Royal Pain in the Ass (43 page)

I heard a gruff
“Enter,”
and didn
’
t hesitate.  “
Juliet?
 
This is unexpected.
”

“
Sorry, your majesty
.  
I have a request.
”

“Go on . . .”

“I
’
d like to go home.
”

Henry raised an eyebrow.

“
Home, home.
 
Not my father
’
s estate.
  I
’
d like it very much if I could have my passport back and return to the states.
 

Henry stared at me for a long moment and it took everything I had to stare into those eyes and no squirm, but I stood and met his challenging gaze.

“
Very well.
 
I think you
’
ve learned to behave in public.
  Don
’
t
embarrass me, this country, or your family again.
 
And do not make me regret my decision.
 
I do not often grant second chances.
”

I felt the grin spread across my face.
  “Thank you,
your majesty
!”
I couldn
’
t help it, I threw my arms around his shoulders.
 

He awkwardly patted my back.
  “
Now, now, enough of that.
 
People are watching.
”

“
Oh, right . . .
”
I felt the flush on my face, but ignored it.
 
Words could not express how excited I was.
  I
’
d told my ride to just drop me off and leave.
 
I trusted him not to tattle, but not to not try and stop me if he figured out what I was really doing.
 
I walked a few blocks, hailed a cab and had them take me to the airport.
 
When I got there I changed into a blue sundress I knew the royalty would approve of and bought my ticket.
 
It didn
’
t take long for me to be on a plane back to New York.

Twenty-seven hours, three connecting flights, and four outfit changes later I was in my roommate, Amanda
’
s, car, her son Maverick sound asleep in the back.
 
I was home.

“
Chase has what?
”
she whisper-yelled.

“
Yeah, I know right?
”

“
Oh just you wait!
  I
’
ll kill him.
”

“
There
’
s a line for that, you know.
”
I smiled.
 
God I missed this girl.
 

“
Loki has missed you.
  Hasn
’
t done a damn thing but mope since you
’
ve been gone.
”

“
I missed him too.
”

We chatted the whole way home.
 
It felt like no time had passed between us.
 
This is part of why I loved this girl.
 
When we finally got back home I couldn
’
t sleep.
 
My sleep schedule was off now for the states.
 
I glanced at the clock, just after five am.
 
I knew what that meant.

Within ten minutes I had my surf board and Loki loaded up and was on my way out to the beach.
 
Loki loved the beach almost as much as I did.
 
It felt right to have sand between my toes again.
 
I took a long, deep breath of the salty air and felt the smile spread across my face.
 

This was home.

I was home.

Chapter XXII

After three days of hiding out and spending all my time surfing I was ready to let a few people know I was back.
 
It was lonely since I
’
d been back.
 
Amanda had tried to talk to me, but she was busy with school, work, and Maverick.
 
As much as everything was the same, it was all different.

This was home.
 
It always had been.
 
I walked into my mom
’
s old room and her smell still filled it.
 
I took a deep breath and sat on the edge of her bed.
 
God I missed her.
  She
’
d know what to do.
  She
’
d tell me how to deal with this.
 
I grabbed one of her pillows and cuddled with it and started crying.
 
I couldn
’
t tell you why I was crying, just that I suddenly felt like everything was falling apart.
 
What was happening to me?

I woke up and looked around.
  I
’
d cried myself to sleep.
 
I sighed and put the pillow back and set it just right and closed mom
’
s room off once again.
 
I turned on my old phone and called an old friend.

“
Hello?
”

“Hey,”

“Jules? 
Is that really you?
”

“Yes,”

“
Well, I
’
ll be damned.
 
Welcome back, princess.
”

“It
’
s good to be back.
  It
’
s good to be back.
”

I arranged to meet up with a few old friends at the current bar they were frequenting.

“Preston!”
I ran up and hugged him.

“
Lookie here, our little Jules went and grew up without us.
”
Preston teased.
 
