Page 45 of Royal Rising

“Well, aren’t we an independent woman from the 1950s,” I drawl, heavy on the sarcasm.

Kate’s offended expression makes me laugh and makes Lyra switch her attention to me. “So what did my brother say—or not say— that got you hot and bothered? Not in the good way,” Lyra adds. “Cranky-pants bothered.”

I pause for a moment, wondering if it would be a good idea to tell them what he said. If I wasn’t so annoyed, I wouldn’t have said a word, but Lyra is his sister, and Kate is practically family. “Kalle came up with the idiotic idea that he should marry me.”

Lyra spits a mouthful of her cocktail across the bar.

“He what?” Kate gasps.

“He went to talk to the king about Odin and ended up thinking it was a good idea for me to marry him. FYI, it was a pretty pathetic proposal. Not that it was a real proposal. Definitely not.”

“Did he—was it—did he actually saywill you marry me?” Lyra’s eyes are practically popping from her head.

“We didn’t get that far. It was more of a sketching out the parameters.”

“I’m amazed he got as far as he did.” Lyra gives me a searching look. “After Mom died, Kalle vowed never to marry.”

Hearing any of the family mention Queen Selene always gives me a jolt of sadness. Today it’s a little different since I’m reminded that Kalle will be looking for a woman to replace his mother. “He never told me that,” I murmur.

Lyra shrugs. “It might have been just something for a guy to say after he loses his mother, but you have to admit, Brother Dearest has sort of been on the no-marriage path for a while.”

“Maybe,” I concede. Kalle has never been open to commitment. He likes to play the field and he likes to have fun. Whena woman starts thinking long-term and begins to check out the window of the Jade’s Jewels in town, it’s his signal to bail.

I’ve seen it happen so many times I’ve lost count.

“Why haven’t the two of you…?” Kate begins but trails off. Maybe it’s the way I quickly shift my gaze to her, knowing exactly what is about to come out of her mouth. “I’m only asking because of the half a beer.” She gestures to the half-empty pint glass before her. “You and Kalle. What’s the real story?”

“I’m not going to serve you if you ask things like that.”

“You make him smile.” Kate turns to Lyra. “He smiles so much more when Edie is around, don’t you think? And Kalle is…” Kate widens her eyes and gives me a knowing nod.

“Don’t talk like that about my brother,” Lyra snaps. “Watching you and Gunnar—” She makes a variety of kissing noises, plus a motion with her tongue— “—was bad enough. Take your heart-emoji eyes away from the rest of them.”

“I don’t have heart-emoji eyes for Kalle,” Kate protests. “The man is—” She falters under Lyra’s glare. “He’s a little, maybe kind of… he’s totally hot,” she finishes in a rush, dropping her head and grabbing her beer. “He was Sexiest Man of the Year for the magazine.”

“They all were,” Lyra grumbles with another slurp of the straw. “It made them all positively insufferable.”

“I love that Bo was first of them to get it.” I laugh, remembering how Kalle had discreditedPeoplemagazine, telling all who listened about how they objectified men. It had been totally sour grapes because Kalle said nothing whenhewas featured on the cover two years later. “Besides, I’ve always thought Bo has the best bottom of the bunch.”

“Oh, totally,” Kate agrees.

“Stop!” Lyra cries, cupping her hands over her ears. “La lala la la… I can’t hear you.”

“You have to admit, you’re kind of perfect for Kalle.” Not to be distracted, Kate heads back to her earlier question. “Perfect for each other.”

“People perfect for each other are boring,” Lyra complains.

“Like you and Spencer?” Kate asks, mirroring her friend’s sly tone from earlier.

I’ve long had the suspicion that Spencer had more than familial feelings for Princess Lyra. I guess I’m not the only one.

Lyra looks aghast. “Did you start drinking before we came out? You’re a spicy one tonight.”

Kate heaves a huge sigh. “I just. Don’t care,” she manages. “And I’m sad. I either lose my job or my boyfriend. Only I don’t know if he’s my boyfriend because he won’t kiss me again and that’s all I’ve been thinking about.”

Things are worse than I thought. Before I change my mind, I line up three shot glasses on the bar. “I’m sure this won’t make it better,” I say, pulling bottles.

“But it will certainly help.” Lyra grabs the shot as soon as I finish pouring the spirits and downs it in a mouthful. “More please.”

---