18
4 July
Denver, Colorado
Ele dressed carefully. Beatrix attended to her hair, braiding it in a soft side braid, cushioning her features so she appeared delicate and approachable. Her pencil skirt, silk shirt, and beige pumps were all royal business. She needed the shield today, the fortification of her image. She needed to be the Ice Princess.
Her conversation with Tristan the night before had rattled her. Robert, with his impeccable timing, had shown up after Tristan asked about the origins of her attacks. She was so relieved to see Robert, to have a reprieve, that she practically bolted from Tristan’s lap. She certainly didn’t say good-bye, kiss, or hug him. The difference between the end of the night and the beginning was vast; it’d started with his dick in her mouth and ended with her tail between her legs.
But the show must go on. She’d been making official appearances since she stepped off the plane. This morning though was one she didn’t want to do. Only yesterday, she had been excited about watching the National Team practice. She hadn’t given any thought to the press. All Ele had thought about was seeing Tristan, watching him. Now, she didn’t know if she could pull it off.
“All done,” Beatrix said, studying Ele with a worried expression. “Are you okay, Your Highness?”
Ele stood and patted Beatrix on the shoulder. “I’m fine.”
The tension from her staff hit her as soon as she exited her bedroom. Robert waited in front of the entrance to the foyer, like by standing there, he could keep the outside world away. Millie sat in one of the chairs, her iPad waiting on her lap.
Resigned, Ele dropped into the seat across from Millie. “What happened?” she asked.
Millie licked her lips and rubbed them together. It was eight forty-five in the morning, and she had already chewed the lipstick from her mouth.
“The picture went viral,” Millie said simply.
“Of course it did.”
Ele held out her hand for the iPad. Millie would have compiled all the gossip headlines for Ele to look at. Millie dropped it into her outstretched palm.
She tapped the button, unlocking the iPad. The first headline—“Footballer Gets Royal Treatment”—actually made her smile. And when she glanced up at Millie, she could see Millie was quite pleased with the positive spin. “Ice Princess Thaws” was the second one.
She looked at Robert. “You must have loved this one.”
Millie snickered when he said, “I was quite impressed.”
“Davenport De-ices Princess” was the third.
“Well, that’s interesting,” Ele conceded.
“Thawed! Eleanor Has Teeth.”
“Stupid.”
“Global Warming Is Not Just a Theory.”
“Really? I think I’ve seen enough,” Ele declared, handing the iPad back to Millie. “Are you worried about this?”
Millie looked at Ele. Maybe she’d only feared Ele’s reaction, but she continued to seem nervous. “I’m not particularly concerned. It was good press. The public seems to love the thought of you two.”
“You were worried about my reaction,” Ele stated.
Millie looked over to Robert. He shrugged.
“Yes,” Millie answered. “The palace has already released a statement. Exactly what you might have thought. You and Mr. Davenport met at the St. Peter’s tour. You were at the team family barbeque. You posed for a picture together. You are friends, nothing more.”
“Fine.” Ele stood, smoothing her hands down her skirt. “We need to be there in forty-five minutes. We should probably head out.”
Like the well-orchestrated team they were, everyone fell into line. Michael waited in the hall and led them to the elevator. Robert and Millie flanked her. It was muscle memory at this point. Without any thought of the movements, Ele was in the Rover, watching the city go by as they made their way to the practice fields.
Conflicted, she glanced up. Robert’s wary gaze was locked on her. She wasn’t sure how she was feeling today. Three months ago, those pictures and headlines would have sent her into hiding. She counted it as a victory that she’d appear in public the same day. She would get through this appearance and then take some time to figure out if she was ready to tell Tristan about her past.
They pulled up to the large indoor facility. When Ele stepped from the car, Juliana appeared by her side, as her team had arrived simultaneously. The two sisters made their way to the designated spot. The scheduled photo op was an opportunity to show palace support for the team. With their appearance in the knockout stage, the country’s enthusiasm knew no bounds. Hoping to capitalize on the public’s support of the team, the palace had set up big screens in public squares throughout the country and was shutting down government agencies early, so fans could watch the game. Football fever was real.
A raised dais with a media pipe and drape stood colorful but empty away from the field. Once everyone arrived and set up, the team of personal protection officers flanked the sides of the dais.
Ele’s gaze immediately zeroed in on Tristan. He stood next to Rowan and the boy she knew to be Caleb. Compared to the older guys on the team, it was easy to see Caleb’s youth. Her eyes flicked down the line, taking in the rest of the team. Jamie wouldn’t have to work hard to know all of their names. In fact, he probably knew what clubs they played for and other important facts.
As she finished her cursory inspection, her gaze returned to Tristan, practically willing him to look up. Finally, his eyes met hers. So much passed between them. She sensed his concern but also his … she couldn’t be sure but something like pride maybe. Always on the verge of a smile, his lips twitched and then spread, his grin unstoppable. She looked away before her feelings bubbled up and spilled out.
Nicolas Ramsey stepped forward. Curiosity piqued, she wondered about his life. He maintained a close relationship with his ex-wife, and Ele wanted to know the story there. He made a statement and took questions, and then Rowan moved from behind him.
He was an imposing figure, broader and taller than the other footballers, reminding Ele of a rugby player. He was handsome enough to be a model if footballing didn’t last much longer. His complexion was darker than Tristan’s, and he wore a day-old scruff on his cut jawline. His lips were perfectly shaped, like an artist wanting to display the quintessential form had drawn them. His light-brown eyes were surrounded by heavy brows. Where Tristan was lighthearted and smiling, Rowan was severe and serious. She couldn’t help but wonder how Tristan and Rowan were so close despite their obvious differences. Speaking to the press though, Rowan displayed a charm that surprised her.
He took his last question, and one wayward reporter turned toward her and Juliana.
“Your Highness,” the bespectacled man said, directing his question to Ele, “what did you think of Tristan Davenport’s quote about you?”
She smiled tightly. “We are here to support the team and their great accomplishment last night,” Ele stated, clearly not willing to go down this path with the reporter.
“ ‘Global Warming Is Not Just a Theory,’ ” he continued, his voice getting louder as the other paps turned their cameras her way. “Doesn’t necessarily sound like something a friend would say.”