Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27560 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
I try to think back to my first one. Did I have parents who loved me, who wanted me? Nothing exists about my past before age five, so I don’t know who I come from. I’ve been alone for most of my life, other than Herbert.
As I predicted, the princess texted earlier tonight to let me know her flight was running late and we’d have to meet later. I bet anything, I’ll wake up tomorrow morning with a text that says her flight was canceled. She’ll probably say she needs money or something to get into the States. Yeah, that sounds like the kind of con she’s going to play. Good thing I’m no fool.
Still, I can’t help wondering why she’s targeting me. Does she know about my winnings? I’ve lived a simple life since then and no one knows about my money except Roman, a friend who lives on this mountain too.
“We’re overthinking it again,” I tell Herbert as he continues to ignore me. This is why I love him. He hates people and socializing as much as I do. Yeah, he’s the perfect pet for a grumpy mountain man. “Enjoy your food, buddy.”
I re-attach the net over his enclosure. It’ll protect him from birds that might prey on him. Then I move inside to my cabin, leaving behind the rainy, dreary sky. I wish I could shake off my melancholy mood as I putter around for the rest of the evening before I head to bed. The sheets are itchy against my skin, and the room is too hot.
Something’s wrong. It takes me a minute to figure out what this is. I’m craving her. I’m curious about the princess and where she comes from. I want to know what leads a woman to get in her line of work, trying to seduce strange men for their money.
I try to recall the country she claimed to be from. Was it Venice? Valencia? No, that wasn’t it. As I’m pondering how many countries can possibly start with a V, there’s a loud racket on my porch.
Someone is knocking at my door. I glance at my phone before I push out of bed. There are no text messages or missed calls. None of my friends from the mountain should be here. If they did need help, they would have tried to contact me by phone first.
For a moment, I wonder if it’s Mrs. May. May Weatherford is a local woman who has lived on these mountains her whole life, but lately, she keeps getting lost on the way home. Twice this week, in fact. I suspect she’s lonely and looking for an excuse to drop in on her neighbors.
I shove into a pair of blue jeans and don’t bother to button them. Moving to the door, I call out, “Lost your way again, did you?”
But when I swing open the door, it’s not the face of a weathered old woman I’m staring into It’s a strange woman. She’s beautiful with curves for days, her wet clothes plastered to her body and outlining her shapely figure.
Rain droplets cling to her eyelashes. Her teeth are chattering, and she looks madder than a wet hen as she seethes, “You never met me at the airport.”
I blink, certain I misheard her. Then what she said finally makes sense in my brain. Holy shit, this is the fake princess. She’s really here to see me.
3
AURORA
I can’t stop my teeth from chattering as I slog up the mountain. My heels were abandoned over a kilometer ago and now mud squishes between my toes with every step. I am going to murder Rafael for this. He promised me he’d be there.
“What kind of man am I marrying?” I ask the heavens. A streak of lightning flashes as thunder booms. Is this weather an omen? Is it warning me away from a man that can’t even keep his word?
A gust of wind sends another shiver through my body. I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t desperate. Sure, I could pluck any man from the kingdom and marry him, decreeing him the king who will rule beside me. But I know Nico. He’ll challenge the validity of the marriage if I don’t show up on the arm of my betrothed.
I think of all the girls from the tea party yesterday. They’re counting on me. Thousands of families depend on the charity programs that I’ve implemented in the kingdom. Sure, most of the media likes to act as if I’m a ditzy princess only interested in her latest paintings, but I don’t care about what they think. It doesn’t matter if the world hates me as long as I can be there for the citizens that need me.
What will Rafael be like as a leader? What kind of king will he be? Though it’s my kingdom that he’s marrying into, by royal decree we will rule it together.