CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 26

“Is this too much or not enough?”

“It’s too much clothing, if that’s what you mean,” Lillian replied. “This is a Queen’s dress; you need a first-date dress.”

“It’s a dress,” Mari said.

“Well, it’s blue and matches your eyes, so I guess it’ll be okay,” Lillian gave in.

“What are you guys doing tonight?” Mari asked.

“I don’t know,” Elin replied. “I told her I’d pick her up. That’s as far as we got.”

“You can’t just not plan your date, Elin; you’re the Queen,” Lillian remarked.

“She said she had a plan for something. I just didn’t ask what it was. I was honestly still surprised she wanted this with me.”

“Well, she does, so don’t mess it up,” Lillian teased.

“You look beautiful,” Mari told her.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, you look great. The dress is perfect. Don’t listen to Lillian; she’s single.”

“Hey, I have options. I prefer it that way,” Lillian retorted.

“What if it doesn’t go well?” Elin asked, feeling nervous all over again.

“Elin, it’s going to be fine.”

“I’m not out yet. What if someone sees us?”

“Then, don’t make out with her in public,” Lillian stated the obvious.

“What if I trip over my feet or spill something on her?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time, Elin – you drop stuff around her all the time. I think she’s used to it by now.”

“I haven’t… I mean… It’s been a long time since I’ve…”

“And are you planning on doing that tonight?” Mari asked.

“What? No. I don’t know. I’ve just thought about this for so long.”

“Just go pick her up and see what happens, Elin. Try to relax and enjoy yourself,” Lillian told her.

Elin took a deep breath, straightened her dress once more, and nodded. This was it. This was her first date with Ingrid; the date she never thought would happen but was actually happening.

◆◆◆

The car drove her to Ingrid’s apartment, and her driver opened her door.

“Can you give me a wide berth tonight?” Elin requested.

“Of course, Ma’am,” he replied.

She nervously headed into the building and then up to Ingrid’s floor. Security waited at the end of the hall, which she appreciated. She swallowed and knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened.

“Hi,” Ingrid greeted her with a smile that warmed Elin instantly.

“Hi,” Elin replied, smiling back at her.

“Come in.” Ingrid motioned for her to enter the apartment.

“Is Sarah here?”

“No, she’s at work,” Ingrid replied. “Security?”

“Down the hall.”

Ingrid closed the door behind her and said, “Do you want a drink before we go?”

“Depends on where we’re going.”

“Wow, you look amazing,” Ingrid said, changing the subject. “New dress?”

“It’s Mari’s, actually. She let me borrow it,” Elin replied. “And you look amazing, too.”

Ingrid was wearing a pair of gray dress slacks with a pinstriped button-down. The top two buttons were undone, giving Elin a nice view. She smiled and then remembered herself and looked away.

“Thank you,” Ingrid replied. “And do you trust me about tonight?”

“I trust you with everything,” Elin told her.

“You’re going to need a hat,” Ingrid said.

“What?” Elin laughed.

“And I have a pair of sunglasses.”

“Ingrid, it’s nighttime,” Elin said.

“We’re going for a walk.”

“A walk?”

“How often do you just get to walk around in your city, Elin? In your country?”

“Never,” Elin admitted.

“Then, let’s walk a little tonight.”

Elin nodded. Ingrid found a gray beanie that didn’t exactly go with Elin’s dress and put it on Elin’s head. She grabbed a pair of Sarah Anne’s sunglasses and put them on right after.

“Cute,” she said.

“Oh, it… Yeah? I mean–”

“I prefer your eyes, though,” Ingrid added.

“My…” Elin looked down at their feet, which were extremely close together now. “I’m nervous, Ingrid; I think I should just tell you that upfront.”

“I know,” Ingrid replied, taking Elin’s hand. “I am, too.”

“You are?”

Ingrid entwined their fingers and said, “Yes. But I think one of us is going to have to at least appear like she is not, or we’ll never get out complete sentences.”

Elin laughed and looked back up and into Ingrid’s green eyes.

“I suppose, that’s true.”

“Come on,” Ingrid prompted.

They walked down the hall after Ingrid locked up and met security by the elevator.

“We’re going to take a walk,” she told them.

“Majesty, I’m not sure a walk is a good idea.”

“I have a disguise,” Elin replied. “I’ll be okay. Can you have them follow in the car?”

“Of course, Ma’am,” he replied. “We’ll have one agent in front of you and one behind. Would that be all right?”

“At least a few meters in front and behind, please.”

“Ma’am?”

“Please. Everyone thinks I’m at Bygdøy with my family anyway.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he relented.

They went down the elevator with the two guards standing behind them. Once they were outside, the guards went to the car, gave instructions to the driver, and one of them walked back to Ingrid.

