#Beaumont Events Catering

[jerzwriter]

One Night in Cordonia Chapter 8: All's Well That Ends Well

Series: One Night in Cordonia, a @choicesprompts a Round Robin Event. Fandom: TRR, with some OH introduced here Pairings: You'll See lol Word count: 2.2k (I went over a little - sorry!) Rating: Mature Warnings: talks about sex, innuendos, language Prompt: Cocktails, Gala - @choicesjunechallenge A/N: Every now and then, it's fun to just take your characters and put them in different surroundings. This lil' crack fic allowed me to do just that. I was going to say it's not really "my" Ethan and Tobias here, but, to be honest, it could be them in my Ethan/Kaycee world. Thanks for putting this together and including me Angela!

Next author: ??? @angelasscribbles ???

Summary: It's Leo's social season. The day is Beaumont bash after the formal dinner is done and the royal couple has left. Anton sends his second in command, Claudius, to spread a fog, "Death Smash," that would leave the guests paralyzed and he would attack. But the gas delivered was Shagging smog 2.0 by mistake, leading to a sexual frenzy amongst guests. Anton himself goes to check and falls prey to the gas. The only unaffected members are Max (immune), Leo (because he was in the gardens), and Olivia (partially affected, trying to fight the effects).

The pretty brunette flight attendant was shaky on her feet, and for once, turbulence nor the ridiculously high heels Constantine insisted his flight attendants wear was the cause. No, this time, the mesmerizing aqua-blue eyes of her passenger were the culprit. She hadn’t dared to look at them directly for fear of what they could do to her, but she could feel them raking over as she attempted to pour his bourbon. She only hoped he didn’t notice how she trembled.  

“That’s good right there, darlin’,’ he droned, his husky voice rolling off his tongue like honey. “Any more than that, and I’ll have to wonder if you’re trying to take advantage of me.”

A blush settled on her cheeks as she attempted to come up with a reply. Luckily, the other, equally aesthetically pleasing passenger spared her when he sighed with disgust.

“For Christ’s sake, Tobias, could you maybe have just an ounce of decorum?”

“You know Ethan, decorum is overrated,” he winked. “I prefer fun. You may want to try it sometime.”

“I know how to have fun, and it’s not harassing our flight attendant.” 

Ethan looked over to the young woman, who could not look away before his sapphire orbs met hers. Fuck! She thought because those eyes would render her equally as helpless.

“I apologize for my colleague. Apparently, he was raised by wolves.”

“Hey!” Tobias jumped in. “My mom would kick your ass if she heard you say that!”

“Really? Well, I’m sure she’d love to hear how you are treating this young woman,” Ethan pulled out his phone. “Shall I dial her?”

Tobias threw both hands up in surrender. “Nope! Truce! Truce!”

A satisfied smirk crossed Ethan’s face. “I think you’ll be left in peace for the remainder of the flight,” he smiled. Completely oblivious to the look of disappointment on the woman’s face as she exited the cabin.

Tobias sipped the amber liquor and let out a slow moan. “Mmmm.  This is amazing,” he growled. “Have you tried yours yet? I know you’re a total snob, but I swear, this shit will make you weak in the knees.”

Ethan eyed his untouched beverage and shut his eyes.

“I’ll get to it,” he grumbled. “This whole thing, it’s just… it’s obscene!”

Tobias leaned over and took the papers his companion was reading out of his hands, shoving them into the attaché at his side.

“Hey, what are you….”

“Shut up,” Tobias spat. “Seriously, Ethan. The hospital insisted we go, so just sit back and enjoy the ride. We’re on one of the most luxurious private jets on the planet on someone else’s dime. Our every need is expected to be catered to, and if you hadn’t interrupted… that might have included the beautiful Ashley.”

“Ashley?” He asked.

“The flight attendant…”

“Her name is Amber, you idiot. And sexual harassment isn’t something I wish to add to our resume on this trip.”

“Ethan, relax. I was joking!”

“I’m sorry, I just hate this whole thing. The wealthiest people in the world summoning us across the damn Atlantic to take care of their potential PR disaster is not what I went into medicine for.”

“I don’t disagree,” Tobias shrugged. “But what they’re paying us for two days’ work will fund our department for the next year. So look at the bright side for a change Mr. Sour Pants.”

“You have a point,” Ethan grumbled. “Let’s just make this quick, get in and get out…”

“That was my plan with Am….”

“SHUT UP!” Ethan hollered as Tobias adjusted his sleep mask and drifted off, pleased he had accomplished his goal of getting under his boss’s skin.

~~~~

Upon landing, a heavily guarded motorcade awaited the two doctors and drove them to the Beaumont estate. 

“Is this still fun for you?” Ethan asked.

“Fuck yes! I’m living out some major James Bond fantasies right now.”

Ethan fought the genuine smile that attempted to spread on his lips; maybe there was something to Tobias’s constant glass-half-full approach, but he wasn’t about to admit it.

When they arrived at the scene, Constantine and a Lieutenant from the King’s Guard greeted them at once. The Lieutenant handed each man a gas mask.

“Gentlemen,” Constantine enthused. “We are so happy to have you here! It’s not our first incident with shag smog in Cordonia, but this one is not responding to the normal antidote. That’s why we called in the experts.”

Ethan quickly adjusted his mask, but Tobias made no effort to put his on, earning him a questioning glare.

“No need,” Tobias smiled. “I’ve been exposed in the past, so I’m immune.”

“Of course you have,” Ethan groused. “How bad is the situation?”

“Worse than you could imagine!” The Lieutenant began. “There are only a handful of people present who weren’t affected, reasons unclear at this time. Some may have had prior exposure, some, well… this could be their natural state of being; it’s hard to tell.”

“OK, so we have a handful of people who haven’t turned into sex-crazed lunatics,” Tobias assessed. “But how many have? Do you know how many were in attendance?”

“Several hundred,” a woman’s voice rang out from behind, and Tobias’s body went rigid. He’d know that voice anywhere. “Anyone who is anyone in Cordonian society is here, plus a few plebeians from other nations who are delusional enough to imagine they can fit in with us.”

Tobias turned slowly toward the red-haired beauty, salacious grin in place.

“You say plebeians with such disdain, Duchess. From what I recall, you haven’t always minded rolling around in the dirt with at least… some of us.”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed, her icy gaze meeting Tobias’s heated stare. “You!” she hissed.

Ethan clapped his friend on the back. “It’s so good to see you have fans everywhere. Please tell me you made her acquaintance at a Cordonian History seminar.”

“Yeah,” Tobias chuckled. “Something like that. It’s been a long time, Duchess.”

“I’d prefer it if you called me Olivia,” she seethed.

“Heh! That’s not what you wanted to be called last time we were together.”

Constantine turned to Ethan with a look of distress. “Are you sure the sex pollen isn’t impacting him?”

“No,” Ethan sighed wearily, “Sadly, that’s just him.”

“Tobias?” a naked Maxwell hollered as he approached the group. “Is that you?”

Ethan turned to Constantine, aghast. “I thought you said all the impacted were contained!”

“They are! But that’s Maxwell and… sadly, that’s just… him.”

“It’s me,” Tobias nodded, averting his eyes. He removed his lab coat and tossed it in Max’s direction. “Would you put this on, for Christ’s sake! No one needs to see that damn hippo tattoo.”

“Oh, yeah…” Ethan rolled his eyes. “That’s what we don’t need to see!”

“So, what do we do, gentlemen?” The Lieutenant asked. “Normally, pumping in the antidote smog does the trick.”

“Not with this new variant,” Tobias interrupted. “It’s essentially a concentrated form of GHB in vaporized form.”

“So, how do we reverse this?” Constantine asked.

“There’s been some success with the administration of diclofenac and NSAIDS,” Ethan advised. “But that would require injecting each of the infected individually. There is no way to ‘gas’ everyone back to normal.”

“Well, that could take hours! Days!” A voice called out.

“This is my son, Leo, the crown prince.” Constantine chimed in.  “And I agree with him. We need to get this display of debauchery under control before it’s a scandal!”

“Forgive me if I’m more concerned about the people who were poisoned, not your Palace’s reputation.”

“Dr. Ramsey, I believe I’m paying you quite handsomely to take care of both,” Constantine reminded.

“Going room to room won’t be the fastest way,” Tobias agreed. “But it is the best way. Not only can we ensure it’s administered properly, but you can send someone in with us to confiscate everyone’s mobile devices. That will give you time to destroy any embarrassing pictures you wouldn’t want out there.”

Olivia spat out a laugh behind him. “Yes, Dr. Carrick. Because you, of all people, know about embarrassing blackmail photos. Don’t you?”  

Tobias shot her a knowing look. “We’ll talk after… Duchess. Right now, I have work to do.”

~~~~~

Tobias and Ethan ran up the ornate marble staircase; the team Constantine assembled to assist them quick on their heels.

“So, dare I ask what the deal is with you and Olivia?” Ethan asked.

A blissful look came over Tobias’s face, and Ethan momentarily wondered if his friend was being impacted by the gas.

“You know I’ve always had a thing for redheads. Plus, have you ever had a woman pull a switchblade out of her stilettos and threaten you in the middle of some of the most mind-blowing sex you’ve ever had in your life?”  

Ethan looked at Tobias in horror. “No! I can’t say I have.”

Tobias reached over and tapped his friend’s shoulder. “Well, add it to your bucket list, buddy. I promise you, it’s a rush.”

“Gentleman,” Leo interrupted, “if you wouldn’t mind visiting this room first. My brother, Liam, is in here.”

When the men entered, Liam immediately rushed toward them.

“What the…”

“Thank God you’re here!” Liam squealed. “This is shag smog… isn’t it?”

“It is,” Leo frowned. “But… you’re coherent… weren’t you impacted? Do you want to screw any of us right now?”

Liam calmly looked over the three men and shrugged. “I mean, you’re all cute… but not my type… and you’re my brother!”

“But if you weren’t impacted, why are you locked in here?” Leo asked.

“Madeline locked me in here. That woman has been dying to have her way with me and thought she believed this was her big chance.”

“Wait…” Tobias interrupted. “I’m not up on all of the societal gossip, and I know you people have your own little… proclivities… but,” he turned to Leo, “isn’t Madeline your fiance?”

“Technically,” Leo sighed.

“OK, then,” Tobias simpered. “Well, how about we leave you two to sort this out while we go administer the antidote to others.”

