Page 44 of Once Upon a Royal Summer
Right, and Lacey usually had dinner with Little Red Riding Hood. What a pair she and Henry made.
That sounds fancy, Lacey typed.
Henry sent back a yawning emoji, and then more words popped up on the screen. You know me…I prefer my food on a stick.
“What’s got you so smiley, Sweet Pea?” Sally’s voice boomed as she walked back into the room, carrying a glass slipper in one hand and a plastic baggie full of ice in the other.
Lacey shoved her phone out of sight, hidden among the folds of her gown. “Nothing. Just texting with a friend. I forgot to silence my phone and I heard it going off inside my locker.”
Sally winked as she offered her the ice and the replacement shoe. “Whatever you say. I’m not sure I’ve ever grinned that big in my life. This friend of yours must be really special.”
You have no idea.
“Thank you for the ice.” Lacey rested it gently on her toes. “And the glass slipper. I should probably hurry and get back out there.”
Sally nodded. “Indeed. You don’t want to miss out on the fairy tale.”
No, she didn’t. Although she was starting to believe her own fairy tale might just be waiting for her somewhere on the other side of the park gates.
Lacey typed out a final goodbye to Henry before stashing her phone back inside her locker, letting her gaze linger on the first part of his most recent message.
You know me…
Strangely enough, she felt like she did know Henry. And now they were continuing to learn more about each other, even though they were a world apart in every possible way.
“Oh, good. I’ve caught you,” Queen Elloise said the following morning as she breezed into the dining room for breakfast as Henry rose and pushed his chair away from the table.
He sat back down. “Good morning, Mother. You just missed Rose. She had another riding lesson this morning.”
Never mind the fact that, according to Ian, Rose hadn’t seemed any more thrilled lately about riding in the procession than she’d been before they’d gone to Florida. She’d managed to get on her pony but froze every time Daisy moved a muscle. Thankfully, the queen had been too busy with Flower Festival preparations to monitor her granddaughter’s equestrian progress. No doubt she was relying on Henry’s assurance that Rose would do her duty and ride. He’d made a promise, and he intended to keep it. He simply needed to figure out how. And soon.
“I had an early meeting this morning with the planning committee for the ball,” the queen said, stirring cream into her teacup. “I’m glad you’re still here. I wanted to go over the guest list with you.”
“For the ball?” Henry smoothed down his tie. “I don’t recall you ever asking my input on the guest list before.”
“Well, this time is different.” The queen sipped her tea and then placed her china cup down on its saucer. “There will be several suitable women at the ball I thought you might be…interested in.”
Henry reached for his espresso cup, but it was empty. Not this. Not now.
“I’ve been thinking about Caitriona’s fondness for this Princess Sweet Pea character. Perhaps it’s time you think about finding a proper royal wife and mother for sweet Caitriona. It’s been years, darling. Maybe it’s time?”
“You think Rose’s attachment to Lacey means she needs a new mother? That I need—” he cleared his throat, “—a new wife? And now you’ve made a list of potential prospects who’ll be at the royal ball?”
Brilliant. As long as his life was beginning to resemble a fairy tale, fate may as well toss in a matchmaking parental monarch for good measure. Somewhere in the afterlife, the author who’d penned Cinderella was probably having a good laugh right about now.
Henry’s mother regarded him with one of her serene smiles. “I know you might not feel you’re ready, but perhaps you can give it some thought.”
“I have, actually,” he said, surprising himself as much as the queen.
“You have?” Her eyes widened, and then she pulled a sheet paper from the stack in front of her. “Excellent. Here are the names…”
“Thank you, but I won’t be needing your help. I’ve already invited a guest to the ball.”
His mother sat back in her chair. “I see.”
“It’s Lacey,” he said.
“The theme park princess?” The queen’s mouth dropped open.
