He had told me he shouldn’t chase me. Was this what he had been talking about, not my questionable heritage? Did it matter?
I was asking myself that question a lot when it came to Alex. I still wasn’t sure of the answers.
Chapter Fourteen
No Pumpkins Here.
Cinderella Leaves for the Palace in a Shiny Gulfstream.
—Minnesota Daily
The three hours of sleep I had managed to get did not go well with my hatred for mornings. All my stuff was piled into the cars waiting outside and I was looking around my room for any last-minute items. My outfit was dressy yet casual—jeans, riding boots, and a comfortable shirt with a big chunky scarf—since I knew the press would be taking pictures. Jess was standing by the door holding my new black pea coat and looking a little misty-eyed. Tears this early in the morning were scary.
“I’ve got your coat.” Jess sniffed and I looked up at her with wide eyes.
“Oh no.”
“You’re going to need it. I checked the weather and it’s snowing there.” She sniffed again. “Don’t want to get sick right when you get there.”
“Jess, don’t do this.” I shook my head, frozen in place.
“I know that good-byes aren’t your thing, so I’m just going to give you this and then go to my room.” Sniff. Hiccup.
“C’mon, you’re killing me.” I felt the skin around my eyes tighten and I blinked quickly.
“I’m going to miss you.” She thrust the coat out in front of her.
“You’re going to come see me this summer, right?” I didn’t take the jacket. “This isn’t good-bye forever.”
“But I’m going to miss your grumpy morning face and the way you double-check all the dishes I’ve cleaned.” She pouted.
“Bert’s grumpy in the morning, you’ll be fine.”
“Am not.” He grunted.
“Right. Not grumpy at all.” I shook my head. Jess gave up waiting on me to take the jacket and threw her arms around me anyway. I hugged her back, knowing it would be a while before I got to see her again. No one else would understand me the way Jess did. I squeezed her a little tighter and then let go.
“I’ll send you a souvenir. Maybe one of those little figures that’s pooping in a lawn.” I hugged Bert too and turned quickly to walk out the door. The news vans that hadn’t left in the last few days were still there, the reporters standing on the curb with cameras and microphones.
“Sam! Sam! Are you excited about going to Lilaria for the first time?”
“Are you going to stay in Lilaria?”
“Are you and Prince Alex an item?”
“Samantha! How do you feel about being America’s Duchess?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the last comment and looked over at the reporter. “America’s Duchess?”
“Our very own royalty! What do you think?” He seemed elated I had found his comment funny.
“I’m a grad student.” I shook my head and ducked through the open door of the car. It was weird that I had gotten used to having a driver already. Even though my truck was a pain in the butt, I did miss the old thing. Bert and Jess were going to use the truck to move the rest of my stuff to my dad’s house and then leave it there.
The trip to the airport was surreal. We passed some of the landmarks that had been part of my life for the last ten years, buildings I had known forever, it seemed. Vans full of reporters and cameras followed us at a respectable distance—thank goodness. I’d hate for them to photograph the tears that were running down my cheeks.
Duvall had come to escort me and I was starting to wonder why I was being protected by the head of the detail. Thankfully, he hadn’t said anything about my crying, just handed me a tissue and turned back to the front of the car. As we neared the airport, I checked my bags again to make sure I had everything I would need. It was pointless because I had already checked twenty times while at the house. The anal retentive in me was satisfied, so I sat back and wiped at my face to make sure there was no moisture left to betray my emotions.
When we pulled up to the drop-off point, there was a huge area blocked off by a police escort. Alex was standing at the curb, smiling and chatting with a few people wearing press badges. I wondered how he could look so chipper talking to the people who would just as happily post embarrassing pictures of him. When Duvall exited the front seat, Alex excused himself with a wave and came over to my car. I put on a small smile and let him help me out.
“Ready?” His eyes studied my face and I wondered what he saw there. I was a giant ball of emotions and wasn’t even sure myself what the most prominent was at this moment. Sadness, definitely, but there was also a thread of excitement, and to be honest, I was happy to see Alex.
“Think so.” I took a deep breath and shouldered my bag.
He smiled at me, but I could see a little guilt in his eyes. “Nothing is ever as good or as bad as you think it will be. Lilaria is just a place. It’s what you make of it that counts.”
His voice was quiet, so I knew no one else could hear us except for Duvall, who hadn’t left my side. Becca was standing close as well, but she had given Alex a little space when he obviously wanted to say something privately. I nodded to let him know I had heard him. He was right—I could make this as good or as bad as I wanted.
“My lady, may I take your bag? I’ll see to it that it’s on the plane before you leave,” Becca said quietly.