Maid For You 4

Chapter 79

"Mercucio, we have something to tell you," Coleman said. The next day, Coleman and I were sitting next to each other on the sofa in one of the castle parlors, and Mercucio sat across from us. I felt like Coleman and I were a married couple telling our only child that we were having a baby, or that we were getting divorced.

"You two are dating." Mercucio wore his classic grin.

Coleman and I looked at each other.

So much for our big reveal plan, I read in his eyes. Last night, we'd been scheming about how we were going to tell people.

"We could go to a party," Coleman had said. "Some grand, brunch luncheon sort of a party, and I'll walk in with my arm around you."

"I feel like you've walked into parties with your arm around girls before," I said. "Then I'll just look like one of your groupies."

"My favorite groupie."

"Shut up."

We'd decided that the dramatic party entrance would work for the general audience, but it would be more satisfactory to tell our closer friends one-on-one the news that we'd finally pulled it together and were a couple.

"Well," I said, turning back to Mercucio. "Yeah."

His eyes widened and he leaned forward. "Wait, really?"

"Yes," Coleman said. "Cassandra and I are officially courting."

Mercucio laughed and fell back into the sofa and clapped his hands together. "Oh, halleluiah! Finally, all my pep talks paid off!"

"It wasn't your pep talk," Coleman said. "It was my own decision. I decided to follow my heart."

"I thought you said it was Luke that convinced you," I said with a side smile.

"Luke?" Mercucio raised his eyebrows. "Like the hot ex-butler Lucas?"

"I'd say marginally good looking," Coleman sniffed.

"The very one," I answered Mercucio.

"So this was a group effort, then. Even Cassie's ex had to tell you to pull it together."

"This was hardly a group affair," Coleman scowled. "I am Cassandra's boyfriend, not you or whoever else chose to give advice."

"I think you're absolutely right, Merc," I butt in. "He needed a lot of encouragement."

"How dare you side with him," said Coleman. "One day in and you've already betrayed me."

"I applaud your integrity, Cassie." Merc grinned. "Coleman, you've got yourself a good one."

"A disloyal one."

"Poor baby," I crooned.

Coleman sighed dramatically. "Alas, woe is me."

***

Princess Calista didn't have trouble believing that Coleman and I were dating, but she had problems buying that we'd only started yesterday.

"Clearly, you two have been dating for weeks now. I mean, it was obvious Coleman always liked you."

"We weren't dating." Coleman was still defensive on this point. "But now we are. As of yesterday."

"Rubbish," she scoffed. "You've been lurking about here for weeks pawing at Cassie's attention."

"First of all, this is my home, so that's hardly lurking," he started.

"This is my room, which is excluded from what you can call home."

"It's in the same palace!"

"Well you can't just come and go here freely."

"I do it all the time, Calista!"

"You still knock!"

"Maybe I ought to stop that then and barge right in!"

I was caught between wanting to laugh and wanting to take an aspirin to prevent a headache.

"What if I'm changing!" she cried.

"Then lock the door, obviously."

"I ought to keep it locked all the time, then," she countered.

What are they even talking about anymore? I wondered as I watched the two bicker back and forth. I thought about my family—Mom would be ecstatic to hear that I was dating Coleman. And Lydia? Oh, I could picture her reaction in my mind! I couldn't wait to tell her. She'd be so—

Coleman grabbed my hand, yanking me out of my thoughts. "Anyways! Cassie and I are dating now. I thought you should know."

"What do you want? A cookie?" she asked.

"You're mean."

"It's like you honestly expected me to fall out of my chair and crack my head open from the shock of it. I think you were the only person completely oblivious to the obvious, Coleman."

"Well a 'that's exciting' or 'I'm happy for you' might have been nice."

She rolled her eyes. "That's exciting that you have a real girlfriend. I'm happy for you that Cassie has deigned to date you of all people." She looked at me. "Honestly, Cassie. You could have had Lucas and this is who you've settled for."

"I'm leaving!" Coleman announced suddenly, springing up.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Calista lilted. "Or do let it. It would be funnier."

"I'll see you soon, Cassie," he said, looking at me directly.

I laughed. "See you soon, Coleman."

"Goodbye, Cassie," he said, walking out the door and slamming it shut behind him.

"What a baby," Calista said, examining her fingernails. She looked up at me with her mischievous green eyes. "I do quite enjoy his little tantrums, though."

I snorted. "Not gonna lie, sometimes it's really funny to rile him up."

Calista laughed before donning a nice smile that I normally didn't see on her. "All jokes aside, however, I am happy that you two are finally dating. Since you first came here, it was clear to me that he liked you. I think you two are a good match."

I smiled. "I do too. I mean, we're just dating. I don't want to get ahead of myself, so I don't know where it will lead, but...I do quite like him. I like him a lot."

Her smile looked almost a little sad. "It must be nice."

I watched her face carefully. "Nikolas is a very good man," I said. "I know he seems cold, but he can be warm and caring when you get to know him. And actually, I can see you two getting along quite well. I think you both have senses of humor that mesh well."

"Does he even have a sense of humor?" she asked.

I chuckled. "He does. It's a similar, judgy sort of humor. I think you two will challenge each other, but I think that will be good. He won't take your crap, but you won't take his either. You're on equal playing fields. He wants someone that isn't just his wife, but his queen. I think you'll be perfect for that. You aren't afraid to give your opinion, and you have the knowledge to be a real asset to Nikoto."

Calista tilted her head slightly. "Do you really think so?"

I smiled. "I do. Your love story will come yet."