“I want to, Nicholas—God, I want to. But I just can’t leave.”
There’s a crash from the kitchen—the harsh gong of metal pans hitting the floor. And then my little sister literally falls into the room.
“Oh yes, you can!”
“Ellie, what are you doing?”
She picks herself up. “Eavesdropping. But that’s beside the point—there’s no way you’re not going to freaking Wessco, Liv! For the summer! In a palace!” She spins around like she’s in an imaginary ball gown. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance and you’re not missing it. Not for me or for Dad or for this place. No way.”
I love my sister. No matter how much of a pain in the ass she can be, when it counts, her heart is golden all the way. But, that doesn’t change the fact that in this case, she’s wrong.
“You still have weeks of school left. You can’t run this place by yourself.”
She crosses her arms. “Marty can be here when I’m not. Business is frigging rocking. Thanks to all the illicit publicity of your torrid royal affair, we can afford to pay Marty for the extra time. And we can finally hire a dishwasher!”
“It’s not just about running the coffee shop, Ellie. There’s the books to keep.”
“I can do that.”
“Ordering supplies and stock.”
“Pfft—I can totally do that.”
“Dealing with the vendors and delivery guys.” I turn to Nicholas. “Some of them are total assholes.” I look back and forth between them. “And a thousand other little things that you’re too young and inexperienced to handle on your own.”
Ellie has no comeback for that, but she looks like she’s about to cry.
Until Nicholas raises his finger. “I have someone who can handle it with her.”
The next afternoon, I’m in my room—packing—because I’m going to Wessco. Forget butterflies, there’s a flock of sparrows flapping and swirling in my stomach—a strange brew of excitement and nervousness. I’ve never flown on a plane. I don’t even have a passport, but Nicholas made some phone calls and got me an emergency one this morning. I’ve never been on vacation, not counting the occasional weekend trips to the shore with my parents. And this isn’t just any summer vacation—I’m going to another country, with its prince! To stay in a palace!
Talk about “holy fuck” moments. This one’s surreal.
And still, it would all be perfect—except for one thing.
My father. Sitting on my bed, following my every move with a worried, disapproving, guilt-heavy expression.
“I can’t believe you’re really doing this, Liv. It’s insane. You don’t even know this guy.”
Defensiveness makes me jam my hairbrush into my duffel bag. “I do know him. You met him once too, though you probably don’t remember.”
“I’d expect this kind of thing from your sister—she’s always been flighty. But not you.”
In goes my favorite nail polish, bras and underwear, the rose and jasmine perfume Nicholas likes. “Exactly. I’ve always been the responsible one—carrying the water, holding down the fort. And now I have the opportunity to do something amazing.” I can’t stave off the hurt that seeps into my voice. “Why can’t you be happy for me?”
His eyes, the same color as mine, cloud over. “We need you here. Your sister needs you—you can’t push your responsibilities off on her.”
“Ellie will be fine. I’ve made arrangements—she’ll have all the help she needs.”
Logan St. James and Tommy Sullivan, Nicholas’s security men, are staying for the summer. Staying to watch over Ellie and the business, to make sure she’s not taken advantage of and help her in any way they can. Nicholas asked them to do it for him—as a personal favor—and they both agreed. Tommy seems particularly eager to stay. The Brooklyn girls, he says, really like his accent. I’ve seen for myself that they’re good guys—and Nicholas trusts them, so I do too.
“It’s selfish,” my father bites out, standing up.
And I almost fall over. “Selfish? That’s rich, coming from you.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
My voice rises and nine years of resentment comes screaming out.
“We loved her too! You’re not the only one who lost her! The day Mom died, Ellie and I lost both of you. You…you just checked out, Dad. Mom didn’t have a choice, but you did!”
He dips his head, not meeting my eyes. “This guy, Prince whatever-he-is…he’s going to hurt you, Liv. When he leaves—and mark my words, he’ll leave—it’ll break you. I don’t want to see that happen to my little girl.”
I zip up my bag and throw it over my shoulder. “I know exactly what I’m getting into with Nicholas. We’re going to have something wonderful for as long as we can. And when it’s over, I’ll look back and I’ll remember that there was something special and amazing in my life…even if only for a little while. And then I’ll come back and life will go on.”
I turn at the door, looking in the eyes of the man who was my hero.
“I won’t break, Dad. I’m not you.”
Down in the coffee shop, Nicholas waits by the door, while Ellie, Marty, Logan, and Tommy stand shoulder to shoulder along the wall.
I approach Tommy and Logan first, touching both their arms. “Thank you for doing this. I know it’s not your job, but I appreciate it so much.”