Chapter 4

The sight of Veronica still struck me with the same awe as the day we first met. To the casual observer, she was an elegant vision to behold, but little did they know that there was a storm that brewed behind those gorgeous brown eyes.

A storm I had, in part, conjured.

The way she looked at me now, with a fire I knew all too well, confirmed that if there had been any sharp objects nearby, they'd have been flying straight at me.

I couldn't blame her, really.

"You've wasted your time coming here," Veronica said to me, then eyed Caleb to address him. "And you … I don't understand why you're here."

He took a sip of his dawa and grinned mischievously. "Are you saying that you're the only one in the family who deserves a vacation? Besides, someone needs to keep Daphne company while you and August rekindle your love."

I'd always appreciated people being direct, but this was not one of those times. Veronica's stance became more defensive.

"That would be as impossible as trying to assemble ashes back into their original form," she replied.

"I agree, Veronica," I said.

She blinked twice. "You do?"

I nodded. "Absolutely." I took a step toward her, my resolve firm. "Perhaps, instead of trying to reconstruct the past, we need to ignite something new. Something that burns brighter and purer than what we had before."

It was the truth, my truth, spoken with the hope that she would see the sincerity in my words, and perhaps lower her defenses. I watched her closely, every micro-expression, ready to navigate through the rough waters. Based on the sour expression on her face, I knew it would take some time.

Veronica drank half of her dawa in one long gulp, then sighed. "There will be no rekindling, rebuilding, or rejuvenating. And since when have you been so poetical? Did you memorize all that? Forget it. It doesn't matter. I'm not interested, and the only thing flaming at the moment is my resentment." Then she polished off the rest of her drink in another gulp and set the glass on the bar.

"Well, at least rehydrating is still acceptable," Daphne said, finishing her drink and setting it next to Veronica's glass.

I gestured to their two empty glasses. "I'm pretty sure these are meant to be sipped, not chugged. Be careful, ladies."

"Sometimes you have to live a little," Caleb chuckled and downed the rest of his dawa in one ambitious gulp. He slammed the glass down on the bar with a satisfied grin. "Okay, I think I just set my throat on fire."

"When in Rome …" I winked, then matched Caleb's enthusiasm and finished my drink, then set the glass on the bar and turned to the bartender. "Four more of these, please," I croaked softly.

The bartender, a young man with an amiable smile, nodded and replied, "Coming right up!"

Veronica shot me a glare sharp enough to cut through the jovial atmosphere. "I didn't say you could order more drinks for us, August."

I paused, taken aback by the intensity of her objection.

"I thought a drink might lighten the mood a little," I said, attempting to keep the situation cordial.

"We don't need to lighten anything," she snapped, her tone icy.

"I wouldn't mind having another one, actually," Daphne said. "That drink is amazing. Although someone needs to cut me off if it gets to where I'm looking at that African totem pole like it's a dance prop."

Veronica ignored her and said, "I think we'll just go back to Kastonia." Her hand was already snatching her purse from the bar stool. "Coming here was a big mistake."

"Hold on!" Daphne said. "We just traveled twelve hours to get here. There's no way we're turning around and heading back now. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for most people, and honestly, I want to explore Africa now that we're here. Go on a game drive, have a barbecue in the bush, enjoy the sunrise hot-air balloon, maybe even get an amethyst crystal massage. We need to live a little."

Caleb grinned. "I agree."

Veronica hesitated, then sighed, relenting with a reluctant nod. "Fine, but that doesn't mean we're doing these things together. The last thing I want to do is deal with either of you. You men can stay on your side of the safari camp."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, deciding it was not a good time to mention that our tent suite was located right next door to theirs or that most of the guests ate together.

Daphne strode over with a broad smile, pulling me into a warm embrace. "Nice to see you, August."

"Clearly, not everyone is as thrilled as you," I said with a chuckle, knowing Daphne would love nothing more than to see me and Veronica back together. "Always a pleasure to see you, too."

Not to be ignored, Caleb chimed in with his usual flair, "What about me? Did you miss me?"

Daphne rolled her eyes. Yet her smile betrayed her amusement. "It's always a circus with you, isn't it?"

