A Royal Entanglement: The Young Royals Book 2 (34 page)

“I need a job,” I said, “But I don’t expect my old job back, anything would be fine.
 
Actually I’d prefer it if Daniel didn’t know—“

“You know I can’t do that,” she said.

I sighed, “I know,” I said, “I’d just really rather not see him.”

She stared at me and I couldn’t look into her eyes.
 
I fidgeted under her steady gaze and knew that if she didn’t speak soon then I was liable to spill the whole sordid story.

“I have a position,” she said after a moment, “It’s in the press office.
 
It’s not much, just a gofer and general dog’s body job.”

“I’ll take it,” I said.

“It doesn’t pay much—“

“That’s okay,” I said, “I don’t really need the money, I just need something to do.”

She nodded slowly.
 
“I saw you in the paper,” she said and I felt dread build in my gut, “Who was that handsome guy you were with?
 
Is he a Prince?”

Relief washed away the anxiety and I smiled as I thought about Freddie, “No, he’s an Earl.”

“It looked serious between you two.”

My smile turned sad.
 
It had been serious between us, right up until my mother ruined everything.
 
Thank goodness that last story hadn’t made the papers here, although that would’ve defeated the purpose of me marrying Bradley, he wouldn’t marry me if I was involved in a scandal and that would’ve left my mother high and dry.

“He’s just a friend,” I said and I hoped that we could still be friends after everything that happened.

“So when can you start?” she asked, changing the subject.

“In a couple of weeks,” I said, “I’m still getting settled.”

“That’s fine,” she said briskly, all business, “Just come here on your first day and we’ll get you all set up.”

I thanked her and we stood, sharing another quick hug.
 
We walked to the door, but I paused and turned to her before we stepped out of her office.

“Is David still here?” I asked.

She nodded, “Daniel moved him up to Senior Counsel,” she said, “Why, do you need a lawyer?”

I chuckled nervously at her joke, “No, I just wanted to pop my head in and say hello, that’s all.”

“I’m sure everyone would love to see you,” she said, her words laced with undercurrent.
 
She meant Daniel, but I just couldn’t face him, not today.

“Thanks, I’ll make sure to get around and see as many people as I can,” I said as I waved goodbye.

I walked back out the elevators and pushed the button.
 
I needed a lawyer and I had no idea where to go for a good one.
 
I wouldn’t use Bradley’s lawyers and I wouldn’t use my family’s lawyers, I needed someone completely autonomous, someone who would be on my side.

I walked into the Harmon Enterprises law offices and was greeted with a squeal before I was engulfed in a warm, enthusiastic hug.

“Constance called and said you were on your way up,” Renee said as she stepped back, revealing a very pregnant belly.

I smiled, “It’s good to see you, Renee,” I said, “You look good.
 
Marriage suits you.”

She beamed at me, “Ben is wonderful,” she said as her eyes got all dreamy and she rubbed her belly lovingly.
 
Then her eyes zeroed in on me.
 
“What are you doing here?”

“I’ve moved back to Boston,’ I said, “I was just speaking to Constance about a job.”

“Oh, Daniel’ll be so happy to hear that—”

“Oh, no, I’m not here to get my old job back.
 
Constance has something in the press office for me.”

“You know, he’s been through seven assistants since you left,” she said, “No one can work with him.
 
Felicia is just about tearing her hair out.”

Felicia was Daniel’s wife and my one time friend.
 
I loved them both, but seeing them so in love with each other had been too hard and was why I had to leave.

“I don’t think he’d want me back,” I said with a shrug.
 
“Is David available?”
 
I asked, changing the subject.

“Just a sec,” she said, buzzing him, “So you’re back for good?”

I nodded and then, thankfully, David arrived.

“Alex,” he said, looking me over, “I never thought I’d see you back here.”

“I never thought I’d be back here,” I said, “Do you have time for a coffee?”

“Ah, sure,” he said looking around, “You want to go down to the little cafe across the square.”

I nodded and waved goodbye to Renee as we left the office.

We made small talk as we descended in the lift and walked out into the cold October sunshine.
 
We ordered coffee and took a seat in the back where it was quieter.

“You look good Alex,” he said.

David and I had worked together a lot when I worked at Harmon, but there had never been anything more than friendship between us.
 
Maybe if I hadn’t been so hung up on Daniel, we might have dated, but that was all in the past.
 
I was getting married in a couple of days and I had to keep my eyes on the prize.
 
Not that I had any romantic thoughts towards David, my heart belonged to one man and one man alone… Freddie.

“Thanks,” I said and then waited for the waitress to put our coffees down in front of us before I spoke again.

“I need a lawyer,” I said, getting straight to the point.

“Don’t your family have a whole firm on retainer?” he asked as he stirred sugar into his cup.

“They do,” I said, “But I need someone independent of them.
 
Who would you recommend?”

He named some firms and I took notes.

“Do I want to know why you need a lawyer?” he asked, “You’re not in any trouble are you Alex?”

I smiled reassuringly and shook my head, “No,” I said, “I just want someone who works solely for me without the influence of my family.”

He nodded sagely and then looked over my shoulder towards someone standing behind me.
 
Then he stood and I turned around, coming face to face with Daniel.