“We’re just going two blocks straight ahead and then taking a left,” Ingrid told him.

He nodded and began walking. Elin waited a moment. Then, Ingrid took her hand again, and they started walking.

“Is this okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” Elin replied with a gulp.

She’d never held hands in public with another woman before. It felt good. It felt really good. She wanted to do this all the time; to always have Ingrid’s hand to hold.

“Where are we going?” Elin asked.

“It’s not far,” Ingrid promised.

“But you’re not telling me where?”

“No,” Ingrid replied.

Elin looked over at her, wishing she didn’t have to wear these ridiculous sunglasses at night so she could see Ingrid more clearly.

“Don’t you think I stand out more with these?” she asked, referring to the glasses.

“Well, it’s either you wear those or we’re driving – you have a very recognizable face, Elin.”

“Sometimes, I miss being the kid no one cared about.”

“You were never that kid,” Ingrid said.

“I wasn’t Christian.”

“You were royal twins, a boy and a girl, and one of you was going to inherit the throne. The world followed both of you as you grew up. You were cute kids.”

“We were?” Elin asked.

“Yes, you were.”

“I feel like I’m at a slight disadvantage: you’ve seen probably hundreds of photos of me growing up, and at all my awkward stages, and I haven’t seen any of you.”

“I’m sure Sarah Anne can show you some if you’re interested.”

“I am,” she replied.

Elin looked around the street as they walked. There were only a few people on the sidewalk, but there were many cars lined up in traffic. She wondered where they were going but decided to let Ingrid have her surprise. She normally would have felt exposed out here, with only two members of the security team nearby, but she actually felt safe and happy. She felt very happy. She was walking around Oslo holding hands with the woman she’d been in love with for more than three years, and they were on their first date. Elin only prayed they’d have a second.

“Okay. So, you know Sarah works at a restaurant…”

“Yes.”

“Well, it’s closed on Mondays.”

“Today is Monday,” Elin noted.

“I know.” Ingrid smiled. “I thought it would be nice for us to have a night out instead of just my apartment or a dinner at the palace, so I asked Sarah if she’d let us use the restaurant tonight.”

“Use it?”

“Yes, Elin. She’s cooking us dinner in there right now. It’s just her, and she’ll stay in the kitchen. Security can stay inside with us or out here; whatever they want.” Ingrid looked at the two guards who were now standing next to them.

“Ingrid…”

Ingrid pulled open the restaurant door and said, “After you, Your Majesty.”

Elin smiled and walked through after one of the guards. The other remained outside after Ingrid walked in.

“Please remain here, Your Majesty,” the first guard requested.

“Of course.”

“You’ll find my sister, Sarah Anne, in the kitchen,” Ingrid said.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said and walked around the small restaurant, checking for danger.

Elin couldn’t take her eyes off the small table for two that had an open bottle of wine and a candle lit in the middle of it.

“Ingrid, this is perfect. Thank you,” Elin told her.

Ingrid walked ahead of Elin, pulled out the chair for her, and said, “You’re welcome.”

Elin sat down and watched Ingrid sit down across from her. Then, the security guard emerged from the kitchen.

“Your Majesty, I asked you to stay at the front,” he said.

“Sorry,” she replied, unable to hide her smile. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’ll wait in the kitchen.”

“Thank you,” Elin replied.

“So, Sarah recommended this wine. I hope it’s okay. If not, I can ask her to–”

“I’m sure it’s lovely,” Elin said.

Ingrid smiled and poured them each a glass.

“To our first date,” Ingrid said when she raised her own.

“To our first date,” Elin said, doing the same.

They toasted the occasion and then took a drink.

“This is good,” Elin noted.

“She has great taste in wine,” Ingrid replied. “Now that she works here, she can buy things at cost or, sometimes, in bulk. I get a lot of food-related gifts for the holidays.”

“I just hope I don’t end up spilling anything on myself tonight; or you,” Elin said softly.

“Are you really only clumsy around me? Sometimes, it’s hard for me to tell because I generally only see you when you’re being clumsy.”

“Mainly, yes,” Elin admitted. “It happens mostly when you surprise me.”

“That makes sense because I’ve been so impressed with your cool confidence at times.”

“You were?”

“That day you came into my office and just kind of owned it? Yeah, that was sexy, Elin.”

“What day?” Elin asked.

“I like to refer to it as ‘The Suspenders Day.’”

“What?” Elin laughed.

“The day you saw the office redecorated and–”

“Oh, those? You liked the suspenders?”

“I love those suspenders.” Ingrid blushed slightly.

“I guess I’ll have to find them. I think they’re in my closet somewhere,” Elin replied.

“Maybe on our second date?” Ingrid suggested.

Elin blushed then.