Page 35 of Gotta Have Mistletoe

“Ah, I know you have a last name,” I say. “Olav was teaching me about that.”

“No one uses it,” King Erik says.

“You want me to call you Mr. Solbakken?”

“You have been studying.” He utters a sort of gaspy laugh, then his gaze darts to the open door.

“Don’t worry about what anyone thinks,” I murmur, keeping my voice low, because I know the king is shy, no matter how much he hypes himself up to make bold proclamations.

“I have to be royal,” he says. “To represent Solberg.”

“You don’t think they’ll like that they’re being represented by a happy man?”

He tilts his head, and I know those royal gears are moving.

“All the people in the other countries will be jealous, because their royals look glum and serious,” I tell him. “It’s practically a matter of national pride.”

“I suppose we could go to the Christmas market,” he says finally. “Since it is in a very convenient location.”

I clap my hands. “Yee-haw!”

I high-five him, and his eyes round.

“We’re going to have a great time,” I promise as the king examines his hand. “Maybe you’ll find a new hot chocolate flavor you like more.”

“I always get this kind,” he says. “It’s Solbergian tradition.”

“You haven’t drunk any.”

“They’ll be sad if they think they were giving me something I didn’t like.”

“That’s awfully thoughtful of you,” I say, because it sure as heck is. “They’ll just think you’re expanding your palette.”

He frowns.

“I know you want to break from your royal mold,” I say, and pink spreads over his pretty cheeks, and he looks down.

The king needs a distraction.

I look around. “Where’s your TV?”

“We have a royal viewing room.”

“Does the royal viewing room play Christmas movies?”

He smiles. “It can.”

“I’ll tell Max, you can tell Anders.”

We separate, but when I go to Max’s room, it’s empty. I’m glad he’s no longer upset about being here, though I wonder where he is.

King Erik joins me in the corridor. “They’re in Anders room.”

“Truly?”

“They fell asleep. I didn’t want to wake them.”

“Oh.” I grin.