Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 42883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
At that moment, a knock on the door sounds.
“Come,” I command.
The pageboy slips in, trembling before me.
“Sir?”
I nod.
“Did you deliver the note?” I ask.
“Yes, sir,” he replies, still quivering.
“Are you sure she was the right one?” I ask.
“Yes, Your Highness,” he stammers. “Miss Kitty, with the long, brown hair and brown eyes.”
“Good, that’s her,” I say with approval. “Harold, you know this stays between us.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Of course, Your Highness,” the young man stammers.
“Good, well done,” I say. “That’ll be all.”
“Of course, Your Highness,” he says as he bows. “Anytime.” Then, Harold takes off, nearly tripping over his own two feet.
Meanwhile, I sit back on the divan, alone once more. Tonight, I'll get to finish what I started. The beauteous Kitty may have gotten away from me once, but not again. After all, her name may mean “cat,” but I’m the cat in our game of cat and mouse … and she just doesn’t know it yet.
CHAPTER 7
Kitty
I wave goodbye to my co-workers as I climb inside of a taxi. Finally, my shift is over. I couldn't be more elated because it’s only a few hours until my meeting with the Prince and I need to get ready! I can’t possibly appear before the handsome royal with my hair a mess and dirt all over my cheeks. I need to wash the filth that comes from cleaning the castle off of my body and change out of this uniform at the very least. If I’m going to be fired, then I want to go in a dignified way.
Luckily, traffic is light as the cab veers through streets of Chromia with ease. We leave behind the flashing lights of the glitzy casinos and nightclubs and enter my humble neighborhood. As the driver pulls up to my parents’ home, I can't help thinking about how different my life is from the Prince’s. Eric knows that I'm a maid, but he has no idea how we live. He has no idea what “budgeting,” “frugal,” and “living paycheck to paycheck” mean. Plus, what would my parents say if they knew about my clandestine meeting?
My stomach sinks. Honestly, my parents would be disappointed if they knew I was sneaking around the palace with Prince Eric because they raised me to be a smart, hard-working woman with dignity and pride, not one who sneaks around in the shadows with a man who could never be seen with her out in public. But then I stop myself. Prince Eric is getting ready to fire me, not date me. Somehow, that just makes me feel worse.
The taxi finally stops before our cottage, and I get out. As I walk toward the front door, I try to come up with an excuse as to why I need to leave the house so late at night. I've never really been the type to party, and my parents are used to me spending most nights home. I fumble through my purse, searching for my keys, but before I can find them, my mother flings the door wide open. Doria smiles warmly and spreads her arms for an embrace.
“Welcome home, sweetheart,” she greets as she wraps her arms around me.
“Hey, Mom,” I respond as I hug her back.
“How was work?” she asks as she releases me.
“It was okay,” I lie. The truth is, work is quickly coming to an end, but I don’t want to worry her because she would probably cry her eyes out and wonder where she went wrong in raising me. Usually, I tell my mom everything, but this is a secret I’ll have to keep to myself. For now, at least.
“That’s good. Come, have a seat. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” she burbles as she drags me to the table.
I try to put her off.
“Um, I’m not really that hungry, Mom. I had a big lunch today,” I say. All I’d had was a sandwich, but I’m honestly too nervous about my meeting with the prince to eat anything. “I’m just going to grab a quick shower before I head out tonight.”
“Out?” Doria inquires with one eyebrow raised. “Really, hon?”
I smile weakly.
“Yeah, I’m meeting up with a few friends tonight to go see a movie.” God, I suck at lying. I can’t tell whether or not she’s buying this, and my heart is starting to race. Hopefully she doesn’t ask which one because I have no idea what’s playing in the theaters.
Fortunately, I’m saved when my dad walks in the front door. Herbert works as an accountant for a small architectural firm, and he’s been with them thirty years. It’s time for him to retire because the lines around his eyes and mouth are deepening by the year, and the work exhausts him.
My mom flies to help him take off his jacket and hat, and with my parents distracted with one another, I dash up the stairs and into the bathroom. I close the door gently and lock it behind me. Privacy, at last.