Royal 2 (Book two in my Selection series)

Chapter 53

It's been three months.

I'd gotten myself a job back at the restaurant, but it was a different one with longer work hours to keep me busy and lower pay. I spent at least two dinners a week at James's House, but nothing seemed the same anymore.

I hear the door to my trailer open and I roll my eyes and tuck the silver ring I held back into my bag. I was off today, just like I was every Sunday when the restaurant  was closed. James, to my luck, was off every Sunday too and would disrupt any peace I'd gotten during the week.

"Good morning." James shouts through the trailer as he welcomes himself in, uninvited. I mumble something inaudible and climb closer to the pillows. James enters my room with his coat covered in snow. "You weren't at dinner last night."

"I had to work late. Sheri had to go home early because her baby was sick." I shrug and look up at the ceiling again. James seemed to think I was depressed or something and had some sort of obligation to monitor me.

"So you're free to come to dinner tonight?" James asks. I turn my head to look at him and shrug.

"I'll be there Tuesday just like I am every single week." I say nonchalantly and look out the window by my bed. There was a blanket of white outside with deep footprints coming from a few houses. It wouldn't have been snowing at the palace, in Angeles.

"Why can't you come tonight? Autumn, you're becoming disconnected from everyone." James sits at the bottom of my bed.

"And you smell like cigarette smoke." I retort and sit up with messy hair. "I promised I wouldn't become disconnected and you promised you'd quit, so quit giving me grief over the promise you claim I've broken when you haven't even attempted."

"I'm worried about your health, Autumn." James says quieter this time.

"And I'm worried about yours. I'm doing fine. I'm over it, alright? Maybe you need to get over it." I stand up and push past him to get off my bed. I walk into the kitchen and pull the loaf of bread out of the bread compartment and stick two pieces inside the toaster. I had to admit, meals here were definitely not as advanced as palace meals.

"Fine. You don't have to come to dinner, but I'm taking you out tonight. You need to get out of the house other than work." James follows me into the kitchen and stands across the table from me.

"Fine. Whatever. Now are you going to leave or am I going to have to make you breakfast?" I ask. James parks himself at a chair at the table and I roll my eyes, but smile nevertheless. "Where are we going tonight?" I ask him after replacing the two pieces of toast in the toaster with another two.

"I don't know. I haven't actually thought about it yet. I just figured you'd come by for dinner." James says with a sharp stare toward me. 

I don't say anything and turn back to the cabinets. One cabinet was even missing because of an accident when I placed too many cans and it collapsed in on itself.

It hadn't even been a month since the holidays. I have to admit, Christmas and New Years were both hard. I just imagined what would've happened if I would've been at the palace during those times with the royal family.

By that point, I would've been settled in and most likely more comfortable with the other royals; I would be one myself. Logan wouldn't have to be there anymore because Will would be taking over responsibilities as the prince. Paige and I would be closer to sisters than friends.

Maybe my family would've even been allowed at the palace since it was the holidays and we would all be two families in one.

Maybe we would've even been planning a wedding if we weren't already married. I'd get to be designing a beautiful wedding dress and the colors of flowers and which room we should have the ceremony in.

Everything would've been just right. I would've been able to hold Will's hand in public and not under the table anymore. I could be publicly seen with him instead of having to hide my affections because of the other girls.

•••

A few hours later, James was gone. I sat at the table writing on a piece of paper when I hear a hard knock on the door.

I stand up and make my to the door and pull it open. There was a man with slick blond hair with graying spots, but a thin body dressed in a perfectly fitting suit. He could've been any lawyer, doctor, or business worker from the main part of the city but a small piece of me wanted him to be from some other place.

"Hello Autumn Meadows. I need you to come with me under strict rules." He says with his eyes darting around me. "Try not to raise suspicion. He said you were smart though."

As the man speaks, a small thrill of excitement rushes through me. I manage a small smile but try and hide it.

"Can you give me two minutes? Are you in a hurry?" I ask the man and open the door wider for him to step in. He steps in with a slight nod and stands stiffly by the door.

"Two minutes should be fine." He says calmly. I rush into my room and grab my bag with only a few belongings in it.

I go back into the kitchen and grab the paper I was writing on and scribble out the writing.

Dear James,

Don't worry about me. I'm going where I belong and I will speak with you soon. Don't tell anyone where I am and I will try and contact you in the next few months.

~Autumn.