Love For Hire

Kinsley came rushing down the stairs when the maid told her that her family had finally arrived. It had been a week since Nicholas had asked her to marry him, and they had kept it to themselves. They wanted to give Nicholas time to recover from the incident. While his wrists were not healed completely, the pain had faded, and he had regained his strength. Kinsley had wanted to have Nicholas meet her family before they told everyone they were getting married, and he had suggested inviting them to the palace and having the two families have dinner together and telling them both at the same time.

Nicholas had warned his family about their guests, and there was some protest from Samuel and Matthew, but Naya was very supportive, and she assured Kinsley everyone would be nice during her family’s visit. Kinsley had told her family on the phone that they would be dining with royalty and to dress accordingly and Much to her surprise Nicholas even left the house to take her shopping and bought her a lovely dress appropriate for the occasion.

She reached the foyer where her parents and her little sister Evelyn came in. She ran over and hugged them each hello. They were all excited as they took in the palace’s grandeur. “Wow, when Mom said we were going to dinner at a palace, I thought she was pulling my leg,” Evelyn giggled as she looked around. “This is a real to god palace right here in California,” Evelyn was eighteen, and she was going to University to be a vet. She no longer lived at home. She stayed in the dorms, but she visited every weekend to do her laundry and mooch a meal. She was pretty with her short dark hair and curvy figure.

“I am still in awe,” their mother Dara said as she pressed out invisible wrinkles from her Sunday best., “I hope we look ok.”

“You look fine,” Kinsley assured her. “Hello, Daddy,” she kissed her father’s cheek. He was dressed in the only suit he owned, looking as nervine as his wife. Andrew Wells was a man in his early fifties who had spent his whole life working in a warehouse. He was a white man of average build and height. Rather unremarkable, but he had fallen in love with his wife when he met her on vacation in Mexico. He had gone back every month to see her for six months, then married her and brought her home to America, and they had been together twenty-seven years.

“I hope we are not late,” he said. “This place is kind of out of the way.”

“That is because I value my privacy,” Nicholas’ voice boomed through the room. Kinsley turned, and they all watched as Nicholas came down the stairs. He looked amazing. She had never seen him dressed up, but tonight he had shaven and brushed his hair. He was dressed in lightly tanned canvass dress pants with the leg tucked into the top of his tall leather boots. He wore a royal navy-blue double-breasted dinner jacket with gold embellishments and a white sash that draped over his right shoulder. He looked like prince charming right out of a fairy tale. In his right hand was Brutus’ harness. Nicholas had the staff wash and groom Brutus for the night, and the pure bread Doberman looked just as regal as his master. There was no mistaking Nicholas for anything but royalty tonight.

As he reached the floor, her nervous family all bowed, respectively. “Everyone, this is Crowned Prince Nicholas Kane, heir to the Kustium throne. Nicholas, my family. My sister Evelyn. My Mother Dara. And my Father Andrew,” she introduced them all.

“A pleasure to meet you all. I apologize for the commute, but I promise dinner will be worth the drive,” he said with a smile. Kinsley noticed how her family was staring at Nicholas questioningly. Her father looked over his shoulder, wondering what Nicholas was looking at since he would not look him in the eye. “If you will follow me, I will show you to the dining room,” Nicholas then started to walk away, and they began to follow, trailing behind him. “Is there something wrong?” Andrew asked. “He will not look at me.”

Kinsley lowered her voice, so only her family would hear her. “Nicholas is blind.”

“Oh, well, that explains why he is holding onto that dog so tight,” Dara said.

“He went blind fairly recently. Please do not make a big deal out of it. He is very sensitive about it,” she whispered as they walked into the dining room.

Kinsley noticed Matthew and Teegan were already there. Like their brother, they looked every bit a well-bred as their brother did tonight. Kinsley had done her best to avoid Matthew this past week, but she had gotten to know Teegan, and they had become fast friends. Teegan was really sweet and down to earth for a princess.

“May I introduce my brother Matthew and my sister Teegan,” Teegan came around the table and shook everyone’s hand, but Matthew just glowered as he drank his brandy. He was a foul-tempered man.

Just then, a servant appeared in the door. “All rise for his Majesty King Samuel Kane and her Majesty Queen Naya Kane,” he announced. Everyone stood, and Kinsley watched as Dara fussed late minute with her hair. Samuel and Naya walked in with her arm draped over his arm. Like their children, they were decked out in formal wear. They looked amazing as they came into the room with their heads held high.

They all took their positions at the table and waited for Samuel to sit first before the rest of them took their seats.

Naya smiled across the table ad, Dara. “Oh, what dress you have on.”

Dara grinned. “Oh, thank you. I am afraid it is not as fine as the one you have on.”

“Mother, allow me to introduce Kinsley’s mother and father, Dara and Andrew Wells, and their daughter Evelyn,” Nicholas introduced everyone.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Naya said. “I cannot tell you how fond we are of Kinsley. She really is a wonderful young woman. And our Nicholas has really taken a shine to her. You did a fantastic job raising her.”

“Oh, thank you,” Dara said happily. “I am afraid we are at a disadvantage. We did not even know Kinsley was seeing anyone until she invited us to dinner.”

hopefully, it is the first of many dinners,” Naya

must admit I thought Kinsley was pulling our leg when she told us Nicholas was a real prince. I was not aware there were other monarchies out there besides

in the world,” Samuel said. “We are

never heard of Kustium,” Andrew said as the maids placed the meals

a small

it like

Our economy is strong. We have many gold and diamond mines. We supply jewellers

a

not a King. That is for sure,” he

noble endeavour,”

as important as ruler of a

“Do not sell yourself short. Every nation is like a complex machine. Every cog and gear, no matter how small, is vital, or

“ever the idealist. Without her, I would lose touch with the

up, drawing the attention of the whole table. He reached out, and Kinsley put her hand in his so he did not have to search for her. “Kinsley and I have a confession to make. There was an ulterior motive to suggesting this ‘get to know you’ dinner. Kinsley and I

hardly know each other,”

left in this

Samuel began.

She then leaned over in her seat and hugged Kinsley. “I am so excited to have you

“Thank you.”

Dara asked. “Marriage is for life,

I need to know,” Kinsley assured

is not forever,” Nicholas said. “At best, maybe four years,

dying. Nicholas is at the end of his life, expectancy,” Kinsley could see the

have also discussed it, and we will be starting a family

“Grandchildren? How wonderful. I never thought Nicholas would give us

“No. Not yet.”

think that is fantastic,” Teegan grinned. “I am going to love being an

Matthew had stopped drinking. His grip on the glass in his hand left him white-knuckled. His brows were drawn together in anger. His teeth were clenched,

a son. You will leave me an heir,” that was when it donned on her. Matthew was angry because if she bore Nicholas, a son, their child would become king, not Matthew. He will have been

am

to have a sister,”

do not think it is possible to do

are happy, then we

cannot wait to start planning the wedding,”

but she could not care less

are all family now,” Naya giggled as she picked up her wine and lifted it to make

lifting his glass. “You two had best

hand over Kinsley’s.