then to Cape Town. He’d freelanced for the best business publications in the world, and a publisher was seriously considering his pitch for a book. Ben should have been on top of the world.
With a sigh, he took up his tablet, brought up the Global website, and saw James’s face staring back. It seemed like those green eyes could see right through Ben, straight through to the heart.
Ben wished he could ask James what he saw there.
• • •
Around midnight, just when James was so exhausted he thought he might be able to sleep despite the suspense, Cassandra straightened. “He’s posted!”
“What?”
“Benjamin Dahan, Global Media Services, ‘A Prince’s Devastation’—oh, that doesn’t sound good—”
James grabbed the tablet from her, then thought better of it and thrust it back into Cassandra’s hands. “I can’t read it.”
“The hell you can’t. Man up, Your Royal Highness. I’ll be right here by your side.”
Shoulder to shoulder, they looked together as James clicked on the headline, opening the story. His own face peered up from the page, as though curious. In that first moment, James scanned only for the words
homosexual
or
gay
. When he didn’t see them, he wondered if he was being obtuse, missing the point.
“It’s all right.” Cassandra began to laugh in sheer relief. “James, it’s not an expose. Good God, it’s even
kind
.”
So it was.
Rainy season has endured in Kenya this year, flooding virtually every location on the royal visit. As the prince left, handlers held an umbrella over his head, even though he waded through water nearly a foot deep. There was no shielding him from the rain, nor from the knowledge that, should his grandfather die, he will be thrust suddenly and irrevocably into the role of king. Little wonder, then, that those who saw his departure described him as “haunted,” a man burdened by both grief and responsibility.
“I’m off the hook.” James could hardly find the breath to support his voice. “He had me just where he wanted me, and he let me go. He let me go.”
Cassandra bounced up from the sofa, practically dancing in her excitement. “Ben’s not going to expose you. Impossible. He’d do it straight away if he were to do it at all. The story’s worth more money right now, frankly. If he didn’t publish it today, he won’t publish it, period.”
She was right, and James knew it, but his weary heart found it hard to believe. All he could think about was Ben’s fury as he’d shouted James back out into the rain.
That memory was suddenly, vividly replaced by the memory of Ben smiling at him over a chessboard, curiosity and desire lighting his deep brown eyes and warming James as though he sat near a fire—
“James?” Cassandra froze mid-dance step and frowned. “Are you all right?”
He shook his head. Although he managed to keep his self-control, it was a near thing, and it took several long moments, during which Cassandra returned to his side and draped her arm around his shoulder. One of the corgis waddled over to snuffle at James’s side, and with his free hand he stroked Glo’s furry head.
When he could speak again, he said, “I’m sorry. You know how it is. When you prepare yourself for cruelty, the one thing you can’t handle is kindness.”
“That’s the least he owes you.”
“Forget what he owes me.” The sooner James could forget Ben Dahan altogether, the happier he would be. He took her hand, hoping to ease her into this. “The past day, all I’ve been able to think about was how horrible it would be if this blew up in my face, especially right now. This is the worst possible moment to rock the boat.”
She bit her lower lip before she said, “You want us to ‘reunite’ again.”
“Times of crisis, people get closer, you know. It’s believable.”
“We can’t go on like this forever.”
“I realize that. But I need us to go on a while longer. Please, Cassandra. I know it’s too
With a sigh, he took up his tablet, brought up the Global website, and saw James’s face staring back. It seemed like those green eyes could see right through Ben, straight through to the heart.
Ben wished he could ask James what he saw there.
• • •
Around midnight, just when James was so exhausted he thought he might be able to sleep despite the suspense, Cassandra straightened. “He’s posted!”
“What?”
“Benjamin Dahan, Global Media Services, ‘A Prince’s Devastation’—oh, that doesn’t sound good—”
James grabbed the tablet from her, then thought better of it and thrust it back into Cassandra’s hands. “I can’t read it.”
“The hell you can’t. Man up, Your Royal Highness. I’ll be right here by your side.”
Shoulder to shoulder, they looked together as James clicked on the headline, opening the story. His own face peered up from the page, as though curious. In that first moment, James scanned only for the words
homosexual
or
gay
. When he didn’t see them, he wondered if he was being obtuse, missing the point.
“It’s all right.” Cassandra began to laugh in sheer relief. “James, it’s not an expose. Good God, it’s even
kind
.”
So it was.
Rainy season has endured in Kenya this year, flooding virtually every location on the royal visit. As the prince left, handlers held an umbrella over his head, even though he waded through water nearly a foot deep. There was no shielding him from the rain, nor from the knowledge that, should his grandfather die, he will be thrust suddenly and irrevocably into the role of king. Little wonder, then, that those who saw his departure described him as “haunted,” a man burdened by both grief and responsibility.
“I’m off the hook.” James could hardly find the breath to support his voice. “He had me just where he wanted me, and he let me go. He let me go.”
Cassandra bounced up from the sofa, practically dancing in her excitement. “Ben’s not going to expose you. Impossible. He’d do it straight away if he were to do it at all. The story’s worth more money right now, frankly. If he didn’t publish it today, he won’t publish it, period.”
She was right, and James knew it, but his weary heart found it hard to believe. All he could think about was Ben’s fury as he’d shouted James back out into the rain.
That memory was suddenly, vividly replaced by the memory of Ben smiling at him over a chessboard, curiosity and desire lighting his deep brown eyes and warming James as though he sat near a fire—
“James?” Cassandra froze mid-dance step and frowned. “Are you all right?”
He shook his head. Although he managed to keep his self-control, it was a near thing, and it took several long moments, during which Cassandra returned to his side and draped her arm around his shoulder. One of the corgis waddled over to snuffle at James’s side, and with his free hand he stroked Glo’s furry head.
When he could speak again, he said, “I’m sorry. You know how it is. When you prepare yourself for cruelty, the one thing you can’t handle is kindness.”
“That’s the least he owes you.”
“Forget what he owes me.” The sooner James could forget Ben Dahan altogether, the happier he would be. He took her hand, hoping to ease her into this. “The past day, all I’ve been able to think about was how horrible it would be if this blew up in my face, especially right now. This is the worst possible moment to rock the boat.”
She bit her lower lip before she said, “You want us to ‘reunite’ again.”
“Times of crisis, people get closer, you know. It’s believable.”
“We can’t go on like this forever.”
“I realize that. But I need us to go on a while longer. Please, Cassandra. I know it’s too
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