"Consider me your ringmaster then," Caleb quipped, winking. "I promise, I'm quite the charmer once you get past my devastating good looks and this annoying humility."

Daphne couldn't help but laugh. "All right, I'll admit it's nice to see you too, Caleb. Just as friends, though, remember? Our age gap will not change, so save your energy and find a girl your age."

Caleb shrugged off her comment with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Age is just a number. The most important thing is chemistry, and you and I both know we could easily set the lab on fire."

Caleb and Daphne's playful and carefree behavior motivated me even more to get back to where I was with Veronica before I had botched things. She and I used to be that way, full of lighthearted moments that left us feeling so alive. Our relationship had been a whirlwind of fun, laughter, passion, and a connection so deep it felt unbreakable.

Until I broke it.

Caleb stepped closer to Daphne, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "You smell amazing, by the way."

Daphne stepped back, smirking. "That's the ‘eau de economy class' from sitting next to the bathroom on a packed flight."

I jumped into the conversation with a chuckle. "Must've been quite the disguise to fly under the radar like that. I can't believe nobody recognized you."

Veronica folded her arms, her gaze sharp. "How did you know we went incognito?"

I shrugged. "Oh, the usual spy stuff. Your driver spilled the beans." I raised a hand to forestall her anger. "And before you scold him or try to have him fired, Caleb played the ‘royal duty' card. Threatened to drag Queen Camille into the matter if he didn't tell us everything he knew."

"True—and he sang like a canary after a spring shower," Caleb added with a grin. "Though, to be fair, you weren't exactly whispering your plans in the car, from what he told us."

Daphne gave a resigned nod. "Can't really argue with that. We tend to forget our inside voices."

As the bartender prepared our drinks, a bubbly, middle-aged couple approached us, each with a glass of wine in their hand. The woman waved, effervescent with a wide smile.

"Hello! We are Sabrina and Simon from Slovenia," she announced, her voice lilting with a charming accent. "Looks like we have some new arrivals."

After introductions, I gestured to Caleb. "We arrived a couple of hours ago, and these wonderful ladies just joined us moments ago."

Veronica looked puzzled. "Wait—you got here before us? How is that possible?"

"Private jet," Caleb answered for me, flashing a proud grin like the aircraft was his personal toy.

"If I'd known you were going to follow us, I would've hitched a ride," Daphne quipped, joining in with a playful chuckle.

"Private jet?" Simon echoed, raising an eyebrow. "That certainly is impressive. What do you all do for a living?"

Sabrina gently squeezed her husband's arm. "Some people like to keep their private lives private, dear." She turned back toward us. "You don't have to answer that."

Simon shrugged off the caution with a chuckle. "What's the harm? It's just work. You know I don't mind telling people we're winemakers." He beamed with pride. "We own a very popular wine tasting room on the Adriatic coast, in a little town called Izola. Winemaking has been in our family for three generations! You should drop by sometime for a glass of Syrah."

Daphne pointed to the two of them. "Sabrina and Simon sell Syrah by the seashore!"

"What a tongue twister!" Sabrina said with a proud smile. "But Simon is serious. You are more than welcome to visit us in Slovenia. The more the merrier."

"We just might do that," I declared, feeling the moment was ripe for a bit of the truth. "And since we're all sharing, I might as well tell you—I'm actually set to be the future king of Verdana."

Simon burst into laughter. "You sure aim high. Reach for the stars! And I'm the king of the universe!" He wiped away a tear, completely unaware that I wasn't joking. "We're going to love spending time with you all!"

Sabrina clapped her hands with delight. "Oh, absolutely! What a delightful sense of humor!" She turned to Veronica with a playful grin. "And who are you? The future queen?"

"Yes," I chimed in, just as Veronica firmly said, "No."

Veronica's eyebrows arched defiantly. "Sorry, but I plan to marry for love, not just to fill a royal vacancy."

"I'm also planning to marry for love," I asserted. "And I believe I've found the woman who perfectly complements me."

She scoffed. "Well, good luck with that. Women want a man who stands by her in tough times, not someone who disappears when difficulties arise."

"My ideal woman would understand that everyone makes mistakes," I retorted smoothly. "She knows that perfection is just a myth, and that true love is rarely a straight path."

