Chapter 29 - You Really Are Too Nice (1/2)

Al didn't seem the least bit perturbed by my accusation and shrugged it off.

”You never would have spoken to me again if you knew I was a prince from the get-go. Wasn't it more fun talking like normal people for a while first?”

I rolled my eyes. That was not fun. That was sneaky and underhanded at best. I wouldn't be in this mess if he hadn't hidden his identity from me.

”And you say I have a strange sense of fun.”

”It's not strange in a bad way,” he promised with the brightest smile I had seen from him so far.

”I happen to love your idea of fun. I never would have thought of sneaking into the kitchens for cream puffs and treating it like some secret mission.”

A blush crept up my neck and onto my cheeks. ”It sounds stupid when you put it that way.”

By this point Marcy's confusion at our antics had changed to beaming at us. Clearly she was enjoying our bickering.

Embarrassed as I was, this might work in my favor. If she thought the prince was funny, she might develop feelings for him like she was supposed to.

A peal of laughter like the tinkling of bells rang out from behind us. Marcy was so amused that the corners of her eyes crinkled. We both turned to stare at her. She was less afraid of us this time.

”Forgive me, but the two of you are quite funny. Based on the easy way you talk to each other, it seems like you have known each other forever but from what I've heard you met at the debutante ball a couple months ago.”

”We did,” I said uneasily.

I wasn't sure I liked where this was heading. She seemed to think we bickered like an old married couple. There was no way she would be interested in half of a couple she enjoyed seeing together.

Al sidled up next to me and slung an arm around my shoulder. ”That was practically a lifetime ago, wasn't it Katie?”

I wanted to glare at him but he was having so much fun. How could I spoil the fun of someone whose life was so pathetically sad?

If Marcy was comfortable enough with us to speak frankly, that was good enough for a first meeting. We could always come back to the kitchens later and work on developing their relationship more.

Once Al was comfortable with her, I could send him on reconnaissance trips by himself so I wouldn't be in the way of the romance.

”It certainly was,” I muttered.

A lifetime ago where my biggest worry was staying out of Duke Orla's way, not being smack dab in the middle of the ruined plot.

”You make a fine match,” Marcy said with a smile.

Ah. That's exactly what I was afraid of. Al seemed happy with the comment but I had to disagree.

Me? With this lazy, inconsistent guy who had no desire to step up and do his job as the hero? No way.

”See Katie? Someone supports us,” Al said with a wink.

He was obviously alluding to that disaster of a croquet tournament where no one present wanted me to marry him. Had it really only been three days ago?

I sighed. ”You're ridiculous.”

”Only around you. You're my best friend,” he said sincerely.

I was his only friend but it was basically the same thing.

I still wasn't over my annoyance with him for making me come here solely to be his friend while we came up with an escape plan. He may have helped me out today but I had a lot more miserable bridal lessons ahead because of him!

”We should go eat these before you have to meet with Mariela,” Al suggested before I could think of anything to say.

”Would you like anything else to go? I have some lemon tarts that are meant to go to Princess Rosenia but no one will notice if a few are missing,” Marcy offered generously.