Page 23 of Heavy Crown

Once we’re settled in the back of the vehicle, I press a button to put up the divide between us and the guards. They don’t need to hear Rory and I arguing, and I’m sure that’s what’s coming.

“I thought we agreed someone else would do your grocery shopping,” I say.

“Yeah. We did. But then Desmond seemed…” She bites her lip. “I thought it might be less inconvenient if I just went myself.”

“I spoke to Desmond. He’ll be more attentive to your needs from now on.” Since I’m sure Jules isn’t going to stay on as my secretary given her wedding to my brother, I threatened not to promote Desmond if he can’t satisfy all my requirements, and right now I require him to be nice to Rory. Disapproval vibrated off him, but he didn’t dare disagree. Most of the time we get along well. He knows his place, and I know mine.

“That’s not.” Rory closes her eyes. “I didn’t tell you to get Desmond in trouble.”

“He’s fine.” I stare out the window and watch the greenery of the Bellerive scenery pass me by. “Just in danger of getting fired if he doesn’t understand he works for me. Every once in a while, someone needs a reminder.”

“It’s just groceries,” she says in a small voice.

“It’s not. You’ll see.” I purse my lips. “Most of the time the people of Bellerive are very respectful, but what I did last night has set off a feeding frenzy. Stories about me, my life, my family’s lives are all over social media today.” I glance at her. “Stories about you.”

She massages her temples.

“You didn’t know?” Julia delivered her phone over an hour ago. Since she doesn’t follow instructions, I assumed she’d have been searching her name or mine on every available social media, reading the articles, sharing anything that made her look good.

“How would I know?” She glares at me. “My phone is dead, and you left me in a cottage with literally nothing to do. I spent the whole time making a list in my head—and it’s a long one—of all the things I’ll never accept again in a relationship.”

“A long one?” I eye her in amusement. “Give me a sample.”

“No more dating men who require me to join a family business.” Her hand is splayed open and she taps on her index finger, but before she continues she seems to think better of it. “You know what? That’s all you’re getting.”

“Presumably no cheating is another one. Or were you okay with that? Just not on your birthday?”

Her gaze narrows. “I liked you better this morning.”

That’s honest. I liked me better this morning. I went to work after showing her the cottage because I could see the slippery slope rising in front of me. Spending more time with Rory, as my mother suggested earlier, was a disaster waiting to happen.

Yet here I am. Canceling my day for the second time and going to the grocery store, a place I haven’t set foot in for years, just so she isn’t bored.

Not my job to amuse her. Not my job to accompany her. The fact that I’m going against some of my own inner checks and balances makes me angry, but it hasn’t stopped me from doing them.

“It’s been a day that feels like a week,” I admit.

“For me too,” she says. “At least once I have some things from the store I can cook and bake.”

“You’re not supposed to be reading.”

A slow smile spreads across her face. “I bet you’ve never cooked anything yourself before.”

I raise my eyebrows, but for some reason I’m loathe to admit I haven’t spent much time in a kitchen. A handful of times I’ve made myself a sandwich. That’s it. Everywhere I go, whatever I want, someone does it for me or makes it for me. “It’s not a skill I’ve needed to acquire.”

Her smile turns into a broad grin. “Can I teach you how to bake something? As a thank you for, you know, everything?”

“You want to teach me how to bake?” I’m sure there’s disbelief in my expression; it’s definitely in my tone. “Or you want me to read the recipe to you while you bake? I’m quite a good reader.”

She laughs, a delighted sound. “No, I don’t need you to read. All the recipes live up here.” She taps her temple. “If you don’t want to learn, it’s okay. I just thought it might be something I could do for you.” She glances out the window, and her lips tug at another smile. “It would at least amuse me for a little while. The days are going to be long until I can start working again. I’ve never had so much free time.”

The orange color flashing in my mind, slopes with a steep, slippery incline. The lovely green shade of her eyes should make my answer obvious. No, she can’t teach me how to bake. Getting any closer to her is a mistake. In a few months, I’ll be publicly declaring my affections for someone suitable to assume the throne beside me. Rory isn’t that person and can never be that person.

“Today,” I say. “Since I’ve taken the day off, you can teach me to bake something today.” I may need to start wearing a muzzle in her company to prevent my mouth from saying things my brain understands I shouldn’t be doing.

She turns to me with wide eyes and a broad grin. “Seriously? Oh my God. Alex, this is going to be so fun.” She taps her lip. “But what to bake?”

“I have no idea.”