Page 6 of The Prince Who Loved Me

Coffee was usually already made when he wanted some. This contraption with buttons and knobs was beyond his technical knowledge. The only thing he recognized was the time. Calling Loïc to make the drink for him or waiting for Wendy to show up was unthinkable. Surely he could make a stupid cup ofcoffee.

He pressed down on the top, but nothing happened. At least he was able to pull the coffee pot from the bottom. Did the coffee grounds go in there first?

“Need help?” Brandi asked. Laughter tinged her words.

He shoved the pot back to its resting place. “It’s too late for coffee.”

“I can’t drink caffeine after dinner anyway or I’m up until the wee hours. A far cry from all-nighters in college. Why don’t you grab a cookie instead?” Brandi gestured to the other stool. “And come sit.”

The door swung open before he moved out of the way, and Wendy entered the kitchen with Rob, the signature orange bottle of Belle’s tucked under her arm.

Sebastien took his place by Brandi’s side while Rob and Wendy poured drinks into the mason jars they used as glasses. The yeasty smell of the whiskey tickled his nose.

Before he could take a swallow, Brandi took his glass from him added some ice.

Just the way he liked it.

He stared at his drink, then at her. When had she learned how he took his whiskey? She took hers neat, but he’d known that since the first time he visited Fountenoy Hall.

“So what happened?” Wendy asked. Her question kicked Sebastien into motion and he let the liquid slide down his throat, enjoying the smooth burn.

“Where to start?” Brandi took a sip of her drink. “First, and the easiest thing. I was mistaken about his name. It’s not Andrew. It’s Andrin. Or Asshole. Take your pick.”

That had explained why Sebastien’s people couldn’t find him. They’d looked him up the first time Brandi mentioned chatting with him on a dating website. After a few weeks of that, she met him in person at one of those paleo-gluten-ketorestaurants, and Sebastien still knew nothing about him.

“I should go.” Rob stood up. “Let you guys catch up.”

“Bonne nuit,” Sebastien said. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but after the nine months Wendy and Rob had been together, the man was growing on him. But that didn’t mean Sebastien wouldn’t take any opportunity to harass him.

“You always leave when we get to the girly stuff,” Brandi teased. “Sit. Stay.”

Sebastien gave a small bark and grinned at her when she frowned at him.

Rob hesitated until Brandi spoke again. “Look, you’ve been living here for six months already. There’s probably not much about me you don’t know.”

Rob took a seat.

Brandi took a bracing swallow of whiskey. “I met his wife.”

Blood pounded through Sebastien’s veins and he gripped the side of the island. That bastard. “He was married? I will hurt him. What did she do?”

“Well.” She took another large gulp. “She invited me to join them.”

She relayed the story, keeping her voice even, but Sebastien could tell she was upset by it all. “I had no clue,” she said. “That explains why he wore condoms, even after I told him I had birth control covered. He never said a word about her to me, but apparently talked a lot about me to her. And the worst part? It was all about me being pretty.”

Wendy took a sip of her own drink and didn’t say anything.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Brandi poked her cousin with a finger. “You’re thinking wah wah wah, poor Brandi is upset because she was blessed with great hair and unique eyes and men find her irresistible. Well let me tell you something,my wise cousin. You’re beautiful, too, but you have more. People notice your confidence. Your presence. I get judged on my looks and it never gets any deeper.”

“All I’m thinking is that there are worse problems to have.”

“That’s because you don’t have my problem.”

“People judge you for your looks, like they judge me for my title.” Sebastien turned to Wendy. “Admit it,mon caneton. When you found out I was a prince, even after knowing me for a few months, you immediately got a mental image of me in your mind.”

Wendy twisted her mouth in acknowledgement. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“I know I did.” Rob rubbed his chin. “Until you punched me in the face.”