Page 58 of The Un-Apparent Heir

Sanne shook her head. “What is it?”

“I hold absolute power over you now,” Paul noted. “Because all you will do is think about this and what I did to you. You’ll try to play the prim-and-proper princess knowing full well I did this and you let me. Not only that, but you enjoyed everything I did.”

“I hate that you are so good at this. I always have.”

“You just screamed my name. So, yes, I’msureyou hate it.”

She rolled her eyes. She loathed and loved him all at once when he did things like this.

“I know you are having a flashback to wedding mode, I’ve taken you out of it, and you gave over to me within a moment’s notice. Sanne, don’t act so morally superior.”

She giggled. “I am not. And, yes, there is not a wedding that goes by that I don’t have flashbacks to being the girl with the clipboard.”

They walked back, passing a line of staff who seemed to know what was up. They would look the other way and say nothing. On deck, people circulated. Trays of delicate canapés held by footmen were carried. Champagne flowed. Sanne was disinterested in most food but found a tray of chocolate mousse and decided to double fist.

“How will you eat that?” She heard someone say in Norsk.

She turned to see her mother standing there.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sanne replied. “Can you hold one?”

Elisabeth rolled her eyes but held one of the small pots of mousse so Sanne could eat the other.

“Where is the baby?” Paul asked.

“With your sister.” Elisabeth nodded left.

Natalie chatted with George, Keir on her hip.

“It’s fucking adorable,” Sanne sighed. “Just adorable.”

“I don’t think she’s sat him down for half an hour.” Elisabeth chuckled. “Adorable is right.”

Sanne finished off the first pot and discarded it. She took the other, walking towards Natalie and George. Paul and Elisabeth engaged in an intense conversation with Olav’s brother, Prince Peder, about rigging sails. It was a snoozefest.

“Oh, look, Mummy’s here,” Natalie cooed.

She could be intensely sweet with Keir when she was up to it. She had her days where she turtled, but more often, she played the world’s greatest aunt.

“Where did you run off to?” George snickered. “We saw you leave. Did Paul decide to give you a tour of Kiersten’s new toy?”

“First of all, Kiersten could give a flying fuck about this ship,” Natalie said. “Second, what are you insinuating brother?”

Ed snickered.

Sanne couldn’t hold back a laugh, either. “Yes. It was a rousing tour.”

She finished the second mousse.

“You two are shameless. I commend you. Unrelated but have you seen either of my children or my husband?” George asked. “I have lost track of them. I was very distracted by your adorable son.”

“I know. He’s painfully cute. I get nothing done most days.” Keir reached for his mother, causing her to scoop him back and kiss his cheek. “No, I haven’t seen Pat or the kids. If I had to guess, they’re with your parents.”

“Let’s go find them,” Ed said. “I wanted to ask Pat something.”

The men filtered off.

“Where is your husband?” Natalie asked. “What, you two went off, had a quick shag, and then he deserted you.”

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