Page 51 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

“He was suave and gallant with several ladies. I learned a hard lesson.”

Elena tugged her lips back in a wince. “Did it hurt terribly?”

“For a time,” Caroline said, “but I moved on. And I found a lovely little girl to take care of who made me smile. And I realized Henry was the biggest loser in the situation.”

“And I was the biggest winner,” Elena said with a grin.

“Perhaps the second biggest next to me.” Caroline wiped a tear away from Elena’s cheek with her thumb. “When do you see your young man next.”

“Tomorrow. He has a work event tonight.”

“I see. Well, then we have some time to go shopping or explore the city to keep your mind at ease.”

Elena perked up at the idea. “Yes, we do.”

She spent the rest of her day meandering around the city with her ladies’ maid.

Anticipation filled her when she awoke the next morning. She rolled over in her bed and grabbed her phone, sending a message to ask about Nate’s evening.

She filled her hours with reading before she readied to meet her paramour in the late afternoon.

“Have fun, darling,” Caroline called after her as she flitted from the apartment with a wide grin.

Each step toward the fairgrounds filled her with excitement. She seemed to float on air as she threaded through the streets, the warmth of the sun on her skin.

As she approached the entrance stalls, she spotted Nate, agrin spreading over her face. He smiled as she approached, reaching for her hand.

“Hello,” he said before he kissed her cheek.

“Hello. How was your day?”

“It was all right. It’s better now. Ready to head in?” He nodded toward the fairgrounds.

“Yes, once we buy tickets.”

“I’ve already done that. I beat you to it so you didn’t buy them.”

She chuckled as he dug them from his pocket and produced them for the attendant. “That really bothered you.”

“It did,” he answered as he slid his arm around her shoulders. “So much so that I am going to prove my masculinity by winning you a stuffed animal and making you carry it around the entire fair.”

“Are you? That’ll teach me.”

He kissed the top of her head before he stopped at a baseball toss. “Which one do you like?”

“Of the plushies? The bear with the heart.”

“This one?” he asked as he poked at a dark brown bear clutching a red heart between its paws.

“Uh-huh, that’s the one.”

With a wink, he dug a few bills from his pocket and shoved them toward the man working the booth.

“You gotta knock down all three sets if the lady wants the bear,” he said.

Elena offered him a wide-eyed, but amused glance.

“I can do it,” he promised. He stretched his neck before he grabbed one of the baseballs and tossed it at the milk jugs. They toppled to the ground with a thud.

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