between us | klaroline (book 1)

Chapter 25: Still Here

"Amanda, you're marrying our son Charlie and still, we have yet to know more about you, tell us something would you?" The king made conversation while all eleven of us ate dinner at the grand table together. I supposed the wives and girlfriends of the other brothers were all busy with something else. I had seen barely any of them.

I smiled, placing my hands on my lap under the table. "Oh of course. Well I have no siblings, I do however have a cousin named Alissa she and I aren't very close and we do have some...history." I looked to Charlie, he chuckled with me.

"Oh really? What type of history?" The queen asked curiously with a smile, looking at the two of us laughing.

"Alissa tried to kiss me." Charlie laughed again. The king and queen raised their eyebrows then started laughing. All of the brothers laughed as well. I looked down the table at all of them swiftly, catching eyes with Jake.

"Princess, could you tell me something? Do you have any friends that you could set me up with?" Jake asked from down the long table. I looked at him with a smirk.

Charlie laughed with his brother Jake. I could tell they were alike. The smile and the cheekiness.

"Oh dear god Jake." The queen shook her head, making all of us laugh together. Their family seemed so happy, even through all the fights and jealousy. I could tell each and every one of them loved one another.

"I actually do have somebody I can set you up with. Somebody you might've had an eye on at the party?" I brought up a few minutes later, looking at Jake. He seemed intrigued.

"Alissa perhaps?" I suggested. He smiled down at his plate happily with a grin. "Okay." He answered me.

"Looks like we've got some matchmaking to do." Charlie commented, taking my hand as we all continued to eat.

We all shared some stories of our time in secondary schooling, about being royal and some disasters that occurred. It felt like I was apart of the family already and I loved it.

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"He's something special isn't he?" I heard a female voice come up behind me and say. I flipped my head to look at her and was surprised to be met by an unfamiliar face.

I gave her a confused look while I dished my dessert, sideways eying her. She looked at Charlie who laughed with his brothers on the other side of the living room while watching some sports television.

"Who?" I answered her finally. I was confused by who this stranger was since i'd never seen her before. She was pretty and wore a bright blue dress that was low-cut so you could see her cleavage.

I wore a simple purple dress today that was strapless. "Charlie." She replied to me, reaching out a hand. I placed my tiny plate in the other hand and shook her hand. I noticed how neatly her nails were painted with a gorgeous shade of pink.

"Yes, he's so special. I'm so happy to be marrying him. I'm sorry but I don't believe we've met before." I spoke, watching her face curl a smile.

"I'm Melissa. Dillon's girlfriend." Ohh, she was one of the brothers' girlfriends.

I nodded. "It's lovely to meet you. I'm Amanda, Charlie's fiancée."

"Yes. I know." She giggled. I blushed from the little bit of embarrassment. It was great meeting somebody in the family who was my age and a female.

"Tell me about yourself?" I asked her as the two of us walked with our brownie desserts toward the lounge couch. We sat next to each other with plates on our laps and ankles crosses politely.

"Well Dillon and I met when he was overseas in Canada. I'm the prime minister's daughter over there and we fell in love during his month visit to Quebec. We've been together for 3 years now. I'm hoping he'll propose soon." She gushed.

I smiled widely at the romantic story. "Oh my goodness! That's an amazing story. Wait so you're not royal? Wow...and does the queen like you?" I asked softly.

She scoffed. "Oh my gosh. She absolutely hated me for the whole entire first year that Dillon and I dated. It was dreadful! Finally she accepted me a year later and i'm so happy to be living here at the castle with Dillon. I'm hoping we'll get engaged soon and move to our own mansion away from here. Privacy you know?"

I nodded. "Aw, i'm so happy for you two. I'm absolutely glad I met you. I feel like we'd be amazing friends." I admitted. My new acquaintance smiled at me happily.

"I'm so happy I met you as well Amanda. Maybe Dillon and I will move to the Isle of Man so we can be near you and Charlie! We can all see one another."

I gasped. "I have no friends! That would be so amazing Melissa!"

We both giggled, cutting the brownie with our knifes and beginning to eat and continue chatting for a bit. I was obviously in my element. New family, new friends, new place. I'm extremely happy in my life...

Not to mention i'm engaged to the most incredible man in the world.

After chatting for a few more minutes I felt a pair of firm hands on my shoulders. Melissa giggled and I turned around to see my fiancé. "Hello darling. I see you've met Melissa. New friends?" He asked me, coming to sit next to me on the big white couch.

"Yes actually! We were just talking about you and Dillon and the whole process of me finding a husband."

"Hopefully good things aye?" He laughed nervously. Melissa and I both giggled together.

"Yes Charlie, obviously good things." My new friend answered with a laugh.

"Good. Now how would you say," Charlie started, taking the plate from my hands and placing it on the small table in front of the couch. "You and I go for a little stroll in the garden, maybe do a little smooching...?" He offered. I blushed and looked to Melissa who nodded, waving me off.

"Alright love, sounds just perfect to me." I took his hand and we walked hand-in-hand out the room, leaving all of his family and friends behind to chat and drink.