Page 31 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

“Do you have any brothers or sisters, Ellie?” Maddie asked.

Elena shook her head. “No. I’m an only child. But I have some cousins, one of whom is very much like a brother to me.”

“You’re lucky,” Maddie said. “Did your parents spoil you?”

“Maybe a little,” Elena answered. “And why do you say that? Do you not like Nathan?”

Maddie giggled as she shot her brother a glance. “No, I like him. Why do you always call him Nathan?”

“I like it. Why?”

“We all call him Nate.”

Elena shifted her gaze to him. “Do you prefer that?”

“I don’t mind you calling me Nathan, I kind of like it.”

“He looooves it,” his sister teased.

Elena held in a giggle as she slid a hand across to grab his.

“All right, enough teasing. You haven’t even asked about your surprise.”

“You’re right, I haven’t. And I have waited long enough.”

Maddie shifted in her seat, leaning forward as Nate lifted the bag and passed it to Elena. “I helped him pick it out.”

“Did you? Well, that makes it extra special.” She dug into the bag and pulled out the object wrapped in tissue paper. It crinkled as she unwrapped it, her heart melting as she studied the little object clutched in her hands. “It’s a carousel!”

Nate leaned closer to her with a grin. “It is. Because you said you loved them, and we rode one together on our first date. So, now you can always remember it.”

Elena smiled at the object as she wound it and let it play. She lifted her gaze to him, the smile never leaving her face. “I love it.”

He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’m glad.”

“Thank you.” She shifted her gaze to Maddie. “Both of you.”

After it wound down, she carefully wrapped the carousel in its tissue paper and stowed it in the bag, making room for the pizza that arrived.

“Oh, my goodness,” she said, her eyes wide, “that is quite a bit of grease.”

Maddie grinned at her as she nodded. “That’s the point.”

“Is it?” Elena asked as Nate slid a cheesy triangle onto her plate.

She picked up a fork as she studied it again before she waited for her companions to get their own plates.

Maddie giggled at the sight. “Why do you have a fork?”

“How else do you eat it?”

“Pick it up, silly,” Maddie answered, demonstrating asshe took a bite.

“Oh, with my hands. Like the hot dog.”

“I didn’t think you trusted me with cutlery yet,” Nate said.

Elena set her fork down as she eyed the pizza wedge again. “You’re right. Perhaps I shouldn’t.”

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