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I licked my lips. “I’m a little nervous. I’ve never met a duchess before.”
“Just be yourself. She’ll love you.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
“Then she’s a fool.”
We arrived at the restaurant ahead of Kris and Duchess Arianna. I’d never seen a more luxurious place. Aromatic scents filled the air, the soft golden glow of dim lights illuminating the whole floor. Conversation from other tables never exceeded more than a polite murmur, the occasional clinking of silverware against expensive porcelain plates adding to the overall ambience.
Duchess Arianna De Aguente was hard to miss. She looked almost exactly like me. We were the same height, the same build, and we had very similar hair color and length. But she walked with impeccable posture and an air of importance that demanded everyone’s attention. What I focused on most, however, wasn’t the color of her beautiful red silk dress or the fine jewelry that decorated her slim neck and ears, but the way she had her arm hooked around Kris’.
A strange pang of jealousy settled in my chest. I wasn’t sure why seeing her hanging off of his arm bothered me so much. A part of me wished to swap places, even for just a moment, for no other reason except that I wanted to.
“You must be Samina,” the duchess said. Her voice was smooth like velvet.
I managed to curtsy gracefully without accidentally falling over myself. “It’s very lovely to meet you, your grace.”
She waved a hand dismissively. “Please, just call me Arianna. I suspect we’ll get to know each other very well once we get to Macau. We might as well put formalities aside sooner rather than later.”
“Macau?” I asked as we took our seats around the table. I was seated directly across from her, sandwiched in between Liam and Charlie. Adam and Kris sat on opposite sides of the duchess, effectively mirroring our positions at the table for six.
“Oh, yes,” she continued. “I originally wanted to host my gala in Hawaii, but I’m not very fond of mosquitos. I made the last-minute switch to Macau.”
“What’s this about a gala?”
“I’m hoping to host it as a sort of networking opportunity. I’m sure Kris has informed you of my interest in dipping my toes into the clean energy sector.”
“Yes, I’d heard. I think it’s very impressive.”
“I do, too.” Her blue eyes glimmered. “Macau is the perfect place to meet potential investors. Plus, it’s very beautiful there this time of year. That may or may not have had something to do with my decision-making process. Charlie’s been so patient with me in that regard. I’m sure it must have been a hassle waiting on me to make a choice with regards to location.”
Charlie bowed his head slightly. “It’s no hassle at all. I’m already in the process of securing our flights.”
“Private, I do hope?”
“Of course. We won’t be dealing with the public. I’ve chartered two private jets for the trip there and back. You’ll be riding with Kris and Liam while Sam rides with Adam and me. With two separate flights, we’ll be minimizing the risk of any potential tails. I’ll have a local team in place to minimize any run-ins with the press.”
Arianna clapped her hands and squealed excitedly. “Excellent. I’m already in the tail end of the planning stages. I’ll be hosting the gala on February 14th.”
“Valentine’s Day?” I asked.
My stomach clenched. February fourteenth always made me a little… Well, uncomfortably reminiscent. Every year for the past five years, I’ve spent the day alone. I always found myself thinking back to the night I met Kris, the night that ultimately changed my life and gifted me with Max. But I’d be lying if I said it was easy to get through the day knowing that I was still single, raising my baby boy without knowing where his father was.
Except this year, I know exactly where to find him.
“Oh, I suppose it is,” Arianna said with a light laugh. “I’d totally forgotten. Perhaps I can convince my event organizer to incorporate the date into the theme… I’ll have to think about it some more. Thank you for the suggestion, Sam. May I call you Sam? Kris has been talking about you so much that I feel like we’re friends already.”
I glanced at Kris out of the corner of my eye. “He talks about me?”
The duchess grinned. “Almost exclusively.”
“Interesting.”
Kris cleared his throat. “Shall we order, your grace?”
“Yes, let’s.”
I browsed the menu, nibbling on my bottom lip as I glanced over the prices. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be eating at someplace so expensive. I instinctively searched for the cheapest items on the menu and spotted a bowl of soup for fifteen dollars.
