Page 3 of Lily and the Billionaire Prince

“I admit, you’ve asked me to do a lot of things I haven’t been entirely comfortable doing at first,” Lily said, affirming his teasing tone. Like contacting other wealthy businessmen and women. Or traveling to his native country to meet his relatives. Or the time he wanted her to drive his crazy expensive car that she’d never hope to be able to pay for if she crashed from the dealership to the resort. “But this is probably the weirdest one yet.”

More laughter ensued. Lily relaxed into the easy companionship among their small group. She loved that Mr. Elir and Aaliyah had always made her feel like she belonged, something her own family had rarely done.

“If you want me to do it,” Aaliyah said, “I can. It’s just that I’m a little more high-profile than you are.”

Lily wasn’t sure about that. With her cherry-red hair and the way she often tailed Mr. Elir through his day-to-day dealings throughout the resort, she’d become a bit of a high profile herself, one that her ex liked to bring up whenever he could. She gritted her teeth and pushed away the thought of him.

“I don’t mind,” Lily said. “The least I can do is talk to him.” Talk to a prince. Right. Like it would be that easy.

“Exactly,” River said with encouragement. “You don’t even have to let him know how you’re affiliated with the Elir name at first if you don’t want to. But if he seems personable, see if some additional help keeping his identity a secret is something he’s interested in.”

Lily jotted down a few notes of River’s phrasing so she could practice the words herself. “Got it. I can do that, no problem. And on that note, I’ll see you all later.”

“You are sure you won’t stay for dinner?” Mr. Elir said.

Lily glanced from River to Aaliyah and lastly to Mr. Elir. She wasn’t unused to being invited, but that typically happened for business reasons. She needed to track upcoming events or provide drinks to those in the room. Imposter syndrome reared its head. While she knew they wouldn’t see it that way, the idea of a dinner for the four of them that had nothing to do with business only made her feel like a third wheel. “I need to get going if there isn’t anything else you need me to do.”

“Have a good night, Lily,” Mr. Elir said, turning to his tray which Aaliyah placed on his lap.

“You too, sir. River. Aaliyah.”

* * *

Lily madeit to her apartment with fatigued feet that couldn’t keep up with her racing thoughts. She hadn’t been able to stop her musings about the prince through the entirety of her ride home. She waved to the driver, grateful that Mr. Elir offered a chauffeur to take her to and from work so she didn’t have to pay the expense of automobile upkeep. She had enough financial worries to grapple with.

Lily unlocked the door, stepped in, and immediately, she was greeted by a forest of fur.

“Hi, guys,” she said, hanging her purse on its hook, placing her device onto the charging dock, and then bending to stroke the tabby cat’s soft fur. Artemis purred with rapture. Dr. Grumbles and Frou Frou came next—both gray cats, both fluffier than pom-poms—rubbing against each other and then at Lily’s ankles. “It’s good to see you too,” she said, stroking each cat as they came.

She then checked the fish in their tank situated over the TV. Scuffling sounds came from within the kennel tucked in the corner across from her stacked washer and dryer. Lily hurried to it.

“I’m coming, Pooksy,” she said. The husky-doodle was a mix between a Siberian husky and a poodle, and his claws clacked against the kennel as she unlatched the hook. Soon the soft, curly-haired dog was in her arms, licking her cheeks.

“Oh, is it your turn now? Yes—yes, it is.” She kept the dog kenneled during the day to keep him from chewing on her shoes while she was gone. He was full of energy and often also knocked over the garbage can and anything else that was left out. Lily found letting him burn his energy was easier when she was there to clean up the messes.

She took Pooksy out for some doggie time on the grass and then headed back in and kicked off her shoes.

Pets happily greeted, Lily walked in her nylon feet to their row of dishes in front of the dishwasher to check the food status. “Looking a little low there, puddy tats,” she said, scooping a cup of food each for their dishes. The cats bulldozed in, mowing their food down. Dr. Grumbles let out a little growl of warning when Frou Frou stepped too close to his bowl.

She plugged in the lights on her little Christmas tree situated on the table in front of the window and then checked the litter box in the bathroom—a necessary thing to do several times a day, if she could find the time, with this many animals in her apartment. Lastly, she popped into her bedroom to peek in on Norton the turtle. He blinked slowly with his toggled shell cumbersome on his back.

“They want me to meet the prince of Einvar,” she told the turtle and the cats climbing their kitty post across from her bed. Frou Frou padded forward across one of the post’s higher branches until she was face to face with Lily, and Lily scratched the cat behind her ears. Frou Frou closed her eyes and nuzzled in.

“I know, right?” Lily said as though she’d gotten a reply. “A legit prince, like from a fairy tale.” She meandered into her closet and changed from her pencil skirt and blouse to a comfortable, kick-around pair of sweats and the biggest t-shirt she owned—something she’d gotten from Wonderland theme park when she’d visited her brother, Ethan, a year before and the two of them had gotten lost down the park’s rabbit hole.

She meandered back into her kitchen for a microwave dinner. Lily loved that no matter where she was in her apartment, she was never alone. There was always a furry companion to keep her company—and she needed that company. Loneliness sometimes threatened to consume her. She felt it now as she glanced around the empty space. She considered calling Ethan just for someone to talk to when the microwave beeped.

Retrieving her dinner, Lily sat down on one of her barstools, ready to browse the magazines she’d taken from Mr. Elir’s suite about Prince Henrik von Frosk. Not only was he easy on the eyes, but she wanted to glean whatever tidbits of gossip she could before attempting to contact him. Assuming he truly was staying at the Elir Clearwater Resort. She needed to find that information out as well.

Before she managed to do either, Lily’s phone buzzed. Absentmindedly, she peeled the plastic away from the corner of her microwave fettuccini and chicken with green beans when the fork slipped from her hand. Her heart climbed the mountain of her chest, agitating and angsty.

Hey there, sweet thing. I need to talk to you. Call me.

She knew Damon’s number by heart. She’d memorized his information at first because she’d been swept away by his charm and flattered by his excessive compliments and interest in her. Now his number was a warning sign.

“How did he even get my number?” she asked the parakeet flitting in its cage on the edge of the counter. The bird squawked and chirped at its reflection in the little mirror attached to the cage’s side. She’d gotten a new phone and then blocked Damon—she waspositiveshe had. How had he gotten through?

Feeling frazzled, Lily tried to ignore the text but several more came in from him before she’d made her way through her noodles.

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