Leo nodded at Tobias, “Excellent idea. We’ll meet up again outside.”

~~~~~

Several hours later, Tobias joined a team of King’s Guards assigned to delete all incriminating images from guests' phones. He was having too much fun helping, chuckling repeatedly before hitting delete. He turned to Ethan with a grin.

“You know, if we want to retire early, all I need to do is forward some of these to our phones. Our offspring’s offspring could live off of the blackmail money.”

He heard what sounded like the knuckles cracking behind him and found Oliva glaring his way. “I assure you, that would be ill-advised.”

“Relax, sweetheart. Don’t you know a joke when you hear one?”

Ethan looked between the two and shook his head ruefully. “I know I’m going to live to regret this… but you mentioned blackmail photos before… what were you talking about?”  

Tobias howled with laughter. “She took some photos of me and planned on using them against me. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t factor in that I have no shame. So, she got nothing.”

“Oh dear God,” Ethan groaned. “What the hell was on… you know what… no… I don’t want to know.”

“Why?” Tobias asked. “They were just pictures of me… in various states of undress… some may have involved latex… and a couple had switchblades….”

“OK, STOP!”

“In one,” Tobias said, standing up with dramatic flair, “I was kind of bent over like this….”

“I SAID STOP!” Ethan yelled as he rushed away, muttering under his breath.

Amused, Olivia slid up next to Tobias and gently caressed his forearm.

“He’s a bit squeamish, no?”

“Hey, they can’t all be me,” he laughed. “You’re looking good, Dutchess… you know, I wouldn’t exactly turn down the opportunity to … engage… again….”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Tobias, you’re a terribly handsome man. And as much as I can appreciate someone who eagerly follows my orders and calls me Duchess throughout, I must admit… I rather get off on the fear in my companion's eyes when I unexpectedly pull a sharp object in the heat of the moment… the fact that you kind of got off on that… it takes the fun out of it for me.”

“Hey!” Tobias protested. “Fear? Is that what you’re looking for. Listen, gorgeous, I had four years in drama club in college, and I can feign fear like the best of them. I think you should give me another shot.”

Olivia’s eyes raked over him, slowly taking him in from head to toe, a fiendish grin growing.

“You’re willing to wear a harness?”

Tobias scoffed. “When have I ever said no to that?”

“OK,” she smiled, rising to her feet. “The Beumont’s armory is in the basement. Go down the staircase, make a left, and it’s the last door at the end of the hallway. Meet me there in fifteen minutes. Oh, and get your lab coat back from Maxwell. Make sure you’re wearing that… and nothing else… when I enter,” she winked. “That’s the main course. The harness will be dessert.”

Tobias looked at her with darkened eyes. “At your command, my Duchess.”

Anxioulsy hopping to his, Tobias yelled to Ethan as he made his way to the door.

“Hey, buddy! I’ve got .. uh.. some things to do. Keep yourself occupied… look around for Bertrand… you both love boring things. He’ll know what to do.”

Liam and Leo leaned against the wall, shaking their heads at what they had just witnessed. 

“And that’s without the shag pollen,” Leo sighed. “Could you imagine them under the influence?”

Liam shook his head vigorously. “It would be the demise of Cordonia.  Perhaps the demise of civilization.”

@choicesficwriterscreations Tagging others in RB.

[coochiequeens]

It's not bad enough they let works by men into a Women’s Art exhibit but they features these freaks?

By Genevieve Gluck December 30, 2023

A prestigious art museum in London has prompted backlash after featuring trans-identified males in a historical exhibition of the women’s liberation movement. The Women in Revolt! exhibit is a first of its kind project offering “a wide-ranging exploration of feminist art” made by over 100 female artists during the period between 1970 – 1990.

While the exhibit purports to amplify the work of women, some female visitors to the museum quickly noticed that a number of trans-identified males had been slipped in among the displays.

One of the most disturbing pieces include archival copies of a publication created by men with a sexual fetish for pretending to be women, including one letter from a transvestite who complains of being jealous of his wife.

“Once I had admitted my true inner self to others I felt great relief, and thereupon decided to be myself all the time and live life as it suited me and not as the way I had been committed to live since coming out of the womb,” reads the letter, written by a man identified as “Julia.”

“Prior to this, my marriage (to a woman), had broken up and my wife was seeking a divorce together with the custody of the children because of my attitude to life, namely brought about because of my jealousy of her femininity and her ability to become pregnant and know true happiness within the straight society.”

The admission was one of several personal anecdotes contained within a magazine primarily catering to gay men called “Come Together.”

Information on the exhibit was first posted to X by women’s rights advocate @Sorelle_Arduino, who visited the exhibit yesterday and uploaded photos to her social media showing displays featuring trans-identified males.

One of the photos snapped by the user was an abstract painting by transgender artist Erica Rutherford displayed next to Monica Sjöö’s iconic piece “Wages for Housework.” In the display’s description of Rutherford’s painting, it states that he was inspired by being brought “face to face with the humiliations” of being treated as a woman.

“No cultural womens event can happen any more without men. Art has become a simpering pile of conformist junk,” one user said in response to @Sorelle_Arduino‘s thread on the exhibit.

“It would be bigoted to talk about women without talking about the ones that are men,” another quipped sarcastically.

Other displays featured articles from newsletters produced by the Beaumont Society, a group created in order to advocate for heterosexual crossdressers to be allowed to practice their sexual fetish publicly.

Among their goals, according to the group’s website, is to “promote and assist the study of gender.” The lobby organization uses as its namesake the 18th century French nobleman Charles Chevalier d’Éon de Beaumont, who would assume the identity of a woman named Charlotte, and was officially recognized as a woman by King Louis XVI.

The Beaumont Society, which currently advocates for the medical ‘transitioning’ of minors, was founded in 1966 by four male transvestites, one of whom was a leading figure in the fetish movement in the United States. Virginia Charles Prince, born Arnold Lowman, aided in creating the organization as a branch of a secret society of transvestic fetishists, who called themselves Full Personality Expression (FPE), located in California.

Initially, the group, as well as others like it which began to spring up in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia at the time, refused membership to homosexuals, presumably on the basis that prominent transvestites did not want the practice associated with sexual motivations. In one newsletter printed by Virginia Prince, who is credited with having popularized the term ‘transgender,’ he writes: “Some of the more narrow-minded of our sister TV’s [transvestites] see nothing good in anything that homosexuals do, but personally I am all for their success and would cooperate in helping them to achieve it where I could out of pure self-interest for our group.”

Prince has also openly discussed the sexual nature of the crossdressing fetish. In 1985 he appeared in an HBO documentary titled, “What Sex am I?”, where he commented on the element of arousal involved, saying that it was a “turn on” for “almost everybody” who participates.

“You have to grow past the stage of being an erotically aroused male in a dress, which results eventually in an orgasm. But when the orgasm is over, if you continue to stay in the dress, you begin to discover there’s this other part of yourself. You cease being an erotically aroused male, and you simply become a man who becomes to recognize that, gee, there’s something nice about girlness that I’m enjoying experiencing,” Prince, a co-founder of The Beaumont Society, said.

In recent years The Beaumont Society has become increasingly influential within the government and the medical establishment. The group is listed as an advisor to the National Health Service (NHS) in England as well as in Wales.

This is not the first controversy involving the Tate Museum centering trans-identified males, with multiple incidents occurring over the past year that have raised concerns amongst women’s rights advocates.

In June, a trans activist known for staging protests involving human urine was invited to read poetry during the Queer and Now LGBTQIA+ art festival. Jamie Cottle was dressed in women’s lingerie during the reading, wearing white panties that had the words “Sugar Money” embroidered into the crotch.

Though Cottle’s presentation was said to be for ages 16 and up, there were even younger children in attendance in the nearby area, with no boundaries set up to prevent minors from entering.

[adherentmouser]

The Rise of Local Hardware Stores in Beaumont, TX: A New Era for DIYers

The resurgence of local hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, signals a transformative shift for the DIY community, characterized by personalized service and a diverse range of products that cater specifically to local needs. Retailers such as Ace Hardware and M&D Supply are not merely stockists of tools and materials; they have become integral to community engagement through workshops and events that enhance practical skills. This evolution raises critical questions about the implications for the local economy and the future of home improvement. What factors are driving this trend, and how will it shape the DIY landscape moving forward?

Community Connection and Support

Although large chain stores dominate the retail landscape, local hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, play an important role in fostering community connection and support. These establishments often serve as gathering places where residents share advice, resources, and camaraderie. The knowledgeable staff at Beaumont hardware stores provide personalized service that is often lacking in larger retailers, ensuring customers find exactly what they need for their projects. Whether searching for tools at a home improvement store Beaumont or seeking specific plumbing supply Beaumont TX and electric supply Beaumont TX options, these local shops offer invaluable expertise. By supporting local hardware stores, Beaumont residents not only enhance their DIY endeavors but also contribute to the liveliness and sustainability of their community, reinforcing local economic resilience.

Unique Product Offerings

Local hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, not only foster community connections but also stand out for their unique product offerings that cater to the specific needs of residents. These establishments provide a diverse range of items, from essential plumbing supplies to specialized electrical supply in Beaumont, TX. Home hardware Beaumont stores prioritize local preferences, stocking products that reflect the community’s DIY spirit. Ace Hardware Beaumont, TX, for instance, offers exclusive tools and materials tailored for local projects, ensuring that customers find exactly what they need. Additionally, the close relationships these stores maintain with suppliers allow them to offer unique items not found in larger chains, making them indispensable resources for Beaumont’s DIY enthusiasts and homeowners alike.

Personalized Customer Service

Frequently, personalized customer service is a hallmark of hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, setting them apart from larger retail chains. Local establishments, such as M&D Supply Beaumont Texas, focus on building relationships with customers, offering tailored advice and solutions to meet individual needs. Whether a homeowner is seeking plumbing supply Beaumont options for a renovation or a contractor requires commercial plumbing supply Beaumont, knowledgeable staff provide essential guidance and support. This level of engagement fosters a sense of community and trust, encouraging repeat business and referrals. By prioritizing personalized customer service, hardware stores in Beaumont not only enhance the shopping experience but also position themselves as reliable partners in every DIY project, reinforcing their crucial role in the local economy.

Workshops and DIY Events

At the heart of community engagement, workshops and DIY events offered by hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, play an essential role in fostering creativity and skill development among residents. These events provide hands-on opportunities for individuals to learn about home improvement essentials, empowering them to tackle projects with confidence. M&D Supply, a trusted hardware store in Beaumont, TX, frequently hosts these workshops, covering topics from basic plumbing techniques to advanced woodworking skills. Local hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, not only supply the tools and materials but also create a vibrant community atmosphere. By participating in DIY events, residents connect with one another, share knowledge, and cultivate a culture of creativity that enhances the overall community spirit.

Impact on Local Economy

The workshops and DIY events organized by hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, not only enrich individual skills but also contribute considerably to the local economy. By fostering a culture of creativity and self-sufficiency, these events encourage residents to invest in home improvement essentials, directly benefiting local businesses. Stores like Tractor Supply Beaumont Texas and those providing Ace Hardware products play pivotal roles in this economic revival. As customers frequent these establishments for their projects, they stimulate job creation and enhance local commerce. The resurgence of hardware stores in Beaumont serves as a catalyst for community engagement, transforming consumer habits and reinforcing the significance of supporting the local economy, ultimately creating a vibrant landscape for DIY enthusiasts.

Conclusion

The rise of local hardware stores in Beaumont, TX, represents a transformative shift for DIY enthusiasts and the community at large. By offering unique product selections, personalized customer service, and engaging workshops, these establishments not only cater to individual needs but also foster a sense of belonging. This resurgence not only revitalizes the local economy but also reinforces the importance of supporting neighborhood businesses, ultimately enhancing the overall quality of life for residents and promoting community engagement.

M&D Supply

4580 College St, Beaumont, TX 77707, United States

+14098422731

Location map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wxG6pzwq7Rj3R8gv9

[edublogsworld]

Beaumont Winter Adventure

Cattail Marsh offers 900 acres of wetlands that are beautiful and where visitors can see an abundance of wildlife. During the winter months, the Marsh is home to pelicans and other water birds. Camp Beaumont offers a variety of activities for children of all ages which include creative, sports and adventure. Theme days are also offered. Each day is an adventure, aiding children to get out of their comfort zone and gain new skills. 1. Take a ride on the Swamp & River

Many respondents said that they are enthralled by winter due to its beauty: the glittering hoar frosts, the crisp and fresh appeal of new snowfalls, etc. Others mentioned the joys that winter brings - skiing, tobogganing, snowshoeing snowball battles, and more. Many responses highlighted the desire for an increase in fun and affordable winter events. There was a consensus that there must be an equilibrium between these events and other regular activities that residents could take advantage of throughout the year, to ensure that Beaumont's winter is more enjoyable. In this video, Markus Stitz and Guinness World Record Holder Mark Beaumont explore their backyards to show that some of the best adventures can be found just at your doorstep. This duo proves that adventure is just a few steps from your doorstep. They ride on a brand new path that runs along the City of Edinburgh's border. 2. Explore the Forest An unspoiled piece of nature next to a big city It is the Beaumont Unit of Big Thicket National Preserve provides visitors with a peaceful low-lying forest with thick tupelo and cypress understory and oxbow lakes. Explore the wildlife that lives here, such as river otters and wood ducks. A number of responses emphasized the importance of arranging winter activities that are geared towards different life stages and demographics for example, offering in-depth activities like warming shelters, benches and fire pits alongside active ones such as snow sledding and skating rinks. It allows people of different ages and abilities the opportunity to have the same space outdoors, and creates a communal event that can last throughout the winter. A majority of respondents also desired to see more light on trails, parks and Centre Ville to support winter night activities. Residents could then be able to safely cycle or stroll through the city. It would also help make sure that pedestrians have access to traffic control when they are in the shadow of snow or ice. 3. Take advantage of the Trails Beaumont Winter Adventure provides a unique opportunity to explore the beauty of Philmont through a camping backcountry excursion. Teams snowshoe up to their camp, sleep in tents or snow shelters, and earn the Search & Rescue or Snow Sports merit badge during their hike. A majority of respondents stressed the importance of offering a wide range of winter activities that cater to various groups of people. This lets people of all ages, stages of life and capabilities to enjoy the outdoors. It also reduces obstacles that stop people from taking part in an activity during the winter months like scraping their car or being dissuaded by the cold. Many of the responses suggested that Beaumont's current trail system could make people feel more comfortable cycling or walking in the winter. It is crucial to include functional lighting along trails, in parks and Centre-Ville for safety. It is also important to be able to tell when trails have been cleared of snow and ice. 4. Experience the Swamp A winter tour of the swamp is an unforgettable experience. The swamp is more tranquil and the animals are more active during this period due to the colder temperatures. This can provide a fantastic place for visitors to view wildlife like birds, crocodiles and alligators. Many people are enthralled by the snow in winter. It is beautiful, sparkly and can make things like skating rinks and sledding more fun. Additionally, snow offers unique outdoor activities that are not possible during the summer like cross-country skiing and hockey. Winter Adventure participants learn how to camp in cold weather comfortably and appreciate Philmont in a way very few others are able to. There are a variety of trips from three-day treks to a seven day program that allows teams to discover the backcountry of Philmont and also learn cross-country skiing, and earning Search and Rescue or Snow Sports merit badges. The program runs from December through March. Watch the video on YouTube

[kpawarpropmart]

Discover Luxurious Living at Sheth Beaumonte in Sion

Are you seeking a blend of luxury, convenience, and modern living in Mumbai? Look no further than Sheth Beaumonte in Sion. This prestigious residential complex offers an array of meticulously designed 2BHK and 3BHK flats that cater to the needs of discerning homebuyers. With its prime location, top-notch amenities, and thoughtfully crafted properties, Sheth Beaumonte stands out as a premier choice for those looking for quality real estate in Sion.

Prime Location in Sion

Sion, located in the heart of Mumbai, is renowned for its excellent connectivity, vibrant community, and rich cultural heritage. Sheth Beaumonte leverages this prime location, offering residents seamless access to essential amenities such as shopping centers, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and recreational spots. Whether you're commuting to work or enjoying a day out, living in Sion ensures you are never far from the action.

Outstanding Connectivity

One of the key advantages of residing in Sion is its exceptional connectivity. The area is well-served by major roads and public transportation networks, including the Eastern Express Highway and the Sion railway station on the Central Line. Additionally, the upcoming metro line will further enhance connectivity, making daily commutes and travel across Mumbai even more convenient. Sheth Beaumonte's strategic location ensures that residents enjoy hassle-free travel and connectivity.

Elegant 2BHK and 3BHK Flats

Sheth Beaumonte offers a range of luxurious 2BHK and 3BHK Flats in Sion, designed to meet the demands of modern living. Each apartment features spacious layouts, contemporary interiors, and high-quality finishes that exude sophistication and comfort. The flats are thoughtfully designed to maximize space and light, providing a serene and welcoming environment for families. Whether you are a small family, a couple, or a larger household, these flats offer the perfect home.

World-Class Amenities

Residents of Sheth Beaumonte enjoy a host of amenities that enhance their quality of life. The property includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, a swimming pool, landscaped gardens, a children's play area, and a multipurpose hall. These facilities ensure that you and your family can lead an active, healthy, and socially engaging lifestyle within the comfort of your home.

Other Features

2 Wheeler Parking

24x7 Electricity

24X7 Water Supply

CCTV

Children's play area

Clubhouse

Gym

Indoor Games

Jogging Track

Lift(s)

Security

Swimming Pool

A Smart Investment Choice

Investing in real estate in Sion is a wise decision due to the area's continuous development and rising property values. Sheth Beaumonte represents a prime investment opportunity, combining luxurious living spaces with a sought-after location. Whether you are purchasing a home for personal use or as an investment, these Properties in Sion promise significant returns and enduring value.

A Thriving Community

Living at Sheth Beaumonte means being part of a vibrant and welcoming community. The residential complex fosters a sense of belonging, with regular community events and well-designed communal spaces that encourage interaction among residents. The proximity to top schools, hospitals, shopping malls, and entertainment venues further enriches the lifestyle experience, making it a desirable place to call home.

Conclusion

Sheth Beaumonte in Sion offers more than just a residence; it provides a gateway to luxurious urban living. With its prime location, elegant 2BHK and 3BHK flats, and exceptional amenities, it stands out as one of the best properties in Sion. If you are looking for a home that combines comfort, convenience, and luxury, Sheth Beaumonte is the perfect choice. Embrace a new standard of living at Sheth Beaumonte and experience the best that Sion has to offer.

For more details, visit our website: https://www.propmart.co/city/sion/

[propertis]

BeauMonde South Mumbai: Transforming Sion Properties into the Largest Land Parcel in the Vicinity

Sheth Beaumonte

In the vibrant heart of Mumbai, where history harmoniously meets modernity, a spectacular architectural wonder is on the horizon - Sheth Beaumonte South Mumbai. This exceptional development is set to redefine the concept of luxury living and elevate it to unprecedented heights. As it rises, it will become the tallest mega-structure Central Mumbai has ever witnessed, standing at a staggering twice the height of the existing tallest building in the neighborhood. Sheth Beaumonte in Sion offers more than just opulent residences; it offers an unparalleled lifestyle experience.

Unveiling Ultra-Luxurious Living

This article is your gateway to the grandeur and lavishness that await within Sheth Beaumonte South Mumbai.

Touching the Sky

