Royalty Check

12 | IN HONOR OF OUR GUESTS

"𝓦ow."

I stare at Philip, my mouth half open. He waits for me to jump into his arms, kiss him, do something. But my hesitation has come and passed.

"Why... what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to surprise you for your big closing party!" he says, giving me a quick hug.

"I can't believe it."

A grand gesture is the last thing I would expect from Philip. He's always on time. He always knows exactly what to say. And he can plan a very detailed and elaborate date. But surprise? That is an element not usually involved.

"What's the WiFi?" he asks as he slings his laptop bag onto my bed.

While Philip spends a few minutes checking in with work, I sit at my desk and try to look busy. But I don't know how to act.

I knew who I was in Los Angeles: Hannah, ambitious author, supportive girlfriend, occasional cheese-platter-and-wine hostess. This Hannah — royal balls and nearly kissing princes? I don't know who this Hannah is.

And Phillip has definitely never met her.

I catch a glimpse of recent notes on my desk, scratched out versions of the prince dashing the leading lady all over the page. I tuck the papers into my rose-colored file folder with the rest of the drafts. No one is meant to see those but me.

"You must be tired," I say after a few more moments of silence. "I can leave you alone for a bit."

"No need, I took a nap on the plane," Philip says, shutting his laptop. "Besides, I want to hang out with you!"

I try and smile. He's being so sweet. Shouldn't I be more excited about this?

"OK. What do you want to do?" I ask.

"What would you be doing if I wasn't here?"

I think of what I was doing only moments before his arrival, rushing around the castle, trying to find James. I don't think Philip would want to join me on that quest.

"I would probably go down to the gardens and write."

"Oh, you write in fancy gardens now?" he teases me. "How will our little Mar Vista apartment compare?"

"It's not about being fancy."

"I'd love to come with you," Philip says, ignoring my comment. Probably for the best. "I'd like to see what's been keeping you so busy the last few months."

What does that mean? Have I been too busy?

"You just flew across the ocean and the first thing you want to do is take a tour?"

Philip gives me a coy smile. "Do you have something else in mind?"

Well, yes — but not what he thinks. What I have on my mind is running away to some deserted island, just me, and pretending none of this ever happened.

"Well it'll have to wait," Philip says. "You know how I am with jet lag. Take me to these gardens of yours."

It is surreal walking through the castle with Philip. Even though I've only been here a few months, these halls have formed a new world for me. And my old world is now knocking, reminding me that this one is temporary.

On the way down the stairs, I can't answer any of Philip's questions about the architecture or building supplies, and all the rooms he wants to enter — the advising rooms, kitchens, official offices — we're not allowed in without escort.

All I can talk about are moments that have happened in the rooms we pass. Nora and I getting caught in the kitchen at 1am sneaking out pudding, Olivia choking on andouille sausage and refusing to let George give her the Heimlich, James making me laugh in nearly every room we've been in together.