Princess in love (Royals #3)

Royal awkwardness

Chapter's song: One by Ed Sheeran

ChaPtEr THIRTY _________________________

The dining table was elegantly set up. Mom's best china was displayed over a hand-stitched mantelpiece brought over from Hungary. The finest silverware was sitting next to the European-cut glasses.

Oh no.

Whatever happened with the term casual?

My stomach churned as I stepped towards the kitchen, where Mom was smelling one of the simmering pots over the stove. "Mom?" I asked trying to sound completely casual and not as freaked out as I really felt.

"Yes, honey?" her green eyes sparkled with glee as she turned to me. A white apron was hiding her glimmering over-the-top, dress.

"Are you wearing a cocktail dress?" my voice was high pitched. My eyes were wide as the elegant saucers placed on the other room.

She smiled, "well, it's not every day that our oldest daughter brings her boyfriend over."

I bit my lip. "I didn't bring him. You practically forced me to invite him." I muttered while my eyes roamed all over the kitchen's counter. There seemed to be a large amount of food already prepared. "Mom, isn't this, too much?"

She scoffed, "of course not! This is the first time you bring a guy home," her eyes shone excitedly, "it's a big thing."

"I'm not-"

"Same thing." She cut in pleased with herself.

"Mom," My stern tone of voice tried to convey how serious I was being. "I just saw him yesterday. And he's coming over for dinner because you made me invite him. I haven't seen him in a while and I definitely don't want to scare him away." Not until I can convince him that the paparazzi and every other thing lurking around in my life was worth it.

She chuckled at that, "I'm sure he'll be delighted to see that we're doing all of this just for him."

"It's too much."

"What would you want me to do? Treat him out to take-out pizza?" she shook her head and grabbed the wooden rolling pin. I flinched as she smashed it against a brown bag filled with old bread.

"What on earth are you doing?" my voice was soft and my breathing had hitched.

Oh, dear God. What had I gotten Jason into?

"I'm making bread pudding," she said in a duh tone, "the old way. Like my grand-mother taught me." She passed her right arm across her forehead. "You know, so there's something Mexican on the table." She looked at me. "Maybe it will bring out memories from the summer." A small smile played on her face as she smashed down the brown bag with the rolling pin again.

My heart warmed at that.

"That's really nice, Mom. But apparently we already have food for the whole neighborhood..." I gestured towards the kitchen table, where a chocolate cake was standing right below the lamp's reflection at the center of the table.

She made a dismissing gesture with her hand, "your father is making fun of my cooking skills and bought the damn thing. I'm proving him wrong, of course."

I sighed. There was no point in trying to tone done dinner now. Especially since Jason would be here in an hour, tops.

"How can I help?" I asked completely defeated.

Mom looked at me. "You could go put on something fancy, like really fast and help me out do this thing."

My eyes turned to my dark denim jeans and red-striped blouse. "I thought this was meant to be casual," I reinforced the term trying to make her feel bad.