One of Sheth Beaumonte's most remarkable features is its impressive height. In a city renowned for its towering skyscrapers, Sheth Beaumonte South Mumbai is set to redefine the skyline. As the tallest mega-structure in Central Mumbai, it symbolizes exclusivity and prestige. From its upper floors, the cityscape sprawls below, offering an unrivaled panoramic view that is sure to leave you mesmerized.

Spacious 2BHK and 3BHK Flats

Sheth Beaumonte South Mumbai goes beyond mere luxury; it embraces it in the form of spacious 2BHK and 3BHK Flat in Sion. Each residence is meticulously designed to optimize space usage while ensuring comfort and convenience. Whether you are a young professional seeking a stylish urban retreat or a family in search of a roomy home, Sheth Beaumonte has it all.

Jodi Apartments: 2+3 BHK

Properties in Sion For those who crave even more space and versatility, Sheth Beaumonte presents the option of 2+3 Jodi apartments. These distinctive configurations allow you to merge two apartments into one, creating an expansive living space that is truly unique. Ideal for families who appreciate spacious living and flexible design, these Jodi apartments offer endless possibilities.

 

The Prime Location

Sheth Beaumonte South Mumbai's strategic location in Sion adds another layer of desirability to this luxurious development. Sion has long been esteemed as a prime locality in Mumbai, offering seamless connectivity to major business hubs, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and entertainment centers. Living here ensures that everything you need is always within easy reach.

World-Class Amenities

Step into Sheth Beaumonte, and you enter a world of amenities crafted to cater to your every need. From a state-of-the-art fitness center and a tranquil swimming pool to lush green gardens and dedicated play areas for children, every facet of Sheth Beaumonte is designed to enhance your lifestyle.

Sky Lounge with Panoramic Views

One of Sheth Beaumonte's most captivating features is its sky lounge. Nestled atop the towering structure, this exclusive lounge offers panoramic views of Mumbai's skyline, providing the perfect setting for social gatherings, events, or simply unwinding while taking in the breathtaking vistas.

The Future of Luxury Living

Sheth Beaumonte South Mumbai transcends being just a residential complex; it represents the future of luxury living in Mumbai. With its towering stature, spacious apartments, and world-class amenities, it sets a new benchmark for opulence and sophistication.

For more information visit our website: https://www.propmart.co/city/sion/

[aghotel]

Tolson Memorial Museum: Explore Huddersfield’s heritage

The Tolson Memorial Museum, also referred to as the Tolson Museum is located within Ravensknowle Hall, a Victorian mansion positioned on Wakefield Road in Huddersfield. The museum presents a vibrant and captivating depiction of Huddersfield and its inhabitants, spanning from ancient times to the contemporary era, through its unique collection. Within its premises, you can explore an array of intriguing artefacts, including Roman discoveries, textiles, an aviary, historical vehicles, exhibits related to the First World War, and much more.

The history of Ravensknowle, once encompassing farmland on the outskirts of Dalton in the Kirkheaton parish, dates back to 1832 when a portion of the Ravensknowle estate was acquired by a Huddersfield banker named Thomas Wilson. He erected a lodge at the entrance on Ravensknowle Road, a property that was later purchased by his nephew John Beaumont in 1850. Subsequently, John Beaumont, utilizing the architectural expertise of Richard Tress, a London architect, undertook the construction of Ravensknowle Hall (now Tolson Museum) between 1859 and 1862.

From 1862 to 1919, the estate remained within the same family lineage, transitioning from one relative to another. During the First World War, Ravensknowle Hall was owned and inhabited by Legh Tolson. The tragic deaths of his nephews, Robert Huntriss Tolson and James Martin Tolson, in the war, prompted him to offer the Hall and a portion of the surrounding grounds to the people of Huddersfield as a memorial, leading to the establishment of the museum.

For those with an interest in art galleries, the Tolson Museum boasts a wealth of heritage and collections to peruse. The museum continues to host events, workshops, family-oriented activities, and educational tours. Furthermore, a dynamic roster of special exhibitions centred around Huddersfield and its historical context enhances the museum’s offerings. The serene memorial garden located at the rear of the museum provides a pleasant retreat, catering to all age groups. A visit to the Tolson Memorial Museum and Ravensknowle Park promises an enjoyable family outing, complete with a playground, gift shop, and refreshments.

Opening Hours: Sat and Sun: 12 PM – 5 PM Entry Fee: Entry is free Location: Ravensknowle Park, Wakefield Road, Moldgreen, Huddersfield HD5 8DJ Discover Huddersfield in the comfort of Fortune Hotel, just a 13-minute drive away from the Museum. You can enjoy superb amenities that include luxurious king-size Hypnos beds, modern ensuite bathrooms, convenient free on-site parking, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Every room in our 3-star Huddersfield hotel is equipped with a spacious desk, a high-definition flat-screen TV, a hairdryer, as well as a tea/coffee maker. Prepare for a cosy and budget-friendly retreat in the heart of Huddersfield. Book direct for the best rates: www.aghotels.co.uk/fortune-hotel/

[angelasscribbles]

My Best Friend's Girl Chapter 10: Ramsford

Series: My Best Friends Girl

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Characters: Drake Walker, Liam Rys, Riley Campbell

Rating: M

Warnings: NSFWish, NSFW adjacent maybe. Angsty for sure.

A/N: If anyone feels like the last several paragraphs feel familiar it's because I just reworked my one-shot First Date to fit here, since I'd already written that from Drake's POV. I just had to modify it a bit.

You can catch up on my other stuff here.

The next morning, I helped her pack her stuff and load it into the limo. I wasn’t taking any chances leaving her alone again. Once she was safely in the car with the Beaumont’s, I made my way to find

Liam. I told him everything about the night before. Ok, maybe not everything.

I had never seen Liam so distraught. He was furious at Tariq, frustrated that he hadn’t been there for her and worried about her safety.

“You have to go to Ramsford.” He told me.

“Already planning on it.” I replied.

“What’s your cover?”

I shrugged, “Max and I have gotten closer over the last few months. I’ll just say I came by to help him out.”

Liam nodded, “That will work. Meanwhile, see if you can figure out why there wasn’t a lock on her door. Have you seen Tariq since last night?”

“No. His luggage is gone from his room. I’ve had a ‘detain on sight’ order out on him since last night so I imagine he’s left the premises.”

“Send someone to his estate to pick him up.”

“Already on it.” If there was even a small chance someone had put him up to it, we needed to know who, and why.

I had some things I had to take care of before I left, but I was packed and ready to head out that afternoon when my phone rang. It was Max. Panic sliced through me as I hit talk. “Max. What’s wrong?”

God bless Maxwell Beaumont for giving me the perfect cover for showing up at Ramsford. The caterers had bailed along with the cleaning crew and decorators. He needed help. Perfect. “On my way.” I told him.

I arrived at Ramsford and deposited my bag in my usual room. Liam and I had been spending long weekends with the Beaumont’s since we were teenagers. Liv and Sav too, and of course, Leo. The five of us had always been given rooms in the same wing the family inhabited. Because we were practically family. Leo and Bert had been so close growing up, that the rest of us just got thrown together as the younger siblings tagging along. Leo and Liam being part of the royal family probably had something to do with it too.

I was sure they would have put her in the same wing as well. I peeked into each room until I figured out which one she was in. She was one door down and across the hall. I wouldn’t be able to hear through the walls so much, but I could see her door if I left mine open. She was next door to Max, which was good. He might not have a lot in the way of defensive skills, but he wouldn’t let anything happen to her if he could help it and he knew where to find me if she was in trouble.

Not that I expected any trouble when it was just me, her and the Beaumont’s in the house. I was more worried about the night of the bash itself.

We spent the next three days preparing for the end of season bash. There was a lot to get done. I knew Bert was reaching out to other caterers so I made some calls and ensured that the company I work with most for royal events would A, bid low and B, accept the job. Apparently, the Beaumont’s were having money issues. That’s what my contact at the catering company told me. No one wanted to take the job because they were afraid they wouldn’t get paid.

I ensured that my contact knew the crown was good for it if the Beaumont’s weren’t and furthermore, even if they were, the crown would make up the difference between the low bid and whatever they would have normally charged. The only catch was they couldn’t tell anyone that, not even Bertrand. Then it was a simple matter of inserting my men in place as servers, valets, bartenders, etc. It was the reason I wanted this company specifically. I’ve worked with them successfully in the past. They were very discreet and accommodating when it came to working with the undercover guardsmen. In exchange, they got most of the crown’s business, at a fee well above the going rate. It was a win/win.

We were never alone, Max or Bert, or both, were always around. Until the night before the bash. Everything was ready. Appetizers plated up, mansion scrubbed til it sparkled, the catering lined up, and decorations in place. We were just putting the finishing touches on the centerpieces when she caught me alone in the corner of the ballroom.

“Hey,” I asked her, “have you noticed anything weird about those two? Do you know anything about possible financial problems?”

“I know they’ve been having some money issues, but there’s something else we need to talk about you, don’t you think?”

I froze for a brief moment then resumed arranging flowers, “Like what?”

“The other night, at Applewood, in my room…”

“What’s there to talk about, Campbell?” I really didn’t want to go over that again.

“What you said…about how you feel…”

“I really don’t think we should be talking about this out here.” I told her shooting a meaningful glance at the Beaumont’s.

“Then can we go somewhere private?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea either.” Nothing good could come of it.

“Why not?”

Why not? Was she seriously that clueless? “The way you look at me sometimes……if we were alone, I might not be able to stop myself from doing something stupid.”

Bertrand, thankfully, interrupted us.

I waited until she seemed distracted, until everyone seemed distracted, then I snuck away. I wanted to investigate the financial issues a little more. There had been a breach when someone sold pictures of Liam’s bachelor party to the tabloids. Bas and I had been able to get the photos back, but the question remained, who took them in the first place? I didn’t really think Max would do something like that, but throw in money troubles and who knows?

I slipped into the main study, where I knew the financial records were most likely to be. I was rummaging through files when the door creaked open and Riley came in.

“What are you doing in here?”

“Did you follow me?”

She shrugged. She totally followed me. Why? Never mind, I did not want, nor need, to know the answer to that. Instead, I changed the subject and we talked about Bertrand, Maxwell and even Savannah. When I ran out of things to say there was an awkward silence before she finally said, “About the other night…..”

“Hell, Campbell, what is there to say?” Do you just want to torture me?

“Don’t you think we should talk about it?”

Absolutely not. “I wish I’d never said anything. The truth is that my best friend is head over hells for you. So it doesn’t really matter how I feel. Because that’s where it has to end. Liam is the only one who’s ever had my back. The only one who gave a damn about me after my dad….after he was gone. The rest of the court was ready to cast us out, never mind that he died protecting the royal family.

“I’m sorry, that��s terrible.”

“I didn’t care so much, but my mom and Savannah…it would’ve devastated them. Liam made sure we had a place at the palace as long as we wanted one. I could never betray him by falling for his girl.” And yet I have. “So that’s what it all comes down to, Campbell. Whatever I feel….it doesn’t matter.”

“What about how I feel?” She asked softly.

That caught me completely off guard. “How you feel…of course I care about how you feel. I just didn’t think….I mean…what are you saying, exactly?”

“I’m saying….” She paused, looked up at me then back down, “I don’t know what I’m saying. My feelings are complicated. A lot has happened in a short amount of time. It’s kind of been a whirlwind.”

“I get it. You’ve really turned my entire life upside-down in a very short amount of time. Falling for one of Liam’s suitors is the last thing I ever thought I’d end up doing.” Shut up man! Why are you so stupid?

“I did come here for Liam, I do have feelings for him. But I’m not sure I can trust that. I still don’t know what he’s going to do at the end of all this. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel some kind of a spark between you and me.”

She felt a spark between us? That was a revelation to me. I didn’t know what to say. “I’d never ask you to choose between us.”

“What do you mean?” she cocked her head to the side and regarded me curiously.

“I just mean….I’m not the possessive type. Hell, I never even expected you to do anything but laugh in my face when I told you. Not that I was ever going to tell you. I was kinda planning on taking that to the grave.” I looked away, shoving my hands in my pockets. I had no idea what to do with this new knowledge.

“Well, I’m not laughing.” She responded.

I looked back at her. “No, you aren’t, are you? Now I’m lost for words because I never thought this far ahead. Is it wrong that I really want to kiss you right now?” Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

“What if I said I wanted you to?” The look she gave me then unleashed all the desire and longing I’d been pushing down for four months.

Why did she have to say that? I pulled in a deep, ragged breath as all my resolve crumbled. It was like my body moved of its own accord and suddenly she was in my arms, our lips were together, and I was kissing her. I was kissing her, and it was amazing! Her lips were soft and warm against mine, her body pressed against mine felt so goddamned right and I never wanted it to end.

We pulled apart for air, lips still a fraction of an inch apart and I murmured, “I’ve wanted this for so long.” before diving back in. My hands ran all over her body, finally settling on her hips as hers slid under my shirt. I released her lips long enough to drop fiery kisses along her neck, making my way up to her ear, where I brushed them against the shell as I whispered, “I didn’t think this would ever be anything more than a fantasy.”

“Are you saying that you’ve thought about this before?” There was a teasing qualify in her voice, but also a genuine curiosity and maybe a note of surprised happiness.

“More than I’d like to admit.” I answered just before catching her lips with mine again. My hands ran up her back and I tangled a handful of hair in one hand. Our bodies were already pressed against each other, but I pulled her tighter anyway, deepening the kiss, desperate to remember this moment because I knew it wouldn’t, couldn’t last.

Her body arched into mine and my hands slid down to grasp her ass, pulling her up into me. The desk was right behind her, all I had to do was take two steps and slide her onto it, then I could- could what? I wasn’t going to fuck her right there in the Beaumont study. She deserved better than that. She deserved better than me. And she had it. Liam. Fuck! I broke the kiss abruptly and stepped back. I struggled to get my breathing and my raging desire under control.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, confusion sweeping across her features.

I wanted to kick myself for the rejection I saw flash through her eyes. Shit! That wasn’t what I meant, wasn’t what I wanted. I should never have kissed her in the first place, I should never have opened my stupid mouth in the first place. What I said was, “Someone could come in here…one of them might come looking for us…we shouldn’t just…”

I stopped talking and stood there like an idiot for a long moment then I shook my head, “Even without a drop of whiskey, why do I feel drunk when I’m around you?”

She smiled at me then and I felt guilt stab through me. “Don’t smile at me like that. I don’t deserve it. We shouldn’t be doing this. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Ok…so…should we leave?”

There was that look again. I really hated myself in that moment. I hadn’t meant to hurt her. But I knew I wasn’t wrong about her feelings for Liam. I’d been watching them together for almost four months.

“No, I came in here for a reason, to look for evidence about the Beaumont’s financial issues. You could help... I mean, if you want to…”

“Yeah, sure. What are we looking for exactly?” She pushed her feelings aside; I saw the moment it happened, the fake but polite smile that snapped into place across her face. She was a lot like Liam in that way. More proof that they belonged together. I died a little.

“I don’t know. Anything that-“ I had been searching the desk as I spoke and I came up with envelope full of cash. A lotof cash. “Huh. That’s interesting.”

I took a photo of the address on the outside of the envelope then I let her text Bertrand. It was his money, after all. I watched his face when she told him what we’d found, and he seemed genuinely surprised and confused. That left Maxwell. I wasn’t sure if any of it meant anything, but I filed it all away for further consideration.

I left the house. I needed some fresh air. I needed to clear my head so I jumped in my car and headed for the closest bar I could find. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I should have had better control of my emotions. I caused all this when I had told her how I feel. Why would I do that?

Seriously, she had just been assaulted, and she was in love in with my best friend and I had stood there and told her that I had feelings for her. Like she needed to hear that on top of what she’d just been through. Besides that, how could I do that to Liam? My best friend? So naturally when she had wanted to talk about it, I had tried to shut her down.

I tried to shut her down because I felt guilty for even having those feelings in the first place. I tried to shut her down because I knew I was a jerk to tell her how I felt when she had just been assaulted in her own damn room. I tried to shut her down because I didn’t want to hear her reject me.

Except that she didn’t. Reject me that is.

In fact, she kissed me. Or kissed me back. It was unclear who moved first. And I shut that down too. Because I’m an idiot. And because I can’t do that to Liam. No matter how much I want to.

But that goddamn that kiss…. Those three kisses actually, but who was counting? Kissing her had been the most amazing feeling I’ve ever felt in my entire miserable life. Maybe I was wrong to push her away. She said she felt a spark between us, that may have been the only opening I was ever going to get, and I screwed it all up, I tried to take it all back. I still felt like a jerk because I could plainly see how in love with her Liam was. A fucking blind man could see it, that’s how obvious it was. Yet still I wanted her. So desperately it felt like it was killing me.

I was on my second drink when a blond that was poured into her dress sauntered up to me at the bar. “Hey there good looking. Buy me a drink?”

I turned and looked at her. She was exactly what I would have been looking for in that bar four months ago. I sighed then slammed the rest of my drink back. I motioned the bartender over as I stood and started counting out money, “Get the lady whatever she wants.”

“Wait.” She said in confusion, “Aren’t you going to drink with me?”

“Sorry sweetheart. It’s not you, it’s me. Enjoy the drink.” It’s Riley, but we’re not talking about that. I threw the money on the bar and nodded at the bartender as I headed for the door.

Was that it then? Was I now completely ruined for any other woman? That was new. Historically, the quickest way to distract myself from one woman was by finding the next woman. If that wasn’t going to work, what the hell was? I was so screwed.

When I got back to the house, I headed for my room, toying with the idea of knocking on her door. Maybe I owed her an honest conversation, maybe I owed it to her to talk things through without shutting her down, without all the denials and evasions. Maybe I should just be honest about my feelings and explain why I pushed her away.

But when I got there, she was kissing Liam in the hallway outside her room. And she looked so damned happy to be doing it. I hadn’t known Liam was there. He must have arrived after I ran out, ran away. That had only a few of hours prior. Just three hours before, I’d had my chance to tell her how I really felt and I had blown it. They didn’t see me, I ducked back around the corner before they could, but the sight of them wrapped around each other was burned into my memory.

Liam shouldn’t have been there. He was alone with a suitor, and it wasn’t a court sponsored event. Liam had been breaking rules right and left to spend time with her since that first night in New York. Liam doesn’t break rules. At least he never did before, which told me everything I needed to know. I had been right in the first place. I had to stuff those feelings down as deep as I could and keep them to myself.

[karahalloway]

(Un)Common Attraction: Chapter 35 - Down to the Wire

Series: TRR (following the events of Book 1, with some changes)

Pairing: Drake Walker x OC (Harper Gale)

Rights belong to Pixelberry, most characters and some dialogue belong to them.

Book Synopsis: Harper Gale is a small-town girl working as a waitress at a seedy New York dive bar. After a chance encounter with nobility sees her jetting halfway around the world to compete for the hand of the Prince of Cordonia, her dream of seeing the world starts to come true sooner than she expected. But as the completion heats up, Harper quickly learns that life at court is a lot more than just pretty dresses and fancy balls, and that the polished aristocratic smiles often hide deceit. Does she have what it takes to rise above the gossip and intrigue of the social season, and beat the nobles at their own games? And, more importantly, does she actually want to become the queen of a small European country? Or will her heart have other ideas?

Masterlist: (Un)Common Attraction

Chapter Summary: It’s the day before the long-awaited Beaumont Bash and it’s all hands on deck to get the House spruced up for the big event... and Harper and Drake do some clearing of their own.

Word Count: 4,500

Rating/Warnings: M (swearing, angst)

Chapter Theme Song:

Please read: Author’s Note

Also available on Wattpad.

Chapter 34 - Down to the Wire

"You can't be serious!"

Bertrand's voice cracks like a whip over the polished marble tiles of the entrance hall, its vehement intensity making me flinch as I emerge from the kitchen after breakfast the following morning.

"I don't care about your pathetic excuses!" he seethes, the phone gripped to his ear in a strangle-hold, his face a furious shade of purple. "I paid for your services – upfront! – and now you have the nerve to tell me at the eleventh hour that you're going to change the terms of our contract...? Damn right you're sorry! And the money better be refunded to my account before the end of the day, or you'll be hearing from my lawyers!"

"Erm... is everything okay?" I ask timidly as Bertrand hangs up the phone with an angry jab at the screen.

"No!" he snaps. "Everything is most certainly not 'okay'! The event planning company I hired to provide the caterers and the cleaning crew for the Bash have just backed out, citing some bureaucratic bullshit!"

My eyes widen in surprise. I have never heard Bertrand swear before, so he must be really incensed!

"Can you call someone else?"

"Can I call...?" Bertrand scoffs humourlessly. "The Bash is tomorrow! Planning companies get booked up months in advance! There is no way in hell they'll be able to fit us in on such short notice."

