Page 12 of Deadly Panther's Fake Fiancée

I whirl around and catch my heel in a crack. As I start to stumble, Isaac’s father catches me.

I straighten up and fix my dress. I mumble a quick thank you and turn around the other direction again.

“Please, Katrina, I’d like to say, on behalf of my wife and myself, how very sorry we are for how we’ve treated you.”

I'm about to answer but get interrupted by the vendor handing me my two hotdogs. I hand one off to Isaac’s dad without a word and shuffle over to the condiment caddy. He follows me.

“Katrina, I have to say, after you’re display in the restaurant ...”

My eyes flash up to his face and shoot daggers at him.

“I was going to say that I think that you may be the only woman who could match Isaac for strength of character. In fact, I think you may supersede him. He needs someone like you to knock some sense into him from time to time because he certainly won’t listen to us.”

I try to ignore the suggestion that Isaac is unwilling to obey his parents and focus on the positive, which is that Isaac’s dad really seems to like me.“What I’m saying is, well, I’m thrilled that you’re going to be joining our family.”

I stop smearing mustard on my chili dog, which is going to taste awful, but I had to have something to help keep my nerves in check. I look up and see Isaac’s dad smiling at me. “You’re sure about that?”

“You made some excellent points back there at the restaurant. Isaac is a grown man capable of making decisions for himself.”

“Yes, he is.”

“But you must understand that being royalty, we are used to handling the lives of our children even in their adult years. We see it as similar to, how should I put it, ah! It’s like we all work for the same company and we must learn to put the interests of the company ahead of our own.”

“That sounds very sad.”

He nods. “In many ways, it is. Still, things are changing and yes, the world knows of us now so, our subjects aren’t risking death like in older times.”

He sets his hot dog down and takes my hands in his. “Isaac is the crown prince, but his duties are very light currently. So, he can be a firefighter.”

He leans closer to me. “And he can marry a very incredible, spirited woman if he so choses. We are happy to give our blessings.”

I stand there, feeling accepted and loved, and I feel so happy!

And then, my bubble bursts because I remember.

I remember that this is all fake. I’m not really going to be marrying Isaac. I’m just helping him get out of a marriage he didn’t want. I’m just winning him the right to live his own life.

But I’m not winning anything.

Of course, I can’t let Isaac’s dad know that I’m a phony. He just gave me the biggest praise of my life.

I smile. “Does your wife feel the same way?”

He smiles and winks. “I’m the king. She doesn’t have to like it as much as I do.”

I giggle a little at that and say, “Thank you for following me out here.”

He leans forward then and gives me a tender kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”

I nod and keep smiling.

And all I want to do is cry until I can’t anymore.It’s all fake but now I really, really want it.

Chapter Nine

Isaac

Katrina won over my father enough so that he put his foot down with Mom. I have a hard time imagining anything that could make this girl more… more everything. How in the world did I stumble into her the way I did? The terrifying thing, though, really, is that she’s having fun. She gets to screw a firefighter and (now she knows) a shifter. But that’s not the same as wanting something more than that. In just a week and a few days, my parents go back to Europe. Once they do, she’s done what she promised.

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