Page 49 of Royally Matched

“I see. All right. Thank you for coming and for helping out with the dogs,” she says.

“Anytime.”

Her gaze lingers on mine for a beat too long, and it’s as though hot electricity sparks between us. It connects us toone another, and I know with that one look she feels for me as much as I feel for her. In this moment, I refuse to think of anyone but her and me, and this thing that lies between us—and how much I want to reach out and touch her, pulling her to me and tasting her sweet, soft lips.

But I can never do that, no matter how strong my feelings for this cranky, haughty, funny, complex woman may be. She’s not mine, and I am not hers.

End of story.

Chapter 13

Sofia

Shocking, shocking news, good people of Ledonia! A pack of wild, rabid dogs destroyed Princess Sofia’s garden party—at which Enzo the Dull was in attendance as her “friend”—causing mayhem among the guests and destroying more than one canapé. Disaster!

Word on the grapevine is that the crazed canines were in fact Princess Sofia’s own labradors, Lemon and Pepper,which begs the question, good people, whether the dogs were in fact trying to tell the princess something about Enzo Revera.

I leave you with that thought to ponder.

Your ever devoted royal correspondent,

Fabiana Fontaine xx

#CanineCapers

#DoggieIntuition

#WhoStoleMyCanape

I balance the large picture book on my knees as I turn the page. “Sammy’s heart raced as he spotted something shiny, half-buried under a pile of autumn leaves. He brushed them aside to reveal a small, golden key, glinting in the sunlight. He knew the key must open something very special. Sammy clutched the key tightly in his tiny paw. ‘I must find out what it unlocks!’ he says.”

I look up at the riveted faces, gazing at me as they hang on my every word. I always think there really is nothing like an audience of children to tell you whether you’re capturing their imaginations or failing altogether. Right now, Sammy Squirrel and his golden key have them utterly enthralled.

I’ve been at the Sunrise Community Center for the past twenty-five minutes, having been greeted by local dignitaries, community leaders, and a group of enthusiastic children waving handmade welcome banners that say things like “Reading makes us smart!” and “We love books!” Words that warm my heart.

I smile at my audience, none of them much over four foot tall, all riveted by the story, sitting cross-legged on the floor at my feet. “What do you think the golden key could be used for?” I ask the children, and immediately several girls and one of the boy’s hands fly up eagerly into the air.

I choose one of the girls, a redhead with thick bangs and a high ponytail whose nose is covered in the most adorable freckles. “It’s used to unlock a mystery box, Princess Sofia,” she says with confidence.

“Have you read this story before, or are you just a good guesser?” I ask.

“I’m a very good guesser,” she replies with the sort of clear confidence that comes with being a child. “I can work out puzzles and everything. Mummy says I’m an expert at them. I can do my brother’s jigsaw puzzles, and he’s already eight and three quarters.”

“You must be very good indeed,” I say. “Shall we read on and find out what Sammy will do with the key?”

“Yes!” call several children, so I turn the page and read the rest of the story to them, learning that the key does in fact unlock a mystery box, just as the redhead said.

Closing the book, I ask the children if they had any observations. Once again, most of the girls’ hands shoot up, and the same solitary boy, sitting at the back, raises his hand.

“The boy at the back. What did you have to say?” I ask.

“I liked how the owl told Sammy to never give up because that’s what my daddy said when I was learning to tie my shoes,” he says.

“Can you tie your shoes?” I ask.

“I can,” he replies proudly.

“Well done. It sounds as though your daddy had somegood advice for you. What other thoughts do you have about the book?”