"So... should we cancel the Bash?"

He glares at me like I was insane. "This is the Beaumont Bash we're talking about – the showstopping finale of the social season! I will not risk what remains of my house's reputation by cancelling an event that is to be attended by the King and Queen!"

"What are you going to do, then?"

With a heavy sigh, Bertrand pulls the phone back out of his pocket again. "There's no alternative except to cover for this mess before the entire royal court arrives tomorrow."

Holding the phone up to his ear, he waits for the call to connect. "Maxwell. I don't care where you are, or what you're doing, but you need to drop everything. The event planning company just cancelled on us and we need all hands on deck if we are to have even a fool's hope of pulling off this Bash."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, I find myself armed with a bucket and brush, staring forlornly up at the imposing amount of scrubbing that I had rather foolishly just agreed to do in order to get Beaumont House spruced up for tomorrow night.

With a resigned sigh, I get down on my hands and knees to start work on the marble-clad stairway.

"What the hell are you doing, Gale?"

Glancing over my shoulder, I see Drake staring at me with a quizzically raised brow as he unhooks his earbuds, having — by the look of him — just gotten back from running a half marathon.

"Helping preserve what's left of House Beaumont's name and reputation," I reply sourly. I quickly give him the lowdown of what's happened.

"I see..." mutters Drake, crossing his arms. "And where are the useless Beaumonts?"

"Bertrand's in the study, shouting down the phone at caterers and florists. Maxwell's in the kitchen, trying to concoct some kind of fancy appetiser."

"You'd better go in and supervise him, then," he advises. "Before he burns the house down."

"But Bertrand told me to—"

"I'll deal with this," he says, taking the brush and bucket from my hands.

"Are you sure?" I ask. "It's a lot of scrubbing..."

"I'll be fine," he replies, popping his earbuds back in. "Could do with an upper body workout, actually."

"Thanks," I say, reaching up to drop a grateful kiss on his cheek. "I owe you one."

"You know you do, girl," he murmurs with a look that makes me go weak at the knees.

I hasten towards the kitchen before his intoxicating scent of sweat and spice overwhelms my brain.

Stepping through the doorway, I am greeted by a scene that would throw Gordon Ramsay into an apoplectic rage. In the short time since Maxwell has been in here, he had unearthed what looked like every dish and utensil from the cabinets (all of which were already dirty) and was in the process of sticking a metal bowl into the microwave.

"Stop!" I cry, rushing over and grabbing the bowl out of his hands.

Seems like Drake's warning had been unusually timely!

"What?" he asks, confused.

"You can't put metal into the microwave!" I exclaim. "It'll explode!"

"Oh..." mutters Maxwell sheepishly. "Sorry."

"No worries," I reply, steering him away from the unwitting deathtrap. "Minor incendiary crisis averted! What were you trying to do anyway?"

"Cook these truffles in some butter," he admits.

"You'd normally do something like that on the stove."

"Really? To be honest, I don't know that much about the culinary arts."

"Then why did you volunteer to do the appetisers?"

"I figured that I've eaten enough fancy food in my life to know how to put a dish together. But, turns out that the actual cooking part is a bit more complicated than I realised..."

"No kidding," I mutter, surveying the carnage. "How many people are we supposed to feed anyway?"

"Probably about two hundred."

"Two hundred?!" I gasp.

"Though it may actually be slightly more than that," he admits. "People tend to just show up uninvited for the Bash."

"There is no way we'll have enough time to cook something complicated from scratch for that many people," I declare. "The only way we're going to pull this off is by keeping things super simple. Any ideas?"

"Oh!" he exclaims. "I went to a posh tapas restaurant once where they served tiny portions of food on fancy little spoons. I think we have some in one of the cupboards somewhere."

"Okay, that's a start," I agree. "But what are we going to put on the spoons? Last time I checked, the only things you had in the fridge were caviar, squid ink and Prosecco."

"We could just dump it all on the spoons and call it 'deconstructed'."

"Oh, my God!" I grin. "You are a genius! Why didn't I think of that? The nobles are going to fall over themselves in culinary glee."

"Thank you, thank you," smiles Maxwell, taking a small bow. "I do have my moments. Why don't you get the ingredients while I hunt down those little spoons?"

"I think we need to tidy up a bit first," I suggest. "Have you ever washed dishes before?"

"No?"

"Well, today's your lucky day, bud!" I declare. "You're about to learn an important life skill!"

* * *

"And... done!" announces Maxwell, stowing the last serving spoon in the fridge.

"I can't believe we made three hundred of those things..." I huff, blowing a stray lock of hair from my face.

The kitchen smelled like a fish hatchery and my fingers were stained black from the squid ink, but Maxwell and I had managed to do the impossible and within the space of three hours, we had created enough fancy appetisers from our limited set of ingredients to feed the horde of nobles who were due to descend on us tomorrow evening.

"Me neither," agrees Maxwell. "Thanks for all your help, Harper. I couldn't have done it without you."

"No worries," I reply with a smile. "Teamwork makes the dreamwork, after all!"

Even though Maxwell was back under scrutiny for the bachelor party photo incident, and I knew I should probably watch myself around him, spending the morning with him in the kitchen had actually been rather fun. Despite the mountain of work we had to get through, his steady stream of lighthearted conversation and silly puns had made the time fly by.

"Ooh, I like that!" he enthuses. "That could our new house motto!"

"Your house has a motto?"

"Yeah. It's something about vendettas and giant squid."

"Squid?" I ask sceptically. "You the Greyjoys of Cordonia, or something?"

"No," says Maxwell with a lope-sided smile. "But the Beaumonts did used to be sea-faring people."

"That would explain the copious amounts of caviar," I muse.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

"Hana!" I exclaim, rushing over to her. "You made it!"

"Sorry I'm late," she replies. "The Queen organised a tea party for the ladies at court and it would have been inexcusably rude of me to run off half-way through."

"Better late than never," I grin, giving her a hug.

When Bertrand had instructed Maxwell and I to reach out to anyone and everyone we knew who would be able to lend a hand, I had sent off a text to Hana, knowing that in the crisis that we were currently facing, she would be our best bet for helping pull a five-star party out of thin air.

"Why does it smell like fish in here?" she asks, wrinkling her nose.

"Take a look!" preens Maxwell, guiding Hana to the fridge and opening the door. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"You made those?" asks Hana in awe.

"Yup!"

"They look like something out of a three-star Michelin restaurant!" she exclaims. "What are they?"

"Caviar and squid ink mixed with Prosecco on a spoon," I say.

"Sounds extravagant," Hana admits. "I'm sure they will be a hit."

"We should probably come up with some kind of fancy name for them," suggests Maxwell.

"The more pretentious the better?" I ask with a wry smile.

"Of course," he grins. "It will help sell the experience."

"They look a bit like precious stones nestled on a rock," muses Hana. "You could call them Jewels of the Sea."

"Or Buds of Paradise?" I offer.

"Perfect!" enthuses Maxwell. "I feel all snooty and priggish just hearing that name!"

"How are things progressing in here?" asks Bertrand as he marches into the kitchen.

"We just finished the appetisers," Maxwell advises.

"Finally, some good news," sighs Bertrand. "And I see that Lady Hana has joined us. I presume she is here to aid us in our hour of need?"

"Yes, my lord," replies Hana with a dainty curtsey. "I am at your service."

"We very much appreciate it," says Bertrand with a small smile.

"Should we get started on the main course?" asks Maxwell.

"Main course?!" I exclaim. "But we don't have—"

"Actually, I managed to cajole another catering company into providing the entrées and dessert for tomorrow," Bertrand informs us.

"Thank God for that!" I wheeze in relief. I was not sure I could cope with any more ad lib cooking today.

"Don't count your blessings yet," warns Bertrand. "We still have a list of tasks a mile long to get through before the Bash tomorrow. The surfaces need dusting, the dining room needs to be set up, centre pieces need to be arranged, cutlery needs to be polished..."

"Okay, we get the picture," I sigh in resignation. "I can do the polishing. God knows I've done enough of it at work before."

"I can arrange the centre pieces," offers Hana.

"I'll find Drake and ask him to help set up the tables and chairs in the ballroom," says Maxwell.

"That leaves the dusting to me," declares Bertrand.

"You're going to chip in?" I ask in disbelief. "Do you even know which end of the duster to hold?"

"Yes, scoff all you want," snips Bertrand. "As a duke reduced to degrading manual labour, I'd expect nothing less. But with the reputation of our house on the line, I'll get down on my hands and knees if I have to and scrub the toilet bowls."

* * *

"Finally...!" I sigh in relief as I sink deep into the bubbling water.

The day of arduous work had finally come to a close and the house was actually looking like something out of a destination wedding magazine, rather than the slightly bare and sad mansion it had started off as this morning. With all of us pulling together, we had made every surface shine, every pane of glass sparkle and even every speck of dust had been banished by Bertrand's zealous duster.

There were a few final touches left to do in the ballroom, like laying all the plates and cutlery and finalising the seating plan, but we would have time to do that tomorrow before the guests arrived, as the party was not due to kick off until the evening.

In a rare gesture, Bertrand had treated us to some Chinese takeout, which we had all wolfed down eagerly, given how many calories we had burned cleaning. And now, with a full belly, I was planning on spending the rest of the evening soaking my weary muscles in the jetted hot tub until I dissolved into mush.

Leaning my head back against the side of the tub, I groan as I feel the powerful jets pummel my aching back, the steaming water working to loosen my weary muscles.

When I had discovered the spa room that was tucked away at the end of one of the corridors on the ground floor while polishing doorknobs, I had actually squealed in delight, as I knew I would need some serious R&R after today.

Suddenly, I hear a door slam shut and my eyes snap open in surprise.

I could've sworn I’d turned the key in the lock when I had come in...

Given that I didn't have a swimsuit with me, I was sitting naked in the tub, so I had been careful to make sure that no one would walk in on me.

Pushing myself up slightly, I can see that the door in front of me is still closed and there's no one there.

"Huh..." I mutter, thinking I must've imagined it. I was bone tired, after all...

"Oh, sorry, Gale. Didn't think anyone else was in here."

Whipping around, I gasp when I see Drake standing behind me, dripping water and dressed in nothing but drenched boxers.

"Why are you all wet?" I exclaim. "And what happened to your clothes?"

"I wasn't going to jump in the pool in my jeans, was I?" he scoffs, grabbing a towel from a nearby shelf. "Didn't have any swimwear, so had to improvise."

"There's a pool here?" I ask in disbelief. What did this place not have?

"Yeah, quite a good one, actually," replies Drake as he towels himself off. "Full Olympic size."

"Haven't you had enough of a workout today?"

A grimace passes over his face. "More than enough. Did my stupid shoulder in shifting those heavy tables with Max. Was hoping a swim would loosen things up."

"Did it?" I ask, watching him rub his shoulder gingerly.

"Not really," he admits, tossing the towel in a hamper.

"Come in the tub, then," I suggest. "The hot water should help, and I can try to massage it out for you."

"It's fine. I don't need—"

"Drake," I sigh. "You took care of me when I was hurt. Let me return the favour. I owe you, after all, for scrubbing the stairs for me."

He eyes me sceptically. "And this is how you want to repay me?"

"Why? Did you have something else in mind?"

"Never mind..." he grumbles, stepping into the tub.

Scooting over to him, careful to keep myself covered under the water for both our sakes, I reach up and begin to prod the muscles of his shoulder, trying to locate the problem area.

He winces suddenly as my thumb presses into the source of his discomfort. "Easy there, girl."

"Sorry," I mutter. "That better?"

"Actually... yeah," he admits with a low exhale as I knead into the tightness more gently.

As I continue to work on his shoulder for the next few minutes, I feel him start to relax under my ministrations.

"Drake?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"You're...you're not going to get into any trouble with the King for what you did to Tariq, are you?"

This has been bothering me ever since Christian had told me that only the King had the authority to impose punishment on the Guard.

"No," he scoffs, shaking his head. "The Coronation is less than a week away. By the time the cops pass the complaint onto the King's Guard and it makes it up the chain of command, Chris will've become the King. And when it eventually does cross his desk, after the million and one other things that’ll require his attention, he's going to shove that piece of paper where it belongs – in the trash."

A tension that I had not realised I had been carrying unwinds inside me.

"As much as it may offend your sensibilities, Walker," I remark, "it definitely pays to have friends in high places."

"Chris knows I did what I did because that piece of shit deserved it. He's not gonna reprimand me for doing my job... even if I should've done it better."

My hands still. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," he mutters, staring into the water.

"Drake," I say, moving in front of him. "If you're blaming yourself for what Tariq did, don't. You couldn't have known wha—"

"I should've known!" he shouts, the sudden intensity of his voice making me jump. "It's my job to know! And more than that – I made a promise to Chris that I'd look out for you. I let you both down... Just like I did my sister."

"You didn't—"

"Don't."

Without warning, he shoves himself angrily out of the water, tension rolling off him in palatable waves. Stomping to the other side of the room, he slams the heel of his hand into the wall, the sound reverberating around the room.

Hanging his head wearily, he whispers, "Don't try to make me feel better about this. I don't fucking deserve it. It... it kills me every time I look at you, seeing what that son of a bitch did... that I wasn't there to stop him."

My heart constricts in my chest.

I could understand why he felt responsible for what happened. But it was not his cross to bear and I had to make him see that.

Taking a deep breath, I get out of the tub and grab a towel. Wrapping the covering around myself, I make my way over to where he's stood, head bowed, hands resting against the wall, like he's waiting for the scythe of damnation to fall.

"Drake... Look at me."

I hear him take a ragged breath. Lifting his eyes reluctantly up to mine, I can see that they are filled with shame and regret.

"I know that because of your job and because of what happened with your sister, you feel responsible for the people around you. But you're only human – not some kind of superhero. You can't be there for everyone all the time. And I'm not going to let you beat yourself up over this like you did with Savannah. "

"I should've been there for you... for both of you."

"I can't speak for your sister, but at the moment it really mattered, you were there for me," I say, reaching up to run my fingers through his damp hair. "So don't tell me that you let me down. Because you didn't... and you never could."

"You don't know that..."

"Why not?"

"Because I let the bastard get away. And if they come at you again, I might not be able to stop them."

"Drake," I say, pushing myself between him and the wall, so I can look him in the eye. "You broke the guy's wrist! I would hope that that will make Tariq and whoever he's working with think twice about trying to steamroll me again. Though if your hunch about their motives is right, then they're a bit late to the party."

His eyes snap up to mine. "What do you mean?"

"I told Christian at the Jamboree that I'm not going to be his queen."

"How...how did he take that?"

His expression is wary, but I can see a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Surprisingly well," I admit. "He offered me a duchy instead."

Drake's mouth drops. "You're kidding..."

"Nope. Even though I turned him down, he wants me to stay in Cordonia to help him change the country for the better as a member of the Council."

"What did you say?"

"That I'd think about it," I huff. "I mean, it's a massive honour and all, but I'm hardly qualified!"

"You think any of the aristos are?" scoffs Drake dryly. "They get seats on the Council through accidents of birth, not because they're suited for the job."

"And I think that's what Christian is trying to change," I say. "But the more I learn about life at court, the less I want to have to do with it. You said it yourself – all they do is plot and scheme..."

"You should accept."

"What?!" I gasp in disbelief. "You want me to become a duchess? An aristo? The very thing that you despise?"

"Yes."

"But when Christian offered you the same thing – multiple times, I might add – you turned him down!"

"Chris tells you a lot of things about me, huh?" grumbles Drake. "But yes... I did turn him down."

"Then why are you telling me that I should accept?"

"Because unlike me, you'd actually be taken seriously if Chris ennobled you. The whole kingdom already knows who you are and thinks of you as Lady Harper Gale, rather than as some upstart, freeriding commoner. Plus, you'd actually be able to sit through Council meetings without decking anyone."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," I reply with a smile. "I've busted one aristocratic nose already."

"And it was fuckin' well-deserved," replies Drake tightly. "But seriously... You should do it. God knows this place could do with some shaking up. And Chris needs people on his side he can trust."

I bite the bottom of my lip thoughtfully. "Fine. I'll do it. On one condition."

"If you're gonna ask me to accept a dukedom as well, you can think again, girl."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"What then?"

"You're going to tell Christian how you feel about me."

His shoulders slump. "Harper... I told you. We can't."

"Drake," I say softly, laying a hand on his cheek. "I get that you're trying to play the good guy in this, putting the interests of your best friend first. But I told Christian that I don't love him, so he's going to choose Olivia instead. Because he doesn't want a loveless marriage – for either person involved."

"But he doesn't love her."

"But she loves him," I point out. "And he does care for her, the two of them having grown up together and all. He thinks that could be enough... and maybe even lead to more over time."

"That's not going to stop the press from stirring up a shitstorm."

"I know you want to avoid a scandal, especially right before the Coronation. Believe me, so do I. So, if you'd prefer, we can wait until after the end of the social season, when things have calmed down a bit."

Drake shakes his head. "I don't know, Harper..."

"Look," I say meaningfully, looking him square in the eye, "if you want me to stay in Christian's life, then you need to promise me right now that you'll tell him. That's the deal. Otherwise, I'm leaving."

Drake's mouth thins into a conflicted line.

"So, the ball's in your court, bud," I declare. "And you need to decide what you want. Because I want you, Drake Walker, and if I can't have you, then there's no point in me staying in this country, much less at court, because we'll just end up driving each other crazy."

"You already drive me crazy, girl," he murmurs, brushing a wayward lock of hair from my face. "Just being in the same room as you makes me feel more drunk than an entire bottle of whiskey ever could."

His words send a shiver down my spine. "That makes two of us then," I whisper, reaching up to brush my lips against his.

A low moan escapes him as his fingers dig themselves into my hips. "Christ, Harper. You don't half drive a hard bargain."

"I never said it'd be easy, cowboy," I purr, nipping his bottom lip. "Do we have a deal?"

"You're not exactly giving me much of a choice," he groans. "You know how badly I want you."

"Then you know what you need to do," I breathe, trailing the tip of my tongue along his jawline.

He exhales sharply through clenched teeth. "I'll think about it, okay?"

I huff in annoyance.

Though I had to applaud his self-control. If I were in his shoes, I knew I wouldn't hesitate to sell my soul to the Devil thrice over to be with Drake, consequences be damned! But that was not who he was.

"You have until the Coronation," I inform him. "I told Christian that I'd stay until then, anyway."

I knew how difficult of a choice this was for him, and even though I had been hoping for a firm answer, I had to respect that he needed some time to think about it... Because if he agreed, he'd be taking up not only with the girl that his best friend was in love with, but with a future member of the aristocracy. And despite how much he might want me on a physical and emotional level, both of those things went against the grain of who he was.

"Fine," he concedes heavily. "You have my word."

"Good," I say, planting a kiss on his lips to seal the deal. "I'm going to hold you to it."

His mouth comes crashing down on mine — hard — and I gasp at the intensity of the feeling behind his kiss.

Pulling away, his hands come up to cup my face as his eyes bore into mine. "Harper, will you forgive me?"

I frown in confusion. "What for?"

"For leaving you to fend for yourself against Tariq... For not being with you at the station... For losing my shit when—“

"Drake," I say softly, looping my arms around his neck. "I told you there's noth—"

But the pleading expression on his face pulls me up short.

Maybe he was seeking redemption from me for what happened with his sister, or maybe he wasn't willing to let what happened to me go until I absolved him of his perceived failure of responsibility. Either way, he needed me to say it.

"Alright," I concede. "I forgive you. But only if you forgive yourself as well."

He looks down at me in askance. "Everything with you has to come with strings attached, don't it?"

"Can't have something for nothing, cowboy," I reply sweetly, dropping a kiss on his cheek.

I hear him huff wearily. "Don't I know it..."

But his arms wrap around me, holding me to his chest.

I breathe in the scent of his dewy skin, revelling in this rare moment of intimacy with him, all too aware that it could be one of the last if he decided to put his loyalty to Christian above his desire for me.

The story continues in Chapter 36 - When the Lights Go Down

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[axwalker]

Bad Timing: Kismet

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Pairing: Drake Walker x Alexis O’Brien (MC) 

Synopsis: Alexis O’Brien is escaping a terrible past. After months of running  she settles  in Cordonia where she meets Drake at the bar where she works and they spend a passionate night together. 

What happens when a one-night-stand turns into unexpected parenthood? 

This chapter

MASTERLIST 

WORDS: 3,890 🙊

POV: Dual 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: None for this chapter. In the future, mentions of domestic violence, and explicit sex scenes. 

ALL MY FICS ARE +18 

A/N: I apologize for any grammatical errors. 

I switch between Drake’s and Alexis’ POV several time in this chapter. I hope it’ll be clear enough!

PRESENT TIME Alexis

