Royal Pain in the Ass (20 page)

“
I didn
’
t even think about that.
”

“
This is why I am the advisor and you listen.
”

“
Yeah, yeah, whatever,
”

“
Are you ready?
”

“
Sure, let me go brush my teeth and I
’
ll be good to go.
”

I went back to my room and found Gwen waiting for me.

“
Hello gorgeous,
”
she smiled.

“
Hey yourself!
 
How are you?
”

“I
’
m amazing and I have a message for you.
”

“
What
’
s that?
”

“
Harper wants to see you again.
  Soon.”

“
Does he now?
”
I felt a smile curling on my lips.
 
Something about that boy just made me smile.
 
I couldn
’
t help it.
 
I felt like an idiot and I kind of liked it.
  I hadn
’
t felt like this since . . . not long after my relationship started with Chase.
 
It had been a while and I wasn
’
t sure if I should like it or not.

“
Do you have a message for him?
”
Gwen asked raising an eyebrow.

“
Tell him he has pretty eyes,
”

“Haven
’
t you told him that a few times?
”

“Yes,”

“You
’
re going to mind fuck him aren
’
t you?
”

“
I don’
t want to do that to him.
”

Gwen let out a sigh.
  “
I love you, you
’
re my girl, but I have to tell you this up front.
 
If you mess around with Harper
’
s heart I
’
m going to have to hurt you.
 
That boy is my best friend and I won
’
t let anyone hurt my friends, even if they
’
re also my friends.
”

I nodded.
  “
I can respect that.
 
I really like Harper, but I don
’
t know him.
”

Gwen nodded.
  “
As long as you don
’
t intend on jerking him around you can do as you please.
 
I care about both of you, and I don
’
t want to watch either of you get hurt, but I
’
ve helped Harper pick up the pieces once or twice.
”

“
Do you like him?
”

“
No, we tried the dating thing, but it doesn
’
t work for us.
  He
’
s better as my brother.
”

“
Tell him I want to see him again and as soon as I
’
m allowed out again I
’
ll come see him.
”

“
That
’
s my girl.  I
’
ll take you out again soon.
” 
Gwen got up and sauntered out of my room.
  “Take care gorgeous!  I
’
ll see you soon.
”

I brushed my teeth and ran a brush through my hair and headed back down to the parlor.
 
Not long after I was in a limo laughing with Christine much to the disapproval of Lana.

“I
’
m sorry, Lana, but it is kind of funny,
”

“I
’
m glad you both find this so amusing.
”
Lana grumbled.

“
Oh Lana,
”
Christine laughed.

“
Stop having a go at Lana
’
s expense,”
Xavier warned.

“
Oh, all right, I
’
m sorry, Lana.
”

“Let
’
s just get this over with.
”

We pulled up to a dress shop and Christine shoved me into a dressing room and started tossing dresses over.
 
For some reason Christine had some obsession with pink.
  Don
’
t get me wrong, pink is fine, but I don
’
t want to look like a piece of cotton candy.

“
Christine, stop that,
”
I heard Lana hiss.
  “
That dress is just cruel.
 
Try this one on.
”

Lana handed over a silver backless dress with a sweetheart top.
 
I tried it on and looked at my reflection and couldn
’
t help but smile.
  “
Lana, have I told you you
’
re amazing today?
”

I came out and showed everyone.
“
That
’
s the one!
”
Christine beamed.

I did a twirl and heard a gasp.
  Lana
’
s hand was over her mouth and she was staring at me in shock.
  “
What is on your shoulder?
”

I started laughing.
  “
Oh, right, you didn
’
t know yet.
”

“
So these two did?
”

“Yes,”

“
As her advisor, it
’
s my job to know,
”
Xavier offered with a shrug.
 

“
Do I have to put it back?
”

“Don
’
t be silly, we
’
ll just have to get that covered up before you go out.
”

“
I don’
t want a cover up!
”

“
You are going to have to get that airbrushed, it
’
s that simple.
”
Lana replied firmly.

“
Oh, airbrushing, that
’
s okay then.
 
I thought you meant permanently.
” 
I smiled.

“
Juliet, you are something else,
”
Lana sighed.
  “
Well, if that
’
s the one, Christine and I have some other errands to run.
” 
We said our goodbyes and Xavier took me to lunch.

“
That dress is really quite stunning on you,
”
Xavier comment
ed as he munched on a sandwich.

I nodded as I finished chewing.
  “
I like it a lot.
  I
’
ve never worn anything like that, unless you count prom, which I don
’
t think that counts.
”  
Xavier laughed.
   “
So, what does one do at a charity ball?
”

“
Dance and mingle mostly.
 
All the big wigs have already thrown a great deal of money around.
”

“
What kind of dancing?
”

“
Waltzing mostly.
”

“
Uhm . . .
”

“You don
’
t know how to waltz, do you?
”
Xavier gave me a sly smile.

I shook my head.

Xavier let out a defeated laugh.
  “
Why should I expect anything else?
 
If it were any other way, I just might get bored. Can
’
t have that now can we?
”

“
Can you waltz?
”

Xavier sighed.
  “
Not very well, and I
’
m not a teacher.
 
Let me make a phone call.
” 
Xavier made a call to Lana who I heard tell him to figure it out himself.
  “
Well, maybe someone at the house knows how to,
”

“
Xavier, call my father.
”

Xavier dialed and handed me the phone.
  “
Hello?
”

“
Hey, James, it
’
s Juliet,
”

“
Juliet, what
’
s the matter?
 
Is everything okay?
”

“
Pretty much, except I
’
ve never learned to waltz, I was wondering if anyone on the grounds knew how to.
”

James let out a relieved laugh.
  “
Is that all?
”

“Yeah,”

“
Yes, there are many people on the grounds who can teach you, myself, and Angelica included.
”

“Okay, I
’
ll see you tonight then,
”

“Okay, goodbye Juliet,”

“
Adios.
”
I hung up and handed Xavier back his phone.
  “
Problem solved.
”
I beamed.
  “
So, what are you going to wear?
”

“I
’
ve already sent for my tux to be pressed.
”

“
Are you going to wear tails?
”

“No,”

“Aww,”

“
Come now, it will be fine.
  I
’
m actually supposed to be picking it up soon.
”
Xavier glanced at his watch.
  “
It should be done by time we
’
re finished here.
”

“
I look forward to seeing you in a tux,
”

“Don
’
t get too excited.
”

There was something about Xavier.
 
When he wasn
’
t bossing me around he was easy to talk to, funny, smart, and he could be charming when he wanted to.
 
He was easy to laugh around when he wasn
’t doing business.
 
It was like night and day when he was doing business.
 
I was wondering if business was just his mask.
 

“
Well, we have much to do today,
”
Xavier paid the bill and we went to pick up his tux and then we went back home and he was laughing at my dismal attempts to learn waltzing from him.
  “Let
’
s try this again,
”
Xavier sighed as he picked himself up off the floor and offered me a hand.
 
I was still laughing too hard to get stand.
 

“
How did we manage to do that?
”

“
You are very talented, obviously,
”
Xavier laughed with me.
 

“Maybe, you
’
re just a crappy teacher,
”

“
I think this is a case of operator error,
”

“
Whatever, let
’
s try it again, hopefully neither of us end up with broken legs.
”

Xavier helped me to my feet.
“
And one, two, three, one, two, three, one two three,
”