Page 44 of Royal Rising

I could do with a vibe of fun tonight.

“What bit you on the bottom?” Lyra demands. “Let me guess: my brother. From the absence of Big and Brawny, I’m guessing he’s not around.”

I roll my eyes. “What can I get you?”

“Information, for a start. We have family dinner tomorrow night, so what mess am I going to walk into? I heard he braved the storm to come talk to Dad today.”

“On Kalle? None to give,” I lie. “Drinks?”

Kate asks for a beer, but Lyra likes them fancy and instructs me step-by-step on how to make something called a Jet Pilot.

“Because I’m stuck here, and can’t fly away,” she says as I set the cocktail in front of her.

“I thought you were going back to Chicago tomorrow?” Kate asks her. All it takes is one look at her for me to deduce that Lyra dragged her here because of Kate’s mood

A glance around the bar tells me Bethie and Suze have everything under control and I settle in to do my part to cheer up Kate.

Like me, Kate is born and bred in Battle Harbour, with family sprinkled on every street. I know her brother Jonathan, who is a good friend of Kalle’s.

“I’m not going anywhere with this storm.” Lyra waves her arms like she’s pretending to be a tornado. “Rain, rain, go away. I thought I’d hang out for a few more days and see what you decide.” She nudges Kate with her shoulder.

“Still haven’t made up your mind about going to Saint Pierre with Odin?” I ask Kate. Odin abdicating his spot in the succession means there is nothing official holding him in Laandia. Lady Camille—PrincessCamille now—will be taking over as prefect of the island country of Saint Pierre at the end of the year when her father retires, so the two will be moving there when they return from their honeymoon.

Kate, as Odin’s secretary, was invited to relocate, as was Camille’s secretary, Jackson, who came with her from Saint Pierre.

Kate shakes her head with frustration. “It’s a good offer and seems like a nice place, but I don’t know. Laandia is my home.”

“And then there’s Jackson,” Lyra says slyly. Jackson, from what I heard, declined Camille’s offer and will be staying in Laandia.

“He shouldn’t have anything to do with it,” Kate snaps, uncharacteristically for her.

“Trouble in paradise?” I ask sympathetically.

“There is no paradise because Jackson refuses to acknowledge… anything.”

I mirror Kate’s frown. “I saw the two of you at the wedding. The whole town saw the two of you ga-ga over each other. The boy is crazy about you, so what’s the big deal?”

“Apparently he’s not.” I hear the hurt in Kate’s voice. “I thought we had something but the day after the wedding, once Camille and Odin left, it was all business with him. He… kissed me at the wedding,” she admits. “I thought it meant something.”

I feel bad for Kate but her trouble is a welcome distraction from mywhatever it isgoing on with Kalle. “I’m not sure I can be much help, but have you talked to him?” I ask.

Kate rolls her eyes. “Jackson isn’t much of a talker.”

“But can he kiss?” Lyra wants to know.

“I’m not answering that,” Kate says in a prim voice studying the bottles lined up behind the bar. “If I say he’s an amazing kisser, you’ll pity me more if it doesn’t work out between us. If I say he’s not great, you’ll look at him funny if we do get together.”

“I’ve never really looked at it that way,” Lyra muses.

“Don’t look at him in any way,” Kate tells her.

“I’m looking at him with the death glare unless he makes you happy.”

“Walk up and kiss him,” I suggest. “Men aren’t good at talking about stuff. At least not the men around here.”

“That’s a great idea,” Lyra cheers. “Only, I told her the same thing and she poo-pooed it.”

“I’m not doing that,” Kate protests. “If he wants to kiss me,hecan kiss me.”

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