Page 12 of Tech Prince Troubles (Runaway Prince Hotel #6)

Chapter Twelve

SAM

the days he lives for

A s I rose on Saturday morning, the house still quiet, my thoughts strayed to Adri. He hadn’t been out of my mind since Quinn visited, and he’d disappeared for days. The staff had been ready to throw me out on day three.

Even the kids had noticed something was going on. Ella kept offering me cuddles, and none of them complained about the extra chores I gave them. Their quiet support helped me stay grounded. Evan would’ve taken me to task if I’d snapped at them.

When Adri had walked in yesterday, I was so relieved to see him again. That he hadn’t left… because of me. He’d seemed so distraught, and I hated that I’d made him feel that way. Made him think I was angry at him when I’d dumped our family 101 on him. And not even all of it.

I stretched and yawned as I shook myself out of my thoughts. I’d see him tomorrow. We’d talk then. Today was family day!

As the connecting door opened, I’d already finished a stack of banana pancakes. Alex carried an entire stuffed animal collection into the kitchen .

“Hold on, ace. What are you up to? We’re not taking those with us.”

“Of course not. I’m putting them in your laundry room. Mom promised to wash them, but our machine is already doing a load. You haven’t turned yours on yet, have you?”

“Nope. It’s all yours. But wait for Mom, okay?”

Alex heaved a sigh. “You sound just like her. Can’t pinky promise; got my hands full, but I won’t touch the machine, Pop.”

If I had any hands free, I’d be crossing my fingers behind my back. Instead, I listened for suspicious sounds or telltale soap suds until he reappeared and joined me at the counter.

“Yay! Banana pancakes.”

I laughed at his enthusiasm. We had banana pancakes every Saturday. “Where are your sisters?”

“Charlie can’t find her life vest, and Ella is putting on her skirt.”

Right. “What about Dad?”

“Packing the van.” He jumped off the barstool. “Almost forgot. He told me to get your bag.”

I pointed behind me with the spatula as Quinn and Julian came in.

“Alex. Dad’s asking about Pop’s bag.”

Alex hefted it above his head. “I got it,” he yelled, and ran through the connecting door.

I raised my hands above my head as the twins stereo-hugged me. “Morning, you two.”

“Morning, Pop.”

They reached around me and stole a pancake each—sneaky rugrats.

“Tsk. No stealing pancakes.” Why did it feel like I worked harder on my days off than I ever did at the café?

“I’m hungry,” Julian said with his mouth full. “I’m going to help Charlie find her life vest.”

How could I scold him when he was voluntarily helping his sister?

Quinn leaned into me. “I’ll help Ella get dressed.”

“You’re good kids.” I kissed them on top of their heads.

“Even when we’re stealing pancakes?”

“Even then. Now go. Tammy’ll be here soon!”

Bethany danced past me with a laundry basket as I brought the stacks of pancakes to the table, singing “Walking on Sunshine” at the top of her voice. I shook my head but couldn’t stop myself from joining in as I set the table.

Filled stomachs and a family-wide search for Charlie’s elusive life vest later—finally located in the bottom drawer of her desk—we were all packed into our van and on our way to the paddling club.

As Quinn’s playlist filled the van, groans rose from Julian.

“Why are we playing Quinn’s list when they’re wearing noise reduction headphones? ”

“Because it’s their Saturday,” Evan said in his no-nonsense dad voice from the driver’s seat.

Julian harrumphed but soon joined the little ones—and Tammy—in singing along all the way to the club.

We made quick work of our unloading, retrieving boats, and life-vest checks routine, and were out on the lake by ten.

Julian, as always, was the first in the water, goading Evan into racing him.

Tammy and Quinn took off in a tandem kayak, while Bethany and I followed them in the canoe with the little ones.

Alex and Charlie entertained Ella with an elaborate tale about coffee machines that were secretly wizards. Bethany almost lost her paddle laughing, leaving me to try and keep the canoe steady. Our kids had a healthy imagination, to say the least.

The canoe rocked, and Charlie screamed, “Mom!”

Which only made Bethany laugh harder .

“You okay, Beth?” Evan called out, panting as he chased Julian.

“I’m fine,” she replied, hiccupping. “The kids are making up fairytales about Sam’s Gandalf.”

Evan gained on Julian. “Must be Saturday then.”

Yup. Just another Saturday out on the water. I breathed in the lake air and silently cheered Julian as he reached the midpoint about a nose length ahead of Evan.