 After a one-hour bus ride and a 20-minutes walk, I finally find the correct address. When I reach the massive iron gates, I punch in the code Mr. Beaumont’s assistant gave me on the phone and gape as the extensive estate comes into view when I walk through. Acres and acres of super green grass littered with pines surround the massive house in the distance. The closer I get, the more I feel like a foreigner. This might have been my world once, but my new reality couldn’t be further apart from all this luxury. I have fifty dollars left in my wallet, an eviction notice back in my 200 square foot studio, and to top it all, the worst freaking headache I’ve had in my life. Talk about a bad streak. Ironically, I’m happier than I’ve been in years. My life belongs to me; I don’t have to live in constant fear and –most importantly, I’m free. Unattached. I want to do a lot of things with my life, and no one will stop me. That’s worth the worst headache in the world or a few money problems. 

I ring the bell, and a gorgeous woman opens the door. Her deep blue eyes scowl at me when I smile at her. 

“Who are you looking for?” She doesn’t ask as much as she barks the question. 

“Eh,” I haven’t been called shy a single day of my life, but her attitude it’s messing with the positive vibes I had coming up here. “I’m looking for Mr. Bertrand Beaumont from Beaumont Caterings.”

 “This door is for house guests only. The help,” she says the word as if it tastes bad in her mouth, “must go around the house and ring the bell back there.” She’s about to close the door right in my face when two hot guys come to the door. Seriously, what do people eat in this country? 

“Penelope, what are you doing answering the door like a simple maid? Where is Jessa?” 

Penelope rolls her eyes. “She had to leave early. She said she asked you for the afternoon off.”

The older man nods as, the younger one grins at me. “We can discuss Jessa’s schedule later, Bertie. Please, come in, Ms.?” He asks me, still smiling. 

“Ortiz. Alexis Ortiz.” I grin back, instantly liking the man with the kind blue eyes. “I’m here for the catering job.” 

“I’m Maxwell Beaumont. This is my brother Bertrand—the owner and Penelope Brim, one of our party planners.”

I follow them to a huge office and give Bertrand the resumé I printed at the internet place next to my building.  

“Is this all true?” He asks after a quick read.

I nod my head.

“Are you sure, Ms. Ortiz? It says here that you were working as a bartender, a barista, and a waitress in a very exclusive French restaurant, all at the same time.”

Penelope gives me a dismissive glare. “She’s obviously lying. That isn’t even possible. Unless she’s iniquitous.” 

I know better than to interrupt a potential employer, even worse if it’s to correct them, but this woman is grating on my nerves. Plus, I had a lifetime of keeping my head down with Matt, and I just don’t have the patience for this kind of crap anymore. And she called me a liar. Hell no.

“No, Ms. Brim, I’m not ubiquitous.” Maxwell snorts, and I swear the other guy, Bertrand, smiles behind my CV. I refrain from telling her what iniquitous actually means because I do need this job. “I worked as a barista in a Starbucks from 5 to 11 am. Then as a waitress at “Clair de Lune” from 12 to 6 pm. Finally, as a bartender in an Irish pub from 7 to midnight or 2 am, depending on the day. You can call any of those places and see I’m not lying.” Just please, God, don’t ask for my papers.

Maxwell reads the resumé when Bertrand gives it to him. “Do you speak French and Spanish as well?”

I shrug. “I love languages, and I grew up in a house where my mom and grandmother only spoke Spanish. I learned French in school. I had an amazing teacher.” 

Maxwell and Bertrand look at each other. The older brother, a younger, sterner version of Hugh Jackman, clears his throat. “I’ll be honest with you, Ms. Ortiz. Two of our waiters are absent, and tomorrow we’ll be catering to one of the most important events of the year. If everything in your resume is true, you can start training today --paid of course, and start working tomorrow.”

Paid training? Despite my throbbing head, I want to scream with happiness. “Everything is true.”

“That’s settled then. Penelope, please, darling, show Ms. Ortiz the kitchens and the ballroom. You can ask Naomi to train her for tonight. You know Regina, and she’ll want everything to go as smooth as possible.” 

“Right.” Penelope turned at me with an uptight smile. “Come with me.” 

I turn and beam at Maxwell, who’s giving me a thumbs up. “Thank you. I really appreciate this.” 

Bertrand shakes his head. “Don’t thank me yet, Ms. Ortiz. Just do an impeccable job.” He glances at my Vans. “And for the love of God, only heels tomorrow.” 

I nod and follow Penelope down the hallway. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DRAKE

 “This is why you ditch your friends who get hitched to a relationship,” I grumble, sitting in my chair. 

“He’s five minutes late,” Liam says. 

Leo shakes his head. “Well, I want a goddamn drink. How come I can’t order one until he gets here?” 

Liam pinches the bridge of his nose. “You two are acting like children. You can wait five minutes.” 

“Maybe, but I need something, and fast.” 

“Ah, there they are,” Max exclaims, hands clasped together, staring at us. “My boys.” Jesus Christ. Liam is scooped into a hug and then set back in his chair. 

From over Liam’s head, Max points at me and shakes his finger. “Come here; you handsome Walker bastard.” 

I hold up my hand. “I’m good.”

 “Nope.” He shakes his head. “You don’t get to pass up Max’s snuggles.” Before I can move, he swoops to his knees, pulls me into a hug. . . and nuzzles. 

“What the fuck are you doing, Beaumont?” I ask, my voice strong as I try to push him away. 

“You smell like heaven,” he says, chuckling. No one likes to fuck with me as much as Maxwell Beaumont does. Unfortunately for me, he’s one of my best friends, and the bastard is well aware of it. 

“Get out of here.” I palm his face and push him away. 

Leo laughs. “Come on, man, you know Walker is a sour bastard.” 

With another laugh, Maxwell retreats to his seat, unbuttons his jacket, and sits down. Hands-on the table, he looks between us and declares, “I’m in love.” 

Christ. “We know,” Liam and I say at the same time, irritation heavy in our voices. Leo just rolls his eyes as he looks for a waiter. 

Maxwell has only been dating Rashad for a few weeks, so it’s no surprise he’s like this—a hopeful idiot with a relentless smile. Hell, he’s been in love with the man for years. It took him a really, really long time to finally make a move. He adjusts his tie as he says, “You don’t have to be rude about it. I’m just sharing. Isn’t that what this is all about? Sharing?” 

“Sharing? I thought this was about drinking as much as possible and hooking up with a hot waitress,” Leo says, flagging down our waiter. 

When he arrives, I talk above the guys and quickly say, “Macallan, neat.” 

“Dalmore, on the rocks, please,” Liam says, and Leo orders the same. 

When the waiter turns to Max, he rubs his stomach and says, “You know, a hot cocoa would be perfect right now.”

 What the actual fuck? “No.” I step in. “He’ll have an Old Fashion. Thanks.” A little confused and probably slightly disturbed, he takes off as Max complains. 

“Hey, I really wanted a hot cocoa.” 

“Not happening. First, because they don’t serve hot cocoas here and second because we’re supposed to be out drinking, Beaumont. And you fucking love Old Fashions. You order one every damn time. Stop complaining.” 

“Sheesh.” Maxwell unfolds his napkin and sets it on his lap. “What’s up your ass?” 

“Nothing.” I push my hand through my hair. 

“It’s a girl.” Leo smirks, causing Liam and Max to practically jump out of their seats.

“A girl?” Liam cocks his eyebrow. “Surely not Drake --permanent bachelor, Walker. My fucking heart can’t take it.” 

Fucking Leo. “It’s not what Leo is making it out to be.” 

“He met her two months ago, and he’s been thinking about her ever since. Magical pussy right there.”

“I swear, Leo; I don’t care for how long we’ve been friends, next time you talk about her like that, I’ll personally break that shit-eat grin off your face”

The clown raises his arms. “I rest my case.”

 “What?” Max’s eyes nearly fall out of their sockets. “Drake Walker doesn’t get attached, and he doesn’t duel his friends for a girl.” 

Jesus. Thankfully the waiter brings our drinks at that moment, so I have a second to compose myself. 

“You slept with her?” Liam asks after a swig of Dalmore. He’s been in a stable relationship with Hanna Lee for a year now. Once the most popular guy on school, he now spends his Friday nights curled up with her watching Netflix. I can’t even remember the last time he went out with us. 

“I don’t want to talk about it. The only reason this fuckhead is bringing it up it’s because I went looking for her, and he saw it.” There I said it. Better me than Leo fucking Rys. 

Max and Liam exchange a look, but Max seems too stunned to talk, so Liam asks. “You did what?”

I chug my whiskey and ask for another one. “I don’t know why. I just …” Tired of this fucking conversation, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “We had a great time. That’s all.”

 “How come Leo knows about this girl, and I don’t?” Liam complains. 

Max complains too. “Dude, you know I’m the romantic one. Leo over here has a brick for a heart, and Li is too busy. You need to discuss these things with me.” 

“I don’t have a brick for a heart,” Leo says, surprisingly offended. 

“No, you’re just still hung up on Maddie,” I say with a smirk. He shifts in his chair but doesn’t say anything. What does it feel, Rys? 

“So . . . who is the girl?” Maxwell asks. 

For fuck’s sake. I might as well get it over with. “I’m going to say one last time that I’m not interested in her anymore, so before your little hearts starts beating wildly for playing cupid, it’s not going to happen.” 

In a snarky tone, Leo replies, “Well, of course, it’s not. She left the country. Are you that bad, Walker? Because I can give you a tip or two.” He’s so fucking annoying. 

“Oh.” Max sighs, disappointed.  

Leo elbows his brother and says, “He hasn’t slept with anyone since.” 

And there it is. The real reason why Leo is worried about this. He lost his wingman. “I’m not an animal, Leo. It’s not the first time in my life that I go two months without fucking. I’m not you. Anyway, all this is pointless. She’s gone.” 

My friends grew up with me, so they know when it’s time to stop pushing. Max interrupts the silence that follows because nothing makes little Beaumont more uncomfortable than a gap in the conversation. “Everything is ready for the party tomorrow night. The thirtieth anniversary of Rys Corporation will be a success.” 

Liam nods. “Regina talked with Hana this morning. It’s the first anniversary since I took over as CEO. I need everything to be perfect.” 

“What about the staff, Max?” Leo asks, smiling. Having sex at every anniversary party is a personal challenge of his. 

“We actually hired someone today. She’s gorgeous.” He turns his head at Leo. “But she’s off-limits.” Leo smirks, wiggling his eyebrows. “I mean it, dude. Bertrand said he’s tired of looking for new waitresses. Two quit yesterday morning when they found out that the event was for Rys corporation.”  

“Hey, I never lie. It’s not my fault if they think I’ll call them anyway.” 

“Whatever, just don’t mess with her. Plus, I got to talk to her after her training today. She’s super nice. She’s Am--. Wait.” He says when his phone chimes up. “Sorry, boys. It was a text from Penelope. Apparently, the Chablis hasn’t been delivered yet. I have to call Joelle before I lose my big brother over a wine crisis. See you all tomorrow.” He finishes his cocktail and stands up. 

Liam stands up too. “I should go home too. Han arrived today from Hong Kong.” 

Leo checks his phone. “Wait, Li. I’ll go with you. I have a date with this girl I met last night at Kismet. Do you want to come, man?” He asks me. “I’m sure she has a friend she can introduce you.”

I shake my head. “I’ll finish my whiskey and head home. See you all tomorrow.”

It was only one fucking night. Why can’t I get her out of my head? 

It’s maddening. Or maybe it is a blessing. If I’m still thinking about her after one night, imagine how bad I’d have it after several. It’s best that she stays far the fuck away from me. I’m not interested in long-term attachments of any kind.  I don’t want to think about Lexie Ortiz, but she’s infected my brain. The sound of her teasing laugh haunts me.

And I can’t deny it; it was one hell of a night.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALEXIS 

 “This is a single girl’s paradise.” 

“No,” I grimace, trying to clean the spilled tomato sauce from my shirt. “Paradise would be a tropical beach with a hot cabana boy giving us free massages... and an endless supply of piñas Coladas.” Naomi laughs, the sound almost lost in the chaos of the kitchen. Chefs shouting orders, Penelope and Bertrand panicking, plates being dropped—the world of catering is a noisy business. 

“Cabana boys may have hot smoking bodies and virility, Lex, but they lack two essential qualities: prestige and money.” 

“So, what you’re saying is that you’d prefer an old limp dick over a young hard one? Interesting,” I answer, teasing her. 

“No, that’s not what I’m saying, smart ass. I’m saying I’d take a solid bank account over a solid dick. Think about it—with all that money, he could never fuck me at all, and I couldn’t care less. And I’d be treated properly. Rich guys know how to treat a lady.” 

“Trust me on this, Naomi. Money has absolutely nothing to do with how a man treats a woman.” I should know. “In any case,” I retort, grabbing another tray of drinks, “if you’re looking for old rich guys, there are tons of opportunities out there.” I laugh at the dreamy look on her face, partly because it’s hilarious and partly because I know she’s kidding. After my training last night, she invited me to her house, where I met Theo, her little boy. He’s eight years old and the absolute love of her life. 

“Speaking of fucking,” she says, her eyes sparkling, “did you see the Rys brothers? One of them is taken, but the other two are single and oh so yummy. Especially the tall and brooding one. I’ll kill for those smoldering brown eyes looking right at my soul” 

I snort. “You really should stop reading romance novels, Nao. And yes. I served one of them and his girlfriend champagne earlier, but he was blond and didn’t have smoldering, brooding eyes. I thought they were only two brothers, though.”

“Well, technically, yes. But Constantine Rys --the super-rich owner of Rys Corporation-- adopted two other kids. A boy and a girl. They all grew up together.” She uncorks several champagne bottles as she speaks.

Now that my uniform is clean, I grab one of the Veuve Clicquot bottles and help her pouring the cold liquid into the glasses on our trays. “How do you know all of that?”

“I’m Cordonian, girl. The Rys siblings are almost royalty in this country. The one that is not an actual Rys is the one with the smoldering eyes. He doesn’t work for the company, though. He’s a … a vet, I think.”  

A veterinarian like Drake. My stupid heart flutters when I think about him. 

“Do we pay you to work or to gossip, ladies?” Penelope screams from the kitchen door. 

Naomi and I roll our eyes and grab our refilled trays. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DRAKE

“This is a huge night for Liam,” Regina says behind her champagne glass. Constantine has been telling everyone, especially her, that he’s ready and happy to retire, but she knows him better than anyone. Leaving Rys Corporation and pass the torch to Liam is much more difficult for Constantine than he cares to admit.  

“It’ll be all right, Regina. Don’t worry. Liam is more than ready to handle the responsibility.”

She throws a glance at Liam, who’s standing a few feet behind me next to his dad. “I just hope he doesn’t forget that his personal life is equally important. He and Hana work too hard.” 

I’m about to answer when one of the waitresses distracts me. Her back is turned to me, so I can’t see her face, but there is something incredibly familiar about the way she moves. She’s passing drinks amongst Regina’s friends. I want to go and see who she is, but Liam catches my eyes across the room.  We exchange a look, one that we’ve exchanged several times over our lives. It was Liam and me when we were younger, walking into his father’s office after getting into a fight at school. It was the two of us when we came home late, and his parents were waiting in the living room as we walked in, drunk. It was the two of us when we wrecked Leo’s new Porsche when we were sixteen, and right now, I know he needs me. Constantine is a great father, but he has too many expectations for his younger son. Liam needs a break. 

Regina sees the exchange and smiles. “Liam’s very lucky to have you, Drake.” She is not our biological mother, but she loves all of us as if she was. And she’s more my mother than Bianca Walker will never be.  

A couple of men look at me, and I try to remember if I should know them from somewhere. I think they’re both on the board of directors at RC. As much as I love the Rys, I will never get used to this shit. Socializing and pretending to like a bunch of people that annoy the fuck out of me. Ignoring them, I make my way to my best friend. Liam is standing with his hands in his pockets, looking serious and put together like the CEO of the largest company in Cordonia should. 

“I think it’s going well,” he says as I approach. “Father was driving me crazy with all his advice.” 

“It’s not only the anniversary of the company, Li. It’s also his first one as the former CEO. It’s normal he feels out of place.” 

Liam nods. “I know. I just wish he’ll trust me more.”

“He does, Liam. He’s just nervous.”

 I’m cut short by Liam’s grin. His gaze slides right behind me and lights up. 

“Would either of you like a glass of champagne?” a female, very familiar voice nearly whispers behind me. 

“I’m good,” Liam answers, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. “How about you, Drake?”

 I turn around, and my heart skips a beat. Soft curves, tanned skin, and a few freckles across the bridge of her nose. The brightest, most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen. Alexis Ortiz tucks a strand of her rich brown hair behind her ear and takes a deep breath. Her eyes widen, and I see she recognizes me but doesn’t mention it. Instead, a faint smile ghosts her luscious lips, and she lifts her chin like she has a secret she won’t tell. A secret we share. Her gaze remains on Liam, almost like she’s afraid to look my way. Finally, she turns to me, and when she does, an adorable blush color her cheeks. 

“Would you, uh, sir?” she asks, taking half a step backward. 

“Would I what?” I press, enjoying too much the way her cheeks turn even pinker. 

“Would you like a drink?” The words leave her lips fast like she wants to pronounce them and run away. I take a step towards her, remembering the night she spent in my arms and how damn perfect she felt. I know I make her nervous because I see little goosebumps erupting on her soft skin.  I smirk at her. “That depends on what you’re offering.”

 I shouldn’t be toying with her, but I can’t help it. I want to keep her talking, to watch her reactions, to see that sweet smile again.  

“I don’t have much to offer,” she says, a hint of nervousness in her voice. “Unless you like champagne, sir.” She emphasizes the last word.

“I like all sorts of things.” I keep my gaze heavy against hers, not allowing her to look away. She fidgets with her tray and swallows hard but never takes her eyes off mine, too rebellious to look away. The longer our eyes match, the hotter my body becomes. She bits her delicious bottom lip slowly, her dark gaze boring into mine. 

“Is that so?” Liam laughs beside me, and I watch her jump like she forgot he was there. Alexis clears her throat and glances around the room. She turns back to us again, this time a practiced smile on her face. The easy grin and soft laugh are both gone. She wants to get away from me, I can feel it, and I understand. She’s working; it wouldn’t be professional. This is not the time or the place to reconnect. Unfortunately for her, I have other plans.

“Gentlemen ...” With a nod, Alexis walks away as fast as possible. She doesn’t look back, but I watch her until she’s out of sight. 

“What was that?” Liam snickers, loosening his gray silk tie. “I thought you were going to jump on her.” 

I rub my thumb over my lip, still surprised as hell.

“That was Alexis, the girl I met a couple of months ago. Now, if you excuse me, Li, I need to go talk to Bertrand.”  

@mskaneko @burnsoslow @gkittylove99 @kat-tia801 @no-one-u-know @thegreentwin @twinkle-320 @forallthatitsworth @kingliam2019 @marshmallowsandfire @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @princessleac1 @twinkleallnight @tinkie1973 @drakexwillow @moneyfordiamonds 

@yukinagato2012​ @alyssalauren​

[alj4890]

Choices September Challenge

Day 16 I'm Sorry

(Thomas Hunt x oc*Amanda) in a Choices Red Carpet Diaries/The Royal Romance Crossover drabble.

A/N This is actually a fic I have had sitting in my draft folders forever. Someone a while back requested another first time meeting gone horribly wrong for this OTP and I kept getting stuck on the ending. Once more, let’s get these two stubborn people together, LOL!

@choicesseptemberchallenge20​ @xjustin-ethansgirliex​ @lovealexhunt@lxaah11​   @alleksa16​   @penguininapinktuxedo​   @blackcoffee85​   @stopforamoment​     @hopelessromantic1352​     @krsnlove​     @annekebbphotography​        @hopelessromantic1352​   . @sunflowergirl05​   @desireepow-1986​  @greywitchyshots​   @moodyvalentinestories​  @emceesynonymroll​   @my-heart-beats-for-ya​ @aworldoffandoms​   @ab1901​     @lolablackwrites​     @flyawayboo​   @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​   . @trappedinfandoms​   @kate-mckenzie​

Masterlist

Great Expectations

Olivia quirked an eyebrow in question as Amanda walked into her suite.

Instead of the usual calm, sweet greeting followed by an attempt to coerce her into doing something fun, Amanda threw her purse across the room and let out a strange, strangled noise that sounded suspiciously like a string of curse words trying to be smothered by guilt.

"I would ask what is wrong, but I assume you are about to tell me." Olivia drily remarked.

"Remember when I was excited that Maxwell invited us all to come here and see how The Royal Romance movie was going?" Amanda asked.

"I believe I recall you skipping down the palace halls." Olivia responded.

Amanda narrowed her eyes at her. "Well, the skipping is done." She flopped face down on Olivia's couch. "I hate everything here." She mumbled into the cushions.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Must we succumb to overly dramatic behavior?"

Amanda turned her face toward her. "Are you seriously asking me this when just last week you threatened to throw every dagger you had at the waiter for accidentally calling you Madeleine?"

Olivia flicked her hand dismissively. "Details." She sat down in a chair across from her friend. "What happened?"

Amanda closed her eyes. "It all started this morning."

****************

Around 8 a.m., The Beverly Wilshire...

"Wake up!" Maxwell burst into Amanda's suite and proceeded to jump on her bed.

"Wha?" Amanda rolled off of it in a tangle of blankets. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get ready and go to the studio." He leaped off her bed and went straight to her closet. "Hmm." He pulled one dress out after another. "Is this all you packed?"

Amanda stumbled over to the closet. "Why are you going through my clothes?"

He finally settled on a skirt and sweater. "I need you to go to the studio and give this to Thomas Hunt.” He held up a large manila envelope. "Within this lies the very heart of The Royal Romance."

She blinked sleepily a few times. "Why do I have to do this?" She gestured toward his body. "You're already dressed and fully compos mentis."

His dimples deepened with his grin. "You shouldn't use Latin if you are trying to get out of this with the excuse that you are dumb with sleep." He gently pushed her into the bathroom. "Get ready. I arranged a surprise for you."

"What kind of sur--" her words were cut off by him shutting the door.

She dropped her head back in frustration while going through a list of reasons why she shouldn't crawl back into bed. It was then followed by a list of reasons of what Maxwell would do to get her to do this. After a quick three minutes of debate, she reluctantly started the shower.

****************

Olivia’s suite

"So, this is about making you get up early this morning?" Olivia snorted. "This is why I don't give my room keys to anyone."

