Page 94 of Loyally, Luke
Luke:She’s a pretty good encourager too.
Izzy:Did you have any trouble speaking?
Luke:At first I did, but then I took Ellie’s advice and finished off just fine.
Izzy:Well, I’m so glad she showed her appreciation for your ideas and efforts.
Luke:She was very thorough in her appreciation.
Penelope:I don’t know why that makes me think you mean something more than what you’re saying, but I feel as though you do. However, I’m just going to bask in the secondary glow of watching you live out a movie. This is the time in the movie when someone declares their feelings and the couple kiss, but since you’ve already done the kissing, I suppose that’s a little anticlimactic. Maybe you’ll rescue her from something or other next. That could work.
Luke:When Penelope starts predicting my future, it’s time to end the conversation. Good night, ladies.
Izzy:Good night, Luke.
Penelope:Good night, big bro. *chime*
Chapter16
The Daily Edge: Social Tattle from One Edge of Skymar to the Other
It looks like our reformed rebel is at it again, except this time she’s juggling an earl and a... carpenter? We all know she has a past of enjoying the romantic journey, but all her previous exploits have been more in line with aristocracy or “Hollywood” royalty, not some unknown carpenter from an unknown place in the U.S. And has she left Stoic Styles behind? Because Princess Elliana was spotted having lunch with the introverted and camera-shy Earl of Tallon yesterday. Perhaps the earl is more open to sharing? It certainly looks as if our princess hasn’t shaken off as much of her former life as she’s claimed. Or is she only taking after her father in searching for love in the most unlikely places? It seems as if there’s something magical in the North Country air that woos royalty to color outside the lines. What are your thoughts? Team Styles, Tallon, or Edgewood?
Text from Maeve to Ellie:Now I really hate that Dad got sick and we missed the luncheon. Luscious Luke looks fantastic in green.
Ellie:Oh no! Have photos already found their way into print? How bad is it?
Maeve:If we’re talking about Luke in green, so bad I thinkyou ought to give him to me. If we’re talking about the “news,” then... you’d better not read it.
Maeve:Those shoulders, El. Those shoulders. Can you imagine how well he’d fill out a tux?
Ellie:I do not need help with my imagination on that score, Maeve.
Maeve:And what’s this about Timid Tallon? You didn’t tell me you were meeting him. Did he talk at all?
Ellie:He was on the list, so Mother suggested I ask him to be my escort to the Hyacinth. I feel as though he’ll prove less dull than Christopher, which suits me better too, and he’s been a good friend for most of my life.
Maeve:Why don’t you shake things up and ask a certain builder?
Ellie:Maeve! He is not interested in royal life, and I can’t imagine anything would induce him to attend a royal ball. He’s already had to deal with paparazzi finding him in Crieff. I don’t want to make things worse for him. Besides, why would I encourage something that cannot continue? I’ve already gotten my heart too entangled as it is.
Maeve:Because seeing him in a tux would be worth it?
Maeve:Ignoring me, are you? Or daydreaming about Legendary Luke in a tux?
Ellie:Oh heavens! The Edge is already suggesting I’ve fallen back to my old ways after three years because of ONE meeting where I touch a man’s arm???!! This is ridiculous.
Maeve:It’s what tabloids are all about, friend. Besides, the real problem probably has more to do with the way you’re looking at him, rather than a touch to the arm. Maverick Maxim must have gotten a glimpse of something.
Ellie:He’ll do anything for a story.
Ellie:And I probably need to contact Luke to warn him.
Maeve:You’ve got to learn to ignore the tabloids like your family usually does. (Well, everyone except Arran, who seems to enjoy them a little too much.) I mean, you’ve always said that one-time stories like this aren’t really the problem—it’s when the same ones keep happening over and over that it becomes an issue.
Ellie:True. I need to take a deep breath and not look for a catastrophe behind every headline. It’s just so difficult to retrain my brain.
Maeve:Here’s the thing, people are going to look for a story, and they have the freedom to spin it any way they want. So do you. Have you ever considered that you can use the media as a tool? They may not bite on everything you put out there, but it will give you a semblance of control to have your own version for people to consider.
