Page 57 of Once Upon A Royal Christmas
“Together.” Nick nodded. “You and me.”
And as the gondola floated higher, he went weightless. Just a snowflake against the vast December sky…
Twirling into a freefall.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Christmas Casual
The following morning when Gracie picked up her phone, she found three texts from Nick.
The attire for today’s activity is Christmas casual.
That means no puffy ballgown, in case you were wondering.
And just to be clear, you can also skip that monstrosity you call a crown.
When she texted back, demanding to know what exactly this activity was, he just said, It’s a surprise.
Really?
Jaron would tell her, she figured. He understood how important advance planning was. But when she texted him and asked for more information, even he wouldn’t spill the beans. Now she was trying to get ready while Clara sat propped up on her bed working on the Perfect Party Princesses schedule on her laptop. Their bookings were getting a little bit out of control. Clara’s phone had been pinging all night long.
“Look at this.” Gracie held her phone toward Clara. “Nick just told me not to wear my costume.”
Clara read the text messages with an unmistakable smirk on her face and then handed the phone back to Gracie. “Your prince is flirting with you. You do realize that, don’t you?”
“No,” Gracie said automatically, even as her cheeks went hot. She chalked it up to the old-fashioned radiator in their room at the B&B. That was her story, and she was sticking to it. “He’s not flirting. He’s insulting me. Did you actually read the texts?”
Clara crossed her arms. “I certainly did read the texts, which begs the question—since when does Nick have your phone number?”
“Since yesterday. We exchanged numbers after the gondola ride. It only makes sense, since we’re being forced to spend so much time together this week,” Gracie said.
There was a royal prince in her iPhone contacts now. An annoying one, but still—an actual prince. One who texted with full punctuation.
He’s not that annoying, and you know it.
The more Gracie got to know Nick, the more she began to realize that he wasn’t annoying in the slightest. He was actually pretty wonderful.
“You’re being ‘forced’ to spend time together.” Clara snorted. “If it’s such a hardship, then why are you trying on every single thing in your suitcase like you’re getting ready to go on a date?”
Gracie surveyed the pile of Christmas sweaters, jeans, and other items of clothing in assorted varieties of red and green tartan on her bed. What did “Christmas casual” even mean?
“It’s not a date. It’s an obligation,” she said.
“Maybe a few days ago spending time with him was an obligation, but not anymore. Face it, girl.” Clara pointed directly at her. “You like him.”
Gracie’s stomach did a rebellious little flip. She did like him. Too much.
She shook her head, as if she could rattle all flattering thoughts about Nick right out of her brain. “I can’t like him, Clara. Not even if I wanted to. He’s a prince.”
“So?” Clara shrugged, as if things were really that simple. As if something as major as a throne couldn’t get in the way.
“He’s supposed to be with a real princess. Someone like Alana—who seems to be avoiding me, by the way. I think it’s obvious that I’m not royal material.” Gracie couldn’t believe they were even talking about this. It was absurd. “And have you forgotten that I’m only here for a week?”
“Maybe none of those things matter nearly as much as you think they do. Maybe what you’re really afraid of is being hurt again, and maybe your prince is nothing at all like Philip,” Clara said.
“And what if he is?” Gracie countered. “You know what? It doesn’t matter, because this isn’t a date. It’s an Instagram moment, nothing more.”
