Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“Mother!”
“I’m just stating a fact,” she said. “When we lived there, I watched as he and his brother seduced all of the women in that town. Most of them won’t even talk about it and that alone speaks volumes.” She shot me a look before turning and facing the palace. “Now, let’s go. We have work to do.”
Joss idled behind my mother and I idled behind her as the doors to the opulent palace opened and the grandeur inside was exposed to us. I’d been here before, once when I was a girl and again as a teenager. That time, I’d come by myself. It was only a two-hour drive from the beach, and my parents were sending me away to boarding school the next day, so I decided to run away for a while and come here. I’d started exploring with a tour guide, but halfway through, I somehow ended up completely lost. That was before social media and paparazzi started hounding under-aged socialites.
I got my first glimpse of the princes that day, though I didn’t tell anyone about it. It wasn’t like it had been an experience. They were walking the section of the palace that had been closed off to the rest of us and were headed into the back of a car. They never looked up or saw me, and even though I was inside the palace walls, I felt like an outsider. Even from that angle, they seemed untouchable. I assumed they were on their way to the beach that day, to the villas they rented out from my family each summer, when I was sent away and they got to stay. A part of me hated my parents for doing that. A part of me knew they did it to protect me, so that I wouldn’t end up like all the other girls in that small town—vying for their attention and never achieving to sustain it longer than a few nights.
“The ball takes place in the GARDENS,” my mother said, cutting into my thoughts. I blinked away from the beautiful mirrors and gave her my attention. “But we’re set to meet Madame Rose, who manages everything that happens on the palace premises.”
“Have you already contacted the dancers?” I asked Joss. “We’ll need Madame Graciela’s choreography. And acrobats. Call our contact in Montreal and see how many they can send over. We’ll also need fire-breathers, the ones we hired for Tamara’s wedding. The band and DJ . . . ”
“The palace will provide flowers and food,” my mother said, cutting me off. “I believe they also have a list of bands and DJs they’d like.”
“That’s helpful.” I didn’t enjoy dealing with caterers or florists.
Most of the time they already knew who I was setting up events for and overcharged me before I stepped foot in their office. We reached a door at the end of the hall and waited after Mom knocked a couple of times. It was opened by an older woman with beautiful white hair that was swept back and pulled into a classic low bun.
“Madame Perla,” Madame Rose said, upon seeing my mother, then looked at us. “Mademoiselle Joslyn, Mademoiselle Adeline. Please, come inside.” She stepped back and gave us enough room to walk into her office, which was breathtaking, like the rest of the palace.
“Thank you for seeing us,” I said. “We’re honored to play even the smallest role in such an important event.”
“I’m glad you’re aware that it is a very important event,” Madame Rose said. “You come highly recommended by my daughter, who attended a wedding you planned. She raved so much and since she’s already married and has no use for event planners, I’m hoping this will be the next best thing.”
“Whose wedding did she attend?” I asked, smiling, grateful to know that my scandal hadn’t made it all the way here, and if it had, it wasn’t a big deal to them.
“Danika Smirnov.”
“Oh.” I smiled. “That was quite a big one.”
“It perfectly showcased some of what we’re capable of,” my mother said.
“Well, if it were up to me, we’d have elephants and camels, but the Queen is much more demur than I am, so I’m curious to know what you have planned so far.”
I was a bit surprised to hear that about the queen. I didn’t know much about her, but from what I’d seen in magazines when they allowed photographs to be published, the parties had been dripping in extravagance. I explained to Madame Rose what I had in mind, with the dancers and band, DJs and acrobatic shows. She listened intently, writing things down every so often.
“I expect everything to go off without a hitch.” She set her pen down and looked at the three of us. “I have a full staff at your disposal. You may use them for whatever you need. If you plan on bringing any staff of your own, they’ll have to go through a background check and search when they arrive.”