The Last Romanov: Book One

Luxury Car

A knock sounded at my door as I was doing my homework the morning after the Winter Formal. I sighed, clearly not wanting to be interrupted, unless it was urgent or the chefs were wondering what I'd like for lunch or dinner.

"Who is it?" I asked, running my fingers through my straggly hair.

"Just Andrei, Miss. Is it alright if I come in and talk to you about something?"

I hoped he was coming in to apologize about his unexpected behavior last night. Sure, he's stubborn at times, but not like this. The reaction he had to me and Geoffrey kissing was alarming. It embarrassed Geoffrey for sure.

"Alright, I guess," I answered hesitantly.

The doorknob rattled and Andrei appeared, looking a little guilty. Did he regret talking that way to me and Geoffrey like that last night?

"First off, I want to apologize for last night, Miss. I was shocked and wasn't used to having my Majesty kissing a random guy in Yekaterina Palace. Next time that happens, I won't have that kind of reaction."

I smiled.

"Apology accepted, Andrei."

His shoulders relaxed and a smile graced his lips. This is probably the only time I'd seen Andrei actually smile. For as long as I can remember since I first met him a few months ago, he'd always been stubborn, short, cold, with very little sympathy for other people.

"I was thinking that we should go car shopping," he unexpectedly suggested.

I nearly fell out of my seat when he suggested that.

"Are you serious, Andrei?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"What makes you say that? I thought that you would drive me everywhere?"

"Well, yes. But what if there's an emergency and I'm not available to be there to drive you?"

"What about Grandmother? Surely, she knows how to drive, doesn't she?"

"I'm not trying to be rude, but she is getting kind of old, Miss. Her driving skills are fading a bit. So I was thinking, if I got you an emergency car in case I'm not available, or you're in a real hurry."

"You're offering to get me a car?"

"Well, I've asked your grandmother, and she thinks that's a fantastic idea."

"Did Grandmother give a price limit?"

"There is no price limit, no," Andrei laughed. "She just told me to pick out the car that's best for you." He gave me a suspicious look. "You know how to drive, yes?"

I laughed. "Of course I know how to drive, Andrei! I've been driving since Sophomore year when Mama taught me in Manhattan! I've been driving on my own for at least a year without my Mama's help."

"Then I assume you're ready?"

I slammed the pencil that I had been holding on the desk table to confirm the answer, showing my excitement of getting my new, own car.

"Let's go."

Andrei laughed at my reaction and left the room so that I could change properly for the day. I managed to throw on a nice pair of jeans, brown leather lace-up knee-high snow boots, a dark green long sleeved shirt, and then I threw on a furry gray coat, as it's still snowing outside. We got about five feet of snow last night, but somebody must have cleared a pathway for us to drive out of and salted the road for a safer drive in case we needed to get out for the day and go to a different country.