Page 41 of Royal Bosshole

Back in my office, I did a lot of little things until the day was over, and I practically ran out of there, eager to get away from my own company. I’d mulled everything over all day, and I was ready to talk to Lily.

It was raining, so I hailed a cab to the coffeeshop, and when it pulled up outside, I looked at the name at the top of the shop.Charlotte’swas written in script, and I shook my head. It had been in front of me the whole time, and I had been too dumb to see it. Well, clearly, the original Charlotte had made it hard for anyone to find her or her family. I hadn’t told my assistant about the find just yet, but I would have him check through the maiden name of Lily’s mother once I found out what it was. Just to be sure.

But I knew the truth. Lily was the woman I had to marry to save Lenovia. Even though there were butterflies in my stomach, my feet felt like lead as I got out of the car. I had to apologize first, and then I would make a confession. I cared about her; I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anyone. But the decision would have to be hers.

Inside, the place wasn’t that busy, and I was just about to go in search for Lily when she came out of the back, holding a notebook. She looked up at me, and she paled as soon as she saw me. I walked up to her, and she started shaking her head, walking past me out of the shop.

“Lily,” I said, but she stomped out, and I followed her. It was still raining, but she didn’t seem to care. “Lily, we have to talk.”

“Do we?” she asked. “I want you to get out of here and leave me alone. I don’t want to see you ever again. You humiliated me by leaving after what happened.” She lowered her voice, and I could see her blush.

“I’m sorry about that, okay? It wasn’t about you or anything bad, I promise.” I could feel her slipping away from me, and it hurt. Pain at the prospect of losing her overwhelmed me. And then it hit me. I’d fallen in love with her.

This woman was incredible, so focused, so intelligent, so fiery. I wanted to be near her, to soak up the energy she gave out into the world.

“Sandy came in here, and she told me about your secret.”

“What?” I took a step back, and Lily scoffed at me.

“Apparently, you told her about your plan to marry the right woman so that you can save your country. I know that you’re a prince, James.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “And that you were just having your fun with me until you find the right woman. Well, I don’t want anything to do with that.” She stepped away from me at the exact moment I wanted to reach for her. “I don’t want to feel like this ever again, James, and I never want to see a man look at me the way you did when you ran out on me.”

“Lily, let me explain. I can tell you everything.” I looked around. “But maybe this isn’t the right place.”

People were looking at us, but at least the door to the coffeeshop was closed.

“And what will you tell me? More lies? No, James. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you. I’m so embarrassed that I let myself get taken like this.” She pointed at me. “That I let myself care about you.”

There was my moment. “And I care about you. Look, Lily, I want to be with you. I want us to be together.”

She laughed, but tears started to stream down her face. “How can we? You need a princess, and you have to marry her to save your country. I am nothing and no one.”

“Damn it, Lily, that’s not true! If you’d just hear me out—”

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on out here,” Jen, Lily’s assistant, said from the doorway, “But before you do anything, Lily, there is something you should know. I just got off the phone with my cousin, the one I told you about, remember?” Lily was looking at her. “Turns out he just started a new contract as a graphic designer with Coffee on the Go. It was his first day today, and he told me that everyone is talking about how Mr. Perry’s big goal was to get the secret pumpkin-spice latte recipe. That was the reason he hired you. I’m sorry, Lil, but I thought you should know.” And then just like that, after dropping an even worse secret out in the open, she slipped back into the coffeeshop.

When Lily turned back to me, she was like a stranger. Those beautiful gray eyes were now as hard as granite. Her hair was soaked, and her mascara was running down her cheeks.

“That was really all you wanted. Not even just sex. I am such an idiot. Of course! I mean, why else would you want to hire the broke owner of a little coffee shop when you have this giant company behind you?” She smacked a hand on her forehead.

“Lily, please.” I reached out for her, but she pulled away.

“You’re not even denying it! No, James. You need to go. Like I told you, I don’t want to see you again or talk to you. I’ll serve my two weeks’ notice, but then I’m gone.”

I hesitated. I didn’t want this to be the end of us. It couldn’t be. I loved her. How could everything just crumble in a moment? I had to do something, say something.Anything.

But after one more long look, she turned away and walked right back into the shop. The bell on the door signaling the end of our interaction. The end of our relationship. The end of our possibilities.

She was gone. Hurt. By me. And I had to respect her wishes. I had no one to blame but myself for this. I just wished she wasn’t hurting so much.

It took everything in me to turn away, but as I did and my slow footsteps sounded across the sidewalk, I knew it was for the best. After all the shit I’d pulled, she was better off without me.

CHAPTER17

LILY

When I got homeand showered, I called an emergency meeting, and thankfully, April had time to come over. I didn’t say anything to Stevie before they came, but I opened a bottle of wine.

“Okay, this seems serious,” April said, sipping on a Frosty while Stevie and I poured our glasses.

---