“That may be so, but it’s simply impossible.” I shook my head again and silently pleaded for her to drop it.
But she leaned forward, eager as ever. “How do you know unless we try? It’s practically your motto. It’s not like you to give up so easily.”
My jaw clenched as I sought calmness, but it was no use. “Because I used to work for the royal family!” So much for delicate. “I know their protocols inside and out. I know how the queen takes her tea and how many meters apart the security guards must stand when shadowing the princes. I know everything there is to know, and I know this idea wouldn’t get past the very first stage of approval.”
Grier watched me carefully as my chest heaved and I attempted to collect myself. “You’re being serious, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” I sat back to let the chair support my spine as my breathing slowed. My manic rant just then only proved I’d made the right choice with a career change.
“But your CV… there was nothing in there about the royal family.”
Right. The royal family’s money was a confusing tangle of centuries of private family wealth, income from private endeavors, and a small portion of the taxpayers’ money. “That’s because my employer was technically one of the family’s corporations. It’s to do with a separation from public funding.”
Her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head to the side. “So, the executive you assisted for the last four years was…?”
“Prince Malcolm,” I admitted with a short nod.
Grier’s jaw unhinged like a baby bird waiting for a fresh meal. “Get out! Prince Malcolm? Are you joking right now?”
“I’m afraid not.”
She cupped her hands over her mouth, and I considered for a moment that she might be about to cry—it had happened more times than I liked to remember during my time with Malcolm. But, instead, she shot up onto her feet and threw her arms out. “Forget Val Rau! Malcolm Baxter is worlds better!”
You’re on a tropical island with the white sand warm under your feet. “Ms. Vorhees.”
“This will be amazing!” She began pacing behind her desk.
The calming sound of waves repeats while a warm breeze blows. “Ms. Vorhees.”
“Corporate will be eating out of our hands.”
Then sunscreen drips into your eyes and a crab bites your boob. “Grier!”
Her eyes shot to me as her feet ceased their pacing. “What?”
Twenty minutes later, I was still trying to explain to Grier how utterly impossible her idea was while she pretended to not hear a word I said.
“You don’t understand,” I began again, but she cut me off.
“I know you think I’m not listening to you, but I’ve heard you, and now I’m taking a page from your book. We won’t know until we ask, now will we?”
I closed my eyes and leaned back against the hallway wall for a second. We’d moved our discussion to the ladies room—where Grier had insisted I splash my face with cold water—and now to the hallway.
“But that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I’m not in touch with any of the prince’s staff any longer.”
“Not being in touch doesn’t mean you’ve lost their numbers. You were just chatting up that Anthony fellow. I thought he was your boyfriend.”
I gasped. “I wasn’t chatting him up! I was politely engaged in small talk with a former colleague.”
“Alice.”
“What?”
“Alice.” She grasped both my hands in hers and brought them together between us as if begging for forgiveness in confession. “It’s just one call. If they say no, we move to plan H or whatever it is that’s next.”
I looked from our clasped hands to her face to find an expression that was oddly familiar. It was the same one Malcolm used to get when he wanted to misbehave and needed my cooperation.
“I rather like the sound of plan H. Let’s go straight to that, shall we?” I tried. And just as with Malcolm, I caved. “Fine.” I wrested a hand free and pointed it at my boss. “But only because I can’t stomach the thought of everyone being sacked if we go bankrupt.”
“I knew I could count on you.” She pulled me by my other hand back toward her office, my ballet flats threatening to slip on the carpet.
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
“You always come through. And this time won’t be any different.” How could she be so confident when the situation was completely preposterous?
Back in her office, Grier watched as I pressed a series of numbers on my mobile phone and brought it to my ear. The line rang twice until a familiar voice spoke and my lips curved without my permission. “Well, Ms. Williams. It’s lovely to hear from you.”
“Hello, Trevor.”
Chapter 5
Malcolm
“Let’s not forget to stop by Benny’s Bar in Kernersville before we head home tonight. I’ll introduce you to some real American bikers.”
Andrew appeared less than impressed from his seat next to me in the back of the Audi. But I had fond memories of that bar from my escapade with Leo and Ruby. Well, what I remembered of it, that was. I’d been rather pissed, and there was a slight possibility I’d been punched by Ruby, but surely I’d made some friends as well.
“The sooner we get this nonsense over with and return to the Feldlands, the better, as far as I’m concerned.” He brushed a nonexistent bit of lint from his pressed trousers.
I focused my attention out the windows at the evergreens and oak trees lining the roadway. “That’s because you have no imagination, Andrew.” My eyes snapped back to my guard. “The name Andrew is a bit stuffy, isn’t it? Do you ever go by Andy—or maybe Drew? Drew sounds like a fun chap.” Although Andrew had worked for the family for several years now, he’d mostly been assigned to Leo until recently so I didn’t know him as well as some of the others.
“No.” He didn’t even bother considering it.
“Pity.” My attention returned to the scenery as Matthias turned left onto a winding road with even more trees. I’d forgotten how hilly it was here. The Feldlands was positively flat in comparison.
Surely, we must have been getting close to Alice’s flat. Confirming the time on my phone, a new idea struck me. “New plan, Matthias! We must find a florist’s shop. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before, but it’s always best to show up to a woman’s door with something pretty in hand to disarm her.”
“Not a problem, sir.”
I gestured to Matthias while raising a brow at Andrew. “You should spend more time with Matthias and less with Trevor. It would make you much more pleasant to be around.”
“I’ll take it into consideration,” Andrew dismissed as he pulled out his phone and began typing. “There’s a florist a half mile north of Ms. Williams’ complex. It will be on the left.”
There was nothing to do now but sit and wait. Soon I’d have Alice as my right hand once more and all my problems would be solved.