21. Chapter 21

Chapter twenty-one

Fenella

I 'm still excited when I get back to the castle, my mind a whirl of ideas about the party. It will be my last night staying at the castle, so I feel like I should stay for dinner, even though I want nothing more than to throw my things in the car and move into Edie's.

And then make plans for my party.

Dining with the royal family of Laandia is like having a meal at a local diner but cooked by a world-renowned chef. It takes a little to get used to when you consider the setting—a castle.

This may be the small dining room, but the table can still hold from twelve to twenty guests. The settings may be simple, but it's Wedgewood and I can check my lipstick in the shine of the spoons. And I have been present when Gunnar and Princess Lyra performed a musical medley with the crystal wine glasses.

It's very different from dinners with my parents.

When it's just the family, no one dresses for dinner. There's a variety of denim in the dining room when I appear, and a few flannel shirts. I shouldn't be surprised, since the last time I was here, the meal was chicken tenders—succulent chunks of chicken breast, breaded with panko and Parmesan and more herbs and spices than KFC, but chicken strips, nonetheless.

King Magnus likes the simple things in life.

There are only two princes in attendance today—Kalle, the eldest, and Gunnar, the youngest. But the princesses-to-be are here: Stella is with Gunnar, and Edie with Kalle. This leaves Spencer Laz as the eligible bachelor for me to practice my smiles on.

Tempting, but not my type. I'm not sure what Spencer does for the family—he's a lawyer and the son of Duncan Laz, who is basically the right-hand man of the king—and he's known as the unofficial fifth prince of Laandia. But it's not his status that has me hesitating.

Unofficially, there's always been something going on between him and Princess Lyra. No one in the family will admit or acknowledge it, or even allow the thought to be spoken, but it's there. Call it a woman's intuition.

And if the only daughter of the king of Laandia has staked her claim on Spencer, then I will not be stepping foot on her territory. There are many women that I would go up against, but Princess Lyra is not one of them.

Prince Gunnar has a glass of wine for me as soon as I walk into the dining room. "Fen! Did I hear right? You're working at Coffee for the Sole? "

I lift a shoulder. "You're deserting me, so I need something to do. I like the way Silas makes my lattes, so why not hang out there?"

"Is that the only thing you like about Silas?" Stella demands in her no-nonsense way.

I glance at Edie before I answer. My thoughts about my new boss are a little confusing—okay, a lot confusing—but I don't need to share that with this group, especially if Edie will be delivering another lecture about how I should steer clear of her cousin. "He's a sweetheart," I say instead.

Before I can say anything else, King Magnus enters like a late summer windstorm. I've never met a person with a more charismatic presence than the king, and I've known my fair share of royals and celebrities and Very Important People. It's as if Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey, Lionel Messi and Keanu Reeves were shaken and stirred together—that would give you King Magnus.

The king, followed by Duncan, makes his apologies and greets his children before turning to me. "Ah, Fenella. I heard you roaring in from town in that yellow firecracker. So glad you took it off Coy's hands—that car was wasting away on his front lawn." He accepts the glass of wine Gunnar hands him and grins down at me.

"Your Majesty." I drop into a perfect curtsey. "It's a fun car. I should take you for a ride in it."

"I will take you up on that," he says, aiming for the head of the table. "I don't know why I've never got myself a muscle car. Seems like fun."

The king takes his seat, the sign for the rest of us to sit. "What happens to the car when you go home?" Stella asks.

"I haven't figured that out yet." I take the seat across from her, beside Edie. "I'll donate it to a worthy Laandian probably. Maybe Wyatt, if he gets his license."

"And you're working for Silas," Duncan says. He's like the king's shadow, if shadows were sixty-plus and still as handsome as a model on the cover of a romance novel, which is what Duncan used to do. "He makes darn good coffee."

"I also make darn good coffee," I tell him. "It's the only reason I persuaded him to hire me."

"We've had a few requests from reporters to enter the country," the king tells me. "You're still interesting."

