“Thank you, but everything really does look great.” I smiled at him. “You’ve done a wonderful job of maintaining the home.”
“My pleasure.” Stanley smiled. “I’ll leave you to look through everything. I’m sure you’d like to have a peek without someone breathing down your neck. I’ll be downstairs helping Margie with the food if you need me.”
“Thank you.” I chuckled, relieved. I did want to poke around, but it felt odd with someone watching my every move. It was my home, but not my home. Like when you’re house hunting and you want to check the closets to see how much room there is, but someone’s stuff is inside.
“Well?” Alex was still leaning against the wall.
“Wow.” I laughed. “Completely surreal.”
“There’s a library.” He stood and motioned for me to come with him.
I followed him out of the room and into the other wing. He stopped at one of the doors and motioned for me to go in. I turned the handle and was rewarded with a beautiful sight. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that made my knees weak.
“Oh, that’s gorgeous.” I walked inside and sighed. It even smelled like a bookstore. I couldn’t wait to explore the titles and see what was in there.
“I thought you might like it.” He peeked around at the books. “Looks like you’ll have a lot of exploring to do.”
“It’s like a treasure hunt.” I ran my fingers over the large desk in the corner. “I don’t know what I’m going to find next.”
“What are you waiting for?” He gestured to the door.
I bit my lip, thinking, before pulling my shoes off and running out. I opened every door, peeking into each room and closet. Alex followed me at a more sedate pace, but chuckled each time I found something that made me “ooh” or “ahh.”
“This is really mine?” I looked at Alex over the giant antique bed in one of the guest rooms.
“It’s really yours.” He placed a hand on the ornate poster at the end of the bed. My heart sped up when I realized we were staring at each other over a very inviting mattress.
“I keep thinking there’s a mistake.” I looked away from him. “I know it’s real, but it doesn’t feel real.”
“But the house helps?”
“Yes. I think so.” I shrugged. “Last week, I kept thinking if I could just get here it would fall into place. That I’d find my groove.”
“I shouldn’t have asked you to wait for me. I didn’t realize how uncomfortable you really were.” Alex frowned.
“No, I’m glad you came with me. It feels right that you were here.” I met his eyes, hoping he could see what I meant. “And I met some great people in the city and learned a lot.”
“Things will calm down eventually.”
I forced myself to nod. Out here, away from the crush of the city, I could almost believe it. “I hope so.”
“Are you ready for some lunch?” He stepped away from the bed. “I have to leave soon. I have a meeting at home I can’t miss.”
“Oh. Of course.” I didn’t move. My heart stuttered because I realized that I might not see him for a long time. “Will you be going back to the city soon?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” He watched me carefully.
“Can I see you again before you go?” My hands were sweating, so I set my shoes down on the floor and stepped into them. I hadn’t asked him to kiss me, but maybe if I took small steps I’d get there eventually.
“I’ll make sure of it.” One side of his mouth curled up.
“Good.” I felt my own mouth turn up.
We joined everyone else downstairs, where Margie served us a large meal. It was much more laid-back than it had been at the palace and I found myself relaxing. Stanley joined us at my insistence, though Margie politely declined, intent on serving all the food herself. We talked about the property, about the village, and about the local people. We discussed the fishing and hunting in the area. Stanley was looking forward to my father’s arrival. He was an avid fisher and was excited to share his favorite spots.
Chadwick was as lively as ever. With some of the pomp removed from our surroundings even he relaxed with the protocols. When Margie finally delivered the plates of tiny desserts and a cake, she sat down with us and Chadwick grilled her for recipes. After a short while Alex checked his watch and looked over his shoulder to where he could see his assistant, Ned, sitting in the hall. Despite the fact that Chadwick had sat with us, Alex’s assistant claimed that he wasn’t hungry.
“You need to go?” I sat up straighter in my seat. I had been slouching forward, laughing at Chadwick.
“I’m afraid so.” Alex bowed his head. “Duty calls.”
“Thank you for coming with us today.” I stood up and everyone else did as well. I moved to the door and Alex followed closely behind. Once we were in the hallway, Ned moved ahead of us and out the front door.
“I enjoyed it.” He turned to look at me just inside the door. “I’m sorry I have to leave.”
“Me too.” I bit my lip and stepped forward to press a kiss to his cheek. I leaned back just enough to look up into his eyes.
He looked down at me, searching for something. His fingers touched mine briefly before he pulled away and left. I watched out the window for a moment before turning back and looking at my new house. I could hear the laughter from the dining room and something about it struck me as familiar. I was standing there enjoying the sound when it hit me. It sounded like home.