Chapter l435

Chapter 0435

That night, Nicholas and Julian joined the rest of the candidates and me in the dining room for dinner together. Elva was tired from the day’s events, so I returned her to our room where the nanny was waiting to keep an eye on her. Julian joined me at the door, to walk down to the dining room together.

When we entered, Bridget had taken her usual spot, with Nicholas on her one side. The other side was open, presumably for Julian. She spotted us as we came in, and tried to wave us or, well, Julian – over.

“She wants you to sit next to her,” I whispered to him.

“I need space from her tonight,” he replied.

Nodding, I led him away from Bridget and over to where my usual spot was beside Susie, and across from Tiffany and Veronica. Since Elva was absent, her seat was empty. Julian sat down in that seat now.

Bridget watched us from her spot at the table. Her ever–present smile seemed slightly dimmer than before.

“You should have been the lead, Prince Julian,” Tiffany said. “No offense to Prince Nicholas, but you are a true actor. It’s like you were born to be on stage.

The compliment seemed to puff Julian back up and he returned to life. His grin slid right back on his face very easily.

“Thank you, my dear,” he said.

“I like Bridget,” Tiffany continued, “But I’m not so convinced about her giving the perfect. roles to everyone. Piper, didn’t she try to make you a maid?”

I groaned, and everyone around me chuckled a little. Even Julian.

“God, I forgot about that,” he said.

Maybe he forgot. Or maybe he’d been so blindsided by love that he hadn’t noticed Bridget’s slights against me to start with.

Bottles of champagne came out then, and glasses were filled all around.

Nicholas, holding his glass, stood up. He held it up like he was going to make a toast.

Yet before he could speak, Bridget bounced to her feet and held up her own glass. “Nicholas

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and I have been speaking tonight about how wonderful this event has been. Granted, I haven’t been around for the other events, but this truly seems like the best one yet.

Veronica gave me a flat look that had me hide my laugh behind my napkin.

Bridget narrowed her eyes at me for a fraction of a second before continuing.

“The beauty of the theater is how every person is an imperative moving part. It is only through everyone’s great effort that this event will be a success. Yes, Nicholas and I will draw most of the attention, but we will shine because of your hard work.”

Susie looked at me now, back over her shoulder. “Is this supposed to be motivating?” she whispered.

I gave her a shrug.

Bridget didn’t notice this time.

“So I offer a hardy thank you.” She lifted her glass. “You should all pat yourselves on the back for your accomplishments here. To us!” She drank. The rest of us followed suit, thought with varying degrees of enthusiasm, none as bright as hers.

Susie pretended to sip at hers, then slipped some of it into my glass under the table when I motioned her to. No one was the wiser.

After drinking, Bridget turned and smiled at Nicholas. He gave a small smile in return, then

cleared his throat.

“Thank you, Bridget. Though I would also like to thank everyone for their hard work. Though some roles are smaller than others, there are no unimportant parts in this show. Your dedication to this event has been seen and appreciated. Thank you all very much. To you.” He lifted his glass.

“To us!” Everyone said, the words absent when Bridget had toasted. Her smile tightened at little, but by the time she had finished drinking, it was back to full wattage.

After the toasts, we continued to drink and have a good time. Though, not too long later, Julian kissed me on the cheek.

“I’ve had a long day,” he said. “I want to turn in early.”

I smiled at him. “See

you tomorrow.”

“Count on it.” He winked at me. Then he stood and left the room.

“It’s nice to see him having some fun,” Tiffany said. “He hasn’t really been himself lately.”

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“I agree,” Veronica said. “He has been absent from the library these past few days.”

I tilted my head a little. “Does he usually visit you there?”

“Every day,” Veronica said. “At least for a little while.”

“We used to play cards in the afternoon most days,” Tiffany said. “I hope I didn’t offend him when I caught him counting. Though he seemed more humored at the time.”

I had no idea Julian worked so hard to make time for each of us so often. Though now, his fascination with Bridget felt even sadder. Whether he hung out with the three of us for romantic pursuits or for friendship, those relationships began to wilt the moment she returned to the picture.

“I’ve noticed he doesn’t smile as much,” Susie said, and we all agreed.

We stay until the champagne ran dry and people began to yawn. We truly had a long day and would likely have an even longer one the next day. The real party could happen when the event was finished.

Susie excused herself first, then Veronica. Tiffany stayed a bit longer, chatting up Jessica beside her.

Nicholas came to my side, then, and offered his arm. “If you are ready to leave,” he said, “I would be honored to walk you back to your room.

”

I looked at him strangely, thinking to myself, Bridget would hate that. Yet when I glanced to where Bridget had been sitting, her seat was empty. Did she slip out? When? I couldn’t remember. After the toasts, I’d had such a good time, I stopped paying her any mind.

“Where’s Bridget?” I asked. I couldn’t help myself.

He seemed puzzled by my question. “I lost track of her,” he said. “But I think she left sometime after Julian.” 1

Odd, but her loss was my gain. I slid my arm into Nicholas’s waiting one and let him escort

me from the room.

A quiet sense of companionship settled over us again, bridges mended with his apology. We both at least understood now why I was upset. And I understood he hadn’t meant it to hurt

Silence lingered in the hallways, all except the sounds of our footsteps. On the staircase, he stopped me, turned to me, and said, “If it were up to me… If I could personally choose who to have a family with, I’d want it to be you, Piper.”

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My eyes went wide. My heart ached.

“My feelings for you are not what stand in our way,” he said.

The crown was important, not just to him or to me, but to the entire kingdom. And he would make a great king. Who was I, a lonely waitress, to ask him to turn his back on that so that we could live some little, beautiful but impossible dream.

Would we move to the country? Buy a little cottage? Stick our heads in the sand any news or politics came into discussion around us?

time

No.

Nicholas was born to be king.

What could I do but support him? Even if that meant my dream had to die.

“I understand,” I said.

Then he leaned down and gently kissed me.

My heart ached.

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