (The Rebel Royals 1)
“Well, maybe not your life, but definitely your shoes. I don’t think leather would appreciate salty water.”
The woman laughed. As she did, her head wiggled a bit, and a warm scent hit Esme’s nose. This woman smelled of warm cinnamon apples, much like the poison pie Jan always made for Esme.
“Cell phones are the new villains,” said Esme. “Distracting us from reality.”
“They’re also magic,” said the woman. “Connecting people half a world away. I couldn’t run my business empire without this thing.” She caressed her phone to her chest as though she prized it more than her shoes or her gems.
“Are you in fashion?” Esme asked. “A model perhaps?”
“Gracious, no.” She laughed again. “I take that as a compliment. But I’m in business, mostly maritime ventures.”
“I don’t suppose you’re a modern day pirate, sailing the high seas on a luxury yacht?”
“In these heels?” she grinned. “No. But this is my ship. I designed it myself.”
“It’s gorgeous. I would pay good money to sail around this country. I’ve only seen it from the airplane and the highways. A cruise around the island would be magical. Like a Disney cruise with a royal theme because of the royal family here.”
“A luxury cruise line?” The woman had been steadily tapping on her phone during the entire conversation, but her thumb paused, and she regarded Esme with full attention. “That’s brilliant.”
“Or a family cruise line. Children would love the castles. I hear you can see them from the coast.”
“Even better. I’m going to present this to King Leo.”
“You know the king?”
“Know him. If all goes according to plan, I’ll be married to him by winter.”
She said it so dryly that Esme thought she was joking. But this didn’t look like the type of woman to joke about something so serious. Ruined designer shoes? Maybe. Marriage to a king? Not likely.
Esme stopped breathing. This was her rival? The evil duchess who would ruin Leo’s life with an arranged marriage.
It couldn’t be. This woman was beautiful and successful and … nice. Though a little preoccupied. And she came bearing gifts of business dealings. How was Esme going to compete with that?
“Ah, there’s my knight in a luxury car now.”
The same town car that Esme had seen pull off with Leo inside pulled up. Leo was the first to step out. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Esme.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Leo was exhausted. He hadn’t slept a wink last night, not with the taste of Esme lingering on his lips. Not with the feel of her still resonating in his palms. Not with the smell of her forever imprinted on his brain. He had no idea how he would spend the rest of his life without another taste, another touch, another whiff of her sweetness.
He’d paced the halls of the east wing for a few hours. Somehow, after midnight, he ended up on the west wing just down the hall from the nursery. His steps halted there on the last step of the staircase.
He felt like a ghost haunting the castle; unable to rest with an unquiet need for human contact. Like any spirit unable to let go of their old life, Leo was having trouble moving on to the next chapter of his life.
So much so, that the next morning he mixed up the names of all his cabinet members. He spent five minutes speaking in French to the Japanese Prime Minister before the man politely interrupted him. Then he’d begun hallucinating.
While talking to a French member of Parliament, in French, about Cordovian wine, Leo could’ve sworn he saw Esme standing outside his office. When he’d gotten into the car later, he could’ve sworn he saw her standing by the beheaded dragon statue.
And now it was happening again.
He saw Esme standing beside Lady Teresa out on the pier. But, of course, it wasn’t her. It was just his mind wishing it was her.
So why was Lady Teresa talking to the dream Esme as though she could see her too?
“Leo, darling, there you are.”
Teresa leaned forward and kissed Leo on both sides of his cheeks. When Leo turned his head to receive a kiss on his left cheek, his gaze caught Esme’s. It was the real Esme that stood before him.