Royal Dance (Royals of Beaumont Book 3) by Rachel Branton

Author:Rachel Branton [Branton, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: contemporary romance
Publisher: White Star Press
Published: 2022-04-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Tristan

Something was up with Harper and swimming. I’d seen it in her eyes when we’d been out on the deck, but I’d thought she simply wanted to jump in the water to cool off. Now I could see the reluctance, not only in her face but in every line of her body. How anyone could reach adulthood without learning to swim was something I couldn’t begin to imagine, but then I’d been born into a society of lesson-crazed mothers. At any rate, her reaction wasn’t normal. She was both fascinated and repelled.

Maybe I could teach her to swim. The idea was extremely compelling—if I could get her to agree. Spending time with Harper, especially in a swimming costume, would be more than pleasant.

“Princess Bride then?” I asked as we entered the theater room, which boasted five rows of comfortable bucket seats, a bar with a microwave and fridge along the back, and a curved movie screen that filled the entire wall.

“Yes. Great.” She wandered down the rows of seats. “This is both impressive and very . . .” She flushed slightly and didn’t finish. She didn’t have to. It was very intimate, as if we were the only people in the entire world. But somehow I felt that way a lot when I was with her.

I pushed in the movie, grabbed our snacks, dimmed the lights, and followed her down to the second row. It was nice not to decide where to sit for a change. Most of the women I’d dated waited for me to choose.

She accepted the drink and unscrewed the lid. “Just so you know, Jianne asked to help with the redesign.”

I dropped the popcorn in her lap, spilling a handful of kernels. “Oh, sorry. But did you say she asked to help?”

“Does that bother you?” Harper started sweeping up the popcorn with her hands.

“No. But it surprises me.” It was good sign actually. A really good sign.

“I didn’t know if it would upset you, since she broke up with you.” Before I could respond, Harper groaned and rushed on. “Sorry. It was her that you were dating last, wasn’t it? Yes, I’m guilty of listening to the rumor mill.”

Even in the dim light she looked so flustered it made me laugh. I wanted to tell her the truth, but letting everyone think it was Jianne who’d broken up with me was another way to protect her. A few choice statements in the right ears and assumptions by even those closest to me had assured she wouldn’t suffer any stigma from the breakup.

“There was a lot involved,” I said. “Jianne is a sweet girl—woman. I’m not holding a candle for her, if that’s what you’re asking.” I don’t know why I had to make sure she knew that. “We were never engaged or anything. We dated about six months.”

Harper’s eyes narrowed, as if contemplating my truthfulness. Thankfully, the opening credits were over, and I could focus on the movie screen. It was the perfect date movie, silly enough to make fun of but smart enough to be interesting.

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