Page 27 of Drama Queen

“She doesn’t date much, so even I don’t know what she is attracted to, but you seem sweet, and aren’t too harsh on the eyes for an old guy,” I say with a smile.

“That is kind of you to say, Aria. But I don’t think I am her type.”

“Don’t know if you don’t try.”

He chuckles to himself, clearly dismissing the absurd idea, and his attention goes back to my phone screen.

He’s running me through the settings, and how to use the panic button when Mum and Abigail enter a little later, bags of incredible smelling food, bowls, and chopsticks in their arms.

“How about you ladies set all of this out, while I have a quick word with Robstar?” Abigail says. But she doesn’t waitfor a response before she and Robert walk out, closing the door behind them.

“You look better, Mum.” The colour is back in her cheeks, even if she does still look exhausted.

“Having Abigail and Robert here is a comfort.”

“Speaking of Robert...” I start, wiggling my eyebrows when she looks up at my pause.

“Aria!” she hisses, eyeing the closed dining-room door.

“Mum!” I hiss back, then start giggling. “Come on, he’s cute. And clearly you feel safe around him. Why not ask him out?”

“I could never!” she says, cheeks flushing.

“Why not? I asked if he was single, and whilst he didn’t answer directly, I got the impression he would be up for it if you did.”

My mum’s face absolutely flames as embarrassment washes over her.

“You asked if he was interested in me?”

“Not in so many words, but I was feeling him out for you.”

“A lady does not simply ask a man out,” she says, but she is looking at the door as if she can see him on the other side.

“Of course you can! You say, ‘Hey, Robbie, wanna grab a bite to eat, and maybe you can have me for dessert?’”

She whips around to face me so fast I am surprised she doesn’t keep on spinning, but says nothing. I think I stunned her into silence.

Laughing, I hold up my hands in surrender. “Or you could just ask him to stay for a coffee after dinner, and I’ll make myself scarce so you can chat.”

The dining-room door opens, and Abigail takes a seat next to me, so Robert is forced to sit next to my mum in the only available chair left. Interesting.

“Maybe after dinner you and I can chat about what happened today, and you can talk me through your course schedule forthe first semester,” Abigail says, turning to me. Did she hear us through the door? Her face isn’t giving anything away.

I look pointedly at Mum, not taking my eyes off her when I respond, “I would love to.”

I think I am going to like this Abigail.

Four

“He will see you now,Mr Jerrilan.”

I am so lost in my anxious pacing, I don’t even sense my king’s secretary approach behind me. I turn and follow her gently swaying hips in that lovely, tight dress across the opulent waiting room, but stop my train of thought when she knocks on the closed heavy wooden double doors at the other end. Taking a steadying breath, I try to calm my nerves and clear my mind of everything else.

“Enter.”

The sexy secretary pushes both the doors open, motioning me to move inside. Having done this before, I know the protocol: hat off, eyes on the floor, move quietly through the lounge area near the doors and up to the desk at the back of the long room, stop a few paces from the armchairs before his desk and wait. I don’t raise my eyes, and I absolutely do not think of anything but the task at hand.

I wait, all but holding my breath as he types on a keyboard. My supernatural hearing picks up the stretch of the thread holding the buttons on his waistcoat when he moves, and the leather on his chair shifting as he leans back.

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