Page 40 of Princessa
Watching Arabella’s eyes gleam, her whole face beam, a feeling of deja-vu swept over me—a subtle and comforting indication I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Several minutes passed asMya, Dom, Charles, Nicola, and young Simone,greeted and fussed over us, all completely taken, starry-eyed by Arabella. And Diamond too.
“I follow you on Instagram,” squeaked a seemingly awestruck Simone. “You’re even prettier in real life.” She plucked her phone from out of her hoodie pocket, played around with the screen, then showed Arabella. “Besides all of your makeup and fashion posts, this is what I love the most. When you visit the Savannah Smiles Home For Girls and give them all makeovers.”
What?Okay, I remember the mention of her loving to give makeovers to girls back in Savannah, though her description was modest in comparison, characterized as a freaking hobby, no less. In the regal world, devoting time to those less fortunate would be considered one’s duty and true calling.
“Let me see that.” I snagged Simone’s phone, eyeballed an Instagram photo of Arabella surrounded by a pack of little girls, every bit decked out in fancy dresses and tiaras, their faces and hair entirely made up. The hashtagsHereWithMyGirls,SavannahSmiles, MakeoverDaysat below the photo.
I scrubbed my jawline.How did I miss this?
Back when I’d stalked her Instagram profile, I clearly hadn’t scrolled past a few rows of photos, bothered—okay jealous—by some of the comments guys made about how gorgeous she was. This side of Arabella, though, was brand new, not to mention near and so fucking dear to my heart.
I flicked my ogling eyes from the shimmering Insta-Bella to the real-life—just as shimmering—one, a chunk of admiration ballooning in my throat. “How often do you visit the girls’ home?”
“Once a month,” interjected a peppy Simone, evidently proud to be the bearer of information as if she were Arabella’s press secretary.
“You’re right.” Arabella reached over to Simone, smoothed down a loose strand of her curly, light brown hair. The gesture was genuine, like she and Simone hadn’t met only minutes prior. “Before I left Savannah, I did make it a point to visit the orphanage at least once a month. And since I’ve been gone, I already miss those little divas-in-the-making. They were so much fun to hang out with.”
If I wasn’t widely enchanted by the gem who stood alongside me, bedecked in a sexy yet classic dress before now, that moment could have been the one to seal the deal. “There’s a place near here—Castle Primo—for underprivileged youth who need homes. We spent money to renovate the space, transforming it into a sanctuary for them to live comfortably as they wait for their forever homes. I make it a point to visit once a month, hosting superhero and princess parties for the little ones. They dress up and get waited on by all of us, the king, queen, and myself included.”
Arabella and I held each other’s enraptured regard for seconds that could’ve easily ticked into minutes, if she weren’t the first to utter, “Seems we both have a soft spot for younger ones less fortunate than we are.”
A few silent beats floated by and I wondered if she too were thinking,Where the hell have you been my whole life?
“Well, I think it’s cool you two have the same great-hearted interest.” Simone looked at Arabella then to me. “Maybe you both can visit Castle Primo together while you’re here?”
“How about we get settled first, huh?” I chucked Simone’s dimple-enhanced chin upward. “We’ll decide later what to get into over the next few days.”
As Oliver removed Camille and Finn’s luggage from the car, I asked him to take our luggage to my cottage, located just around the back of the Palace.
When he drove off, I took hold of Arabella’s hand and we meandered inside, her heels click-clacking against the Spanish marble floor. Andorra Palace—regally gorgeous by all standards—somehow appeared more grandiose than ever.
Finn showed Camille to the wing they were to occupy over the next three days, while Simone captured Diamond in her arms and carried the feline diva downstairs to get acquainted with Luna, the resident cat who believed herself to be more regal than the queen.
“Your Highness?” asked Mya. “Shall we take Ms. Royale on a tour?”
I dipped my head in agreement, then kissed Arabella on the lips, my hand softly cupping her elbow as I leaned in. “I’ll leave Mya and Nicola to entertain you for a bit while I go meet with the king and queen.”
