Royals

Part 17: The Almost Kiss

As we're driving, we start to see a light mist come down and then like it couldn't much worse.

POP!

"Bloody hell" Luke mutters under his breath.

"So this is what happens your nice. All things go out of wack" I joke. Despite he's worried and angered face, he smiles a little at my joke.

At least there's that.

We both get out of the car and see the front tire on his side has just popped. I didn't even know that could happen. I've read it a thousand times in romance novels but in real life, I never thought it would happen.

Then of course, if things couldn't get worse. The sky opens up and the rain pours down.

"Shit" he says and throws his hands up "WHAT ELSE YOU GOT?" He yells at the sky. I burst out laughing and he laughs too.

"Seriously though, what are we gonna do?" I ask, my dress becoming soaked.

"I see a little house up there, ill go and ask for some help" he says, running his hands through is wet hair.

Woah.

"I'll come with you" I say, throwing off my soaking cardigan.

"No, it's too far" he says, hey string in the distance. I can the see outline of the house but barely through the rain.

"I'm not staying here so I'm coming" I argue. He groans in frustration.

"Fine, come on" he says, grabbing my hand.

We walk on the side of the road not that anyone is out here and finally we reach the house. I push the hair out of my eyes and look in the windows.

"It looks like abandoned. Someone definitely lived here but not anymore" I tell him. He push on the door and it comes open.

"I don't think we should go in. Who knows what's with the house?" I say, standing at the edge of the porch. I wrap my arms around myself, becoming super cold.

"Julie, don't be crazy. You aren't staying out here in this crazy storm. You'll freeze. Now come on" he says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and guiding me inside.

I gotta admit, it is warmer in here than outside. I just don't think we should potentially be trespassing.
Not very royal.

Luke fires up the fire place at the middle of the little house. It goes out once or twice but he digs around the drawers and uses some lighter fluid. I sit down, my legs crossed by my side and try to to shiver too much. Luke goes upstairs to the small loft and throws down some blankets. Literal dust jumps off of them into the air and I cough, waving it away from my face. Luke comes back down and grabs a blanket.

"Here, wrap yourself in this. You'll be warmer" he says, handing me the blanket. I nod and hold it in my hands for a second. He takes it from my hands and wraps it around me, keeping his arms close to me probably a little too long. He sits beside me and I notice that he's shaking a little too.

I look over where the blankets were and I realize that this is just one giant blanket.

Without another thought or any hesitation, I wrap it around him. He gives me a confused look.

"You looked cold" I say softly and he pulls it around his shoulders.

"Thanks Juliet" he says back, just as softly.

Something about being here all alone and trapped in the rain seems so weird but romantic.

Of course it's not romantic but the idea of it does. It makes you wanna talk in a soft voice and expose all your secrets.

It's definitely something out of a romantic novel.

"Your right, about the royal family. I do always cover their arses. I have to" he says. At first I'm confused but then I realize what I said before.

"You don't have too, I mean you're your own person"

"I do have too. Everything I have, everything I am is because of them" he says, staring at the flames.

"What do you mean?"

"I work for them. I mean of course I'm Reggie's best friend. But I'm there to keep them out of trouble and headlines. Believe it or not, they get in a lot of trouble"

"I believe it. But why?"

"They pay for everything. They pay for my band and music training. They pay for my house. They even pay for my schooling. When my family went bankrupt, they were there and then they offered me a job. I thought it was a blessing, I mean of course it is but it's still hard and complicated. The royal family always seems so put together and perfect but they're so messy. I think they're worse then the average family" he says. I let the weight of his words sit with me for a moment.

"Luke, I had no idea. That's- I don't really know what to say"

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything" he says. Suddenly, my heart tells my body to do something I'm completely shocked at. I lean in and kiss his cheek, resting my hand on his chest. I lay my head against his shoulder and he grabs my hand, keeping it there. I smile and look at him again. His expression is.... Happy?

"No matter what they do to you, whoever they force you to date or whatever you coverup for them. Don't forget who you are, because you are a great person Luke. Nothing can change you, because I don't know, your just you" I say, my voice barely above a whispers. His face breaks into a goofy smile and he slides his hand into my cheek. He slowly starts to lean in when the door bust open. We pull away and apart. I look at the door, terrified at who it will be when I realize. It's just Gladys and Carrie and Dylan. I jump to my feet and smile.

"Y'all came to save us!" I say, hugging Carrie.

"Did we save or just interrupt?" She whispers in my ear. I pull back and she gives me the older sister glare.

"We saw the jeep and assumed you came here" Dylan says. I look outside and watch as the rain just stops. It's like it just got turned off.

"Thanks guys" Luke says, standing beside me. I feel my face get red with embarrassment and I go outside, everyone following me.

As we drive home, I keep thinking about what Carrie said. Her words taking over my brain.

"Did we save or just interrupt?"

A/n: OH MY GOD THEY ALMOST FREAKING KISSED. WAAAAAAA