He kissed her, his hands sweeping down her back and resting on the rise of her bottom. Her body flooded with heat, and desire made her heart go fluttery. “You ready to see how much people love your perfume?”

“So ready.”

“You got your notebook?”

In her mind, she retraced her steps, remembering when she’d put it in her black leather tote bag. “Yep.”

“Phone?”

“Ah…no. Still charging. Hang on one second.” She darted into the bunkhouse and hurried into her bedroom. Even from the doorway, she could see the screen flashing. Once she reached her nightstand, she yanked out the plug and saw that her phone had blown up with messages.

A quick scan showed her mother, Harrison, Marcel…even her father. The sting of adrenaline had her punching her father’s number first.

He never called. Something was wrong.

He answered on the second ring. “Rosalina?” Her normally warm, loving father sounded terse, clipped.

“Hi, Papa. What’s going on?”

“The fact that you’re asking means you haven’t checked your text messages. I’ll hold while you do.”

“Can you just tell me? I’m kind of freaking out here.” But, really, thank God her father was okay. Anything other than a health scare, she could handle.

“Henri showed us a photograph of you with a young man.”

Dread slammed her back against the wall. “The paparazzi’s here?”

“No. Marcel sent it to him.”

“Are you serious? Marcel sent his father a picture of me and Brodie?”

“Brodie? So, it’s true? You’re in a relationship with someone?”

She wouldn’t lie to her father. “Yes, I am.”

He blew out a breath into the receiver. “Rosalina, what on earth are you doing? The vote is next week. Can you imagine if this photograph got into the hands of the paparazzi? Do you understand what it would do to our family? This country? How do I impress upon you that the monarchy hinges on our ability to prove its continuity? And, right now, that means you and Marcel presenting a united front.”

“I thought you liked the idea of establishing a university.”

“I do, but you seem to think a university will win you points with the voters, when it’s nothing more than our obligation as guardians to give our citizens the very best opportunities and amenities possible.”

She had done that, hadn’t she? While it was undoubtedly a great idea, she’d come up with it as a way to make up for her broken engagement.