Page 36 of The Royal Engagement

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HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE?

Two nights later, Damek takes me out on a date. It’s our first night of vacation that we’re not spending with his family. While I have started to get along with Damek’s mom, I am thankful for the alone time. We haven’t had alone time since I realized that I love him.

Should I tell him?

And how does one justtellsomebody ‘I love you?’ It’s something I’ve always said to my mom and now to my new family. But I’ve never said it to a boy before. To love somebody, you have to go out on more than one date with them, which isn’t something I have experience with before Damek.

Which makes me wonder… has Damek ever been in love? I know he’s dated girls before, but was he ever serious about any of them?

Damek and I slide into opposite sides of the booth. I pick up the menu to look, but Damek is watching me.

I look at him over the top of my menu. “What?”

“You have this serious look of concentration on your face and I’m wondering what it’s about,” he says.

I sigh and put down the menu. “Nothing serious. I was just thinking.”

“About what?” he inquires.

“Have you ever been in love?” I ask.

Damek is quiet for a moment. He folds his hands together on the table and looks questioningly at me. “You know I’ve never dated anybody seriously before. When I was young, I spent all my time learning about vampire politics and laws—all the things I need to know to one day be the leader of my clan.” He shrugs. “And when I was old enough to date, I knew my options were limited. And I never liked any of the other women. I knew it was my duty to marry a royal, even if my father never pushed me. So I tried. But I never could get past one or two dates with any of them. So, I didn’t exactly have time to fall in love.”

I let out a breath of relief.

That’s good to know.

But it also means that he’s just as inexperienced as I am.

I want to question him further, but Damek picks up his own menu and begins to look over the options, so I do the same.

The waitress, who is a kind dark fae, takes our orders. Once she leaves, I notice that Damek fidgets in his seat, bouncing slightly.

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Did you drink one or ten espresso shots before coming tonight?”

He cocks his head to the side. “What?”

I nod to his fingers, which are currently drumming a beat on the tabletop. He’s usually pretty calm, so his behavior surprises me.

He moves his hand from the table and grins. “Sorry.”

But he doesn’t explain his behavior. I shrug it off. It’s not important.

Unless…

Maybe he wants to tell me that he loves me. Maybe that’s why he’s nervous—because he doesn’t know how to. But is it possible that we’re both thinking the same thing tonight? Maybehe’s worried about something unrelated to me. Maybe he’s not in love with me at all.

“Have you ever been in love?” Damek asks, breaking the silence.

I shake my head. I almost say, ‘Not before you,’ but I catch myself before saying it. “No, never. You already know my dating experience.”

After eating, Damek pays the check while I head to the bathroom. As I finish up in the bathroom, I wonder who I can ask for help. I usually go to my mom for advice on all things, but I don’t think she’s any more experienced in telling a guy ‘I love you’ than I am.

Maybe I could ask Eden.

Or Tiffany.

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