"It wasn't that horrific event that cemented this burning hatred of mine." Amanda turned over on her back and stared up at the ceiling. "It was that jerk, Thomas Hunt."

Olivia did not bother to hide her surprise. "Wasn't he the reason you had that little hop to your skipping?"

Amanda closed her eyes. "They say never meet your heroes."

"He's a hero?!" Olivia wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Does the man even know how to fight?"

"I don't mean that kind of hero!" Amanda muttered. She let out another strangled, frustrated sound. "I admired him. His movies are some of my favorites."

"And you certainly never shied away from admiring his underwear modeling days." Olivia artfully dodged to the right when Amanda threw a decorative pillow at her. "Wasn't there a poster in your bedroom at one point?"

“FINE! I THOUGHT HE WAS ATTRACTIVE!" Amanda shouted. "Today proved differently."

"Was he not in his underwear?" Olivia easily batted a second throw pillow away that was aimed for her face. "What did he do?"

****************

Earlier that day, at the studio…

"I've seen your picture in magazines."

Amanda smiled at the intern escorting her toward Thomas Hunt's office. "Hopefully, I didn't look like I normally do." She shuddered. "I take horrible photographs."

"I thought you looked pretty." The hopeful actress replied. "You and Queen Riley were laughing at Maxwell Beaumont."

Amanda chuckled at that. "So, a normal day was photographed?"

The girl's phone vibrated. "I have to go handle this." She apologized to the duchess. "Mr. Hunt's office is the last door on the left."

"Thank you." Amanda watched her leave, then pulled out Maxwell's packet for the script. "Why did I agree to deliver this?" She mumbled as she continued down the long hallway.

When she reached the door, she paused before knocking. Voices raised in what sounded like anger could be heard.

Not wanting to walk in on an argument, Amanda checked to make certain no one else was in the hallway. She then pressed her ear to the door.

******************

"You know I don't have time to cater to a rich, spoiled woman! Maxwell is now suggesting that I take this--" Thomas checked the text message once more. "This Lady Amanda on not only a more in-depth tour of the studio but also to some of the historical sites around Los Angeles." He slammed a drawer shut to help rid himself of his mounting irritation. "If I ever act remotely interested in another story from some playboy royal, you have my permission to have me committed to the nearest asylum."

Holly rolled her eyes at his dramatic outburst. "Then don't take her out. It's a simple fix."

"If Maxwell's unhappy then the studio heads will become upset." He explained. "Next, it rolls downhill on us." He glared out the window. "What right does this duchess have to demand I take her around as her glorified tour guide?!"

"It might not be so bad." Addison pointed out. "She must be important to Maxwell if he asked you to do this."

"Apparently she is his bff or whatever acronym he used." Thomas spat. "I would rather deal with practically anyone else on this planet than babysit some snobbish, probably doesn't even know how to act in public, idiotic woman."

******************

Amanda took a step bac from his door. Her heart sank at discovering the director she had so admired was in truth a spoiled jerk.

Her lips firmed in a frown as her anger slowly took over her sadness. 

“He--I’ll show--oohhh!” She gasped, unable to get a complete insult out. 

She took a deep breath and returned to the receptionist desk. “Something has come up.” Amanda explained. “Would you mind giving Maxwell’s notes to Mr. Hunt?” She nearly strangled on his name.

“No problem.” The young intern replied. She tilted her head in question. “Are you okay?”

Amanda nodded quickly. “I am.” Or at least I will be once I get away from here, she thought. I will NEVER spend a moment in that loathsome man’s company.

******************

"I don't think I have ever seen you this angry." Olivia's eyebrows were lifted in surprise as she observed Amanda pacing about the suite. "Why didn't you confront him?"

"Because I don't do that kind of thing." Amanda snapped. She quickly apologized to her friend. "You know I try and be nice to everyone." Her eyes narrowed. "Something about that man got under my skin. How dare he judge me without meeting me?!"

Olivia's lips turned up somewhat. "What will you do when we are all at the set tomorrow?"

"Maybe I shouldn't go." Amanda muttered. "I can't embarrass Maxwell by setting Thomas Hunt straight."

"Now I'm making you go." Olivia announced. "I think it's time you felt that sweet relief of finally unleashing your temper." Her smile grew. "You don't know what you have been missing all these years."

“We’ll see.” Amanda murmured. “Do you know where Maxwell is?”

“No. Why?”

“Because I am going to make sure that I am never put in the path of Thomas Hunt again.”

*************

The Blvd restaurant, The Beverly Wilshire...

"There you are." Amanda said between clenched teeth.

Maxwell looked up. "Hey! How did the meeting go?"

She sat down across from him. "Why did you decide to ask Thomas Hunt of all people to give me a tour?!"

His blue eyes widened when he realized she was upset. "Because you've always been crazy about him."

"I have not." She snapped, refusing to accept she remotely found the director anything other than repulsive.

"Really?" Maxwell folded his arms on the table and leaned forward. "I would like to present to the jury, exhibit A: The Calvin Klein poster of one man, Thomas Hunt, in nothing but boxer briefs." He shuddered at the memory. "I still suffer from PTSD whenever I see your closet door cracked open."

Angry spots of color appeared on her cheeks. "I was young and stupid and had horrible taste in men."

"Exhibit B: You own all his movies, including the one he has a brief cameo in." Maxwell continued.

"I own a lot of movies." Amanda muttered. "He just happens to make some."

"Exhibit C:," Maxwell pointed out. "When I told you, I had been offered a chance to have The Royal Romance turned into a film, you literally chanted that Thomas Hunt needs to direct until I talked to my agent."

"I wanted your story to earn critical acclaim." Amanda averted her eyes.

"Exhibit D--"

"Enough!" Amanda hissed. "I get it, okay?" She leaned forward, looking directly into his eyes. "Don't ever force me to--"

"Thomas!" Maxwell yelled out, waving toward the director.

Amanda felt her stomach drop when she felt his angry presence pause behind her right shoulder.

"Maxwell." Thomas greeted curtly. “I waited for as long as I could on your,” his tone hardened, “Lady Amanda, but she never showed up.”

Maxwell turned his attention to her. “You didn’t deliver my notes?”

"I did." Amanda snapped, her eyes darted to Thomas. "But I didn’t want to spend a single second in your company."

His eyes widened. "I beg your pardon, what--"

"I refuse to spend the day with a man who so readily judges a person without meeting them." Her chin lifted. "You made it quite clear this morning what you think of me."

Thomas remembered his intern bringing in Maxwell's notes. "You were the one who came by today." His temper snapped. "On top of everything, you listened in on a conversation that wasn't any of your business. Why am I not surprised?" He mocked.

Amanda moved quickly out of the booth until she was standing directly in front of him. Her eyes flashed as heated color flooded her cheeks. "It wasn't hard since you were yelling like a petulant child." Her mocking smile appeared. "I'm grateful that I found out what type of egotistical, judgmental, miserable old man you truly are before being forced to accept your escort anywhere."

"Nowhere nearly as much as I am." Thomas barked, stung by her insults. "I wouldn't escort you a single inch across this room. You've proven that I should continue to trust my gut instinct when it comes to people like you." He bowed in an exagerated insult. "Thank you, Lady Amanda, it has been a pleasure that I hope is never repeated."

Unable to think of a proper insult, Amanda’s eyes sparked with unshed tears. She didn’t want to give this wretched man the satisfaction of thinking he had hurt her to the point of crying.

Without a word, she shoved past him and quickly left the restaurant.

"I had that going differently in my mind." Maxwell said once Thomas sat down. "Maybe after she cools off, the two of you could--"

"Maxwell, there will never be the two of us if Amanda is a part of that equation." Thomas stated firmly. "I will never spend a moment alone with her."

****************

Olivia’s suite, again…

"You should have used one of the butter knives on him." Olivia told her. "I've trained you in the places on the human body that will cause the most pain."

Amanda sighed.

"At least you stood up for yourself." Olivia continued.

Amanda nodded silently.

"Don't tell me you regret this?" Olivia prodded at the lack of verbal response.

"I'm exhausted." Amanda finally said. "I haven't lost my temper like that in years." She ran her hands over her face. "I just stopped by to let you know I'm not going out tonight." She got up and gave a swift hug to Olivia. "Thank you for letting me vent again."

"Don't let that man keep you from going out." Olivia ordered. "Take a nap. I'll make certain you're not disturbed, and we can join everyone else for dinner."

Amanda neither agreed nor disagreed. She gave a halfhearted smile and left.

****************

That night...

"I want everyone who has a spare key to my suite to return them." Amanda announced at dinner.

Maxwell and Olivia ignored her request.

Drake quirked an eyebrow at her. "How many keys were you given?"

"I thought just one." Her eyes narrowed. "Yet, I've had no less than four people enter my room today."

Hana blushed and handed her key card over. "Maxwell told me to help with picking out a dress or two."

Riley slid hers over. "Me too."

"I appreciate the concern." She narrowed her eyes on Maxwell as he raised his menu up to hide his face. "But it is not necessary." Her bitterness then settled on Olivia. "Nor was the wakeup call."

The red head merely shrugged. "I'm not going to allow you to lock yourself away to wallow in guilt and misery over Thomas Hunt."

"I wasn't wallowing!" Amanda snapped. "I was sleeping because Maxwell woke me up after at practically the crack of dawn!"

"As soon as you awoke, you would have started the misery and guilt trip." Olivia calmly stated. "It never fails to happen once you lose your temper."

"It's true." Maxwell added.

Amanda slumped in her chair. All the fight left her. She knew they were right.

“Don’t worry about Thomas.” Maxwell told her. “Tomorrow, he’ll be so busy with the movie that he won’t even notice you’re there.”

*****************

The next day...

Thomas surreptitiously peeked over the script each time he heard Amanda's voice or laughter. Seeing her this way made sense that she was friends with the group whose story he was filming.

She wasn't the irrational shrew he had unleashed the day before.

She looked like a different person. Gone was her insulting temper. For some reason, he was puzzled by her appearance. She hadn't bothered to wear any jewelry other than a watch, which she kept glancing at. He expected her to dress according to her station. Yet she looked like she would easily blend in with a crowd.

He suspected that he would have spotted her immediately.

His eyes moved down her figure when the group followed Addison, leaving him to review today's schedule. Since their altercation, he had been unable to get her off his mind. He had even dreamed about her.

It was disturbing that he woke up in a cold sweat over her. The dream had him ending their fight differently. That was the last thing he wanted to do with her.

Thomas couldn't hear what she was saying, but the entire group were laughing at an observation she made.

He swallowed the last of his coffee and decided to get another cup as the group moved closer to craft services.

"Where are you going?" Holly asked.

"Coffee." He muttered, wondering why Amanda wouldn't look his way. He had expected glares the entire time, not being completely ignored.

“Three cups of coffee wasn’t enough?” she asked.

"What?" He asked.

"You've had three cups." Holly pointed out. "You never have more than that in the morning."

He couldn't think of a clever enough retort, so he walked off without a response.

"This might be my favorite part of filmmaking." Maxwell teased as he reached for one of the fresh pastries Addison offered.

Amanda's smile disappeared when Thomas approached. She moved away from the table, pretending interest in a prop, when he came along next to her for the coffee pot.

He glanced at her back, deciding to force her to acknowledge his presence. "Is there anything I can get you, Lady Bridgerton?"

Her shoulders stiffened. Without looking at him, she automatically responded. "No thank you." Before Thomas could say anything else, she quickly walked over to the set that was a recreation of the palace's hedge maze lit by moonlight.

Her lips curved. She was impressed with the attention to detail the film crew had done. She walked the familiar path, turning to see the swing she had spent a great deal of her childhood on.

Thomas appeared beside her.

She stubbornly looked straight ahead.

"What do you think?" He prodded.

"About what?" She responded, folding her arms across her chest.

"The soundstage? The sets?" He motioned around. "I know you were wanting to tour a studio. Does this meet your approval?"

"It does." She couldn't quite hide her excitement at seeing something like this in person. "I find it fascinating."

He blinked at her words. "I'm…glad."

She stiffened once more at having inadvertently complimented him and tried to get around the hateful man. "If you will excuse me,"

"Perhaps I can--"He began, surprised at the thought of trying to rectify her opinion of him.

“Good day, Mr. Hunt." She tried to escape yet saw that he blocked her path. When he seemed unable to move, she squeezed past.

Their bodies brushed one another, causing her to pause.

Their eyes met and she quickly wiggled free.

He watched her hurry off to rejoin the others.

Thomas tossed his untouched coffee in the garbage and returned to work.

*******************

A few days later, they bumped into each other inside the hotel.

"Lady Bridgerton." He gently grasped her arms. "Nice to see you again."

She grit her teeth. "Please stop calling me Lady." Her eyes narrowed. "Since I discovered your opinion on nobles, I know you mean it as a verbal jab."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Then what should I call you?"

"Amanda." She replied. "But I don't believe I will hear it often since we will never spend more time together." She smirked and left him.

He knew he was supposed to meet with Maxwell, but instead decided to follow her into the hotel's restaurant.

He talked the hostess into seating him in a booth beside Amanda's. He couldn't recall a time in his life when he desired to annoy anyone as much as he did her.

He settled his gaze on her after ordering a drink.

Amanda gripped her menu and purposefully kept her eyes averted.

After a few moments, she dropped her head into her hands. "Why are you trying to drive me crazy?" She practically pleaded. "You can’t stand me, yet you sit there on purpose to stare!"

"You never allow me to finish what I’m saying.” He countered, scooting around his booth.

“Why should I?” she snapped. “You are only going to hurl more insults my way.”

“How do you know?” He asked. “Do you dare presume to know my mind?”

She scooted closer, eyes narrowing. "You don't like me!" She hissed. "And I'm not too fond of you." Her eyes searched his. "Why are you trying to talk to me? I made certain to not bother you at the studio and have not returned each day when the others have."

Thomas propped his arm on the seat and leaned closer to her. "I don't know." His eyes touched on her hair softly curling toward her cheek, guiding his eyes to her lips. "But you have been on my mind." His eyes lifted to hers. "Perhaps it is because I have yet to meet the real you. I’ve seen you at your worst, and yet with those you care for…you’re a completely different person. Who is the real, Lady Amanda?"

"I assure you; this is the real me. Regardless of how irritated I am at the moment this is me!" She quickly thanked the waitress for her drink. "Now, I think we--"

"That we should eat together, I agree." Thomas rose and told the waitress he would be joining Amanda.

He slid into the booth, bumping into the shocked duchess. "I recommend the lobster frittata."

"I'm allergic to shellfish." She said in a stunned voice.

"Then I will order something else." He remarked. "I'll have the steak and eggs." He handed his menu to the waitress. "Shall we have a bottle of champagne with brunch?"

Amanda absentmindedly ordered the cheeseburger. Once they were alone, she settled back against the seat, intent on pretending she was dining alone.

"I'm considering taking time off once filming wraps up." Thomas announced.

"What about the sequels?" Amanda forgot about her plan to ignore him. "You aren't going to let someone else direct, are you?"

He shook his head, turning more toward her. "The screenplay for the second part hasn't been completed yet. Ryan and Chris both have obligations to other directors that they will complete in between the first and second part."

"I see." She tried to ease away from being so close beside him, but her skirt was caught under his leg. He apparently was not inclined to give up his hold on her.

"Amanda, have you been on any other tours?" He asked when she became stubbornly silent again.

"I have." She replied. Her smile held a hint of mischief. "Ryan took me to some points of interest."

Thomas narrowed his eyes. "Did he?"

"Yes." She propped her chin on her hand, attempting to have a dreamy far off look. "He was a perfect gentleman."

"He's seeing someone." He informed her, wondering at this new irritation he felt.

Amanda shrugged. "Like I said, he was a perfect gentleman."

"I expect to hear news of his engagement at any moment." Thomas continued.

"Then perhaps you should be drinking champagne with him." She kept a pleasant smile on her face. "For you and I have nothing to celebrate over."

"I disagree." He countered.

"Of course, you do." She pointed at his shirt. "I would call this blue, but I'm positive you would say it was another color."

"I always thought it was more gray than blue." He said to purposefully needle her.

She ran her fingers through her hair. "Of course, you would."

Their food was brought out and each focused on eating while ignoring the emotions the other was causing.

He poured her a glass of champagne then lifted his in a toast. "To expectations."

She searched his eyes for some hidden meaning then tapped her glass to his. "Cheers."

"What are your plans today?" He asked.

She set her glass down. "I'm going to see a movie."

"Really?" He slowly smiled. "What will you be--"

"There you are!" Maxwell walked over, his dimples deepening with his delighted grin. "I must have forgotten we were to meet down here."

Amanda took that moment to jerk her skirt out from under Thomas' thigh. She smiled with her newfound freedom. "I was just on my way out." She wished them both a good afternoon and escaped.

"I knew you two would hit it off." Maxwell boasted.

"And when exactly is that supposed to happen?" Thomas asked.

************

A few nights later...

"Everyone knows the drill." Maxwell whispered.

"Yes." Hana reassured him. "I spill my drink on Amanda."

"I drop a plate in Thomas's lap." Addison whispered.

"They are both forced to go to the master bathroom because I have food poisoning in the hall bathroom." Riley added.

"I get everyone to move to our suite." Liam added.

"I turn everything off." Holly glanced over her shoulder to make certain no one was near enough to hear.

"And I lock them in the bedroom." Maxwell announced.

"What about the phone situation?" Ryan whispered.

"Bastien is confiscating everyone's phone for security purposes." Drake explained. "And I have already removed the hotel phones from the bedroom and living room."

"You all have your missions." Maxwell looked around at his group. "Good luck."

Addison and Hana nearly bounced with excitement as they took their places.

****************

Thomas sat down when Addison insisted yet again. "I still don't see how this helps the crick in your neck."

She rubbed the side while rolling her head. "Because it doesn’t hurt tilting it down, only up." She huffed. "You're too tall."

She eyed Hana and watched as the graceful lady stumbled, splashing her glass of wine down Amanda's dress.

"I'm so sorry!" Tears filled Hana's eyes. She grasped Amanda's hand and dragged her into the bedroom.

"I have something that will help get this out before it stains." Hana made Amanda remain in the bathroom. "It's in my room. I'll be right back."

Addison waited patiently, keeping Thomas talking. She then saw Hana give her the sign.

"...and then we should--" Thomas jumped to his feet when Addison dropped her plate.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to."

He brushed her hand away and went toward the bathroom. He heard Riley's sounds of sickness and quickly backtracked.

"There's a bathroom in the bedroom." Maxwell pushed him toward it.

"Thank you." Thomas stepped inside and opened the bathroom door.

Amanda whirled around. "You startled me."

He glanced down at the red stain on her peach colored dress. "My apologies. We both seem to be the ones with accident prone friends tonight."

She wet a rag for him. His fingers brushed hers when he reached for it. Their eyes lifted to one another's.

Amanda looked away first. "You should take your jacket off first."

He shrugged out of it, thanking her when she offered to hold it for him. Thomas brushed at the different stains on his shirt and tie.

She did the same with his jacket.

The two worked quietly.

"Do you hear that?" She asked once the water was turned off.

He stilled. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly!" The two hurried to the bedroom door.

It wouldn't open.

Amanda knocked on it. "Maxwell! We're stuck in here!"

Thomas leaned his ear against it. "There's no noise out there."

"I'll call someone to--" she twirled around. "Where are the phones?"

They searched throughout the drawers and closets. Nothing except a pair of pajamas and a nightgown were in the drawers.

"What is going on?" Amanda wailed, slowly backing away.

"I think," Thomas began, recognizing his pajamas from home. "that Maxwell and the others want us to spend the night together."

**************

After changing their ruined clothes, the two sat down on the bed. It seemed that Maxwell had removed the chairs that had also resided there. He had also had the television removed.

"Now what do we do?" Amanda asked. "It's only eight thirty."

Thomas tried to keep from staring at her in her silk nightgown.

She guessed that Riley and Hana had taken it earlier that day when they kept having her try on dresses. His eyes traveled up her legs --

"Why don't we talk? Settle this...whatever this is between us?" He suggested as she stood up to pace.

Amanda quit her agitated movements and sat down in a breathless huff. She reclined on the pillows and attempted to not stare at how sexy Thomas looked in pajamas. That little bit of hair flopping over his forehead softened his angular features, making her want to run her fingers through his hair as his lips touched--

"I expected you to be different." Amanda began, lowering her eyes. "I think this might be as much my fault as yours."

Thomas stretched out beside her. "What do you mean about expecting me to be different?"

She ran a hand through her hair. "I guess I expected you to be nice." She grimaced. "I thought we would get along. Perhaps become friends or...something."

"I see." He said softly. "And I ruined that when you overheard, that I was expecting the worst."

"Yes, I mean," she dropped her head back on the pillow. "I was so disappointed that you were like so many people I have encountered at court. That you were so set on disliking me…I just thought why bother even trying to be nice."

“Ah.” He snorted softly. “And in my preconceived notions, I decided you had proven me right.”

“And now we are being tortured by our so-called friends.”

He turned his head toward her. "I don't feel tortured right now."

She turned too and realized how close their faces were. "You don't?"

He focused on her mouth. Perhaps he was being tortured. "No, I actually like being around you like this."

"So not hostile or hurling insults at you?" She teased.

He surprised her with a sudden smile. "If we must make that distinction, then yes, I prefer this version to any of the others I have encountered."

