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...
"Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them." ~Bruce Lee ********************
"Okay, watch your step..." I said, carefully escorting a blind-folded Everly through the entryway to the Windsor Palace Gardens. "All right, you ready? Open your eyes!"
Everly ripped off the blindfold, and all the guests shouted, "Surprise!"
My friend's mouth dropped open at the sight before her: family and friends surrounding a mountain of presents. She turned to me and asked, "What is all this?"
"Your baby shower!" I replied happily. "You didn't think we weren't going to throw you one, did you?"
"I-I hadn't really thought about it. How long have you been planning this? How this all so perfect?!"
"You know that baby shower I kept getting your input on? Like what dishes do you like from Spain? What color scheme do you think would be best? Well, that was all for this. Your shower."
"Oh my god! This is amazing! Thank you!" Everly exclaimed, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug.
"You're very welcome! Now, go socialize! I have to check on some of the hors d'oeurves, and then I'll be back out," I said. Everly nodded and meandered over to the guests in a daze. I watched for a few seconds, smiling to myself at the sight of her so happy. After learning half her apartment had been destroyed in the blaze, she'd been dangerously down. Nothing any of us could do could cheer her up. To see her smiling again warmed my heart.
"You did a fantastic job," Duke Bryan said, bowing and taking my hand. He kissed the back of it. I couldn't help but smirk at the actions Duke of Brietta, one of Everly's close friends, and the young man who helped me get everyone here. He even funded some of the party itself.
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"Thank you, Your Grace," I replied, giving him a small curtsy.
"Please, you don't have to do that. We're not in public, and you're hardly a stranger."
"We've met twice over Skype."
"Yes, which means we've met, and you're hardly a stranger," he repeated, grinning at me. "Why aren't you mingling? I'm sure people want to meet the woman who pulled this magnificent party off."
"Oh, I'm not looking for praise. This day is for Everly, not for me, and everyone here knows exactly who I am. I'm just waiting for someone to question me about that infamous day. In an attempt to avoid it, I am finding every possible way to avoid the people here and make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible."
"Just stick by me. I'll make sure no one bothers you about it."
"How are you going to do that?"
"I've become a master at dominating conversations and diverting it away from specific topics. Now," Bryan said, "if I know you, you've already gotten everything down to a tee, and the only reason you're going to check on things is to avoid the people."
