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“You need to get your shit together.”

“Apparently, that seems to be a common sentiment as of late.”

“Well, it’s an accurate one. You aren’t twenty-one anymore, Augs. At some point, you need to face the adult world.”

“What for?” I grumble like a petulant child.

Now, it’s Anna’s turn to sigh. “I’ll see you next week. Let’s have lunch when I get home.”

“OK.”

“Miss you, Augs.”

“Miss you too, Suzy Q.”

I hang up and stare out at the grounds of the palace. I decide to fit in a second workout. I need to clear my mind.

CHAPTERFOUR

An afternoon off equals a lazy day by the indoor pool. It’s the day of the ball, which means later should be…entertaining. A normal man might be nervous to be in a room with a one-night stand and a blind date, but I’m not a normal man.

I decide tonight is an excellent time to pull out my Kiton tuxedo. I typically don’t flaunt my wealth, but the bad boy in me wants to irritate Gwen and also look sexy as fuck. I check my hair in the mirror before heading to my desk. I open my laptop. I want to do a little intel on Kate. I vaguely recall a few photos of her with her parents, but I can’t say she left much of an impression. I don’t recall us every meeting at any events. She’s been in school, so she likely wasn’t in attendance at anything in recent years. I type in her name but then there’s a knock at my door.

Shit. I close the laptop and open the door.

It’s Paola. “Sir, you’re needed for a press event prior to the ball.”

I give him a curious look.

“Your father is preoccupied at the moment and asked that you commence things in his absence.”

Fuck. I hate press events. I would wager all my inheritance that Dad’s testing me in some way.

“Fine,” I answer through gritted teeth. I take one more look in the mirror in my entryway and follow Paolo to the library. The library is where we typically have formal press events. It’s filled with old books and has a beautiful stained-glass window. There’s a giant portrait of my mother hanging above the fireplace. There are three floors to the library. It’s an impressive sight even by my standards. Contrary to popular belief, it’s one of my most favorite rooms in the palace. There’s a small alcove on the third floor of the library that’s somewhat hidden behind a bookcase. I moved a leather chair in there as a teenager and made it my space. It’s still where I go when I really need to think.

I enter the room. There are a few members of the press, and I notice two podiums set up in front of the giant stone hearth of the fireplace. I look over at Paolo with curiosity.

A moment later, several men in the room stand as the door opens. Not much surprises me or catches me off guard. I make it my business to know everything and always have the upper hand, but I have just been completely played because Kathryn from the hospital is standing in the doorway looking like she just stepped off a Paris runway in the most curve-hugging, skin-exposing silver ball gown that I’ve ever seen. I study her, closely this time, and I realize my mistake as I hear Paolo greet her.

“Miss Kate, so pleased you could join us for the press conference on behalf of your nation.”

Kate or Kathryn or whatever she goes by allows Paolo to take her hand and kiss it. She gives me the briefest of curtsies. Well, shit, this just got a whole lot more interesting than I had imagined it would be. I try to wipe the surprised look from my face as I smile at her.

“Your Highness,” she says, doing her best to hide the smirk on her face, which is not a very good job.

“Pleased to make your formal acquaintance…Kathryn,” I say wryly with a raised eyebrow.

“The pleasure is all mine,” she counters with a wink, a motherfucking wink.

We are interrupted from further conversation as my father’s secretary enters and a brief press conference begins. It’s the usual formalities of welcoming a representative of another nation into our home, blah, blah, blah.

I watch Kathryn from the corner of my eye. I don’t know why I never noticed how beautiful she was. Typically, the most gorgeous daughters of foreign heads of state were always on my conquer list. I wrack my brain as to why she wasn’t on it; why I hadn’t made her a conquest yet. Of course, I probably haven’t bothered to look at her since her father was elected and she was a mere pimple-faced teenager. Well, fuck it, that would change tonight. I internally smirk. Two birds, one stone. I will proudly keep this beauty on my arm all night just to rub it in Gwen’s face. It’s childish, but shit, it’ll be fun.

Kathryn

The look of surprise on Prince August’s face was priceless. I knew all about him, and being able to put a womanizing, playboy asshole in his place felt good, no it felt great. I was a little hurt when he didn’t recognize me at the hospital, but then I figured it would be fun to mess with him, so I kept my identity a secret until this moment.

I politely answer questions from the press. Prince August is the perfect gentleman. He’s a media darling, and they eat him up. He jokes and calls them all by their names. By the end of the event, they are eating out of his hand. He could say just about anything and they would gush over it. I wonder how he does it. I know these are all journalists from reputable newspapers and networks, but they don’t even pry into his playboy lifestyle that is splashed all over the tabloids. I file this fact away. I’ll have to ask Sharon how this happens. Sharon’s my keeper, so to speak. She handles all my formal engagements related to the White House.