A Royal Internship | Complete

Chapter Fifty-Nine

I barely had a moment to breathe for the rest of the day as I ran around organizing things and helping people get things done. I was sitting in the public relations offices working out a schedule and release plan when Clarence snuck through the door.

"Are you really still at work?" he asked, pulling up a chair beside me.

I groaned. "Yes. I've been working on this all day and it's still not done."

"Do you have to be the one who finishes it?" he asked me. Yes, I thought, I will know it's done right. I sighed. "Actually, no. We have people for this. You're right, I should hand it over now."

I hesitated, leaving all of the work open on the desk in front of me.

"I think you might need to close the file first." He smirked and pointed at my desk. "And then go walk over to someone else's desk and hand it to them."

"Why do we still use paper, anyways? Have we never heard of computers around here?"

He laughed. "Take that up with my father and Abigail."

I rolled my eyes. "I'd rather not, thanks."

"So, let's drop that file off so you can come with me tonight, okay?"

I looked at him, trying to judge what he meant by only the small smirk on his face, but to no avail. "Okay," I drew my words out slowly. "But--"

"No," he put his finger to my lip. "We aren't making excuses today. I can't let tonight pass without at least one more date."

I could feel the worry bubbling in my chest as his face dropped as well. There was no need to say what we were both thinking. In case this is the last day I'm here.

"Okay." I nodded. Picking up the file, I walked over to Abigail's office and slid it into the bin for the appropriate department. "I'm sure they'll handle it when they come in this evening. Abigail has everyone working overtime to get this thing done. Apparently my idea was brilliant so it is now her idea and I'm back to doing grunt work."

Clarence laughed. "That's the secret with bosses, isn't it? Letting them think everything was their idea."

"No--" I pointed at him-- "That's men. But I guess it works on bosses, too."

"So this date wasn't my idea?" He chuckled and held out his hand.

I took it and slid it around my back. "You'll never know." I smiled. "That's the secret."

I followed him through the snaking hallways of the staff portion of the palace and back through a door I didn't recognize. When he opened it, I was almost blinded by light coming through from the other side.

"Sorry," he said when I drew back from the light. "I forgot to warn you."

I followed him by feel, walking through the door onto the polished floor I recognized. I blinked several times until my vision adjusted. "Why are we in the ballroom?" I asked, recognizing the location from the last time I had been there. I absentmindedly brushed my hand along my skirt, remembering the soft, flowing gold one I'd worn last time I was here. I blushed, thinking of how closely we had danced that night.

"I was thinking maybe we could have dinner together." He pointed to a table in the far back corner. "And maybe practice our dancing. We do have to open and close a ball tomorrow."

I smiled, trying to focus on the positive part of that statement and shove the rest into the depths of my mind, but it was almost impossible not to focus on the possibilities.

"I'd love that." I put my arm through his and held it formally, as though we really were at the ball. "Where is the king?" I asked in my best uppity accent. "We should bow."

He laughed. "Oh, come on!" he said, before pulling me towards the table, finely decorated in deep green with golden accents.

"So, what are we having for supper?" I asked once we were seated.

"You'll see." He smiled and waved his hand in the air, the uniformed men appearing out of nowhere to place a soup of some kind in front of each of us.

I dug my spoon in without waiting for any formalities, savoring the deep flavour of the broth. "This is delicious," I told him between bites.

"I know." He smiled at his plate. "It's my favourite."

"Well, I know why!" I said, practically inhaling the soup in front of me.

He was still looking at his bowl, neither eating nor speaking.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, putting my spoon down on the saucer.

"No." He looked up and forced a smile. "I was just thinking how nice it is to share this with you. And hoping I get to do it again."

"We'll figure it out." I smiled, trying to hide my fear. "How hard can it be to make people see I'm in this for the right reasons?" I asked. "They'll see the truth. I'm sure of it."

I am not at all sure of it.

We spent the rest of the meal talking about the outstanding food and our plans for tomorrow's garden party. Everything we said was coming out forced and business-like and not at all how I hoped for a date to feel.

"Clarence?" I said after we finished dessert. "Do you think we could maybe stop talking about work and just dance a little?"

His eyes glistened in the bright light of the ballroom, but he didn't acknowledge the tears that threatened to fall. Instead, he stood up and pulled out my chair for me, leading me towards the dance floor.

"My lady." He bowed when we were standing in the middle of the dance floor. "Would you do me the honour of this dance?"

I nodded, curtseying and taking his hand. "I would be delighted, sir," I giggled.

"Good," he said, before scooping me into him with his hand on my lower back. My body pressed into his and everything I'd been thinking became mush. All I could focus on was how near his face was to mine and how soft his suit was against the exposed skin of my shoulder.

I twirled around the floor as he led, mind entirely preoccupied with how his breath felt on my ear or how close his lips were to mine. I wrapped my free arm around his back and ran my hand over his hair, pulling us closer still. Our dance slowed to a rhythmic wave as I turned to look into his eyes.

"I don't want to leave," I said without thinking.

"I don't want you to leave," he replied, before pressing his lips into mine. The dance stopped all together as we kissed, trying to savour every last moment with each other. My thoughts melted away as the only thing I thought of was his lips on mine and how his body felt pressed into me. I ran my hand down his back, pressing him tighter to me, and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him once again.

"Now you can't go," he whispered.

"Now we just have to convince your dad," I replied, laying my head on his shoulder and returning to the dance. I could feel his lips peppering kisses on the top of my head as we continued to sway to the silent music.

I don't know that I would have ever left if we hadn't been interrupted by the distinct sound of a woman clearing her throat. I pulled away from Clarence and turned to face the source of the interruption.