Annalise Stark, orphaned after losing her parents in the military, is desperate to find a way to pay off her sister's medical debts. She finds work at the palace, home to the infamous Prince William. Despite her efforts to ignore him, Annalise soon...
"No disguise can long conceal love where it exists, or long feign where it is lacking." ~Francois La Rochefoucauld
Annalise
At six, I knocked on Will's door; his eyes widened at the sight of me.
"What?" I asked, glancing down at my dress. "Is something wrong with my outfit?"
"Uh, no. Nothing, nothing. I mean, you look perfect," Will replied, flustered. "Come in."
I stepped inside. James lounged on the couch, but he stood when he saw me, bowing with a flourish. "You look stunning, My Lady."
"Thank you, kind Sir." I curtsied in return. Fiddling with my bracelet, I said. "I'm not used to wearing designer clothes or having stylists do my hair and makeup."
"The photographers will love you," Will stated, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "Because what's not to love?"
James checked his watch. "It's six-thirty-five. What time are we supposed to head down?"
"We should head down now," I said. "We don't want to be late."
The three of us exited the room, heading to the dining room. We had to walk down a hallway filled to the brim with photographers, but thankfully they were cordoned off by rope and security guards.
"Your Highness!" One shouted.
"One picture of the three of us?" Will suggested. "Annie, you're in the middle."
"Oh, no. You're the prince. You should be in the middle."
"You're the only girl, so you're in the middle." Before I could protest, James and Will flanked me, leaving me no choice but to smile at the cameras while feeling remarkably short compared to the two giants I called my friends. I didn't mention to Will that being in the middle typically meant you were important, and I wasn't. I was just a secretary escorting her friend to an event. There was nothing remarkable about me.
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"Who are your friends?" A reporter asked, nearly shoving a mic into Will's face. I barely refrained from serving him a dirty look.
"The gentleman on my right is James, and the beautiful lady is Annalise. They're my best friends," Will answered with ease. "If you'll excuse us, we have a dinner to attend and not only will I be in trouble with my parents if I'm late, but my secretary won't be too happy I'm late either."
"No, I won't," I said, nudging him to get him moving. Before the reporter could ask any more questions, Will spurred James and me into the much calmer dining room.
"Good evening, sirs and miss," a waiter greeted. "Please follow me to your seats."
Please let me be seated next to Will or James. I prayed silently. I could easily make conversation with people, but I was surrounded by dignitaries and people of very high status. I was totally out of my element, and I desperately wanted to avoid saying anything that could embarrass not just me, but Will and his family as well. His father already had a problem with me; I didn't want to give him any more reasons to.
