2019, March 6th (Rosa) James' phone rang for the umpteenth time in the last 16 hours. This time it was Bart calling, but he had just as many missed calls from CC. He was sure that they must've figured it out by now. That by some bizarre turn of events, Zoey had ended up next to him again, sleeping like she didn't have a care in the world. And what was this whole their moms go way back thing? Small world, he guessed. He remembered the look on Zoey's face when she saw her mom. It looked like her world was alright again. He knew she was in for a rude awakening, but he couldn't stop it. Especially now, since it wasn't just her anymore. Her mother, Natalie, was now along for the ride, too. The Jeep with James and the three women in it finally stopped in front of a two-story house. The rest of their party had been asked to hang back. "Well, we're here. Who wants pancakes?" Natalie asked. "Your pancakes are terrible," said Zoey, stirring from her slumber. She looked up at James and down
2019, March 6th "Hey Ma," said James, answering his phone. "Where are you? We'll come and meet you." "We're just at this diner down the road. Great pancakes." "Oh yeah? Get some for us, will you? I'm sure Zoey's starving." "All right, honey. See you soon." "Bye Ma." James looked at Zoey one more time before starting the car. He was only two blocks away from her house when Zoey said, "Stop the car." It was the first thing she had said in over 40 minutes, so he responded immediately. Zoey opened the car door and hopped right out. "What's wrong?" He parked the car as he watched her enter a boutique. By the time he got into the store, she had already disappeared into it. Almost instantly, he knew what it was. A wedding dress boutique. "May I help you, sir?" the salesclerk asked. "The woman that just came in here-" "Don't you know it's bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding day?" The breath caught in James' throat. Her eyes were puffy from the crying
2018, December 17th (Two days before the fashion show) "How about I just get you away from the strippers? CC would kill me if she knew I brought you here," Aaron said, slapping a hand onto Bart's back and steering him in the direction of the tables. "Also, let's never come to a strip club together again." "Agreed," said Bart, as he watched a waitress in a thong and lace bra pass him by and screwed up his face in disgust. "Dude, are you even a guy?" "Why would CC care if I came to this tacky place?" "Aren't you guys like a thing or whatever?" "Nope." "Someone should maybe tell your faces that when you're together then." "12 o'clock. She's not the Maine we want, but she is a Maine." Straight ahead, four or five tables in front of them, sat Emily Maine. She stood immediately, in a cashmere knee-length coat and pencil heel boots, no doubt the most clad woman in the place. Lazily playing with the olive in her martini, she looked to be waiting for someone. "You wait here," said A
2018, December 19th (Five hours before the start of the show) "I suppose it's a good thing that you're not coming to your only daughter's first show, since you all but doomed it. Why couldn't you just let her have this?!" Aaron yelled, bursting into the drawing room at the royal palace. "Watch your mouth!" King Henry reprimanded. "Remember who you're speaking to," Queen Mary seconded. Aaron flared his nostrils. "Did you or did not use your business relationship with Duke Maine to get JJ Jewels to pull out of the fashion show?" "Your brother puts us all at risk. Don't think that because you're making kissy faces with the Arden girl that they wouldn't make moves against us. One whiff of his connection to us and we'll be right back to five years ago, holding onto the royal seal by the skin of our teeth," said King Henry. "Bart already knows about James," Aaron informed his parents. The king and queen exchanged concerned glances. Aaron rolled his eyes. "You can relax. If he wante
2019, March 7th (Copia) By the time the doctor had finished dressing James' wound and the three women had concluded their fussing about said wound, it was already dinner time. Since no one particularly had much of an appetite and their bodies were wary from the activities of the day, dinner was had quickly and in near silence. Not wanting to be apart from her daughter, whom she was perfectly aware had escaped death by a hair's breadth, Natalie had insisted on sharing a room with Zoey, if only for the night. James found that sleep came for him almost instantly. He was appreciative of the sedative that the doctor had given him to calm his nerves and allow him to sleep easily. As it was, even without being hunted and getting shot, James often had trouble sleeping. Just as he was drifting off, he could've sworn he heard the creak of a door opening, but before he could think about it anymore, he was asleep. Zoey was lying in bed wide awake, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Next to
2019, March 8th James woke up feeling stiff, but unusually relaxed. It took him a moment to remember why he was stiff, but he didn't mind that so much. Regular morning training sessions would soon get him back into the shape he had been before he left for Caines, where he slacked off a lot. He was just about to sit up and stretch his arms when he saw her. "Bloody hell!" he cursed, breathing in sharply. Of all the things that James might have been concerned about occurring around her, he was sure it would be him who did something foolish. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he would wake up to her sprayed out next to him in his bed, her legs wide apart, her robe half open to reveal a white little camisole dress and him cradling her hand against his chest in both of his. "Reckless woman!" he hissed, dropping her hand. "And what the hell is with what she's wearing, mom? How the bloody hell is that even sleepwear?" he complained as he jumped away from her and covered her up ha
2019, February 4th "Carr, I'm stealing this chair. So comfortable!" said James, reclining in CC's office chair. "Not on your life," CC said, dropping onto the couch next to Aaron. "That chair was designed and built specifically for me." "Who cares about the dumb chair?!" Aaron yelled too loudly. CC frowned at him. "What's your problem?" "He's nervous about tomorrow night," said James, spinning himself in the office chair. "I am not!" Aaron said, his voice going up an octave. "You quit that!" CC said, giving James a warning look. "Why are you two troublemakers in my office in the middle of the day, anyway? What's tomorrow night?" James stopped spinning and leaned forward onto the desk. "Ronnie here is going to pop the question," James volunteered. "What?" said CC, surprise and horror on her face. "What's that face?!" Aaron yelled into CC's ear. "Aaron, inside voice," CC snapped. "I just think it's kind of fast, that's all." "Well, the coronation is in two months. We need ti
2019, February 4th Aaron cautiously approached. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you got into it with your dad. I know how that is. It just comes with the territory of having snobby rich parents," he said carefully. "Oh yeah? Do you know what it's like to have your father abandon you at birth, send you a letter 23 years to summon you and then immediately marry you off? No? Didn't think so!" Zoey grabbed her coat and headed for the door. "Don't follow me!" she screamed as she headed out the door. (Another 20 minutes later) "Dude, you're killing me here," James said into his phone, motioning for the waiter who was bringing the dessert to go away. "She ran, just like I thought she would. She's gone James, and it's bloody freezing out here!" Aaron exclaimed, panicking. The waiter obviously hadn't gotten the hint, because he was still heading their way. "Just one sec, Em. It's important, I guess," said James sheepishly. "You guess?" she replied, giving him a WTF look.