Chapter Eighteen

 

Colton

 

 

 

“All set?” Frank asks during my last break of the day.

Two more hours before I get to go home, take a shower, and meet my sister for dinner. I’ve been on my feet all day, so I’m really looking forward to putting my feet under a restaurant table and eating what someone else has cooked.

“Just one more meet and greet,” I say.

“Great. The group arrives in an hour. I’ll make sure they get a nice welcome before I send them to you.”

I frown. Group? What is he talking about?

Frank catches my eye and laughs. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”

I hold my hands up. “You got me. Would you mind catching me up?”

“Remember I told you how the members of the knitting club won an exclusive tour of the park and an evening with our park’s royalty?”

“That’s today?”

He nods. “Yep. And word on the street is that they’re looking forward to a few hours with Prince Charming like a kid looks forward to a trip to the candy store.”

“What street is this word being spread on?” I ask with a laugh.

“Oh, I talked to their bus driver. You’re quite the celebrity to them. Some claim to have known you when you were still in diapers. Anyway, they’re all yours after your shift. Make sure you don’t exhaust them, though. They’re all seventy plus.”

Oh, man, how could I forget something important like this? Where work is concerned, I always remember special events. I guess I’ve been spending way too much time thinking about Elle and now my work is suffering because of it. Maggie won’t be amused when I tell her. She’s been asking me to go out with her for quite some time, but I was always too busy.

I groan. I guess there’s no point in postponing. If I call her now, she might be able to make different plans.

“Hey, brother. Ready for tonight? I got us the last available table on the beach deck. Isn’t that great?”

“I’m sorry, sis, I won’t be able to make it after all.”

I hate disappointing her like this, but what choice do I have?

“What do you mean, you can’t make it?”

“I’m being held up.”

She gasps. “At gunpoint?”

“No, not at gunpoint,” I say. Sometimes I wonder whether she wasn’t swapped at birth. “Perhaps it would be a good idea to reconsider the insane amount of crime documentaries you ingest every week.”

“Why? I like to be prepared.”

“For what?”

“Murder, duh,” she says, as if that’s even a thing someone can be prepared for.

I need to hang up and get ready for my shift, but I can’t let this one go. “Okay, I’ll play. How on earth would a true crime show help you when someone’s holding a knife to your throat?”

“For starters, I’d know how to escape. The victims who survive these horrible ordeals all have special moves. I can use their experience to my advantage.”

I frown. “Special moves? Like The Avengers?”

“Of course not, they’re not real.” I can hear the eye roll in her voice. “I’m talking about kicks and punches. Specialized jiujitsu moves. That kind of thing.”

I shake my head with a laugh. “You’ve never even taken a jiujitsu class. Wouldn’t it be wise to practice? There’s no way you can pull off a move like that just by observing someone who can.”

“You and I can wrestle later tonight, and I’ll prove it to you.”

“Yeah, no can do. There’s a group of fifteen senior ladies waiting for me to give them the time of their lives.”

“Where exactly are you?” she asks, an incredulous tone to her voice.

“At work.”

“You work in a strip club now?”

“Ew, no,” I say, pinching the space between my eyes. “Look, I’ll explain later. I’ve got to run. I will make it up to you, I promise.”

She sighs. “Fine. I’ll call the restaurant and ask if they have any availability later this week.”

“Thanks for understanding. Love you.”

“Same. See you later. Oh, and I shouldn’t wait up, right?”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “I don’t think I’ll have to work that late. I’ll be back by nine, tops.”

She chuckles. “That’s what you say now, but what if one of the seniors wants to get her hands on you? You might wake up in a back room of the park tomorrow morning, all blissed out.”

I shake my head. “You’re unbelievable, sis. First of all, I’d never do that. I’m at work, for goodness’ sake. Second of all, stop putting images like that in my mind.”

“Nah, I won’t. That’s what siblings are for, right?”

