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“He looks like a security guard,” Henrik said, keeping up with her.
Lily hugged her brother fiercely. The last time they’d been together had been when Ethan had helped her pack up her things for the move with Snow to Florida. After getting Henrik’s permission, she’d called Ethan to let her know she was bringing the prince home with her. Ethan had been shocked, but once the news settled, he was cool with it.
“Is this him?” Ethan asked, turning to Henrik.
“If by ‘him’ you mean me, then, yes.” Henrik offered a hand. “Henrik Von Frosk. Pleased to meet you.”
The two men shook. “So you’re serious, you don’t want me to call you ‘Your Majesty’ or anything like that?”
“Please, call me Henrik. My friends do.”
Ethan took Lily’s suitcase from her and the three of them made their way toward the exit. Outside, snowflakes flurried, and a coat of white layered the ground. Lily dug her coat out of her suitcase and Henrik did the same before nodding to Ethan. “Okay then. Anything you two need before we head off?” Ethan asked.
“I think we’re good,” Lily said, smiling.
The frigid bite of winter was the December Lily had known all her life, but she couldn’t say she’d missed it much. She thought she had, but now being back in the frosty air, when she’d been wearing shorts the day before, was a rush, to say the least.
They made their way out to Ethan’s car, engaging in small talk until Ethan pulled beside the curb in front of a duplex. Lily was glad she’d opted to only stay a handful of days. Traveling with Henrik was nerve-wracking, especially with the way he wanted to stay low-profile. Too many people stopped and stared before going on their way. It would be better to get back to Florida where he could hide on the ninth floor out of the public eye.
She wasn’t sure how the ball that night would go, but Henrik insisted on it. “In fact,” he said once they arrived at Ethan’s apartment and discussed the ball itself, “instead of a date, I’m hoping you’ll be mine.”
Her mouth went dry. “You want to go to the ball withmeas a date?” She supposed she hadn’t had much time to plan other arrangements for him. She hadn’t even thought to ask if he still wanted her to find someone for him to spend time with while he was in Vermont.
“Of course. If you would. I thought only of you as I packed my suit.”
The words were a love song. He’d thought of her. He wantedher.The prospect of traveling with Henrik, of staying a few days with him, had unrattled her but this? This was an entirely new level of unsettling, one that she was entirely willing to see through.
“I would love to,” Lily heard herself say.
9
Lily aired out her dress and laid it on the bed in Ethan’s spare bedroom. The fabric was exquisite—cream silk with intricate gold designs dazzling their way across the bodice. She’d found the dress at a thrift shop in downtown Clearwater and immediately fell in love. Her nerves rattled at the prospect of wearing the gown to the ball now.
Going with Ethan and his date, Charlotte, had been one thing, but now attending with a date of her own? A date who was a prince, whom the rest of the world had seen as cocky and entitled, who was better looking than any other man in the room would be? He was a map someone had handed to her upside down, and no matter which way she turned it, she couldn’t figure out the correct way to know where she was or where she was going.
Butterflies flurried in her stomach. Her other interactions with Henrik had been attempts to set him up with someone else. He’d joked about dating her instead, but she’d brushed the remark aside, not taking him seriously.
Tonight, however, she would be his date. Even Aaliyah and her father had suggested Lily try for him. What would they think of her now? She was eating all her words, and her nerves went into a frenzy at the thought, whether it was the date part of things or the Henrik part of things, she couldn’t tell. Was he as nervous for tonight as she was? The man was so confident and suave, Lily suspected nothing fazed him. For a man so used to getting his way, he was being extremely flexible during this trip.
Lily dressed purposefully, relishing the feel of the dress fabric against her skin. Doing her hair was the part she most looked forward to. She twisted her vivid red tumble on top of her head and took more time than usual on her makeup.
A knock came and Ethan’s voice followed. “You about ready? We need to head over and pick up Char.”
“Just one sec.”
There was more snow here in Vermont than Florida ever got, but she wasn’t going to wear her coat. She tucked a wrap around her shoulders, gave herself one last glance before opening the door. Though her brother looked handsome, Lily swore Ethan’s black suit was the same shade of boring he wore for his security guard duty position at Ever After Sweet Shoppe’s corporate offices.
Henrik, on the other hand…
Her lungs squeezed, caging her breath. He rose from Ethan’s couch the instant she entered the room. His blonde hair was no longer wild and adrift but tamed back away from his face, giving her full view of his chiseled jawline and the spark in his eyes.
Shades of pink dusted his cheeks and Lily noted the movement in his throat as he swallowed. “You’re beautiful,” he said.
Ethan cut him off. She’d momentarily forgotten he was there. “Looking good, sis,” he said. “Let’s go before we’re late.”
The three of them stepped outside. Cold instantly bit into her skin. She shuffled to Ethan’s car parked on the snowy street. Henrik got her door and closed it before making for the car’s other side. Ethan took the driver’s seat and started the engine.
The darkened backseat heightened Lily’s senses. She also didn’t fail to notice the way Henrik slid past the seat closest to the window and opted for the middle, next to her. His warm side brushed hers. And when Ethan started the car and pulled out into the street, Henrik’s breath stroked her cheek.
