Page 29 of Once Upon a Royal Summer
“This sounds like something only a theme park princess would know.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “Just one of the perks of the job.”
Juggling their newly acquired cotton candy in one hand, Henry used his other to help Lacey into one of the Ferris wheel’s gondolas. Once she and her dress were all tucked in, he slid onto the narrow bench seat beside her. The door shut with a click, and they lifted a few feet off the ground and hung suspended in the air while the couple behind them in line climbed into next gondola.
On and on it went, until the lilting piano music started up again and the ride began to turn, ever so slowly—a graceful white wheel against the pinkening light of the evening sky.
Down below, the park shimmered in a whirl of color, spinning rides and flashing lights. As the Ferris wheel carried them higher and higher up, it all blended together like a watercolor painting.
“It’s so quiet up here,” Henry said in a near whisper.
“It is, isn’t it?” Lacey plucked a bit of cotton candy between her finger and thumb and let it melt on her tongue.
Henry followed her example. A rush of sweet peppermint filled his mouth, and then the candy floss vanished.
“I have to thank you, you know.” Lacey grinned. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to enjoy the park like this. The past couple of days have been so much fun.”
Warmth filled Henry’s chest. “Please. I should be the one thanking you. Last night, Rose told me this has been the best birthday she’s ever had.”
“Did she really?”
“Yes, but she didn’t need to. It’s been obvious. She’s having a ball. This trip has been a happy break from her royal life.”
Lacey tilted her head and regarded him over the puff of cotton candy. “What’s her life back in Bella-Moritz like? Does she attend regular school with other children?”
“Yes.” Henry gave a firm nod. For now, at least. “I try to give her as normal a childhood as possible, but I’ve been working a lot lately. I haven’t spent as much time with her these past few years as I should.”
“She adores you, though. Surely you know that.” Lacey regarded him. “Are you sure you’re not being too hard on yourself?”
“Possibly, but she’s been having an especially hard time lately. I thought it was time for us to take a little break together.” Henry’s eyes flickered to Lacey and then back to the horizon, where a blazing sunset was spreading across the sky.
He knew he should stop talking. He’d probably already said too much, but it felt good to share a part of himself with Lacey, especially after she’d told him about her childhood.
“The Bella-Moritz Flower Festival is in less than two weeks. It’s a very important annual event for our country, with a royal ball and a special procession. This year, it’s also Rose’s royal debut. She’s expected to ride her pony in the parade, and it’s not going so well.” He sighed and met Lacey’s gaze again. “She fell off a horse last year and broke her arm. Since then, she’d been struggling with her riding lessons.”
Her princess-y smile slipped. “Oh, no. Poor thing. And wow, two weeks isn’t very much time.”
Henry shook his head. “It’s not. I can only hope when we go home the day after tomorrow, she’ll feel refreshed and ready to give it a try.”
“That’s right. Tomorrow’s your last day at the park.” Lacey bit her lip. “It’s gone by rather fast, hasn’t it?”
Henry nodded.
Faster than a spinning teacup.
But he didn’t want to think about what little time he had left in America—not now. He felt as light as air, pirouetting in the twilight with this most unusual princess by his side. For once, he just wanted to live in the moment.
So he smiled, sat back, and did his best to simply enjoy what was left of the ride.
CHAPTER NINE
Cotton Candy Dreams
“Do people still have pen pals?” Lacey asked Ava later that night as she chopped lettuce for the salad they were making for dinner.
Ava looked up from the bell pepper she was cutting into slender pieces. “You mean the old-fashioned kind? Like, actual letters?”
“Yes.”
