Page 8 of Royal Desire

I move along the back wall to the rear exit, hurry through the atrium, and out the front doors. My life sucked before that phone call tonight. Now I have no fucking idea what I’m going to do with myself.

I’m familiar with rock bottom. My parents have done a bang-up job of landing there themselves.

But I didn’t cause this.

I was minding my own business ... and boom.

Here comes the boulder of all boulders.

I look up at the clear spring night sky. “Why me, God? They didn’t talk about your sense of humor in the Bible. I don’t find any of this shit funny.”

CHAPTER THREE

THE SPEAKEASY

Ruby

The Speakeasy isn’t just a lounge. It’s a full-scale bar that would rival most of the places I worked at back in the Big Apple. And since it was the original library when the manor was built, the back room is barely a closet. There might be an emergency exit where contractors arrive and deliveries are made, but there’s no backstage for entertainers, so Blake and I slip out the main door toward the back offices.

Blake turns to me when we get to the conference room. “That was the most fun I’ve had since my first day in The Greenhouse! You were amazing. Everyone loved you, just like I told you they would.”

Blake’s cheeks are pink with excitement, and my heart is racing from the last two songs of the set. I drag my hands through my hair and hold it high on my head since I’m sweating. “I’m not used to that kind of audience. Everyone in the city is used to live entertainment. If I get a few polite claps at the end of a set, I consider it a successful night. I don’t remember the last time I got a standing O.”

“And a well-deserved standing O, at that.” I drop my hands and turn to the voice behind me. Devon and Harlow enter the conference room along with the couple they were sitting with. “Live entertainment is a rarity in Winslet.”

Harlow throws her arms around me. “You were amazing. I don’t care what Devon says—you’re hired.”

Devon smirks at his wife. “Just for your information, I planned to make her an offer. You stole my thunder.”

Harlow waves him off and turns to the tall man and petite dark-haired beauty. “Ruby, this is my brother, Jett, and his wife Lennon. Lennon is the hotel manager of the manor. They’re new to Winslet and are building a home outside of town.”

I shake Lennon’s hand before Jett’s. “So nice to meet you. Thank you for coming tonight.”

“Are you kidding?” Lennon’s dark eyes widen with excitement. “It’s a long story, but I have never been to a piano bar. Winslet is full of firsts for me. You were fabulous.”

Jett isn’t as enthusiastic as his wife, but I can tell his praise is genuine. “You killed it—the newest star in town.”

Lennon laughs. “He’s just happy there’s someone new for everyone to focus on.”

I shake my head. “Oh, I’m hardly new. Everyone knows me.”

“But you’re back, so you’re sort of new.” Blake gives me a light punch in the shoulder. “And I told you the manor is a family thing. Now you’re working here with me. Grandma interviewed, but Mr. Donnelly didn’t hire her.”

Devon drags a hand down his face. “I’ll never hear the end of that. I’ll find a position for your grandma, okay?”

Blake stuffs his hands in his pockets. “I’m just kidding. She didn’t even want to come tonight because her bedtime is right after the weather on the late news.”

Devon turns to me. “What do you say about performing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights? I’m sure you’ll need some days off to recover from a performance like that. But I’m flexible if you’d rather do other days⁠—”

I stop him right there. “I’ll take it. Thank you.”

Devon hikes a brow. “You don’t even know what the pay is yet.”

I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter. Thank you so much.”

He lifts his chin and turns to Blake. “Do you want to split your time between the dining room and The Speakeasy?”

A wolfish grin takes over Blake’s face. “Sounds good. Look at me, expanding my resume like a boss.”