Page 9 of Some Like It Scandalous
Yesterday’s headache returned with a vengeance. When her phones wouldn’t stop ringing, she took the landline off the hook and shut her cell down. There was no sense in wondering how they got her private number. She did far too much business via her phone. To leave, she had to make them move their cars. But that required she step outside and confront them, then they could just as easily follow her. She wasn’t sure how murder would play on national television, so she kept herself planted in the house. Maybe she could hold out two to three days on the coffee and nukables in the freezer.
A pair of black sedans and one SUV pulled right down the center of her already overcrowded street. They prowled like bears lumbering through the woods—and the reporters paid attention.
None of the vehicles parked. Doors opened on the sedan in the lead and two men in black suits with black ties exited.
Check that—twohugemen in black suits.They shouldered their way through the crowd, ignoring the reporters asking them questions. Two more men exited the rear sedan and joined the first. Three took charge of the crowd, backing them off her lawn and right down to the sidewalk. Walking tanks had that effect.
The fourth man walked right up on her porch and rang the doorbell. Once.
She checked the peephole. Just the single man standing on her porch, the crowd of reporters pushed back—but she knew long-range cameras. They didn’t have to be in her face to get a picture.
Deciding against opening the door, she slid sideways and pressed her ear to the wood. “Yes?”
“Miss Novak, His Highness sent us to provide you with a safe escort to the Petersburg Tower.” She heard the deep baritone clearly despite the door’s muffling effects.
She cut off the knee-jerk reaction to ask the security guard to tell his boss to go to hell. Taking her temper out on him would serve no purpose. She’d rather smack His Highness personally.
“Give me a few minutes, please.” The amazing calm in her voice impressed her—the rage trembling inside her defied description.
“Take your time, Miss Novak.”
She glanced back out the peephole but only saw the back of the man’s suit coat. She cleaned up her coffee cup in the kitchen, shut off the pot and emptied it as well. She took her time wiping down the counters and setting up the coffeemaker for anotherbrew later. In her bedroom, she surveyed her clothes and chose her most professional business outfits—slacks, a waistcoat and a periwinkle-blue blouse.
Thankfully, she’d showered for after hanging up on her sister. She used a flat iron to straighten her hair, methodically putting herself together. His Imperial Highness may have sent in his private security as troops, but she wasn’t some impressionable coed. And she sure as hell didn’t think flooding her with peeping toms was a way to win friends and influence people.
She used the bare minimum of cosmetics.
This wasn’t a date. She geared up for battle.
Straightening up the bathroom, she had no more excuses to make the security guards wait. She packed her workbag and her laptop. She still had the scholarship papers in her bag from the day before. She paused in the second bedroom and picked up a small filing box. It contained the hard-copy application for federal grant money. They could work off the soft copy on her laptop, but she wanted to be prepared for everything.
Sunglasses in place and keys in hand, she slid her purse strap onto her shoulder and carried both bags to the door. She knocked on it once before turning the security locks—all four of them.
“One moment, ma’am.” Sculpted politeness kept the words from being an order.
She waited as he requested. It couldn’t have been more than a minute when the door opened and the guard filled the partial space he allowed. He glanced at her and then offered a hand. “Would you like me to carry those?”
Surrendering the file case, she held on to her laptop bag. “Thank you.”
“Walk straight for the SUV in the center. We’ll be right with you all the way. Don’t engage. Don’t meet their gazes. Smile ifyou feel like it, but otherwise just walk like you do this every day.” He gave her a quick, tight smile. “Fortunately, it’s only the press. Keys?”
Fortunately? Odd word choice.She kept her comments to herself and handed him the door keys. She appreciated the advice. He stepped back and opened the door farther. The two additional men in black suits stood at the edge of the porch, shoulder to shoulder. The crowd stirred as she walked out. She glanced back at the first security guard, but he waved her on.
“I’ll lock up.”
“Okay.” Steeling herself with a deep breath she followed the men in front of her. Camera shutters clicked, questions tossed out.
“When did you and the prince meet?”
“Has he asked you to marry him?”
“Were you introduced by the princess?”
“Anna! Over here!”
“Are you working together?”
“Do you think the family should be restored?”