“Who’s Gandalf?” Ella asked.

“Pop’s favorite coffee machine at work,” said Alex.

“Coffee makes coffee with a Coffeesheen.”

“He does. But… this coffee is magical.” Alex continued building the tale of his coffee machine wizard, with Charlie filling in.

They were fun to listen to.

Ella pulled at my shirt. “Coffee? Do you make magical coffee?”

It was hard not to chuckle. “Not like the wizard in Charlie and Alex’s story. But I think coffee is always magical, little bean.”

“But it smells yuck.”

We were all more than happy she thought so. Julian had nagged us about having coffee for years… until he took his first sip at twelve, scrunched up his face, and declared smelling it was better.

“The wizard’s magical coffee smells like rainbows,” Alex said with a big grin.

“Rainbows and spun sugar,” Charlie added.

I held my breath for Ella to ask what rainbows smelled like, but she seemed engrossed in Charlie and Alex’s evolving story.

I let the sounds of Saturday settle around me—paddles slicing through the water, birds chirping overhead, and children chatting and giggling—as we glided across the lake with the sun on our faces. These were the days I lived for .

We stopped for lunch on the other side of the lake, after which the kids played tag in the grass as we soaked up the sun on a picnic blanket with iced tea.

“So…” Bethany leaned forward, as if she didn’t want the kids to hear. “You’ve avoided the subject long enough. Who is this Adri Quinn keeps talking about?”

“And is he the one who put you in such a foul mood this week?” Evan chimed in.

I sighed and hung my head. “I told you he works at the hotel’s Tech Hub. Isn’t that enough?”

Tammy snorted. “Yeah. Sure. Like you didn’t drill Evan when he started seeing Bethany.”

“I didn’t drill?—”

“Like hell you didn’t. You were as bad as Dad was.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I couldn’t deny it, seeing as I’d only been on testosterone for a few months then. My mood swings were no joke. “Sorry, I was a bit of an ass back then.”

“Water under the bridge. I did warn you I’d get my own back.”

“Fair enough.” I finished my iced tea and took a breath. “We met when he came in for coffee.” I ignored their groans and rolled eyes. “He’s quiet, works night shifts at the Renversé, and he loves espresso.”

“That can’t be all,” Evan said. “Stop describing him like a random customer. They don’t get to you like he seems to.”

“Evan’s right. Kids and customers don’t get you riled up.”

The price of keeping your exes close. They knew me too well. “Quinn already told you he’s Niren, and he’s a talented artist, even if he doesn’t think so. He’s smart.” And gorgeous, but I didn’t need to tell them that. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“Why were you so out of sorts?” Bethany asked. “That’s not like you at all. ”

It wasn’t. “He stopped coming to the café for days after I gave him our family 101.”

They all stared at me, the sounds of the kids playing in the background making their silence even worse.

“Oh my god. You like him!” Tammy burst out in a low stage whisper.

“I barely even know him.”

“But you want to,” Evan said with a smirk. “I should’ve realized when you mentioned he liked espresso.”

My cheeks had to be bright red, the way they were burning. “He asked for me after the first time I served him.”

“He’d be a fool not to. You’re quite a catch.”

Bethany pretended to be outraged as I pretended to swoon, and slapped Evan’s arm.

“As a barista, you evil woman!” Evan rubbed his arm, making us all laugh, then pulled Bethany close and kissed her.

“So, you haven’t seen him again?” Tammy asked.

“No. I have. He came in yesterday.” No way was I telling them we’d agreed to meet tomorrow.

“That’s something. It didn’t scare him off, then?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Evan’s right, though. You want to know him.”

I was spared having to answer by Ella dropping between us, singing, “Row, row, row your boat!”

“How long are you all going to talk?” Julian asked. “Quinn promised to share a tandem with me on the river.”

I turned to Quinn, who smiled and nodded. “All right then. Time to get back on the water.” I turned to Bethany. “Canoe or kayak?”

“Kayak. Tandem, with Tammy?”

Tammy jumped up. “You betcha.”

“Great. More gossiping.” Evan shook his head in mock defeat and got up, holding his hand out to Bethany. “I’ll take the canoe.”

Bethany kissed Evan. “It’s not gossiping when it’s true,” she countered with a wink.

That left me with the single kayak. It seemed they were done asking questions and allowed me some space. For now.

Of course, that only left me more time to think of Adri and our upcoming conversation… until Julian dared me into racing them.