Her burst of laughter made him scoot closer to her.

“I must admit, it has been exhausting remaining angry around you.” Her warm smile was focused on him for the first time. “You sir, have kept me on my toes during every altercation.”

“You have been a worthy adversary.” Thomas chuckled when she solemnly thanked him. “I haven’t’ wanted to annoy any woman as much as I have you.”

The pair became quiet in thought after sharing another laugh.

Amanda turned on her side and studied his face. "Thomas?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you think we have been snapping at each other all this time?"

"You've been doing most of the snapping lately." He reminded her.

"I suppose I have." She admitted. "Why have you been chasing after me though since I have been, you know?"

"Cruel?" He offered. "Cold? Mean?"

"I get the picture." She grumbled. "I apologize for my rudeness."

"I told you once before I wasn't certain what it is about you, but I think I might have solved the mystery." He inched closer.

"And that is?" She asked.

"I think we have some unresolved sexual tension." Thomas waited to see what her response might be.

He didn't expect laughter.

"Hold on.” she said once she saw he was serious. "You find me attractive?"

"I did even when I despised you." He admitted.

Amanda blinked. "Oh."

He cleared his throat. When she still remained silent, he prodded her. "Any chance you find me attractive?"

"I do." Was her hurried response. "I mean, I always thought you were handsome."

"Being thought handsome is not the same as being attractive." He reminded her. "Do you find Liam handsome?"

"Of course, I do." She sighed, knowing where he was going with this. "And no, I am not physically attracted to Liam."

Thomas gently placed his hand over hers. "Then, should we use this time to test out the waters? See if the fights can cease once and for all after we discover what this is?”

Amanda slowly nodded. Before she could think too hard about all the ways this could backfire, he had pulled her flush to him. Her breath caught as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

His fingertips slipped down her neck and over her shoulder, sliding down before coming back up. She closed her eyes as he caressed her skin. His eyes followed his hand before flickering up to her parted lips. He closed the distance and placed a tentative kiss to them.

And then they knew why they had been fighting so much.

**************

The next morning…

“There’s no noise.” Maxwell whispered. He had his ear pressed to the bedroom door.

“Either they are asleep, or they killed each other.” Olivia hissed. “I’m hoping he is at least bleeding out in there.” She smacked Maxwell on the back of the head. “Why did you persist in putting them together?”

“Because I know what I’m doing as a matchmaker.” He grumbled. “If you would only listen to me about you and Dra—“

She put her hand over his mouth. “I’m warning you, Maxwell. Do not ever link my name with his again.”

Addison pushed between them and pressed her ear to the door. “I say we leave their clothes here and quietly unlock the bedroom door. “I don’t want to walk in on something I shouldn’t see.”

“Good idea.” Maxwell carefully removed the chair he had wedged under the doorknob. He then unlocked the door and jumped back in case one decided to open it.

As his coconspirators sneaked out of the room, he quickly jotted down an apology in case he had been wrong and slipped it under the bedroom door.

Just as he was about to leave, the note was slipped back with a response written.

You better book another suite for yourself. This one is ours now.

Thanks for locking us in together,

A & T

[star-spangled-eyes]

Dirty Mind: Part 3: Love Hurts

This alternate universe fan fiction uses characters created and owned by Pixelberry Studios. Character names, descriptions and likenesses are owned by Pixelberry Studios. Some dialogue and events in Book 1 of TRR are property of Pixelberry Studios. The MC, Bragnae Bennett, and story is created and owned by this author.

Book: The Royal Romance (Alternate Universe)

Alternate Universe Theme: Drake’s perspective  

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Bragnae Bennett – *pronounced Brawn-yah)

Warnings for this miniseries: NSFW, Adult content, suggestive and strong language, angst, sex (including character’s thoughts and innuendos)

Masterlist

A/N: I wrote this miniseries in the first person perspective of Drake Walker. It follows events in Book 1 of TRR, but not everything is as you’d remember it from the story. Some things have been altered to better fit this fanfic.

I really enjoyed getting into the brain of Drake, and I hope you like it too. He’s a stud, and I love his sexual, angsty mind.

Enjoy the conclusion! Thanks for reading!

Word Count for this chapter: 6144

Permatags: @burnsoslow @cora-nova @dcbbw @thorfosterlove @emceesynonymroll @edgiestwinter @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @msjr0119 @notoriouscs @drakewalker04 @pedudley @desiree-0816 @choices-lurker @kingliam2019 @loveellamae @drakexnadira @flutistbyday2020 @indiana-jr​ @yukinagato2012​ @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​

The next day I drove my truck to Ramsford earlier than I was scheduled to. Maxwell called me, frantic and desperate for help getting the estate prepped before the rest of court showed up the following day. Apparently their staff took the day off unbeknownst to the Brothers Beaumont, and there was a ton of shit to do.

Normally, I’d say no, but I’d grown closer to Maxwell over the past couple months and felt bad for the guy. Not to mention Bragnae would be there. I was excited to see her, but after I came back down to earth from my pleasured high of being with Bragnae, I realized what we’d done.

I couldn’t shake the doom and gloom feeling I had since this morning. I betrayed my best friend to be with his girl. I lost all sense and control and I shouldn’t have. I should have been stronger than that. I had plenty of opportunities to leave her room last night that I chose to ignore. I was a shitty friend. And worse yet, Liam didn’t even know. The poor guy had no clue I even liked her let alone that we shared an intimate experience last night.

How the fuck am I going to tell him? He’ll hate me forever. We didn’t technically have sex. Maybe he’ll be more forgiving of that. I sighed in disgust at myself. Who am I kidding? We both kissed, grinded and moaned our way to incredible orgasms that we both needed and craved from each other. Goddamn it.

When I arrived at the Beaumont estate, Bertrand told me to help Maxwell in the kitchen, so I headed there. I stepped into the room to see him and Bragnae standing across from each other with a counter in between them as they worked on what I assumed was a caviar appetizer. I’d been to enough of these fancy parties to recognize the pretentious delicacy all the nobles went nuts over.

“I’m here. What do you need me to do?”

“Drake! Oh, thank God!” Maxwell shouted. “Thanks for coming to help out.”

“Hey, Drake,” Bragnae said with a smile.

I gave her a side smirk and a quick nod, not wanting to make a big deal about it in front of Maxwell. I couldn’t trust myself around her now. Even if I smiled in her direction, I’d give myself away. I needed to get my head wrapped around the situation before I was ready to talk about it. No one could know until I talked to Liam.

I felt like an ass because I didn’t want her to feel like I changed my mind about her. Because I still very much cared for her. If given the choice of having Bragnae by my side or a bottle of cold water in a hot desert, I’d choose her every damn time. But, I failed as a best friend, and I needed to make that right despite my own happiness.

Maxwell typed something on his phone quickly before shoving it back in his pocket. “Bertrand said we have caterers for the rest of the food for tomorrow. Whew! Drake, why don’t you help me make the rest of these Jewels of the Sea as I’m calling them, and Bragnae, could you go help Bertrand with the cleaning?”

Dodged a bullet there. Even though I’d love to stand here and look at her, smelling her sweet perfume, it’s probably best she go somewhere else in the house.

“Sure thing!” She walked around the counter, and brushed her hand across my lower back as she left the kitchen. I hesitated, but watched her leave anyway. She had turned back and smiled at me before leaving the room.

I sighed and got back to work while Maxwell jabbered on like a monkey in a tree.

Later, I found myself arranging goddamn flowers in glass vases for the dining room. Me. Arranging flowers. I sighed. How the fuck do I get myself into these situations?

I heard Bertrand telling Bragnae to help me with the center pieces, and my heart skipped a beat. Goddamn it. I already missed her. It had been a few hours since I’d seen her around. Part of me wanted to pull her in close and never let go, but the other part of me wanted to keep my distance. Keeping her near would only hurt more in the long run. Fuck. I hated how complicated this got all of a sudden.

“Hey, Drake. I didn’t know you had a knack for arranging flowers like this.”

I kept my eyes on the vase in front of me as I responded. “Yeah, who knew? The things I do for you people.”

“Seems to me that you have a lot of hidden talents we all aren’t aware of. I wonder what else you can do.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her face tilted up to me with a bright smile. I had to look at her otherwise she’d suspect I was ignoring her.

So I did. Goddamn, she was pretty. I scoffed a laugh. “Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” Wait and see? When, idiot? You’re supposed to push her away, not give her little pieces of hope to cling to. I’m so bad at this.

“Well, I can’t wait.” She touched my arm. Her warmth sent a tingle down my spine. My heart beat faster and my breath quickened. All from one little touch. Jesus Christ.

“Lady Bragnae!” Bertrand shouted from across the room.

Startled, she whipped around to face him. “Yes?”

“Come here for a moment, please.”

Bragnae darted off to Bertrand, and I could breathe again. I needed a moment or two to myself. Now was my chance to sneak off. I quietly left the dining room and headed down the hall to the study. I shut the door behind me, and leaned against the wall. No sooner did I close my eyes did I hear the sound of high heels clicking down the hallway.

I sighed. Damn it. I opened the door as the footsteps approached to see Bragnae fill the door frame. She beamed as soon as she saw me.

“Hi! Can I come in?” She was incredibly enthusiastic, and too charming to deny. Shit.

“Of course.” I stepped aside and invited her in the study before closing the door behind her.

“Are you hiding out in here?”

“You could say that.”

“Well, this is perfect because I wanted to talk to you. First things first…” She said before reaching up to kiss me. No matter how much I tried to push her away, as soon as her lips hit mine, I couldn’t turn her down. I was an addict and her kisses were the drug. After a drawn out moment, she pulled back. “I’ve been waiting to do that all day.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her. “Me too.” It was the sad truth I couldn’t deny.

She rested her hands on my chest as she continued. “I decided I’m going to tell Liam that I’m withdrawing from the Social Season.”

“Why?” I kept my hands on her hips because I couldn’t resist not touching her.

“Because I want to be with you, Drake. Last night was amazing. I woke up with a big smile on my face this morning, and it won’t go away. I think about you all the time, and I’m always searching the crowd for your face. I’m so happy when I’m with you. And finding out that you also cared about me was like a dream come true.”

Her words humbled me. But how could she feel so strongly for me when she had Liam? “I’m glad to hear that I make you happy. Last night was… incredible for me as well. But maybe you shouldn’t make this decision now. Liam really likes you. I know he wants to pick you as his bride.” I cringed at the thought.

“I know, Drake. And that’s why I have to tell him before his coronation, so he’s not humiliated in front of the entire court when I decline his proposal.”

She was really set on this, but she wasn’t being practical. “I have nothing to offer you, Bragnae.” I couldn’t help the sadness that fell over my face.

“Drake, believe it or not, I didn’t come here to be queen. Going through all of this made me realize that I’m not really cut out for the job anyway. I’m independent, impatient, and sarcastic. I’m not very diplomatic either. I will always say what’s on my mind, and I don’t want to screw up something big for the country because of who I am. I truly have no interest in it.” She paused. “When Maxwell invited me to Cordonia, I was looking for an adventure to reignite my life. And I said yes because I also wanted to fall in love.”

That word. I drew back slightly, stunned a bit if I was being honest. I swallowed as I focused more intently on her face. “And did you?” I didn’t know what I wanted her answer to be. I cared for her very deeply, but was it love? My feelings for her were more than I’ve ever felt for anyone else. I wasn’t sure it was love, but I knew it was more than a crush.

Love was deep. Love was a commitment. Love was special. I’d never been in love before. It was never something I saw happening for myself even though I hoped to someday. With my life dedicated to Liam, there wasn’t time for relationships. Or maybe I just didn’t care to engage in them. Just one night stands. Sometimes even dragging some of those out to three or four dates if the sex was good.

“I’ll let you know.” She smiled at me. “I have to tell him sometime this weekend while we’re still in Ramsford. I’m sure things will get busy for him once we head back to the palace.” She stood on her toes again, pulling me in for another kiss. “I’ll find you later. I have to go help Bertrand with something.”

Before I could say anything more, Bragnae scurried out of the room leaving me with my thoughts. I walked over to a chair and slumped down into it. This was worse now. She was going to throw away a life of luxury and security just to be with me. I still couldn’t fathom it. Why would she do such a thing?

I’m nobody. Liam was everything.

Of course I wanted to be with her, but it just couldn’t happen. I couldn’t let it happen. Liam deserved to be happy, and he cared about her. Who was I to stand in his way?

My heart ached with a miserable heaviness as I realized what I was going to have to do. If she couldn’t see it, then I’d just have to tell her myself. We couldn’t be together.

Later that evening I found myself on the terrace sipping on some whiskey looking out at the stars over the vineyard. It was a beautiful night. A slight cool breeze came in occasionally, and crickets chirped in the distance. Being outdoors always helped to clear my head.

The conversation I needed to have with Bragnae, however, was taking its toll on me in every way imaginable. It was all I thought about since this afternoon. I dreaded it – the conversation I’d have to have with her and the aftershocks of it all. Having to see her as queen on the arm of my best friend. I didn’t think I’d have the strength for it.

Maybe I’d move away. I’d done it before when I went to college. I could do it again. Once Liam had Bragnae, he wouldn’t need me anymore.

I heard the hinges of the door creak, and my gut told me it was Bragnae. Sure enough, the very same clicks of heels from earlier could be heard as she made her way over to me. I took a deep breath and sat my glass of whiskey down before I turned to her.

“Hey, Bennett.” I couldn’t hide the agony on my face. She picked up on it immediately.

“What’s wrong, Drake? Are you okay?” She affectionately ran a hand down my arm.

Ugh. I didn’t even deserve that. She would hate me for this. “You can’t tell Liam, Bennett.”

A look of confusion contorted her face. “Why not?”

“You care for Liam, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“And he cares for you. You two would be great together.”

Her expression transformed into frustration and anger. “Drake, did you not listen to anything I told you earlier?”

“I did.”

She threw her hands up. “And yet, you’re still pushing me away.”

I sighed and looked to the ground for support. “He needs you.”

Bragnae took a step forward maneuvering her head to lock eyes with me again. “Don’t you need me, too? Don’t you want me? I mean… don’t you want to be with me?”

Yes to all of that – God, yes. I hated doing this to her. The hurt and pain on her face was almost too much to bear. I had to be strong. I had to finish this before I faltered. “Liam needs you more.”

My own words felt like a knife to my heart. I watched her eyes fill with tears, and I wanted to die. I’m doing this to her. I’m such a fucking asshole. “Bragnae, I’m sorry.” I reached out to touch her, but she moved away.

“No! Don’t fucking touch me. Don’t even talk to me anymore. You are such a coward, Drake.” Tears streamed down her face as she turned to go back inside.

I moved quickly in front of her, grabbing her shoulders. “I just don’t want you to make a mistake. You’d be throwing everything away just to be with me. And you deserve the best, Bragnae.”

“No, Drake. I deserve to be happy, and to be happy with who I want to be with. But it’s clear I’ll never have that.” She shrugged out of my hands and ran inside.

Great. That couldn’t have gone worse. I blew out a frustrated breath, and walked over to the table that held my whiskey. I knew I’d need this tonight. I threw back the rest in one gulp. My grip tightened around the glass as I thought about how I just hurt Bragnae, the one woman I ever truly cared about. And now she didn’t even want to me to talk to her.

The sting of tears pricked my own eyes as I looked out across the vineyard. In an attempt to give Liam and Bragnae a happier and more fulfilled life, I gave away all that I had. Not only would I not have the girl of my dreams, but she wanted nothing to do with me anymore.

Angry with myself, I threw the empty glass far into the vineyard, losing sight of it in the night. What the fuck is wrong with me?

~

A week had gone by since I last spoke with Bragnae. It felt longer. The amount of pain that I carried with me was insurmountable. When the rest of the court showed up in Ramsford the following day, it was clear Bragnae had lost that extra pep in her step. Even as she sat next to Liam, she’d put a smile on when addressing him and the king and queen, but as she turned back to her plate, her face fell.

I tried to approach her, but she walked away from me. I wanted so badly to console her, but I knew my presence was only making her feel worse. So, I honored her wishes and kept my distance. I didn’t try to speak with her, but I couldn’t stay away completely. I had to see her. I had to make sure she was safe. I wanted her to smile like she did before, but every time she did, I could tell it was forced.

Seven days had passed and not one look from her. Not one smile in my direction. Not even a middle finger from her telling me to fuck off. Hell, I’d take that just to know she still acknowledged my existence. Nothing. She had cut me out. I couldn’t blame her. I knew she hated me. I hated me, too.

I just wanted to talk to her again. It was such a shock to go from having her actively in my life every day to having nothing. I missed her. I missed the way she laughed at my sarcastic jokes. I missed the way she never let me get away with anything. I missed her touch.

I would think of the way she kissed me, and let the thought of it whisk me off to sleep at night hoping for pleasant dreams of her. That never worked. Even my subconscious was punishing me for my actions with restless sleep and nightmares of losing Bragnae.

In that time, however, I found solace in the fact that I realized I was in love with her. Having her cut me out like that forced my head out of my ass long enough to recognize how deeply I cared for her. I was happy to know I was capable of falling in love with someone, but I berated myself for figuring it out too late.

Given the chance now, I would never give her up like I did back in Ramsford. She had opened her heart to me that day, and instead of embracing her affections, I stomped on it telling her what I thought she wanted and needed. I was a real dick.

I wish I could change the past or even apologize now to try to win her back, but she wouldn’t even allow me near her without finding some excuse to leave the room. I screwed up big time. And now I have to live with it. I only wish that she would find the happiness she deserves.

I straightened my tie, and looked myself over in the mirror. I put on a suit tonight for Liam’s coronation. It’d been a long time since I wore a suit, but tonight meant something to my best friend, and I didn’t want to disappoint him.

I considered not going at all. I wasn’t sure how I could handle seeing Bragnae accept his proposal. She was still in the running for his hand. The press would have announced it if she withdrew her standing. So, that must have meant that she considered being with Liam after all. Good for her.

After everything I’d been through to get to this moment, I decided I had to show up and support Liam no matter how uncomfortable I was.

I made my way to the ballroom. There was still an hour until King Constantine turned the throne over to his son. I dragged out the night as long as I could, but it was time to make my appearance. As I walked down the hallway, a door opened to my right, and a shimmering gold dress got my eye. I turned to see Bragnae standing there frozen in place.

She was a sight to be seen. The golden sparkles in her dress brought out the amber in her eyes, and her silky hair was pulled into an elegant side-do. She looked magnificent.

“Hi, Bragnae,” I said softly. My nerves got the best of my voice, or perhaps I spoke that way out of fear that I’d spook her. I just wanted to spend five minutes with her without her running away.

She stood there staring at me, not saying a word. Her eyes scanned the length of my body undoubtedly surprised to see me in a suit. She pursed her lips together and straightened her posture keeping her walls up for protection. It was understandable, but it hurt that she felt she needed protection from me. But at least she hadn’t run off yet. These 30 seconds had been the longest I’d spent face to face with her since Ramsford. I’d happily take it.

“You look very nice,” I said, trying to break the ice.

Her mouth opened as if she was going to speak, but she blew out a ragged breath instead. Her expression left its resolute phase and became one of torment. It was hard to see her like that knowing it was my fault.

I took a small step towards her. “Bragnae, I’m sorry.”

I barely got the words out before she turned on her heel and walked towards the ballroom. My head hung in defeat as I stood in her jilted wake. I should have told her I loved her, but it probably wouldn’t have been received well. I just wanted her to know.

Twenty minutes and a glass of whiskey later, I was hanging out in the corner of the ballroom watching the crowd gather in anticipation of not only seeing a new king crowned, but to find out which of the suitors Liam was going to choose. Madeleine, Olivia and Bragnae were considered the top contenders.

The king and queen obviously favored Madeleine. The press adored both Olivia and Bragnae, but the people seemed to rally more around Bragnae. All of those factors including the recommendation of the Royal Council, and of course, Liam’s favorite were all taken into consideration for who the next queen would be.

I hadn’t seen much of Liam over the past week. He had been extremely busy getting ready for tonight, but when we did have the chance to hang out, he told me Bragnae was the one. At that point, he’d only had Constantine and Regina to convince. Everyone else supported his decision to choose her.

Now, it was just a matter of time. As the clock ran down, the crowd started to form around the stage. I moved closer too, spotting Hana. As I sidled up next to her, I noticed she was crying.

“Hana, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

She sniffled and wiped her eyes before turning to me. “Yes, I’ll be fine. I just found out Bragnae’s leaving Cordonia tonight.”

“What? Why? Had she been planning this?”

Hana shook her head. “No, she made the decision just a little bit ago.”

“Does Liam know this?” I scanned the room for Liam, but didn’t see him.

“Yes. She told him after they danced. Now, she’s in her room packing. I’m just so sad she’s leaving, Drake.”

“Fuck.”

Hana winced. “Drake.”