Preston was like my big brother.
 
He was taller than me and a little stocky.
 
His brown hair had been cut since I
’
d last seen him 
and instead of his shaggy style he used to wear, it was now very businesslike.

“
How are you?
”

“
Great!
  I
’
ve missed you.
”

I had a few beers, met Preston
’
s new girlfriend Ellie, and the ever wonderful former best friend Hailey.
 

“Hey,”
she smiled awkwardly.
  “
Sorry about the way we met last.
”

I rolled my eyes and did my best to ignore her.

“
Juliet, I really miss our friendship.
”
Hailey pouted.

“
Well, whose fault is that?
”

“
Juliet, come on, what do I have to do?
”

I looked thoughtful for a moment.
  “Okay, here
’
s what you do, build a time machine, go back in time, and don
’
t screw my boyfriend.
”

“You forgave Chase.”
Hailey grumbled and Preston spun around.

“
Wait?
 
What?
” 
I glared at Hailey.
  “
Jules, did Hailey say you forgave Chase?
”

“
She did, but I haven
’
t.”

“
They why are you back with him?
”
Hailey whined.

“
Juliet?
”
Preston asked, raising an eyebrow.
  “
What
’
s going on?
”

I sighed.
 
I really didn
’
t want to have to explain myself.
  “
Preston, it
’
s a long story and I don
’
t want to get into it tonight.
  I
’
ll let you know, just not tonight.
 
Tonight, I want to enjoy myself.
  Okay?”

“
Alright, but you owe me an explanation.
”
Preston sighed.
  “
Do a shot with me.
”

A few more shots in and I was starting to feel like I was really back home.
 
A few good friends, a few good drinks and I was in a pretty good mood.

Unfortunately, there was a downside to being home and I found it.
  Now I wasn
’
t just Juliet.
 
I was Juliet Eastgate-Benn heir to the Eastgate nonsense.
 
Thus my quiet night catching up with some friends turned into this.

“
Juliet!
 
Is it true that you were engaged to the Prince of Wales?
”

“
Juliet, are you carrying a love child, like your mother, now?
”

“
Juliet, how do you think your mother would feel?
”

“
Juliet, is it true your father never wanted you?
”

“
Juliet, is it true?
”

“
Juliet!
”

“
Juliet!
”

I was going to kill whoever leaked my name to the press.

I smiled politely at the flash mob of reporters and news cameras, but I kept my damn mouth shut.
 
Xavier would be so proud.
 
I felt a pang of guilt in my gut.
 
Not only had I just up and left.
  I hadn
’
t told anyone I was leaving.
  I
’
d just snuck off and was gone before they knew any better.
  I hadn
’
t told anyone goodbye.  I
’
d even left my phone in the cab so they couldn
’
t find me.
 
I missed them all terribly.
 
I missed Gwen and her quirky nature and always having a cookie.
 
I missed Harper and his music.
 
I missed Laurel and her ways of telling me what I needed to hear and always saving my ass.
 
And I really missed Xavier.
 

More that I should have.
 

I missed our late night chats.
 

I missed our arguments.
 

Part of me even missed him trying to tell me what to do.
 

I waited patiently, with my mouth shut for the police to arrive and they escorted me to a hotel. I called Amanda and warned her I wouldn
’
t be home.
 
I was advised to get a hotel room and advised to use an alias.
 
It annoyed me that the hotel decided to comp me as soon as they realized who I was.
 
And so, I had locked myself in the five star hotel suite alone.
 
I would have given just about anything in that moment to be curled up in my own bed.

I looked at my phone again.
 
Preston had left me yet another voicemail.

“
Juliet, I
’
m sorry! 
I had no idea Hailey would open her big mouth.
  I
’
m sorry! 
Please call me back.
 
Tell me you
’
re alright.
 
Amanda won
’
t tell me anything.
 
Please just let me know you
’
re alright.
  I
’
m sorry, Jules. 
Call me.
”