A Tangled Web of Truth | Complete (ONC 2021 Shortlister)

7. Proposition

And also the Crown Prince of the entire country.

Do I run? That would be rude. Maybe I'll stay and then I could... what, exactly? I wasn't supposed to find someone here. And I certainly wasn't supposed to fall for the prince! This is just... impossible.

He interrupted her thoughts. "Please." His small whisper was an explosion in that quiet garden. "Please, give me a chance. That's all I ask."

A chance to what?

Without thinking, Alicia nodded and placed her hand in his. "Okay," she croaked. "Okay. That sounds fair." The nerves bundled in her stomach and her lungs struggled to find air as she followed him down a path toward the nearest wall. Keep it together. You can figure this out.

"This is not how I want to do this," he said, running his hand through his hair. "And please know that I want you to take your time and think about things. This whole ball thing and the rules make it, well, hard to do things how I'd like but—"

"It can't be easy getting to know someone in one night," Alicia allowed her eyes to meet his and a small smile slipped onto her face. She almost forgot it was hard to breathe. "I imagine you have people who will check us all out with background checks or something."

"I don't," he admitted. "But my mother probably does, if I'm being honest."

"Mothers, right? Royal or not, they're the same everywhere." They finally stopped walking and sat down on a wooden bench tucked into an alcove. "So how does this work, then? The part after you leave your own ball to chase me down?"

"I'm hoping — really hoping — that you'll be willing to give me a chance to get to know you. I know it's all really fast and everything about tonight is rushed and exciting and I want to respect that for you. I want to give you time to get to know me, but my hands are kinda tied."

"By which you mean?"

"After much groveling and debate, my mother has allowed me a week to decide instead of a day."

"A week" she whispered.

"I know." He inched toward her ever so slightly and held out his hand for her to take. His eyes seemed in earnest and Alicia hesitated but slowly raised her hand to rest in his.

He released a small breath and smiled. "I know it isn't long and I don't want you to promise me how it will end. I'm just asking if you'd be willing to spend some time getting to know me. Letting me know you."

"And if I decide it's not for me?" Alicia tried to keep the fear behind her eyes, but it was spilling out loud as the dam broke.

"Then you leave as you are with nothing but my gratitude and admiration. I'm sure my mother has many backup plans lined up after this evening."

"And if you should decide I'm not for you?" Who am I? I don't let out these thoughts. Something about the mask.

"Impossible," he breathed, kissing the back of her hand.

Alicia knew it was anything but impossible, so she raised her eyebrow and frowned.

He sighed as her hand fell away. "I genuinely can't see it happening. But if it does, I suppose you'll have spent a week getting to know me and can sell a nice tell-all book after my coronation."

It didn't really fix her worry, but something about the way he said it made her laugh.

"And what happens after that week?" she asked, her hand absently floating to play with a curl that touched her neck.

"Can we talk about that then?" There was an intensity in his eyes that drew her in. Something about this night is too much to handle. She shook her head and took a small step toward him.

"Yes, we can talk about it then. But there is the slight problem of my job."

"Your job?"

Oh, poor child, do you not know what those are? "Yes. The way I get money and pay to live."

"I know what a job is! I just wonder how your job will be a problem."

He's serious, isn't he? The band began an upbeat song from inside the ballroom and as it grew louder, it floated across the breeze and swirled around Alicia's gown.

"I won't have a lot of time to spend with you, and a week isn't very long. Is it even worth it?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "Yes."

Alicia weighed the options. He had a good point about the tell-all book. That could set them up for life. Plus, the food at the palace was really good. And it was only a week. What could go wrong?

As soon as she thought it, she knew she shouldn't have, but she answered him. "All right then."

"How do I find you?" he asked as Alicia turned to leave. "I don't even know your name."

But I know yours.

"It's Alicia," she said. "And I suppose you could call."

Before she had time to search for a scrap of paper from her clutch, Alejandro was standing next to her with a small book he'd pulled out of his breast pocket and a pen that looked like it was worth an entire year of her income.

She flipped a few pages and found them empty. Stopping on the fourth page, she swirled her own name in cursive on the top and wrote her number neatly beneath. "That's a very empty book for someone who's supposed to find a wife in a week," she said when she handed it back.

"Not empty anymore," he commented. "I'll call you."

But Alicia had heard that before.