Page 26 of Kiss and Spell
“Yes, beloved. She stayed the night.”
She did? He swiveled his head to look for her among the remaining guests. Wrong move. The world spun wildly, forcing him to lean back in his chair. He was sprawled out like a beached starfish with his arms and legs akimbo. For a long moment, he watched the clouds float in the vivid morning sky. Hmm, that cloud looks like a cat eating ice cream. He heard approaching footsteps on the patio; then Ursula appeared above him like a daydream. He sat up. Instead of the body-hugging aquamarine outfit from last night, she wore an oversized dress shirt that hit right below her knees. Wait. She’s wearing your shirt. As long as he lived in this world or the next, he’d never forget how pretty she looked in his clothes. The mint-green shirt molded nicely to her form and brought out the natural glow of her skin. Her hair was swept up, away from her face, showing off those big brown eyes. She shifted underneath his attention, holding her clutch to her side.
“You look good in my shirt,” he blurted out.
“Thanks,” she said. A cautious grin spread across her face. It was splendid, like watching a morning glory open its petals to the dawn. His chest tightened. Did she somehow get prettier overnight?
“You’ve got glitter on you, Your Highness,” she said.
“Uh… yes.” Xavier stood to greet her, even though every muscle in his body shrieked for rest. Manners won out over pain. He rose to his feet for Ursula because she’d stayed. Whitney cleared her throat, reminding him of her presence, which prompted him to make a proper introduction. He heard an excited squeak escape Ursula’s lips once she saw his godmother.
“Whitney Blackthorne, I’d like for you to meet Madame Ursula Caraway.”
“It’s an honor.” Whitney extended her hand to Ursula, who shook it.
Her grin grew confident and widened a fraction. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Whitney held her hand for a beat, then let it go. “Forgive me for being nosy, but by any chance are you related to Ruth Caraway?”
Xavier looked between them. He noticed Ursula’s eyes dimmed a bit. “Yes, she was my grandmother.”
Whitney pressed a hand to her chest and smiled. “I knew you looked familiar. You have her eyes and that cute button nose. Oh! I was heartbroken to hear about her passing. You have my condolences. Please sit.”
Xavier pulled out Ursula’s chair for her. As she sat down, she gave him a glance over her shoulder. “How are you feeling? I thought you’d still be in the bathtub.”
Pardon me? Apparently she knew more about what happened last night than he did. They’d have to speak later without Whitney listening in.
“I’m good. I managed to get out on my own,” he quipped.
She gifted him with a small laugh. He was close enough to Ursula that he caught a hint of her scent. It was rich, flowery like a warm breeze through a blooming garden. There was another base note beneath there that reminded him of fresh earth in the summer. He inhaled. A fae could get hooked on that scent. He pushed away from her chair to give his nose breathing room. He quietly chided himself. Mind your manners. Don’t sniff your guest. Xavier returned to his seat.
Whitney turned to him. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew a Caraway?”
“I didn’t know I knew someone so exceptional.” Xavier looked to Ursula.
Whitney cooed. “Absolutely! Tell me how you met each other.”
“Prince Xavier thought I was his mystery date,” Ursula explained.
“Get out of here,” Whitney said. She clapped her hands excitedly like a little child who was allowed to eat candy for breakfast. “What a cute meeting!”
He was going to down an entire pot of coffee as soon as possible. “It was embarrassing, but Madame Caraway was kind enough to point me in the right direction.”
What if she hadn’t corrected him? What if they’d just pretended even for a night that they were fated to meet? What if… Xavier reined in those fantasies.
It made no sense to dwell on the past. They were here now. Together.
Whitney held up her phone to Ursula and Xavier. The screen was open to the Two Princes Tavern website. There were hearts dancing all over the screen. His head spun. My crown for a cup of coffee.
“Please convince Prince Xavier to go,” Whitney insisted.
“I’m not that magical.” Ursula beamed a bright smile at Whitney. “I have a feeling His Highness can be hardheaded.”
His face ached. Why wasn’t she calling him Xavier? Did he do or say something wrong last night?
“I think that he’d have a good time,” Whitney said with a sigh. “He’s always been so shy. On his first day of school, he hid behind the teacher’s desk. He’d only go back to school if he could bring his stuffed dragon in his backpack. What did you name it?”
“His name was Herb.” Xavier’s cheeks burned, and he scrubbed a hand over his face. It was too early for the dragon stories. “Whitney, please can we wait until I have coffee before you embarrass me?”