“I’m sorry, Hana,” I said, patting her shoulder. “I have to go find Liam.” Before she could reply, I was working my way through the crowd to find him. I had to get to him fast to explain everything, so I could stop Bragnae before she left. This had to be done right.

I’m sure Liam was crushed, and he had to know I was the reason. I spotted Bastien standing near an entrance to a private room for the royals in the far corner. I ran over to him immediately.

“Bastien, do you know where Liam is? I need to speak with him.”

“He’s taking a moment to himself before the coronation, Drake. It will have to wait.”

I stepped closer to him. “Please, Bastien. It’s important. I wouldn’t bug you if it wasn’t.”

Bastien looked around the room and sighed. “Okay, but make it quick.” He turned to unlock the door behind him to let me in.

“Thanks, Bastien. I owe you.” I clapped him on the shoulder, and made my way inside the private suite.

“Liam?” I called out to him as I navigated through a small hallway.

“Drake? Is that you?”

I turned the corner to see Liam dressed in his royal regalia slouched in a chair at a table with a drink in his hand. He looked depressed as fuck. God, what a mess I’ve made.

“Liam, I need to talk to you.” I pulled out the chair next to him and took a seat.

“I’m not in the mood, Drake.” He took a sip of his drink. Liam favored scotch. I’m sure that’s what filled his glass.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Look, I know why you’re upset, and it’s because of me.”

He turned to look at me with a bewildered expression. “What are you talking about?”

“Bragnae withdrew from consideration tonight, right?”

He took another sip. “Yeah, she did. Now, I don’t know what the fuck I’m going to do. I have twenty minutes before I’m crowned fucking king of this country, and the woman I was going to ask to marry me just told me she’s moving back home. I can’t believe it, Drake. I didn’t see this coming.” Liam shook his head, and took another swig of his scotch. After another moment he returned his attention to me. “Why is it your fault?”

My stomach rolled at the thought of hurting my friend. But time was of the essence, and I needed to tell him the truth. “I’m in love with her, Liam.”

He straightened in his chair. “Say again?”

“I’m in love with Bragnae. I’ve had feelings for her for some time, and about a week ago, I found out that she reciprocated those feelings.” I proceeded with caution despite the anger slowly consuming his eyes. “I know this is hard to hear, and I’m sorry that I have to tell you all of this. She wanted to be with me, but I told her she needed to be with you instead. I knew she cared about you, and I knew how much you cared about her. I thought I was making the right decision by insisting that she stay in the running as a suitor.”

“What the fuck, Drake?” Liam said with a raised voice, slamming his glass on the table.

“I know. I’m a monumental prick.”

Liam abruptly stood from the table, and walked a few paces away, keeping his back to me.

“Liam, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t want this to affect your coronation, but I just found out that she’s planning to leave, so—.”

He whipped around to face me, cutting me off mid-sentence. “Did you kiss her?”

“Yes.” I wasn’t going to lie to him.

Liam glared at me. His breathing became heavy. “Did you fuck her?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but hesitated trying to think of the best way to respond. “Sort of.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” He was growing irate by the second.

I sighed. The clock was ticking. I had no idea how fast Bragnae would pack, and I needed to get this conversation over with. “Look, I’m not going to get into those details with you. Let’s just say I’ve never been inside her, and we’ll leave it at that.” God, I hope he accepts that answer. I’m completely at his mercy right now.

He crossed his arms over his chest, still burning holes through me with his piercing blue eyes. “You asshole.”

I dropped my eyes to the table. “I know. I’m the biggest asshole on the planet.” I stood to face him properly. “I know you must hate me right now, and that’s okay. I should have been more honest with you about how I felt about her, but I didn’t want to stand in the way of your happiness. I thought I’d just get over it. I knew you liked her, and I’d do anything for you including push my feelings for her to the side. You’re my brother.” I swallowed in an attempt to clear the lump of emotion forming in my throat.

“I tried to bury my feelings for her. I was prepared to be unhappy for the rest of my life knowing you’d have the girl of your dreams, but then…Bragnae told me how she felt about me, and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I’m in love with her, Liam. And because I pushed her away and told her to be with you, she has since cut me out. She won’t even talk to me.” Tears started to form in my eyes for God’s sake. “And now she’s packing to go back to New York. I need to stop her, and tell her I love her.”

“How are you going to do that if she won’t speak to you?” His demeanor was calmer now. Perhaps because I was showing sappy emotion for the first time since he’d known me made him see this was a serious situation. This gave me hope.

“She can at least listen, right? I’ve gotta try, Liam.” I took a deep breath. “But I can’t do that unless I have your blessing. I know it’s a lot to ask, but it’s important to me.”

Liam lowered his gaze to the ground, and worked his jaw as he considered my request. He was silent for a long moment before he looked at me again. “She and I never did anything more than kiss. I wanted to, believe me. I even tried to lead her in that direction a couple times, but she always declined.”

That’s… a relief. But why was he telling me this?

“She’s the first girl that’s ever told me no. I told myself she just wanted to wait until she was officially mine, but it wasn’t that at all.” He smirked as he looked me over. “But she was willing to do… whatever it was that you two did together with you, so she must care about you.”

“Liam, I’m so—.”

He held up his hand, taking another moment of contemplative silence. He already had a commanding presence, and he wasn’t even king yet. “In all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never once heard you speak of a woman this way. Nor have I seen you get so emotional over one.” He looked me over and smirked. “Cry baby.”

I grinned at his teasing remark.

He took a step closer to me. “You have my blessing.”

I closed my eyes, blowing out a breath of relief. “Thank you, Liam.”

“You’re welcome. Now, go get your girl.”

“Right.” I spun around to leave the room almost losing my footing.

“And Drake?” Liam called as I was about to round the corner. I turned to face him again. “Good luck.”

A smile transformed my lips. “Thanks. Oh, and I’m really sorry I’m going to have miss your coronation. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Yes, you will,” he replied light-heartedly. “Get the hell outta here already, would ya?”

“I’m gone!” And with that, I turned tail and left the royal suite.

I pushed my way through the growing crowds until I made my way out of the ballroom. Thankfully everyone was corralled there, which made the hallways clear. I could run without any interference.

And run I did. And I didn’t stop until I got to Bragnae’s room. Taking only a second to catch my breath, I knocked on her door. And waited. I knocked again. My mind raced through all the possible locations she could be if she wasn’t in her room. I had to have a plan B, C, D… whatever it took. I needed to find her before she left. If I had to stand on the fucking runway itself, I would.

I knocked a third time. “Bragnae? Are you in there? Please open up if you are.” I laid my head against her door. Fuck. Okay. New plan. I’d have check the front of the palace to see if the guards knew if she’d left yet.

As I turned to leave, I was stunned to see Bragnae standing in my path. She had changed out of her gown and into jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Her hand rested on the extended handle of her suitcase.

“I forgot my phone charger.” It was so good to hear her sweet voice spoken in my direction again.

“Don’t leave, Bragnae. Please.”

She blew out an exasperated breath as she walked toward me – rather, she walked toward her door. I stepped out of her way as she unlocked it and opened the door. This was a good idea. At least we’d have some privacy and I could tell her how I felt. She tried to shut the door on me, but I pushed it open anyway, and followed her in.

I shut the door behind me and stood in front of it. I watched her walk over to her bed side table and pull a charger cord out of the drawer. She shoved it in her purse, and cocked her hip when she saw I was blocking her path.

“What are you doing? I have a flight to catch. Can you please move?” She was annoyed, and tried to hide the emotion in her voice, but I heard it anyway.

“No.” She sighed at my response. “Not until you hear what I have to say.”

She relented, exhaling a deep breath. “Fine. Make it quick.”

“Put your bags down.” She started to protest as I walked towards her, taking the purse off her shoulder and tossing it on the bed. I yanked the suitcase handle out of her grip and rolled it away. “I want your attention on me, not your flight.”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest putting up the last piece of armor she had left. “What do you want, Drake?” Her voice shook a little, and definitely lacked the fiery zing it had just a few minutes ago.

I put my hands on the sides of her arms stepping closer to her. She turned her head slightly, but didn’t move out of my touch. “I wanted to tell you how sorry I was for being an idiot. For denying your affections and making you feel unwanted. And for any pain or hurt I caused you.” I tilted my head to the side to catch her eye. “I was wrong. And every day since then I’ve regretted my words.” Goddamn these emotions! The lump in my throat returned as I continued.

“Not having you in my life over this past week has been torture. I missed your smile, the way you laugh. I wasn’t happy at all because I knew you weren’t. You were right, Bragnae. You do deserve to be happy, and I want you to have that no matter what. If you need to leave Cordonia to be happy again, then I won’t stop you. But you have to know something first.” I took a deep breath, and poured all of my energy and feelings into my words. “I love you, Bragnae Bennett.”

Her mouth fell open as she inhaled a sharp breath. “You do?” She barely squeaked out the two words.

I smiled. “Yeah, I do. I have for some time, but I didn’t realize it until after I’d hurt you. And I’m sorry for that.” I took another step closer, lightly tugging on her arms to loosen them, so I could hold her hands. “Bragnae, you’re an amazing woman. I love everything about you, and I know I can’t live without you in my life. I’m not strong enough. And if you decide to stay in Cordonia, I’ll do whatever I have to do to show you how much I care about you.”

Bragnae took in another breath. “Say it again.”

I paused, giving her a questioning look. “Which part?”

“That you love me.”

I grinned, standing so close to her our chests touched. She had to tilt her head back just to look at me. “Bragnae Bennett, I love you. And I will always love you.”

Her eyes glistened with emotion. “I love you, too, Drake.”

My body filled with goosebumps hearing her reply. I smiled, stroking the side of her face with my finger. “Your love means the world to me. And I will never take it for granted.”

“Good.” She ran her hands up my chest, forming a loop at the base of my neck. “So, kiss me already.”

“Yes, ma’am.” We met in the middle as our lips connected in one of the most wonderful and fulfilling kisses two people could share. As the kiss deepened, I lifted her up and walked over to the bed to sit down with Bragnae in my lap. “This brings back pleasant memories.” I was getting turned on just thinking about it.

She giggled. “And we’ll make plenty more.”

“So, does that mean you’re going to stay in Cordonia?”

Bragnae outlined my jaw with her finger. “There’s no way I’m leaving you.”

“Good answer.” Our lips came together again as we both fell back on the bed getting lost in our love and desire for each other.

[adrrianraines]

choose me.

—chapter i. | chapter ii. | chapter iii.

genre: romance

fandom: playchoices: the royal romance

pairing: LiamxMC (Riley Brooks)

disclaimer:

characters used are owned rightfully by pixelberry. all rights reserved. this is a trr UA (universe alteration) original idea storyline. unlike an AU or Alternate Universe, Universe Alterations or UAs are set in the canon universe, but with "alterations" to accommodate the plot.

grammatical errors, misspellings & typographical errors that i might have overlooked are to be expected. – thank u for doing the proofreading with me, @bi-cookie 😘 really appreciate it. as always, special thanks love. ♡

taglist:

– of course, hmu if u wanna be tagged for an update! lovely people who wanna be tagged in this mess, thank you! ✨

@miss-raleigh-carrera @sunandlemons @wolfychoices @juminssi @onomatorina @ao719 @vaticanwaltz @texaskitten30 @princess-geek @janezillow @cordoniaqueensworld

Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker? — Garth Nix, Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1)

Breathe. Calm down. Concentrate.

A King would never falter in the face of adversaries. This is a minor setback. You can fix this.

Braving a face, Liam squared his shoulders, eyes fixated upon his reflection in the mirror. He stood still for a few minutes, trying to make sense of what was happening. Not less than 24 hours ago, he was at home, with a lovely pregnant wife, in Valtoria. And now, by some weird phenomena that he couldn’t fathom, he’s back at exactly where he was before he married his wife.

Riley. Somewhere in New York City.

Sighing, his hands made a quick work of his collar and then his jacket before he proceeded to present himself. Apparently, from what he’d gathered so far, he’s at the exact hotel where he and his friends stayed for vacation in America. Upon reaching the bedroom, he was welcomed by the sight of Drake sitting on one of the sofas, hands carelessly maneuvering the remote control in his hand. Maxwell was on the phone making a call just beside the large curtained windows.

Drake turned towards Liam, his scrutinizing gaze carefully studying the other. Liam assured his friend by giving a small and calm smile before clearing his throat to get Maxwell’s attention. Maxwell turned and raised his hand for a thumbs up while ending the call.

“Great! Tariq’s waiting for us downstairs. We’ll hit the restaurant first then tour New York after!” The Beaumont Lord grinned and strode towards the two men. He clapped his hand on Liam’s shoulders and smiled warmly. “I’ll make sure you’ll have the best night of your life, Liam! You’re in for a treat with the great Maxwell Beaumont’s Bachelor Paartttyy Express!”

Liam nodded, still unable to properly process the sudden turn of events. If he wants this figured out, he should gather all clues that would present themselves at his mercy then make use of it to his advantage.

Drake rolled his eyes at the other’s antics before propping himself up. “Guess this is the part where we enthusiastically shout ‘yay’ and hope to have a great time.”

Maxwell feigned an offended gasp. “You’re talking to the greatest entertainment master! Of course you’ll be in for a treat!”

Drake shrugged and moved towards the door. Liam followed silently while trying to recall how his first Bachelor Party went.

He met Riley at a small bar. She was working for that sudden stop they had at his last night in America.

Last Night... Therefore... He has a chance of meeting her tonight!

With a determined resolve, Liam figured a way of how to make sure he meets Riley and recreate the exact same moment of their first encounter. From what he gathered so far, if he was indeed jostled back, he needed to make sure everything played out exactly as what had transpired back then.

He halted, which made the two men stop and turn to look at him in question.

Somehow, they need to really make a stop at her bar. At all costs.

“Maxwell.” Liam’s deep baritone immediately made the other attentive. “I know you’ve got the entire night planned out and I entirely appreciate you for it. But perhaps, we can make a little detour towards a place I want to visit? If the itinerary so graciously allow...”

Drake crossed his arms, interested on how this could be handled. Clearly, he knew that Liam was not the one who would continually insist if the plan didn’t involve a certain matter at hand — considering how Maxwell behaves with regards to events he already have planned out.

Maxwell’s face fell, suddenly feeling sorry. “Aw, man. I know you wanna go to the Statue of Liberty but our time is really limited.”

Liam’s eyes perked up as he smiled. “Oh, no. That’s... not particularly what I have in mind.”

Because he already knew how the night would play out if he laid his cards right.

“This... is your last stop?” Maxwell looked incredulously over Liam, as if he had just knocked his head on the concrete and somehow survived but lost a few brain cells or two after.

“I believe it is a quaint little find.” He commented, his heart hammering loudly in quiet excitement. Riley was only a few meters and a few seconds away from him.

Maxwell grinned brightly. “Quaint? This is fantastic! How were you able to find it? Wait...” Then he eyed Liam suspiciously. “Are you after my own title as the world’s greatest party planner?”

Drake scoffed so hard he ended up coughing. Tariq only rolled his eyes. “I believe Prince Liam would never want such title.”

“Still, I’m impressed.” Drake smiled and nodded towards the entrance of the bar. “A greasy joint with local alcohol. Great find.”

Liam nodded, pleased with how he was able to control the events so far. He religiously followed Maxwell’s itinerary for the night, though he made a few arrangements of what was supposed to happen, such as suggesting the bar ahead of time. Still, he was glad they were able to find themselves outside Riley’s workplace. Just in time like before.

The guys went on ahead with excited chatters, still under the merriment from their previous clamoring adventures before they stumbled upon the bar. Liam remained outside for a bit just to gather his thoughts.

The very idea of the possibility of time travel tugged the back of his mind. After all, surely, he didn’t just dream a fantasy of his own wife and marriage. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be promising for the King of Cordonia to be suffering from such hallucinations. If there were any.

It was real. Even if nobody around him can vouch for it, he was certain. Everything was real.

However, when he finally entered the place, anticipating to see Riley waiting their group just like how it was supposed to be, he paused on his tracks.

The scenario played out differently than before.

“Daniel?” He whispered loud enough that the lad, who if he recalls correctly was Riley’s coworker, could hear. Daniel turned and raised a brow towards Liam, surprised at how he was able to know his name. Which, in due circumstances, sounded suspicious and alarming. Liam clammed his mouth shut but his mind was already in hyper drive. Millions of questions flooded like raging wildfire – and it wasn’t the most ideal set.

“Uh, how can I help you, er, sir...?” Daniel asked just as Maxwell moved to make space for Liam.

It took him quite a bit to process his thoughts but thankfully, he was able to gather himself. “My apologies. I’m with them.” Liam pointed towards their table as Daniel nodded slowly.

“Hey, lots of whiskey, alright?” Drake called in, drawing back Daniel’s attention. The waiter nodded then scrambled to immediately cater the order.

“I suppose a deluxe burger wouldn’t hurt...” Tariq’s disappointed voice said as he laid back against the withered leather couch they were sitting at. Liam gingerly walked over to the empty pace beside Maxwell and sat. Despite the lively chatters of his companions, his mind reeled back to the course of events.

Why was it not Riley who was waiting their table? He was certain that it should’ve been her. After all, how would they meet each other if she was not the one who took care of them? It was the key moment that should happen! Liam clenched his fists in frustration, unable to find answers for his questions.

“Liven up! It’s about damn time you all know how to live like a local.” Drake smirked just as the first round of whiskey were delivered.

Fried food and the faint smoke of something being grilled wafted in the air. Only men stood behind the bar counter.

She was nowhere to be found.

Disappointment and confusion infused in his system due to his inability to correctly follow through the course of events. The men were getting rowdy and they were getting more demanding. When alcohol finally hit his companions’ system and they were starting to loosen up, he stood and excused himself, in the guise of asking about their orders.

He needed to breathe. Without much of a second glance, he went straight towards the door. Liam stepped out to the crisp, chilly night breeze, taking in the glitz and glamour of the city lights before him. But somehow, with no clue to lead him, he felt more alone than when he first came to New York.

It was excruciating, to be feeling both complete helplessness and loneliness in a lively city. Without Riley by his side, with suddenly being thrown into such predicaments, with only so much that he can understand.

Just then, he heard movements from behind, followed by heavy footsteps and a grumbling voice. Alarmed because of his lack of security and in a completely foreign country, he turned to take a look, ready to take action. But to his surprise, it was... completely something else. Or someone.

Liam’s eyes widened in shock that almost knocked his winds out.

The stranger halted, trash dangling midair, mouth in a thin line. 

Liam’s heart pounded rabidly against his chest. It was as if everything zoned out around them.

There was nothing else but the faint sounds of footsteps from the street, a few car horns in the distance and the smooth breeze in the air.

“Riley...” Her named rolled off his tongue, the familiarity almost crushing his rib cage. It was a mix of being excited and being afraid. Riley stared back at him with no hint of recognition. At all. As if he was a stranger she never met in her entire life.

Riley seemed to be taken aback but was quick to recover. She settled the garbage down and cautiously inched away from Liam with her brows furrowed in suspicion.

“Who are you?” Her voice drawled. Liam almost choked. He did his very best to maintain a friendly, neutral expression but his resolve slipped almost immediately.

“I...” He began, only to nimbly locate the correct words he needed to use. He paused as he tried to gather himself. But before he could even speak—

“If you try something funny, I won’t hesitate—” She fired with vitality in her voice it almost made his heart do a somersault.

Liam wanted to laugh at his hasty and unplanned actions. Approach the woman who owns you completely as a stranger she never met in her life, just beside a local dumpster. Brilliant.

“My apologies. I...” Thinking of a quick excuse, he blurted out the very first thing that came to mind. “I was wondering if you needed any help?” He immediately regretted it.

Riley snorted in amusement and Liam wanted to mentally smack himself. Riley still has that effect on him. She was always able to surprise him in more ways than possible, which rendered him speechless half of the time. He’s still undeniably in awe.

“Yeah... right. How gentlemanly of you to offer that to a stranger you met at a dumpster.” Riley laughed and proceeded to throw the garbage bags in the bins. When she finished, she turned to meet Liam’s gaze squarely and crossed her arms over her chest. She raised a brow, as if asking him something.

He swallowed and smiled sheepishly. “Charmed to meet you, then?”

“I’m not sure how you know my name but we can talk out in the front if you’d like.” She gave him a half-smile that made her eyes twinkle.

Liam couldn’t suppress a smile of his own while he gently nodded in agreement. He felt giddy all over, as if his spirits were lifted up in the air.

“That sounds like a good plan.” He chimed.

She grinned. He returned the gesture like a lovesick boy.

“Meet me inside.”

“As you wish.”

And as he followed her inside, he momentarily looked at his reflection on the mirrored windows of the bar. He paused in his tracks, almost too tired of the many surprises he’s had.

For there was the very same rectangular-shaped bar just a few inches on top of his head, but somehow, unlike Maxwell’s and Drake’s, his was filled with a quarter of color red.