Page 2 of If the Shoe Fits

"And what would you even get out of it?" I asked.

"Everyone knows who you are, Sades. You're all over the magazines whenever you step outside the house."

I scowled, hating how right it was. And hating that it was the very reason my stepmother hated me so. During the early days of her marriage to my Dad, she'd constantly been compared to my dead mother, and by proxy: to me. It had created a lot of bad blood between us that I'd had no control over.

"Yes, people know who I am, but it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference."

Enrique ignored me, which was probably for the best. He knew when to indulge me and when to tell me I was being ridiculous. In my eyes, that was a good best friend.

"What is it that's really annoyed you?" There was a knowing glint in his eyes. Damn him to hell and back.

"She thinks that Rita is going to catch a Prince at the wedding," I half-shouted, instantly wishing I could pull the words back into me.

"And that's a problem because..."

"You've met Rita."

"Yes, and she's a lovely, if pliable woman. You and I both know she's not all that bad."

"No, of course she isn't." I began to pace back and forth, something that often ended up being the case when I talked about my step-sister. "But that's not the problem..."

"I know. It's that your stepmother might be able to control a kingdom. But Sades, the Queen is young and has no son yet. Unless they plan for Rita to seduce Prince Albert, then there really isn't anything to worry about."

I scoffed. As if Rita could seduce anyone. She'd never seemed like that kind of person really. She wanted people to like her, that was for sure, but she wasn't the femme fatale her mother seemed to think she was.

"You have nothing to worry about, Sades. Or is this because you want to be the one to catch a Prince?"

"It would solve my trust fund issues," I pointed out, not really believing my own words.

"That it would, but it wouldn't make you happy in the long run."

"When did you become so wise?" I asked Enrique.

"They hand out wisdom when you come out the closet," he deadpanned.

I snorted, a highly unladylike noise, but I couldn't help it. "If that were true, you'd be running the country by now and not just a fashion line."

"Maybe I'm running a fashion empire." He turned up his nose, making me laugh all the more.

"Only you could rule an empire like that."

"Mark my words, Sadie, I'll have a fashion empire one day."

"I know you will, you already have A-List clientele," I pointed out.

I'd been with Enrique when he'd started out and seen him blossom from a nobody to being a designer who could almost dress royalty.

Almost.

It was his secret dream and if I ever did become royalty, I'd make it my mission to ensure he did.

"Speaking of my clientele, I need to go do a fitting." He leaped down from the wall he was perched on and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Don't let them wind you up too much."

"I'll try."

"And think about my offer. You can have a dress from me. Shoes too. In fact, I can see the design in my head. I won't take no for an answer."

"You're going to have to," I countered. "I'm not taking favours."

"Not a favour, a gift. And mark my words, Sadie, you will take it."

He didn't wait for me to deny him again but skipped off into the distance.

I sighed. I had coursework I needed to do, I'd worry about his insistence later.

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