Page 69 of Night's Fall
AndIcould very happily live in a now like that.
SoIwould.
“Lights off,”Icalled.
My room went dark.
And in the middle of kitty strokes and booty scratches, without that first issue,Ifell fast asleep.
I did it deeply.
AndIdidn’t dream, not good ones, but better, not bad.
Chapter12
Cancer
Iwas running between bathroom, closet and bedroom in a tizzy.
I should have cancelled my instruction withMadamGarwahthat night.Attendingit didn’t give me enough time to get ready for the showing without rushing, andIhated to rush.
But ifIhad cancelled, how wouldIhave moved from what fork, spoon, wineglass (etc.) to use and what topics of conversation were acceptable with my dinner companion, depending on if he was an aristocrat, a peer or a statesman, to acceptable behavior in a receiving line, of which (it had become clearMadamGarwahknew my future beforeIdid),Iwould eventually be the one receiving, rarely the one shuffling through the line?
I needed to be ready for what was to come, andIcouldn’t miss a day.
AlthoughI’dheard nothing fromAlekseisince his return comm afterI’dleft him an audio message that morning (during which he’d shared it was still iffy he’d be able to attend the showing), there was a small chanceInot only would be attending him as a royal that night, but also his sister.
Though,I’dalso heard from him the day before.He’dgiven me a good morning comm, which was short since he had to make a meeting, and a goodnight one, which was much longer and fortunately just flirty and chatty.Wedidn’t get in to anything deep.
Not thatIdidn’t want to know him deeply, but it had been intense, and it was clear we both could use a break.
And anyway, flirting with him was all kinds of fun.Alekseiwas an excellent flirt in a manner that was veryAleksei.
Hot and sweet.
But a possibly imminent audience with two royals was on my mind.
The factI’dbuzzedSirkup and he was currently heading toward the doorI’dopened was on my mind.
The factAllainhad gotten in touch earlier that day to press about me signing the no contact order against my parents (this he’d sent, andI’dsigned, andI’dsubsequently received a notice from theRoyalMinistryofLawandJusticethat it had been filed), andIwondered if my parents received the same notice, was also on my mind.
The factIcouldn’t find one of my two silver strappy high-heeled sandals was on my mind.
And the fact thatCatwas on myPalmdisplay, freaking out about champagne, was on my mind.
“Everyone’s coming,Laura.Everyone!” she all but shouted. “Imean,IknewTerrintonwas a draw, butBashandTayare seriously connected.”
Cat, beingCat, tapped into those connections and, good news!—even though she was working,Bashwas her date that night.
“So it’s going to be a crush,” she continued. “RoyalFireandSafetywill be all over my ass ifIdon’t put out a velvet rope, somethingI’vedone.Ihad to hire a door attendant who can let in theVIPs, and cycle people in when others leave.It’sbecome a nightmare.AndIknow,Ijustknow, because free booze makes beings deranged,I’mgoing to run out of champagne.Iput an emergency order into food supply, but they’re backed up, and estimated delivery time is between three and four hours from now.Thedoors open in twenty minutes, soIdon’t have three hours.I’msunk!Thisis a disaster!”
“Laura?”Sirkcalled from the other room.
Dang it!
I limped, one sandal on, one sandal off, toward my bedroom door, assuringCatla, “SirkandI’llstop by an off-license on the way there.Whatdo you need?Acase?Two?”
“Oh my gods,I’dlove you forever.Two.Canyou make sure it’s chilled?”
