Page 27 of Her Royal Highness
I blush as I put my palm against his, allowing him to help me out of the car.
“Thanks,” I mutter, and he gives me a wink before leaning against the open car door, elbow cocked.
He really is just... ridiculously good-looking, and when I glance over at the other side of the car, I see Sakshi already on the sidewalk, practically melting as she stares at him.
Perry is next to her, his face still red, his arms folded tightlyover his chest. “So are we going in, or are we standing here while Google Earth grabs pictures?” he asks, nodding at Seb, and Sakshi elbows him hard in the ribs.
“Peregrine!” I hear her say, which is how I know it’s serious—she doesn’t use his full name except in cases of emergency.
Perry scowls, rubbing the spot, then shoots Seb another dark look.
But Seb only flashes me another smile. “Shall we, Roomie Quint?” he asks, offering me his arm, and after a beat, I take it.
CHAPTER13
“My name is actually Millie,” I tell him as we walk toward the pub. “Flora just calls me by my last name because—”
“Because she’s trying to keep you at a distance,” he finishes. “Classic Flo. No one gets to be her friend until they’ve jumped through roughly a hundred rings, most of them on fire.”
“That is not... even remotely what I was going to say,” I tell him, glancing toward Flora.
She’s sashaying toward the pub. There really is no other word for the sway she puts into her hips, or the careless way she leads, knowing we’ll all follow.
And then I realize I’m basically staring at Flora, and shake myself out of it, focusing on the ornate wooden door in front of me.
The pub is basically everything I’ve ever imagined a Scottish pub would be—and believe me, I have spent a lot of time imagining Scottish pubs. I have a Pinterest board and everything.
There’s a dark carpet, pattern too faint to make out after so much time (and, I’m guessing, so many feet and spilled pints), cozy booths, and a bunch of mirrors that also act as whisky and beer ads, the brands painted around the frames in chipped paint. I also spot a few paintings of the Highlands, complete with stags and the occasional kilted dude.
But I barely have time to take it all in because Saks is already pushing me toward a circular booth in the corner while simultaneously pointing Perry toward the bar.
“Get the first round,” she hisses at him, and Perry scowls.
“Why do I have to do it?” he whispers back. “They’re the rich ones. Well, the richerones.”
“Perry!”
I’m not sure exactly what it is about just saying his name like that that’s so effective on Perry, but he sighs and heads for the bar as instructed.
“I’ll have a soda!” I call after him, but I don’t think he’s listening.
The boys who accompanied Seb to Gregorstoun are already in the booth. Well, the blond guy is. The other two dark-haired guys, who look like twins, are playing darts, and Saks and I slide in. Flora and Seb sit on either side of all of us, like royal bookends.
Clearing her throat, Saks leans forward a little, tilting her head down. “So, Seb,” she says, “do you miss Gregorstoun?”
He grins at her. “Not particularly, but then, the scenery wasn’t as lovely when I was here.”
Sakshi smiles back, playing with her hair, and Perry chooses that moment to come back to the table, somehow managing tohold multiple glasses at once. Must be a skill they teach boys up here.
“Millie,” he says to me, and I take the glass of soda from his hands. Apparently he heard me, because everyone else has a beer. Well, everyone but Saks, who has a pear cider, the sweet smell wafting over to me as she spins her glass in her hands.
Seb takes a swallow of his beer and cringes. “Jesus, mate, what is this?” he asks.
Perry slumps into the booth. “Local specialty, they said.”
“Sheep piss?” Seb asks, then shakes his head, getting out of the booth. “Going to see if they have a Stella or something.”
As he walks off to the bar, I watch Saks watch him, a glint in her eye.
