Page 12 of Fake Dating the Prince

Okay, so most people would have googled, but…. “I didn’t want to read up on you and come off like a creeper or embarrass myself reading some fake website.” Brayden’s ears went hot. “Besides, I figured it was just as easy to get the information right from the source.”

“Well, you’ll be pleased to know that my father’s entire body of work is available on Netflix in this country.”

That sounded dangerous. Brayden had sights to see, and he didn’t mean a television screen. “Maybe if we get a rainy day.” Besides, a movie star with a son who looked like Flip? 1970s Flip’s Dad was probably super hot, and lusting after him would be super weird, especially since he was likely to meet the man tomorrow. No, thank you.

“Fair enough. The day must be seized.” Flip straightened his posture and folded his hands neatly on the table. “Anything else you need to know for tomorrow?”

Brayden thought for a moment. “Yeah, just one thing. What exactly are you doing, flying back and forth between here and Toronto every month?”

“My second job.” Flip looked around as though to verify they were alone, which seemed ridiculous, but maybe he was about to divulge a state secret. “The crown owns a diamond operation here in Lyngria. I’ve been setting up a satellite office in Toronto because we’re looking to break into the Canadian market. The plan is to turn the company public so that it will directly fund a universal childcare initiative, but letting go of control means I have to trust the people in charge, and I’m… having trouble with that part.”

“Understandable.” Brayden wondered if that meant that Flip would stop being on his flight a couple times a month. “Sounds like my job will get a lot less interesting soon.”

He must have sounded more bitter than he meant to, or else something showed on his face, because Flip cocked his head. “You don’t like your job?”

Brayden shrugged. “It’s complicated.” It provided a great excuse when his mother asked when he was going to settle down—Mom, I’m never home. Who’d want to date me?—and that’s exactly why he chose it.

Perhaps Flip understood, if the wry smile he gave was an indication. “Isn’t it always.”

Brayden supposed being a prince would have a lot of its own pitfalls. “I guess so.” God, when had the conversation gotten so heavy? They needed to get back on some lighter topics. He pulled the tablet toward himself and forced some brightness into his voice. “So… dessert?”

They chatted a little more about tomorrow and about Brayden’s plans for that evening. Tonight was the light festival, when the people of Lyngria gathered in the streets with candles and sang to welcome the dark in hopes that it would take their troubles with it when it receded. Brayden didn’t put much stock in that, but it was as unique a festival as he’d ever heard of. Just the description gave him goose bumps.

“You’ll enjoy it,” Flip promised. “Just make sure you get an electric candle, or else one of the no-drip ones so you don’t end up with a burn. Ask me how I know.”

Brayden smiled. “Thanks for the tip.”

Before he could say anything else, there was a knock at the door and Celine poked her head in. “Your Highness, I hate to interrupt….”

Flip didn’t sigh, though his expression suggested he might want to. “No, you’re right. Thank you, Celine. Brayden, I hate to leave in the middle of our conversation again….”

Brayden waved him off. A real-life crown prince had taken time out of his day to eat lunch with him. He could hardly complain. “Go on, I know you have important things to do. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Flip smiled. “Yes, you will.”

Chapter Four

FLIPdidn’t realize how late it had gotten until the light came on in the hallway, startling him into nearly falling out of his desk chair.

He must have startled his mother too, because she pressed a hand to her breastbone and shook her head. “Flip. I didn’t expect to see you in this part of the palace so late. Don’t tell me you’re working.”

“All right, I won’t tell you.” It was an old joke between them, one they’d each been on both sides of. He glanced at the clock and wished he were surprised by the late hour, but he was exhausted. He’d intended to go to bed hours ago to be well rested for tomorrow, but he had a few things he wanted to accomplish first. And then he kept getting distracted wondering how Brayden was faring at the light festival, whether he’d gotten swept up in the moment or if he felt like an outsider. Probably the former. Brayden seemed to fit in pretty seamlessly anywhere. He took things in stride in a way totally unfamiliar to Flip.

He was probably having a lot more fun than Flip was with the personnel files of everyone who worked in management at the Crown Mining Co.

His mother sighed and came into the library. She leaned down to press a kiss to the top of his head. “I wish you hadn’t inherited my work ethic.”

Inherited? His years of tutors and lectures on the responsibility of privilege had drilled it into him. But maybe that was the same thing. He’d inherited the title, at least. “I want to get this proposal ready.” He slid his laptop away and closed it, resisting the temptation to knuckle at his eyes. “I think I’m almost done.”

His mother took a seat on the piano bench a few meters away and watched him. “It can wait until after the weekend. Parliament’s not in session again until January anyway.”

“I know.” He took a few deep breaths and ran through one of the breathing exercises his father had taught him in order to release the tension from his body. “I’m just nervous.”

“You still believe everything can be perfect.” She smiled—not her public expression but one she only allowed in the privacy of their residence at the palace or at their summer home on the island. “That’s why you don’t know when to stop.”

“I know when to stop,” Flip murmured, but maybe he didn’t. For months he’d been working on this proposal, a plan to turn the royal family’s biggest asset, the diamond factory a few kilometers south of the city, over to the government to be run as a public holding. Before that could happen, he wanted to assure himself that the people in charge were competent, capable, incorruptible agents who would serve the public’s best interest.

Signing off on people’s integrity was hard.

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