Not that I ever wanted to throw one again, but I would probably have to.
“What are you thinking, darling?” Nora asked when I had been quiet several minutes as they kept talking.
“No one can hear us,” Kristof assured me when I glanced around nervously like the ears were getting too much from us. He smiled when I gave him a shocked look. “I have many gifts, my love. I will make sure no one hears our private conversations as that upsets and worries my princess. Speak freely.”
“Thank you,” I sighed, leaning over and cupping his cheek. “Thank you.”
His eyes flashed surprise but then he smiled. “I’m sorry, we didn’t realize how much harder this was on you than we thought. Tell me where your gorgeous mind has landed on deciding what to do.”
“I think over the top always seems to do well and especially from what you’ve said about court stuff,” I answered, glancing over to Matilda. “My soon to be mother-in-law enjoys wild boar, right?” I waited until she nodded. “Then I will have a hundred slaughtered in thanks of the house of Wessex where my husband was born to and for giving your blessing to our marriage. We’ll get them cooking overnight.”
“Well done,” she praised, her eyes dancing with amusement. “Well done indeed. You learn as fast as Jacob says. Yes, if you can manage it.”
Cerdic snorted. “We found a whole warehouse of those spit roasters and seafood boilers. Lots of stuff.”
I nodded. “And Kristof loves dumplings. My fiancé will have a million dumplings of all kinds, one for each day he will love me with all he has.”
“You need more than a million then,” he chuckled. “But yes, that’s good.”
“That’s a lot of dumplings,” Ceawlin snickered.
I shrugged. “Those machines they have in Seattle crank out thirty thousand an hour. They have five and know where to get more. We just need people to make fillings and catch them, bring them here. They’re fancy and easy to do in bulk then. So we have the steaming carts going at the pool or on the terrace. Make it like that party atmosphere.”
I glanced around and met Vitor’s gaze, subtly gesturing with my head for him to come to me. He did, leaning down over my chair… And kissing me.
“Yes, My Princess?” he whispered, his eyes full of fire even as I tried not to shrink away.
“Cut it out,” Kristof seethed. “You can tell she’s afraid. She did it earlier to protect the nobles, not for you to take advantage of her.”
“You’re right,” he agreed, his gaze not leaving mine. “I apologize. My head is full of you and wanting to feel your lips on mine again and again.”
I flushed lava hot and looked away, trying to keep up with the huge shift. “Um, you wanted to guard me, not be mine.”
He chuckled darkly. “You act as if that’s something mutually exclusive.”
“Back off, mate,” Cerdic warned. “She’s got enough stressing her out and more to come.”
“You’re right, but she hasn’t said that,” he sighed. “What can I do for you, My Princess?”
“Please back off,” I whispered, trying not to shake and keep composed. He got mad fast, like Kristof, but his level was way, way higher given how old they were. I was too young to not want to hide under the table. I let out a slow breath when it didn’t happen this time. “I forgot what we were saying.”
“Please don’t be so terrified of me,” Vitor murmured, sounding upset. I couldn’t look at him though, so I didn’t know what his expression told me.
Cerdic cut in and told him what we were talking about.
“Right, could you get a few of the probation members to raid bathing suit stores in Albuquerque? I want gobs of them to have range and over-the-top. Also, Hope knows where to get those fancy, fancy drink fountains we were thinking of doing. I want at least a dozen and tables for the ballroom with them. We’re not doing open bar or trying to keep up with people on that.
“Raid that moonshine place we were at for the bachelorette party and have two flavors of that going. Mixed drinks with juice. One, a wine something. Whatever is easy and can be kept going with minimal work. We need more servers to handle all the areas of courtyard, ballroom, terrace, and pool. Think stuff we have they don’t, like bagels and cream cheese isn’t all that fancy but—”
“But they don’t have cream cheese like we do, and add the smoked salmon and other options, it’s perfect,” he finished for me. “I’ll handle it and make sure all the outposts know of the hiccups so they’re ready to chip in what they can and help.”
“Good, yeah, thanks,” I sighed. “Even if it’s just donuts, do a bazillion and that’s something they can’t. I want a lot of servers too. Every time people turn around I want someone offering them nummies to eat next. Maybe they’ll use their mouths to talk less shit.”
“I understand.”
I was glad he did, and also when he left, letting out a slow, calm breath so it didn’t look like that to anyone watching.
After dinner, it was time for dancing, which I thought over-the-top since there wasn’t much of that from what I saw on rehearsal dinners. But now we weren’t going to have those types of parties the next two days so fine, fancy, fancy tonight. I just wanted the whole thing over with. I’d been whisked off to get another resort online for all the uninvited guests and I was at my limit.
“May I have the honor of this dance?” Kristof asked me, holding his hand out to me.