"That will never change," Gunnar says fondly.

"I appreciate you keeping them away from me," I tell Magnus. "I'm not sure how you're doing it, but it's very nice."

"Don't want your first day of work splashed across the tabloids?" the king guffaws.

I shudder. "Definitely not."

What would people think of me working for Silas? A Billionaire Brat getting her hands dirty making coffee for the masses? They'd think it was a lark, a prank, that somehow, I was doing this only to make a grand announcement about some coffee-based skin moisturizer .

Not one of my millions of followers would believe that I'm working at Coffee for the Sole because I want to. That I like it. It's been fun making coffee and talking to the customers and getting to know Leodie and Jem.

And Silas.

For once, I don't care what other people think.

"I had an idea for that store beside the coffee shop," I tell Edie and Stella. "The one that's sitting empty."

"They made the best pizza back in the day," Edie reminisces.

"I thought Silas could open a club, targeting younger women who want a place to go. To dance, serve fun cocktails instead of beer. Although your honey mead is very tasty," I add to the king.

"Another bar in town?" Gunnar asks. "We'll be seeing more of Lyra coming home in that case."

"A dance club?" Stella frowns. "Like with the bright flashing lights and the boom chicka boom music?"

Gunnar and Kalle share a glance. "I'm not sure that kind of music," I offer. "But maybe a little stage area? You could sing." Stella inherited her father's musical ability.

"Maybe," she hedges.

"I think it's a great idea," Edie says, her dark eyes lit with excitement. "I would love to go someplace for a drink without someone asking me for a beer."

"I think you're talking about competition, and I don't think it's a good idea," Kalle grumbles .

"This will target a very different customer," Edie reminds him. "The King's Hat isn't really a girlie bar."

"Call it the Queen's Hat," Stella suggests with a mischievous grin.

"No," Kalle rumbles.

"Women looking for a good time. Sign me up," Gunnar says. Stella's grin fades and she gives him a sharp look. "I mean… you would have a wonderful time there," he adds to Stella.

"And as a trial run, I'm having my birthday party there," I tell them, thinking I should throw Gunnar a rescue.

Gunnar groans. "Not another Fenella birthday party. I don't think Battle Harbour has recovered from the last one."

Five years ago, Gunnar brought our friends for a visit to celebrate my birthday. It had been a great few days, but I feel this year might be a little different. I'm older, wiser.

My friends will be here, but so will Silas.

It's surprising how much I want him to be there.

"I remember that night," Kalle says in his gruff voice. "You're not stepping foot in my bar with that birthday ribbon thing again." But he says it with a grin.

"Which is why I'm making my own bar," I tell him with a cheeky smile.

And then I feel the king's gaze on me. "You think we need another drinking hole? Guess you best tell me more," he invites. "Because anything that makes my people happy is good for business. "

Instead of telling him of my plans, I switch the subject. "Did you know Silas would like to build an observatory like in Nova Scotia?" I ask him instead. "He'd love to showcase Laandia as a destination for star-gazing. People go to Iceland and the Northern Territories to see the northern lights but there are just as good spots in Laandia."

King Magnus glances at Duncan and then Kalle. "I have to say, I never considered what's in the sky above us," he admits.

"I think it would be an excellent boost for tourism. He's taken me out to see the stars twice, and I have to say, the views are very impressive."

I try to ignore how Edie's head jerks toward me when I mention Silas taking me out.

"I know a lot of people who would pay a lot of money to be able to see the northern lights here," I continue. "Not to mention the stars."

King Magnus looks over at Duncan. "Could be something to think about. When you get your club set up, why don't you and Silas come and talk to us?"

Silas will be so excited—if he forgives me for bringing this to the king. I have a feeling he will.

I'm impossible to stay angry with.

"That would be great," I say. "He'll be so happy."

"Happy people are good for business," he repeats, giving me a wide smile, the one that would make even the hardest heart melt.