She laughs heartily. Before I can come up with a snarky reply, she’s disconnected the call. Now I can’t stop thinking about those sweet ladies making a pass at me. I shake my head and chuckle. Sisters. Never a dull moment with one of those in your life.

I head back to the castle gardens through the staff only doors and corridors. Elle’s already there, and when she spots me, she throws me one of her dazzling smiles.

I quickly scan the area before planting a soft kiss on her lips. She reacts with a content sigh. Then she leads me to one of the wrought iron benches.

“I want to talk to you about something.”

She’s still smiling, so I figure it’s not bad news. “Go ahead.”

“I think we should tell Maggie about us.”

“You’re right,” I say.

Her face lights up. “Really? Wow. It feels so good to know we’re on the same page about this. What a relief.”

“When do you want to tell her? I was meant to go out to dinner with her tonight, but apparently we have this work event.”

She nods. “The seniors from the knitting club who won the competition.”

“That’s right. According to my sister, they’re all going to vie for my attention,” I say with a grin. “Are you up for the competition?”

Elle laughs. It’s the kind of laugh that hits you right in the center of your heart and causes the corners of your mouth to go fully up. “Sure, I can handle some competition from a few old ladies.”

“If this thing with the seniors pans out like that and I trade you for a gorgeous octogenarian, then I won’t even have to tell Maggie about us.”

She playfully bumps her fist against my shoulder. “Nice try, Prince Charming. We’re telling her. The sooner the better.”

I give her hand a squeeze. “You’re absolutely right.”

“I know I am. It’s stupid that I’m nervous about it. I’m sure Maggie is going to be happy for us, but it’s weird. You’re her brother. She and I won’t ever be able to talk about my relationship like we normally do.”

“Why not?”

She raises one of her eyebrows. “Seriously? You think she wants to hear about her brother’s bedroom adventures?”

“Oh, relax. We haven’t shared any bedroom adventures.”

“Yet,” she says with a twinkle in her eye. “I mean, we probably will, sometime in the future.”

“You bet.”

I pull her close and kiss her until she makes another one of her adorable sounds.

“You drive me crazy,” I say, letting my hands roam over her back.

She giggles before gently pushing me away. “Look who’s talking, mister. Anyway, I hate to break it to you, but we’ve got to get a move on.”

“Right. Work.”

I seem to be forgetting things left and right, but who can blame me? Any healthy guy would walk on clouds with a girl like Elle by his side.

We take our places for the last meet and greet of the day. I already know I won’t be able to concentrate. All I can think of are Elle’s words about the two of us sharing bedroom adventures.

As we take pictures with kids who are hopped up on sugar and their tired—but happy—parents, I steal glances at Elle. It’s hard to believe she started out as a hot dog girl. Seeing her as Princess Charlotte would convince anyone she’s been doing this job for ages. It’s almost as if she was born for this.

I also know she thinks she’s overweight, but that’s crazy. Just because she’s not one of those super-thin girls doesn’t mean she isn’t stunning. I so wish she could see that. My goodness, if she could spend a day in my shoes and see herself like I see her, she’d never have doubts about her weight again. The way her body curves is nothing but irresistible. I’m positive everyone agrees with me. I mean, I’m not blind. I catch the way guys look at her when they’re queuing for a picture with us, or when she throws a smile their way.

“Of course. Isn’t that right, Prince Charming?” she asks, whisking me from my daydreams.

“Huh?”

She laughs. “These adorable kids want to know if our lives are as magical as a fairy tale.”

“What did Princess Charlotte tell you?” I ask the girl with pigtails who’s looking up at Elle with admiration in her eyes.

“She says every day with Prince Charming is like a fairy tale. Is that true?”

I smile at the girl. “Absolutely.”

“Is it true that you love each other?” another girl asks, eliciting an embarrassed reaction from her mother.

I don’t mind the question, though. “Yes. Prince Charming and Princess Charlotte are very much in love,” I say, and kiss Elle’s hand.

The kids are probably not sure whether this is all an act or not, but I know the truth. I’m head over heels and I want the whole world to know.