Page 32 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

“Why?” Maddie asked, wiping her hands on her napkin.

“Hasn’t Nathan told you the wild tale of how we met?”

She shook her head, taking another sip of her soda.

“I was in the coffee shop when he plowed right into me and spilled the coffee all over me.”

“Nate!” Maddie said as she playfully shoved at her brother. “You klutz.”

“Guilty,” he answered with a chuckle. “And it gets worse. I then tried to help her.”

“And made it so much worse,” Elena said.

“How?” Maddie asked with wide eyes.

“Well, he tried to dab it away.” Elena demonstrated with a napkin. “But it smeared the coffee everywhere. My entire blouse was soaked through.”

Maddie laughed and shook her head. “Oh, no. I can’t believe she went out with you after that.”

“Well, she had to. I gave her my jacket, and she had to return it.”

“Ohhh, so you trapped her into a date.” Maddie nodded in understanding at her brother before she shifted her gaze to Elena. “Now, it makes sense.”

Elena giggled as they continued to tease Nate.

“Go ahead and laugh, ladies. I’m fine.” Nate held up his hands.

“How do you like the pizza, Ellie?” Maddie asked.

Elena glanced down at what remained of her pizza. It wasn’t her usual fare, but she didn’t mind it. What she liked more was the company. It didn’t matter what she ate. She was thoroughly enjoying her time with Nate and his sister. “I do like it. I’m glad we didn’t cancel.”

He stared at her as he wrapped her hand in his. “Me too.”

“Ew, get a room, guys,” Maddie groaned.

“I’m sorry, we weren’t doing anything untoward,” Elena said with a chuckle.

“What’s untoward?” Maddie asked.

Elena took another bite of her pizza. “You know…improper. Unsuitable.”

Maddie slid another slice of pizza onto her plate. “Oh, right. Well, Nate was thinking untoward things.”

Elena offered him a mock expression of shock. “Were you?”

“I wasn’t. I was thinking only…toward things.”

Elena couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping her. She covered her mouth as it brought tears to her eyes. “Toward things, is it?”

Nate raised his chin. “Absolutely.”

“Well, good. At least I know you have no devious intentions with me.” She offered him a coy glance, her eyebrows pinching for a moment as he avoided her gaze, shifting in his seat as though he was uncomfortable.

“Uh-oh. I think he has some devious intentions,” Maddie said.

He let out a nervous chuckle. “That’s not even close to true.”

“Uh-huh,” Maddie said with a chuckle and a nod. “Come on, Ellie, let’s go play some games.”

---