Page 96 of Positively, Penelope

“A good thing to do on abalticevening like we’ve got tonight.”

Baltic. Another word the Skymarians used forfrigid. Matt said it was Scottish in origin.

“Did Iris bring you some of the sugar cookies?”

“She did. She gave me the one with the chocolate sprinkles since, as she put it, pink is for the princess.”

“Referring to herself, of course.” Penelope laughed. “Because she is.”

“Most certainly.” His warm chuckle sounded through the phone. “But that does transition nicely into the reason I called.”

“Princesses?”

“Queens, actually.”

Penelope turned down the volume on the television. “Queens?”

“And possibly princesses, too, I’d wager.”

She turned off the television altogether. “What do you mean?”

He cleared his throat. “I’ve just gotten off the phone with His Royal Highness’s secretary, and he and the queen will be driving from the airport tomorrow and wish to stop in to see the museum on their way to their Fiacla estate.”

She sat up so fast her blanket fell off the couch. “What?”

“You’d mentioned having it nearly complete.”

“Well, yes, I have—”

“And this would bring excellent visibility just before the ball andPeter Pan.”

“It would, of course, but—”

“They hope to pop in between one and three in the afternoon.”

She opened her mouth but only a squeak came out.

“And they’ll likely bring one or two of the princesses.”

And the princesses.Penelope was going to live a lifelong dream. Meeting royalty. Her brain immediately took inventory of every possible outfit she had in her closet.

“Penelope? I told them yes because one doesn’t say no to the royals if at all possible.”

“No, right, of course.” She swallowed through the growing lump in her throat. Would a hat be too much?

“Do you think you can work on a social media announcement for it to draw attention? But keep it under our hats until midmorning tomorrow.” His voice sobered. “We don’t want Emblem to have time to cause mischief, if we can help it.”

“Of course.”

“And I’ll phone my contact at the news station tomorrow as well.”

“Great,” she managed to whisper.

“There’s no hiding the royal family stopping in front of The Darling House in Mountcaster. It will be news within minutes, so we might as well use it to our advantage. Are you ready for it?”

“Whether I am or not, I’ll be there.”

Chapter19

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