Lady Illea (Lady Illea #1)

HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY LADY ILLEA

"If you're not dressed and down those stairs in fifteen minutes I'm dragging you out of this house naked!" Em yells.

"I'M COMBING MY HAIR."

"WELL COMB FASTER!'

"UGHHH!" I drop the comb and run out of the bathroom and into my bedroom. I throw on frilly blouse my father bought me last Christmas and a pair of pants. I'm pulling on my heels with the straps when Leslie barges in.

Her face is red like it is when she's nervous and hyperventilating. "We're going to miss our flight."

"We are not!" I tell her. I tie my hair in a quick ponytail and throw my makeup bag into my purse. I grab my keys off the dresser and push her out of the room. "Baggage in the cab, everything's packed, we have our carry-ons, your father is ahead of us!"

Leslie nods her head stiffly as she counts everything off on her fingers. We rush down the stairs and Daddy is there with Em, putting our papers into folders and shoving them into our suitcases. Em's family business teamed up with mine and for the last year we've been working together. Whenever people throw parties they need catering and flowers, obviously. It was a genius business move and out our young age we were beyond successful and singlehandedly running a chain.

A CHAIN!

"If we miss this flight...." my father was shaking his head, running his fingers through his hair.

I laugh and grab the suitcase off the kitchen island. "We're not! And your boss says to get your butt outside and in the cab. Em and I are going to lock up."

Leslie and Daddy leave the house and Em and I stay behind. We make sure everything is unplugged and all the lights are off. Em goes to lock all the doors and I'm closing all the windows where I hear the TV is on from the living room. I drop my head and groan.

How hard is it to turn off a television people?

The past year of my life has been one of the greatest, but not without a struggle. The house my father bought so long ago feels like home. The walls are painted and covered with photos from my childhood and my life with Daddy, Em, and Leslie. Also some scattered photos of Esmeralda, Alma, and Junebug. I haven't seen them since the holidays when they came down to Carolina for a visit.

The last time we spoke around a month ago Esmeralda was confident that any day now Pierre would pop the big question and Alma and Jamie (A.K.A. Carl) were dating and still going strong. As for Junebug she still had a strong propensity for being free and alone. So nothing much going on with her love life.

Annoyed and frazzled because I'm going to be late I storm into the living room, ready to yell out for Em that it is time to leave I stop in my tracks.

"-And as Queen Eadlyn and King Amos prepare for the royal of engagement of out beloved Princess Rosie to the heir to the Spanish throne, King Antonio, all of the kingdom is with anticipation!" The blonde female reported giddily announced.

"The entire country is wondering," Jonas, a new, young, and ambitious reporter announces. "When will we see the heir to our throne, tie the royal knot?"

"Hey I locked all the-!" Em stumbles in and I hold up my hand signaling for her to be quiet.

I walk over to the couch and pick up the remote ready to turn off the television when she grabs my hand to stop me. I look up.

Will's eyes meet mine but it's only because he's looking at the camera. He smiles and waves before he goes back to speaking to someone a top of one of the floats. From where I'm standing it doesn't look like he's putting his heart into what he's doing. I frown.