ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON 15

Episode 47

That night Samuel Saunders found himself on very unfamiliar ground.

He , the oldest of four children born to a London barmaid  named Hortie Saunders who had grown up in a small council house in Barnet , one of the most poverty ridden neighborhoods in London , was actually sitting down to dine with a prince.

A handsome highly educated and cultured prince who had the sweetest eyes he had seen in his life and the kindest demeanor ever.

A prince who had paid most likely too much money to have Nigel Norland's restaurant closed for that Friday night in order to give them privacy from prying eyes. Cedric had even sworn the small select staff there to secrecy about who was eating there.

The food was delicious. Cedric had requested anything but food from his homeland. They had prime rib cooked medium rare, roasted brussel sprouts , a shrimp cocktail and a caesar salad.

The conversation was even better than the food. At first Saunders was leery but it wasn't long before Cedric lulled him into a sense of complacency that put him at ease enough that had him laughing at the prince's jokes and listening intently to his stories of growing up royal including the childhood pranks he and his brother had played on the staff they didn't like. Harmless pranks like putting frogs in beds and switching sugar and salt in the kitchen. Pranks that he had been the one to create and think up. He enjoyed watching the man's eyes light up as he talked about Nanny who he regarded as a second mother , and ,  also of his grandmother who had slipped him peppermint sweeties any time she saw him.

And , Saunders actually loosened up enough to tell more of his own life. Things that even Nicholas didn't know. The poverty. The hardship. The missed meals. The missed opportunities. The rare victories in his life such as playing rugby in secondary school and post 16 education. His extremely high A - Levels.

" Why didn't you go on to university? ," Cedric asked as the server placed the gorgeous looking chocolate lava cake before them and refilling their glasses of red wine. " You are quite intelligent. More than myself. Certainly more than Rowen. "

Saunders shrugged in embarrassment. " It's not that I wasn't interested in attending. I had to work. To take care of my mum. And , my siblings. Two, my brother and sister, they each went to university. " He smiled widely. He was very proud of his siblings and their success. " My brother is a teacher at a grammar school now. My sister a doctor. "

Cedric smiled equally as bright. " I'm so happy for them. What an incredible achievement. I never finished university. Not that I didn't enjoy learning. I did. I do but I didn't see the use in my taking a degree. Even as spare it is not acceptable for me to work at a job  except for public events that benefit the country and the family. I always wanted to be...."

" A what ? What did you want to be one day? If you could? "

Cedric's smile slipped slightly with a tinge of sadness to it. " I have a lot in common with your brother. I wanted to be a teacher. "

Saunders instinctively reached out to touch the younger man's hand. " I wanted to be a barrister. I wanted to study law. But I'm happy with my life. "

And , he had been, he realized, until he had met the prince with the sweet eyes.

As they held hands and drink wine and talked Saunders thought how much this felt like a real date.