Page 22 of Duchess Material

Winston chuckled. “Do you have pet names for me?”

“We’ll have to work on it. But I want to have one. I want to do all the normal things with you. Never had that before.”

“Really.”

“Don’t call me Winny,” Winston made a face.

“Or Tony?”

“I feel like you could get away with that—only you and my mother.”

“You must really love me.”

Winston played with the hem of her blouse and nodded. “I do.”

“You’re going to have a harder time to make up a pet name for me. I think possibilities are limited. Don’t call me Lou.”

“What about Lulu?” Winston snickered.

“I’d kill anyone for using it,” Lucy admitted. “Probably anyone but you. We’re ridiculous.”

“We’ve done this backwards, Lucy. I’ll take you on a proper date when you get back from Belfast,” Winston promised.

* * *

“Lucy, I must speak with my daughter.” The King’s voice was frantic.

Lucy looked over at Natalie who shook her head and held up a clipboard.

“She’s in the process of her pre-flight briefing, sir,” Lucy said, nervous. “We’re waiting in line for the tower or whatever. I don’t know but given she was in the middle of flight things—”

“Yes, yes, fine. She’s stalling and ignoring my calls while the press office has my head on a spit. Remind her it’s hers on a spit next,” Robbie said, tersely.

Overnight, Natalie had caused chaos. The kiss with Ed on the street had broken the Internet. The reel of them kissing like they were horny teenagers was everything to everyone. Even Lucy’s younger sister had messaged her about it. Natalie was in a good mood, but only because she was also avoiding her father like the plague. Now, he was blowing up Lucy’s phone.

Lucy did not like being the DMZ between the King and his headstrong heir. Natalie felt she had every right to do what she had done. She did. Any normal, healthy girl in her early thirties was going to kiss her boyfriend in public occasionally. Lucy salivated over the idea of doing the same to Winston. She made herself a promise. When she returned, she wouldn’t hold back. She could date him. It was a novelty not lost on her.

Royals did not do this. She’d never—not once—kissed George in public the entire time they dated. This was despite the fact George was an affectionate person in private. She assumed it was Ed who was sweeter and a bit more handsy. She didn’t assume Natalie was the instigator. Maybe she was wrong? However, Lucy knew the rules. Natalie poured gasoline and lit the match.

It was further complicated by the salacious nature of their hook up. Ed was a celebrity. And he wasn’t just a celebrity. He was a national treasure, one of the most decorated Olympians of all time, and super-hot. Most straight women and many gay men would describe him as ideal, handsome, and drop dead gorgeous. Even Lucy wondered how Natalie restrained herself. While Ed was reticent to discuss his ad campaign, it was the elephant in the room.

Together, Natalie and Ed were iconic. They were two beautiful young people. They could have been a power couple. They were also unlikely bedfellows. Royals didn’t date celebrities who posed shirtless for ad campaigns. They avoided athletes. Robert was having a meltdown because his daughter had gone far into left field. What did he expect, though? Ed was most definitely Natalie’s type and his son had left the Firm to live his best life with a footballer.

To the public, it was a big deal because they were a hot couple, and she was clearly head-over-her-heels. For old guard Britons and the terrible press, Ed was now a threat to the line of succession. To that lot, Natalie was a fire breathing dragon of a woman—a loose one not fit for the title. In their eyes, the minute she’d shown the least bit of interest in a bona fide celebrity, she’d gone from national war hero to princess out of control. Ed was recently divorced, making it worse. It was unconventional. It was steamy. The press were running with this primetime soap. They would print money with this story.

Robbie was notified when they landed. The King knew all. He was again blowing up Natalie’s phone and Lucy’s. While Natalie could get away with ignoring her father, Lucy was compelled to respond now they were on the ground.

“Miss Chandler,” the King said. “I must speak with my daughter. This is an order.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I was getting her on the phone.”

“Have her ring me at once!”

The King hung up.

“Natalie, you need to call your dad. He is now yelling at me. I don’t need to get into this. If for no one else, please do it for me.”

Natalie groaned and picked up her phone, deciding she couldn’t outrun her father anymore.

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