I drew in a breath as I stood and waited for the familiar clenching of my gut and hitch in my heart…but they didn’t come.
 
As I stared at Daniel, the old feelings that I thought were love, were not there, there was only a warm feeling of friendship.
 
I smiled in relief and his eyes lit up.

“I heard a rumour you were in town,” he said as he pulled me into a hug.
 
His familiar scent and the feeling of his warm arms around me nearly broke me.
 
I wanted to crumple into a heap and cry on his shoulder like I had so many times in the past, but I held the tears at bay.
 
I wasn’t that weak girl anymore.

“It’s good to see you,” I said as he stepped back.

“And you,” he said as his eyes roamed over me like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
 
There was movement behind him and I noticed a very tall man standing behind him with the most amazing coloured eyes.
 
Daniel looked over his shoulder and then turned back to me.

“Alex, have you met Brooks?
 
Brooks Barry, meet Alex Fornette.”

Brooks’ eyes widened as they met mine, but he smiled easily and stuck out his hand to shake mine.

“Pleasure to meet you,” he said, his Australian accent colouring his speech.

“So what are you doing here?” Daniel asked as I looked back at him.

“I need a lawyer,” I said, indicating David, “I thought David could give me a few names.”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head, “David can handle it for you.
 
You don’t mind do you?” he posed this question to David who shook his head.

“I don’t mind at all,” he said with an easy smile.

“Good, then it’s settled.”

“I can’t use your legal team,” Alex said.

“Why not?”

“This isn’t company work.
 
I’m sure David is far too busy to deal with my small issue.”

“Not at all,” David said, “It would be my pleasure, Alex.”

“And I insist,” Daniel said.

Alex looked between the two of them knowing that she had lost the battle.

“Fine,” she said with a sigh.

“Excellent,” Daniel said, rubbing his hands together.
 
“Now, make sure you call Felicia and say hello.
 
We’ll all get together for dinner one night, I want to hear all about working for a Princess.”

“Queen,” I said absently as he walked away.
 
Brooks turned to look at me over his shoulder once more and a shiver ran through my body, why did he look at me like that and why did his name sound so familiar to me?

“So,” David said, recapturing my attention.
 
“What is this legal advice you need?”

By the time I was done with David, I was exhausted.
 
After he got over his initial shock of what I needed and promised me his complete discretion, he helped me come up with an ironclad document that would protect me and any of my children born from the marriage.
 
I made him swear that, despite being employed by Daniel, everything we discussed was protected by attorney client privilege.
 
The last thing I needed was for Daniel to find out what was going on.
 
He would only try to fix it, and I couldn’t have him getting involved.

I walked into the silent house and breathed a sigh, but not of relief, a sigh of resignation.
 
Coming home should have a calming and relaxing effect on me, but this wasn’t home and I didn’t know when I would ever feel at home again.
 
I was heartsore and missing Freddie more than I ever imagined I would.
 
These last few weeks with him had felt so natural and I had begun to rely on him.
 
He knew instinctively how to relax me, how to make me laugh and when he kissed me…everything else faded away.

I walked into the sitting room and sank into the old sofa that had seen better days.
 
I rested my head back against the seat and closed my eyes, taking a moment to relax the tense muscles in my neck and shoulders.

“Why are you doing this?”

I opened my eyes to see Lily sitting in one of the chairs opposite me.
 
Had she been there when I walked in?
 
I hadn’t noticed.

“Why am I doing what?” I asked.

“Why did you come back?”

“Because the estate is broke and they were threatening to foreclose on the house.”

Lily was my youngest sister and although she had been dragged not the lifestyle with my mother and Tina, I still held out hope that she could find a different way.
 
She didn’t yet seem as jaded as the other two.

“But why is that your responsibility?
 
Why are you bailing us out?
 
We’ve never done anything for you.”

“You’re family,
we’re
family.
 
That’s what families do.”

“You’ve been taking care of us for a long time,” she said, “Isn’t that Mom and Dad’s job?
 
To look after us.
 
Aren’t they the adults?”

“I’m an adult, you’re an adult.”

She waved my comment away, “No, you know what I mean.
 
They’re the parents.
 
Looking after the family should be their responsibility.”

I chuckled wryly, “Take a look around, Lily,” I said tiredly, “They haven’t been doing a very good job, have they?”

She looked around the room as if seeing it for the first time.
 
The furniture was worn and hadn’t been replaced from the furniture that had been in this room when I was a child.
 
The corners were dusty and the paint dull.

“No, I suppose they haven’t,” she mumbled, “But why is it your responsibility to fix it?”

That was a good question.
 
It seemed like I was forever bailing my mother and father out.
 
What had started as a gift had become an expectation.

“Who else will do it if I don’t?” I asked, “Are you going to get a job and pay all the back taxes?
 
Will your sister?”

“I could get a job,” she said indignantly, “I’m not stupid.”

“No, Lily, you’re not.
 
So why don’t you get a job?
 
Earn your own spending money, meet some new people.”

“I just might,” she said defiantly, “You’re not the only one who can be good at something.”

I dropped my head into my hands, “I’m not good at anything,” I said, “Just ask mom.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, “You were the
Queen’s
assistant
, that’s awesome.
 
And that hunky guy was so totally in love with you.”