Sabrina's laughter sliced through any lingering tension. "Oh, these two really are stars in their own royal drama! Keep going!"

"This is better than improv theater!" Simon said.

"It all boils down to trust," I added thoughtfully.

"Trust is like Wi-Fi—best when it's strong and reliable," Veronica said.

"But even the best Wi-Fi has its dead zones," I continued the metaphor. "We sometimes need to make adjustments to get the best results."

"I'm sold!" said Simon. "You two are amazing actors. It seemed so realistic to me, like we were right in the middle of some live reality show." He shook his head and chuckled, then glanced at Caleb and Daphne. "And what about you two? Are you also royalty?"

Caleb grinned. "Of course! I'm a prince and she is my soon-to-be princess."

Daphne rolled her eyes at his declaration. "I'm far too old for fairy tales."

"Hardly …" Caleb said, undeterred by her skepticism. "There is no shame whatsoever in having orthopedic inserts in your glass slippers. I find them quite endearing!"

Daphne chuckled, shaking her head. "Just as I find it so adorable that you finally started shaving this year! How long did it take you to remove that one hair?"

"It came right off without a fight!" Caleb laughed and slid his hand across the side of his face. "Smooth as ever. Care to see for yourself? You're allowed to touch."

Daphne pretended to ponder this for a moment, then replied with a smirk. "I'm also allowed to say no."

"You just need to release your inhibitions and get out of your head," he said. "You'll come around after another dawa."

Daphne raised an eyebrow, a playful gleam in her eye. "It takes more than a couple of drinks and smooth cheeks to win over this heart."

"I'm listening," Caleb said. "Tell me everything I need to know. Don't leave out anything."

"We'll be up all night," she said.

His eyes lit up. "That is all I ever wished for."

Sabrina clapped her hands together with a laugh. "You two are just as wonderful!"

"I agree," Simon said. "This trip just got so much better! We'll be entertained, for sure."

"Your drinks," the bartender said with a smile.

"Thank you," I said.

As Veronica and I both reached for our glasses, our hands bumped awkwardly. We paused for a split second, then lifted our glasses in a synchronized fashion that looked almost choreographed as we both took gulps of our tasty drinks.

Turning toward the group, I raised my glass and toasted, "To wild and untamed Africa, where adventure and surprises wait at every corner!"

The group echoed with enthusiastic "cheers" as we clinked glasses. It wasn't long before we had all finished our second drink.

"I think it"s time we head back and rest up," Veronica said. "It's been a long flight and an even longer day."

We bid farewell to Simon and Sabrina and began ambling toward our tents. Not even a minute later, Veronica stopped abruptly and turned, giving us a suspicious glance.

"Are you two following us?" she asked.

I grinned, trying to appear innocent. "No, we're just heading to our tent as well. Pure coincidence."

"Wouldn't it be hilarious if they accidentally gave us all the same tent and we had to sleep together in the same bed?" Caleb asked. "I saw that in a movie once."

"Not funny," Veronica shot back quickly, then let out a sigh when she noticed our tents were indeed right next to each other. "Seriously? I can't believe we're neighbors. Just don't get any ideas."

"Me?" I feigned surprise. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

She eyed me skeptically. "I know what you're thinking, August, but close proximity will not wear me down."

As I paused in front of our door, I couldn't resist teasing her a bit more. "The only thing I was thinking about was a nice hot bath, but if you're hinting you'd like to join me …"

"Not on your life," she retorted sharply.

"Enjoy your bath!" Daphne called out, laughter in her voice as they continued down the path.

Once inside our tent, Caleb flopped onto one of the beds, looking up at me with a wry smile. "She's not making it easy, is she?"

I shook my head, my resolve hardening. "No, but it's to be expected, given everything I put her through. She can resist all she wants, but she's going to find out soon enough that I'm not here to play games. I'm here to win her back. And I'll do whatever it takes."

"I'm rooting for you, but how do you plan to do that?" Caleb asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Maybe I should be taking notes."

I smirked, feeling the familiar thrill of a challenge stir within me. "Let's just say the future king of Verdana isn't out of moves yet. And I've got more than a few tricks up my sleeve."