Page 14 of Prince Material
“Or Mardi Gras back home.”
“Oh?” His eyes lit up with interest. “I’ve heard of Mardi Gras. It’s like a parade, right?”
“It’s hard to explain. Beautiful and chaotic and probably something you have to experience to understand. The whole city transforms. People throw beads from floats, there’s music everywhere, and everyone eats king cake until they’re sick.”
“King cake?” He perked up. “Finally, a cake fit for my station.”
“Not that kind of king.” I found myself smiling despite my earlier mood. “It’s named for the three kings who visited baby Jesus. There’s a plastic baby hidden inside, and if you get it in your slice, you have to buy the next cake.”
“You hide plastic babies in cake?” He looked genuinely horrified. “That seems highly unsafe, not to mention a tad creepy.”
“Says the guy who eats raw fish by dangling it over his mouth.”
“Touché.” He laughed, then gestured back at my screen. “Speaking of cultural differences, that’s exactly the kind of thing you need to consider in project management. What seems normal to you might be bizarre to someone else.”
He had a point. I added a section about cultural awareness and communication protocols, surprised by how naturally the words flowed now that I had a different perspective. “This was really helpful. Thanks.”
“Any time.” His smile was warm, genuine in a way his usualpolished one wasn’t. “Though I do accept payment in the form of coffee or those beignets you keep talking about.”
“Deal.” The word was out before I could stop it. “I mean, if you want. Not that you have to?—”
“Orson.” He cut off my rambling with gentle amusement. “I want to. Besides, someone needs to teach you that there’s life outside this library.”
“I have a life,” I protested weakly.
“Really? When’s the last time you did something for fun?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. When was the last time? Between classes, studying, and my self-imposed pressure to excel, I couldn’t remember.
“That’s what I thought.” His voice held no judgment, only understanding. “Look, I’m not saying you need to go wild. But it’s okay to take a break sometimes. To let yourself breathe.”
Something in his tone made me look up. His green eyes were serious now, holding none of their usual mischief. For a moment, I saw past the charming prince exterior to someone who might understand more than I’d given him credit for.
“I don’t know how to find that balance. Or even where to start.”
“You can start by agreeing to explore Worcester with me this weekend.”
I immediately opened my mouth to protest. “I can’t.” When he simply quirked an eyebrow, I cringed. “I have to… study?”
“Do you? Or do you tell yourself you have to because it’s easier?”
Fuck, he was seeing so much more than I thought… than I liked. “I don’t know.”
“What do you want to do once you have your master’s?”
“Find a job as a civil engineer and get the experience I needto ultimately help my city or other areas that are in danger zones for extreme flooding.”
“And then?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“When will you have time to make friends? To date or hook up? To find someone you want to share your life with?”
The question caught me off guard. “Dating isn’t really a priority right now.”
“Because you’re focusing on your studies, or because you’re afraid?”
“I’m not afraid,” I said automatically, but the words felt hollow even to me. “I don’t have time for distractions.”
