Royalty, Romance Novels + Secret Attackers

First Date

Together August and I had decided an outing at a private garden would make for a good first date. A few dates, and at the end of the two month mark, a proposal. It'll be a quick turn around time, but neither of us had the motivation to draw it out to a more believable timeline. And there's no way the two of us are taking ten months to date.

Something that I've just learned about the both of us: we're both idiots who forgot to check the weather. And both of us are too stubborn to cancel. Many of the staff tried talking us out of it. It'll be fine.

The limo had dropped us off with an umbrella, with security trailing behind. Behind them, approved press curtesy of Lucy, the personal PR assistant my mother had picked out.

Then the limo, eager to get away, zipped off.

Lucky, I think. I'm sure the driver is dry.

We start by following the main path. I was holding the umbrella until I accidently smack August in the head one too many times, and he snatches it away.

I glare at the back of his head as I rush to catch up, all the while flashes intermittently go off.

Its not a windy day, and our umbrella is bigger than the typical umbrella. Still, I would have preferred my own so August wouldn't be so close. I like my personal space. Guess I'd better get used to it, I sullenly thought. With this arrangement, we're going to be spending a lot of time together. Too much time together.

I pause to look at a flower bed. The flowers were happily turned up to the sky, enjoying the rain.

August elbows me to keep moving.

I frown. "Well! Excuse me for trying to enjoy the day." I snap.

"Sorry, but I have other things I would rather be doing. Let's just get through this as quickly as possible."

Its always that his time is more precious. "What other things are there to do? You're staying in our castle. Unless you limo somewhere."

He scoffs. "I don't know. And limo is not a verb." He corrects.

I roll my eyes. "Oh how proper." I sneer.

We continue walking along the path. I rack my brain trying to think of what to say next without causing another fight between us. Honestly, besides knowing how big of a grump he is, I don't really know anything about him.

Pets! Pets are a safe subject.

I slide up next to him. "So, do you have any pets?"

"No. I had a childhood dog, but she died a couple of years ago."

"Oh."

You've got to be kidding.

He doesn't elaborate and honestly, I don't want to know more. However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to test the potential partner list Gia helped me create.

"So August, would you ever get a new pet?" I ask.

"Not at the moment. I couldn't deal with the loss." He keeps looking straight ahead as he answers.

The dogs not going to drop over dead right after you get it.  I sarcastically think. But, ok.

We come to a puddle in the middle of the path and stop.

"Well, let's go back." August goes to turn around.

I scoff. "We can just go around it. What? Scared of a little mud?" I mock.

"No," he answers defensibly.

I step into the soggy grass right next to the concrete. The mud suctions my shoes and I pull hard to take another step. My heel pulls out before the rest of my foot and I pitch forward. August grabs my wrist, which stops my fall. He tries to pull me back up but my wrist slips out of his grip and I land in the mud on my backside.