Page 116 of King of the Crease

“Oh.” Agnes frowns. “I—thank you for noticing. I can call for⁠—”

“I can fix it.”

The words are out before I overthink them.

She blinks at me. “You can?”

I shrug, suddenly aware again of where I am, of the castle and the polished floors and the fact that my life savings couldn’t even cover a single piece of art hanging on the walls.

“Yeah,” I say anyway. “If you’ve got a wrench and a replacement seal, I can take care of it. It’s not complicated. I may not know what a salad fork is, but pipes…pipes I know.”

“What’s going on?” asks a man in a suit who stops by the entrance.

“Mr. Rush is fixing a leaky pipe for us,” Agnes tells him.

“That’s the dripping sound! I thought I kept hearing something. Thank you, Mr. Rush!” The guy gives me a thumbs up and stops another palace staff member. “Jeremy, he found what’s been causing that drip sound.”

“Right on!” Jeremy says. “Thank goodness you’re here, Mr. Rush.”

The two men continue on their way.

“Shall I call maintenance?” Leslie asks Agnes.

“I can fix it right now,” I tell them. “I like being useful.”

There’s a pause. Then, slowly, Agnes nods and gives me the first real smile I’ve gotten out of her.

“I’ll…get you those tools, sir.”

I look back at the pipe, at the steady drip that doesn’t care about history or wealth.

My shoulders settle. Maybe palace life is for me. I just have to set the rules.

37

NICK

“You are quite the hero around here.” I take off my cufflinks and place them on the dresser.

For the first time, after a long day of meetings and palace business, I get to come back to my bedroom with my boyfriend. Having someone to come home to makes the day worth it.

Hank lays on the bed in nothing but his boxers. All I want to do is stare at him. Knowing that he’s been wandering about in the palace, so close yet so far, has been unbelievable foreplay today.

“I wonder what else around here needs fixing.” He stretches his back, his big, broad chest taking up even more room on the bed.

“We can have you talk to maintenance. It’s an old building. I’m sure there’s lots for you to do.” I unbutton my shirt. “But Hank, you’re also welcome to relax. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”

“I know. But I like being busy. What do royal spouses and significant others typically do?”

“Nothing.” I roll my eyes, thinking about all the boards dilettante members of the royal family serve on. Their duties entail attending a meeting once or twice a year and throwing a big gala. I can’t imagine Hank in that world, and he doesn’t have to.

“I’m sure there are other old buildings that need fixing up. You don’t want to lose a two-hundred-year-old church to water damage.” His eyes widen and glow with possibilities. “Does Ardenia have a trade school? I can start a training program.”

He bites his lip, reeling himself back from his newfound ambition.

“I can stop,” he says. “If it’s embarrassing.”

“It’s not.” I go to the bed and seal my assurance with a kiss. “I want you to feel comfortable here. I want you to be happy.”