Page 20 of Royally Matched

“I’m not proposing! And besides, we can’t all propose in front of a Christmas tree to the person we’ve fallen madly in love with,” I joke, referring to the way he himself proposed to Maddie.

“More’s the pity for you, sis. It’s the best feeling in the world.”

A feeling I’m more than happy to forgo.

Chapter 6

Sofia

I rush back to my rooms where I do a quick outfit change out of my pants, and collared shirt into a Chanel skirt and jacket I wore only last week to a public engagement at the National Headquarters for Track and Field Sports, where I represented Alex in his absence. As with all my clothes, it’s modest and elegant, the skirt falling just below the knee, the jacket doing up to my neck, the precise way I prefer to appear to the world.

I reach Father’s office door, where Ipause before I knock. My nerves are bouncing around like the Boston Celtics have gotten a hold of them, playing a frenetic game of basketball.

“Come!” Father calls, and I take a deep, steadying breath before I push the door open and step inside the familiar wood-panelled room, with its high ceiling and large windows that overlook the gardens.

But there are three people in the room, not two.

Enzo Rivera’s assistant, my mind tells me.

Immediately, my eyes land on a tall, handsome man with thick dark blonde hair, his face tan. He’s regarding me with striking eyes that instantly make my heart beat just that little bit faster, his shoulders wide in a white buttoned-up shirt that actually fits him this time.

Wait, what?Duckis here?

I’m thrown. The man who rescued me from that drunkard’s proposal at the ball, the man who had my hormones doing Olympic-speed laps with his velvety voice and intense gaze, is here in my father’s study?

What’s more, he’s looking at me the way he did that night, making me feel all tingly and nervous and… I swallow.

Is it getting hot in here?

I blink at him a few times in disbelief, the machinations of my mind clunking and whirring as I try to make sense of his sudden and unexpected appearance. It’s as though he somehow read my mind since I met him at the ball, knowing he elicits certain feelings in me, and turning up here today to… what? See me? Rescue me once more from an unsolicited proposal?

I open my mouth to say something when my eyes land on the man beside Duck. Shorter, stouter, with a thick mustache, his eyes not nearly as blue, and certainly not eliciting any such heartrate increases.

Enzo Revera.

“Ah, there she is. My beautiful and accomplished daughter,” Father says, greeting me with a kiss to both cheeks.

“Good morning, Father.”

“I have Lord Strozzi here to see you, as you see.” Father gestures at the men.

I manage to pull myself together. I might have been momentarily thrown by Duck’s unexpected presence, but I’ve been a princess my entire life. I’m very well-rehearsed in masking how I feel with a perfectly poised façade.

I stretch out my hand to shake Enzo’s. “It’s so lovely to see you again, Lord Strozzi,” I say with a pleasant smile.

“And you, Your Royal Highness,” Enzo replies smoothly.

I turn to Duck. “And it’s lovely to see you again, too, Mr.—” What do I call him? He’s been Mr. Disheveled Manliness in my head since the moment we met, but I could never call him that. There’s Mr. Duck, of course, although that makes him sound like a cute little character in a Disney cartoon, and this man is about as far from a cute little Disney character as you could get.

I flip through my memories from meeting him and his companion at the ball, searching for an actual name for this man and land on… absolutely nothing.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t believe I know your actual name,” I say pleasantly.

Duck bows his head before he lifts his eyes—which, now that I see them once more, are more intensely turquoise than anything else—to mine, sending nothing short of a bolt of electricity through me.

Pull it together, Sofia.

“My name is Marco Revera, your Royal Highness. I’m Enzo’s general dogs… His personal secretary.”