Page 63 of Cooper

“According to Lennox, she retired from the marines. So that’s not it either.” Daniil shrugs. “Anyway, no use crying over spilled milk. She’s gone, and there’s plenty of fish in the sea.”

“Except you’re not doing much fishing,” Erik points out.

“Oh, shut up and mind your own business.”

Erik just laughs. They continue talking and making little digs at each other, and I let my mind wander.

Reality is starting to sink in.

I can’t continue to string everyone along, which means I’ll have to make a decision in a relatively short amount of time. I know what I want to do, but it’s not easy to just pull up roots and start over.

And Erik is right—I can’t decide to become a Royal Protector because of Natalia.

I have to want to do it regardless, and I’m just not sure that’s the case.

TWENTY-TWO

Natalia

The guys appearto be having a serious conversation at the back of the plane. Part of me is annoyed that I’ve been left out, because I’m a Royal Protector too. Technically, I don’t have any part in interviewing or choosing new Royal Protectors, but this is different. I already have a meeting scheduled with Joe and Sandor to talk about the possibility of bringing Cooper aboard, so I don’t understand why they’re talking without me.

There isn’t a lot of misogyny in the palace, and especially not among the Royal Protectors, but it’s alive and well in Limaj. Erik can only fight so many battles at once, and he’s more focused on the economy, infrastructure, and healthcare. As forward-thinking as he is, I can still see lingering old-school traits.

“It’s not personal.” Casey’s soft voice jolts me out of my reverie.

I turn to her questioningly. “What?”

“Your irritation is practically tangible,” she says with a soft smile.

I sigh, “I’m one ofthem,” I mutter, “so why am I up here with the girls?”

“Because I’m sure they’re talking about the Royal Protector thing, and your personal relationship probably makes it difficult to be impartial.”

“What is there for me to be impartial about?”

“They probably don’t know either, and that’s why they’re meeting with you privately tomorrow.”

I make a face. “It’s still annoying as fuck. I’m not some future Royal Protector’s girlfriend—I am a Royal Protector.”

She puts a gentle hand on my forearm and squeezes. “You are, but you have to trust that Erik, Joe, and Sandor know what they’re doing.”

That’s easier said than done, but I’m not going to argue with Casey. There’s no point. If anything, I’ll say something to Joe tomorrow. Besides, it feels like we’re leaving Shannon out of the conversation, and that’s as impolite as what they’re doing. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to spend any significant amount of time with her, so I wanted to get to know her better.

Shannon is smart and sweet. I really like her, and she’s a good sport coming along to play her role as part of Casey’s entourage. “Shannon, how did you feel about being part of Casey’s entourage over the weekend?” I ask, opting to change the subject.

“It was interesting,” she replies with a faint smile. “I mean, any excuse to see Ace in a tux works for me, but it was a little overwhelming to be surrounded by so much paparazzi.”

“It was my first time too,” I say. “From the outside looking in, there’s no doubt Ace is some kind of bodyguard to the king, so you were mostly ignored, but I’m an unknown. Joe and Sandor have purposely kept me under the radar since it makes it easier for me to take Casey out in public, but after last night, the paparazzi want to know who I am. This part of the job is new to me. I’m not afraid, but it certainly adds a level of complication I hadn’t been anticipating.”

“We didn’t think the media would latch on to you the way they did,” Casey says. “So we’re probably going to have to adjust some things.”

“Most of the world doesn’t know or care who I am, but there’s a small city in northern Limaj that recognizes me and knows I’m not an heiress.”

“That’s a problem for another day,” Casey says with a smile. “What did you guys buy at that boutique?”

We had visited a cute boutique that sells stationery, books, and other handmade crafty items, and it was the first place where I could actually afford something. There was a beautiful notebook with a hand-painted picture of the city on the cover. The pages inside were lined and I know it’s something Femke will love, along with a set of colored pencils. She loves to draw, journal, and doodle, so this will make a nice gift for her birthday.

I found a washable apron that has a picture of a Parisian woman with a chef’s hat for my mother, and warm fuzzy socks that say “I love Paris” on the bottoms for Luciana. I picked up some cute socks for my niece as well, but the large shopping bags seem to have more than those few things I bought.

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