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“We sat next to each other at the summit in Switzerland last month. It was just so dry and boring, and I couldn’t stop yawning. He noticed and sent me silly notes to keep me awake. Then we sat at the same table for dinner and got to talking.”
“How did Francois and Herbert not see you with him?”
“Because it was completely innocent. I mean, it’s not like we made out at the table or anything. We just chatted. And then he walked me to my hotel room.”
“With Francois and Herbert right behind you.”
Lina rolled her eyes. “Of course. Where else would they be?” It wasn’t like she disliked her bodyguards. They were sweet and more like family than just guards, since they’d been guarding her for much of her life, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t like some privacy to just be a normal girl who liked a normal guy.
“But if there’s a romance, surely you two have been alone together.”
Lina could feel her face heat up with a blush. “Only briefly. We’ve managed a few minutes here and there.”
“Annnnnd?”
“And we kissed for a bit.”
“Was it nice?”
“Very.”
“What’s he like?”
“He’s funny and sweet. Super smart. I mean, like, brilliant.”
“And the fact that he’s incredibly handsome doesn’t hurt.”
“No, it does not. That’s not the reason I like him…but…” She smiled, remembering how she had gazed up at him and wondered how anyone so good-looking could be interested in a plain girl like her. Admittedly, she had some good qualities. Nice hair, good skin, pretty blue eyes, and a pleasant personality. She’d always been on the thin side but had gained a little weight over the last couple of years and had finally started filling out a bit.
But then there was her nose. She had inherited her father’s nose, and while it looked fine on him and her brothers, on her face, it was an eyesore. Long, narrow, pointed, with the slightest upward tilt at the end.
She had mentioned the possibility of plastic surgery to her father numerous times, but he was adamantly opposed to such a thing. He said her nose was the mark of the Wellingsley family, and she should be proud of it. While she was proud of her lineage, she couldn’t help but wish she’d inherited a more attractive feature.
Dirk didn’t seem to mind the size of her nose, but she had vaguely mentioned her desire for a different look, and he had been supportive of her having surgery. He’d told her that if she wasn’t happy with herself, it should be her choice to change and no one else’s. He had even sent her a few photos of different kinds of noses he thought would look good on her.
Her old insecurity had reared its ugly head, and she couldn’t help but ask if he didn’t like the way she looked. He had assured her that wasn’t the case, that he thought she was beautiful just the way she was. He’d told her he was only trying to be supportive.
Still, when she went home for a visit in a few weeks, she was going to discuss the possibility with her father again. Maybe she could get her brothers on board to change his mind. Though Nicolas and Alexandre were older than she was and often treated her more like a child than an adult, they held a lot of sway with their father. If it hadn’t been for them, he likely wouldn’t even have agreed to allow her to work at the embassy. So, if she could get at least one of them on board for a nose job, perhaps the outcome of her request would be different this time.
Her feelings for Dirk made her want to look prettier for him. He had even made a few suggestions regarding her clothes and makeup, too. Nothing major, but she had taken his suggestions to heart. The last few weeks, she had put extra effort into looking her best. With her background, it had always been important to appear well put together and poised on all occasions. But she had done that because it was expected. Now she did it because she wanted to please someone else. Dirk had told her more than once how attractive he thought she was, which made her tingle all over, pleased that she pleased him.
“So will you and he ever be able to date?” Shelby asked.
“We hope so. I mean, it’s not like we’re that different. Both of us have family expectations, and we’re used to being in the public eye. But, for right now at least, having the press around is the last thing we want. If they get wind of it, we’ll be followed everywhere, and they’ll come up with all sorts of ridiculous stories about us. We just want to be able to be two people who find each other attractive and want to get to know each other better.”
“Hence the not telling anyone yet.”
“Exactly.”
“So how are you going to do that? Be alone together, I mean. Neither of you have regular, ordinary lives where you can just go and be alone.”
This was where it would get tricky. She was going to ask a huge favor of her friend, and she wasn’t sure how it would be received.
“I was wondering if you could—”
A loud, popping noise in the background halted her question. She frowned at Shelby. “What was that?”
An odd expression came over Shelby’s face as she went to her feet. “Get in the hall closet and stay there, Lina.”
