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Simon shrugged off the caution with a chuckle. “What’s the harm? It’s just work. You know I don’t mind telling people we’re winemakers.” He beamed with pride. “We own a very popular wine tasting room on the Adriatic coast, in a little town called Izola. Winemaking has been in our family for three generations! You should drop by sometime for a glass of Syrah.”
Daphne pointed to the two of them. “Sabrina and Simon sell Syrah by the seashore!”
“What a tongue twister!” Sabrina said with a proud smile. “But Simon is serious. You are more than welcome to visit us in Slovenia. The more the merrier.”
“We just might do that,” I declared, feeling the moment was ripe for a bit of the truth. “And since we’re all sharing, I might as well tell you—I’m actually set to be the future king of Verdana.”
Simon burst into laughter. “You sure aim high. Reach for the stars! And I’m the king of the universe!” He wiped away a tear, completely unaware that I wasn’t joking. “We’re going to love spending time with you all!”
Sabrina clapped her hands with delight. “Oh, absolutely! What a delightful sense of humor!” She turned to Veronica with a playful grin. “And who are you? The future queen?”
“Yes,” I chimed in, just as Veronica firmly said, “No.”
Veronica’s eyebrows arched defiantly. “Sorry, but I plan to marry for love, not just to fill a royal vacancy.”
“I’m also planning to marry for love,” I asserted. “And I believe I’ve found the woman who perfectly complements me.”
She scoffed. “Well, good luck with that. Women want a man who stands by her in tough times, not someone who disappears when difficulties arise.”
“My ideal woman would understand that everyone makes mistakes,” I retorted smoothly. “She knows that perfection is just a myth, and that true love is rarely a straight path.”
Sabrina’s laughter sliced through any lingering tension. “Oh, these two really are stars in their own royal drama! Keep going!”
“This is better than improv theater!” Simon said.
“It all boils down to trust,” I added thoughtfully.
“Trust is like Wi-Fi—best when it’s strong and reliable,” Veronica said.
“But even the best Wi-Fi has its dead zones,” I continued the metaphor. “We sometimes need to make adjustments to get the best results.”
“I’m sold!” said Simon. “You two are amazing actors. It seemed so realistic to me, like we were right in the middle of some live reality show.” He shook his head and chuckled, then glanced at Caleb and Daphne. “And what about you two? Are you also royalty?”
Caleb grinned. “Of course! I’m a prince and she is my soon-to-be princess.”
Daphne rolled her eyes at his declaration. “I’m far too old for fairy tales.”
“Hardly …” Caleb said, undeterred by her skepticism. “There is no shame whatsoever in having orthopedic inserts in your glass slippers. I find them quite endearing!”
Daphne chuckled, shaking her head. “Just as I find it so adorable that you finally started shaving this year! How long did it take you to remove that one hair?”
“It came right off without a fight!” Caleb laughed and slid his hand across the side of his face. “Smooth as ever. Care to see for yourself? You’re allowed to touch.”
Daphne pretended to ponder this for a moment, then replied with a smirk. “I’m also allowed to say no.”
“You just need to release your inhibitions and get out of your head,” he said. “You’ll come around after another dawa.”
Daphne raised an eyebrow, a playful gleam in her eye. “It takes more than a couple of drinks and smooth cheeks to win over this heart.”
“I’m listening,” Caleb said. “Tell me everything I need to know. Don’t leave out anything.”
“We’ll be up all night,” she said.
His eyes lit up. “That is all I ever wished for.”
Sabrina clapped her hands together with a laugh. “You two are just as wonderful!”
“I agree,” Simon said. “This trip just got so much better! We’ll be entertained, for sure.”
