in dismissal. “So buy another one. I tell you, if I had your figure and that great dark hair of yours, I’d be out shopping right now. Women like you can find even the highest-end clothing on sale.”
Mel ignored the compliment. “I can’t even afford the stuff on sale these days, Greta.”
“So take an advance on your paycheck,” Frannie offered from across the counter. “We know you’re good for it.”
Mel felt the immediate sting of tears. These women had taken her in when she’d needed friendship and support the most. She’d never be able to repay their kindness. She certainly had no desire to take advantage of it. “I can’t ask you to do that for me, ladies.”
“Nonsense,” they both said in unison.
“You’d be doing it for us,” Greta added.
“For you?”
“Sure. Let two old bats like us live vicariously through you. Go to that ball and then come back and tell us all about it.”
Frannie nodded in agreement. “That’s right. Especially the part about that no-good scoundrel begging you for forgiveness after he takes one look at ya.”
Mel smiled in spite of herself. These two certainly knew how to cook up a good fantasy. Eric had left her high and dry and never looked back even once. As far as fantasies went, she was more likely to turn a frog into a prince than receive any kind of apology from her ex-husband.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.” Or ever. Mel reached down to tighten the laces of her comfortable white tennis shoes. She had a very long shift ahead of her, starting with the breakfast crowd and ending with the early-evening dinner guests.
“You won’t know unless you go to this ball.”
She couldn’t even tell which of the ladies had thrown that out. Mel sighed and straightened to look at them both. Her bosses might look like gentle, sweet elderly ladies, complete with white hair done up in buns, but they could be relentless once they set their minds to something.
“All right. I give.”
They both squealed with delight. “Then it’s settled,” Frannie declared and clasped her hands in front of her chest.
Mel held a hand up. “Not so fast. I haven’t agreed to go just yet.”
Greta’s smile faded. “Come again?”
“How about a deal?”
“What kind of deal?”
“I’ll go out after my shift and look for a dress.” Though how she would summon the energy after such a long day was a mystery. But she was getting the feeling she’d hear about this all day unless she threw her two bosses some kind of bone. “If, and only if, I come across a dress that’s both affordable and appropriate, I’ll reconsider going.”
Frannie opened her mouth, clearly about to protest. Mel cut her off.
“It’s my only offer. Take it or leave it.”
“Fine,” they both said in unison before turning away. Mel stood just as the bell for the next order up rang from the kitchen. She had a long day ahead of her and it was only just starting. She was a waitress now. Not the young bride of an up-and-coming urban dentist who attended fancy holiday balls and went shopping for extravagant ball gowns. That might have been her reality once, but it had been short-lived.
Little did the Perlman sisters know, she had told them something of a fib just now when making that deal. She had no expectation that she’d find any kind of dress that would merit attending that party in a week.
The chances were slim to zero.
His driver-slash-security-guard—who also happened to be a dear childhood friend—was very unhappy with him at the moment. Rayhan ignored the scowl of the other man as he watched the streets of downtown Boston outside his passenger-side window. Every shop front had been decorated with garlands and glittery Christmas decorations. Bright lights were strung on everything from the lamp poles to shop windows. Let his friend scowl away, Rayhan thought. He was going to go ahead and enjoy the scenery. But when Saleh took yet another turn a little too fast and sharp, he found he’d had enough. Saleh was acting downright childish.
To top it off, they appeared to be lost. Saleh had refused to admit he needed the assistance of the navigation system and now they appeared to be nowhere near their destination.
“You know you didn’t have to come,” Rayhan reminded the other man. “You volunteered, remember?”
Saleh grunted. “I clearly wasn’t thinking straight. Why are we here, again? At this particular time, no less.”
“You know this.”
“I know you’re delaying the inevitable.”
He was right, of course. Not that Rayhan was going to admit it out loud. “I still have a bit of time to live my life as I see fit.”
“And you decided you needed to do part of that in Boston?”
Rayhan shrugged, resuming his perusal of the outside scenery. “That was completely coincidental. My father’s been eyeing property out here for months now. Perfect opportunity for me to come find a prime location and seal the deal.”
“Yes, so you say. It’s a way to... How do the Americans say it? To kill two birds with one stone?”
“Precisely.”
“So why couldn’t you have come out here with the new soon-to-be-princess after your engagement?”
Rayhan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I just needed to get away before it all gets out of control, Saleh. I don’t expect you to understand.”
Not many people would, Rayhan thought. Particularly not his friend, who had married the grade-school sweetheart he’d been in love with since their teen years. Unlike Rayhan, Saleh didn’t have to answer to nor appease a whole country when it came to his choice of bride.
Rayhan continued, “Everywhere I turn in Verdovia, I’m reminded of the upcoming ceremonies. Everyone is completely preoccupied with who the heir will choose to marry, what the wedding will be like. Yada yada. There are odds being placed in every one of our island casinos on everything from the identity of the next queen to what flavor icing will adorn the royal wedding cake.”
Saleh came to a sudden halt at a red light, a wide grin spread across his face.
“What?” Rayhan asked.
“I placed my wager on the vanilla buttercream.”
“I see. That’s good to know.” He made a mental note to go with anything but the vanilla buttercream when the time came. If he had any say on the matter, that was. Between his mother and the princess-to-be, he’d likely have very little sway in such decisions. No doubt his shrewd friend had made his bet based on the very same assumption.
“I don’t understand why you refuse to simply embrace your fate, my friend. You’re the heir of one of the most powerful men in the world.
