24. 24

24

Kalle

I spend a lot of time in the office thinking whether I'd still want Edie if I were just a regular guy.

There's no question about her: me being a prince is actually a detriment to Edie. If I were just a regular guy who owned a bar, would we be a couple by now?

I have no idea because I've never been a guy who just owned a bar, as much as I try to pretend I am.

I've never been one to consider my feelings. Emotions are unknown to me. I like action. I can do gestures. I can't talk about my feelings. It took three whole therapy sessions after my mother died for me to give something real.

This is what's terrifying for me. Summoning the courage to tell Edie exactly how I feel. It has taken a bit for me to figure it out, but now I think I've got it.

I love Edie. Even thinking it has my breath clutching my chest with fear, so I don't know how I will ever manage to tell her. But the thought also makes me smile—it's a comfortable thought; proud, like I've managed to fit in the last few pieces of the puzzle.

The thought of Edie makes my future less foggy .

I love Edie. I love her as my best friend, but I'm also in love with her.

I might have been in love with her for a long time.

"I'm an idiot," I groan.

"Is there a reason you're talking smack to yourself?" I look up to see Edie standing in the doorway of the office with a concerned look on her face. She's wearing her usual outfit of jeans and a T-shirt, her white apron already tied around her waist.

She's wearing a pink T-shirt today and her hair is down, swinging to her shoulders. She's traded in her usual diamond studs for simple gold hoops and put on lip gloss, so all I can stare at is her lips.

The whole package is the best thing I've ever seen.

It's not—Edie in that black dress the other night was pretty spectacular, but I know she got dressed this morning knowing she would be seeing me. So I can think she looks this good for me.

If there was any doubt in how I felt, seeing her there made it vanish. Disappear like the morning fog over the harbour. Seeing here there makes my insides feel like that dish of butter when Skywalker left it too close to the grill one time. There are rainbows and fireworks. Puppies and spring flowers after the rain.

There is a need to hug her that I can't ignore. I push back the chair and go to her, scooping her up in my arms, lifting her right off the floor.

Edie laughs and it's the best sound ever. I've always loved to hear her laugh, but everything sounds so much better today.

"What are you doing in here?" I ask into her hair. It smells good. Edie smell .

She kicks her legs. "I've got nothing else to do and it's too wet to go outside."

"Or maybe you missed me?"

Her arms tighten around my neck. "Or maybe I missed you."

"Good."

"Is that how it's going to be? I say something nice and you give me a grunt?" She gives my shoulder a playful slap.

I set her gently on her feet but keep my arms around her for a moment longer. "Probably."

I hold her longer enough for Edie to slide her hands from my shoulders all the way down my back to rest on my butt. And then she gives it a squeeze. "Did you just grab my butt?" I accuse.

Edie shrugs and gives me a mischievous grin. "You say something nice back or I squeeze something," she warns.

"I'll tell you right now, that's not much of a deterrent."

She laughs and winds her arms around my waist. And then she rests her head against my chest and sighs. "Is this happening too fast? It feels like it's happening too fast."

"It feels pretty good to me." She feels pretty good to me, here in my arms where she's always belonged. "Now I just say the things I've been thinking for years."

"Years, huh?"

"That's what I said."

"I've been thinking this is all so fast since last night, but if you're talking years…" she says into my chest and I can feel her smile. Edie is always smiling and cheerful, but this is a different kind of smile. This is the smile she gets because of me.

It feels pretty darn good knowing I can make her smile like that .

"You've been thinking of me, have you?" I interrupt.

She tilts her head and looks up at me. "I'm not admitting anything now."

"I've been thinking of you," I tell her, and watch as her smile lights up her face.

"What were you thinking about?"

There's no way I'm admitting any of my uneasiness. "About where I'm going to take you for our date tomorrow."

"Not tonight?" The disappointment rings in her voice. "I thought—"

"I'm gone tonight, so you think you can handle things here?"

"I can handle anything." I still hear the disappointment, and for once I want to cancel my plans. "Where are you off to? A goodbye dinner with Fenella?"

"Why would I be going out with Fenella if I told you I wanted to take you out?" The words come out harsher than I plan, but still—does Edie not think I meant what I said this morning?

"Oh." She looks startled. "I just thought…"

This might take some work.

"Think about what I said and realize that I meant it." I glance at Edie, annoyance fading with the urge to kiss her again. It was strong this morning, it's died down a bit, like the rain, but still—I want to kiss her.

I repress the urge and run a finger down her cheek. "If that's okay with you."

"It's…" She nods. "I'll talk to Mathias."

"Good girl."

Her eyebrows almost disappear into her hair. "Good girl? "

This time I swipe my thumb across Edie's lips, pausing at the centre of the bow and giving the bottom lip a tug. "I like good girls."

My chest puffs when she swallows, and I step back. "I'm at the castle tonight. Bo's still in town, so Dad called a dinner."

"Fun." The word comes out a little strangled and I smirk because I have that effect on her.

Me. Edie likes me.

"It will be. I might crash there, so don't worry if I don't make it back to town."

She looks confused. "I never worry if you don't come home or make it back into town because I can never be sure what you're doing."

"I thought maybe after last night…" It's an adjustment, I tell myself. We can't go from friends only to more without a few stumbles.

Not only do I have a past, but I've got a reputation, whether it's justified or not.

"You mean, last night when you woke me with your snoring?" she asks.

I chuckle. "Yeah, I think that was the other way around. You don't worry about me?"

"Of course I worry," she says, exasperated, "but I never know what you're doing… who you're with…"

"You'll know now," I promise.

Something softens in her eyes. "Okay. Text me when you're back and you can tell me about this date you're planning."

"Maybe I will. "

"You will text me," she orders with a note of authority that does… things.

"Yes ma'am." I tip an imaginary hat to her. "I'll head out in about an hour or so. And I'll let you know when I get back."

It's been a long time since I've checked in with anyone when I came home. I thought it would be annoying but it's kind of nice.

It's very nice.