AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Turning to follow his gaze, my heart sank as a police officer strode determinedly towards our table.
“You!” he barked, pointing directly at me. “You’re under arrest.”
“Not this again,” I muttered, the prospect of another police station visit skewing between ridiculous and unbearable.
“For what this time?” I asked.
“Indecent exposure,” he announced sternly.
I let out a laugh, more out of disbelief than amusement. “Since when is it a crime to show a bit of chest?”
“It’s not your chest that’s the problem,” he retorted, nodding toward my lower half.
Following his gaze, I glanced down at my pants, noticing for the first time the bloodstains and the gaping tears from the barbed wire revealing far too much, including most of my boxer briefs.
I couldn’t help but laugh, albeit nervously, then asked, “Any chance my diplomatic papers cover wardrobe malfunctions?”
“This is Prince August of Verdana!” Veronica proclaimed with a finger in the air.
The officer’s demeanor shifted, his tone suddenly cheerful. “Ah, the naked prince on the beach! I heard about you! You’ll be quite the legend here in Zanzibar!”
Just what I want to be known for.
“Don’t move!” the officer said, rushing over to the chef preparing grilled sweet potatoes, then saying something to him in Swahili.
“What’s he up to?” I murmured.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Veronica replied.
Simon’s grin widened. “Perhaps he’s fetching you another plate of food.”
The officer returned, not with food, but with a clean tablecloth. With surprising gentleness, he wrapped it around my waist, securing it like a makeshift sarong. Not stopping there, he removed his police jacket and held it out to me. I slipped my arms through, and then he adjusted the lapel before stepping back to admire his handiwork and nod his approval.
“Now you’re decent enough for Zanzibar!” he said.
Veronica snort-laughed. “Decent enough for the royal ball.”
“Just lovely,” Sabrina added, her smile filled with amusement.
Caleb smirked. “You look like a member of the Village People. Can you sing ‘YMCA’ for us?”
As laughter erupted around the table, I felt a mix of embarrassment and amusement. Some people at other tables also laughed and pulled out their phones, aiming them right at me.
I sighed. “Okay, forget about that drink. Just bring me the bottle.”
Chapter Fifteen
Princess Veronica
The Next Day …
Daphne and I sat on our suite’s balcony, soaking in the rhythmic crash of ocean waves below. We recapped our day so far—a hearty buffet breakfast followed by a stroll along the shore, then a fascinating tour of a spice farm nestled in the lush Masingini forest outside Stone Town. As someone passionate about agriculture, I reveled in the chance to connect with such fertile land.
Throughout the tour, my exchanges with August had subtly mended some of the distance between us, nudging us closer to the ease we used to share. It felt both comforting and unsettling at the same time.
Daphne leaned back in her chair and cradled her third cup of coffee of the day, her eyes reflecting a hint of curiosity as she glanced over at me without speaking.
“What are you thinking?” I asked.
