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Chapter Thirteen
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A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Fourteen
“So, you just have to move your paddles like this,” I explained, showing him the scooping motion. We sat just off the dock in old leaky kayaks. The life vests smelled like last summer's sunshine and this year's mold, but we wore them anyway.“Like this?” Freddie asked, repeating the motion perfectly. He then proceeded to turn his kayak in a neat circle, looking rather pleased with himself when he came back around.“Yeah.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I think you've done this before.”“Not in a boat like this,” he replied. “But I did do some rowing in college. The concepts are similar.”I rolled my eyes. Of course, he did rowing in college. He probably did all the expensive sports. I knew he had money. The rental car he'd driven us in hadn't been cheap. His clothes, even his swim trunks, were high end. He had gone to school with Carlson, and since Carlson was ivy-league educated, he tended to run in prestigious circles. I didn't want to pry and ask just how rich he was. But even I coul
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Fifteen
“I love how peaceful it is here,” Freddie remarked the next morning. We sat out on the back porch, sipping coffee and eating the waffles I'd finally made.“Me too,” I agreed. I sighed with contentment, licking the last bit of maple syrup from my fork. “This is even better than I imagined. Thank you for being here.”He flashed me a grin. “Believe me. It's been my pleasure. I think this is the first real vacation I've ever had.”“Really? You've never been on vacation before?” I frowned. “Your parents never took you anywhere?”He shrugged. “I've been on holiday to lots of places, but it was never relaxing. It was always scheduled with tours and meetings. I had to beg for a day off to just sit at the beach or the pool, but even then, I wasn't allowed just to relax.”“Why not?”“It's just not my family's way,” he replied. “We're always on. We're always smiling and doing. I've never been allowed to sit and do nothing. There's always something that should be getting done. If you aren't doin
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Sixteen
“Would you rather live in the mountains or on the beach?” I asked Freddie, my head resting on his shoulder as we enjoyed our last evening together. The days had gone so quickly and wonderfully. I had kept asking him to stay another day, and he kept agreeing. I was sure he would get tired of being out in a cabin on a lake, eating home-cooked meals, and reading books on the porch.But he didn't. If anything, I think it soothed his soul as much as it did mine.The night sky sparkled with stars through the window, but we were tucked under a light blanket on the couch inside. The blanket was almost too hot, even with air conditioning, but I liked the weight of it on my lap. My shoulder fit perfectly under his arm as we snuggled on the couch, just talking and enjoying the sound of crickets and frogs outside.“I assume I get a house?” Freddie asked. “I don't have to live out in the wild?”“Yes, you get a comfortable house with a TV and everything,” I told him with a wave of my hand. “Beach o
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Seventeen
Suddenly, not asking any questions about his business seemed like a colossal mistake on my part. What did I actually know about this man? Just because he had told me about his family and his dreams didn't mean I knew who he was. He had told me about parts of his life, but it felt like he had also left out a lot of important details. Cold dread at what he wasn't telling me started to settle in the pit of my stomach. I didn't want to think about what I didn't know and how it could end up hurting me.I left the bathroom and returned to the living room, trying not to panic.Freddie closed the front door. He turned the lock, making the old wooden door creak. I couldn't remember the last time the door had ever been locked. It simply wasn't something we'd ever needed to do. No one locked their doors around here.“I did forget to answer my phone. My brother called him all worried.” Freddie shook his head and smiled. The formal tone was gone entirely, and the Freddie I knew was back. “My brot
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Eighteen
Two Months Later, Late August“Hey James,” I said, walking up to the hotel room.“Did you bring it?” the large man asked, eyeing the shopping bag by my side.“Have I ever let you down?” I handed him the bag.He glanced around the empty hallway, as if we might be caught. Cautiously, he reached inside the bag and pulled out a flimsy plastic container. He giggled like a school boy. The sound coming out of such a big, imposing man was very strange and heartwarming at the same time.“I love these things,” he said, opening the container lid and pulling out the pasty. “Dutch letters are my weakness.”“Why do you think I bring them?” I teased. “How else would someone like me get time with the Prince of Paradisa?”James didn't say anything as he stuffed a bite of pastry into his mouth. He stepped to the side of the door so that I could knock.Freddie appeared in an instant. He kissed me, and for a moment I lost myself in him. His soft citrus scent filled my nose. He needed to shave, but I didn
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Nineteen
A few weeks later, Mid September“And I already gave Jones his PRN pain medicine,” I told the night shift nurse. “And that's it. Oh, and watch out for the guy in room 402. He's a little handsy and likes to put on his call light.”“Thanks for the heads-up,” Susan replied, making a mark in her notes. “Anything else to report?”I thought for a moment, and then shook my head.“You're getting good at this,” Susan told me. “I remember the first time you gave me a report. It was not this easy.”I laughed, remembering my first few days as a new-grad nurse. Despite being on the same floor I'd worked on as a CNA, it had been a whole new world for me. But three months of practice and I finally felt comfortable.“You're doing great,” Susan continued. She glanced around the room at the other nurses receiving a report for the change of shift. “I'm always glad when I get your patients. I'll take a report from you any time.”The compliment had me beaming. “Thanks.”She grinned. “So, what are you up t
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Twenty
I hesitated, plane ticket in my hand, staring down the passenger boarding ramp of an airplane.It wasn't that I wasn't excited. It wasn't that nerves had finally gotten the best of me.It was that I wasn't sure this was real.The flight attendant at the gate smiled and scanned my ticket. She didn't call security on me or ask to see some identification. She didn't ask Freddie to show ID or to take a selfie. She just smiled and motioned us forward as if this were totally normal.As if getting on a plane with a prince was totally normal.Granted, Freddie was traveling under his alias, Fred Prescott. He wore dark sunglasses, a baseball cap, and an oversized sweatshirt that hid his identifiable features. I wore something similar, but mine was for comfort, not for disguise.Freddie squeezed my hand as we walked down the ramp and to the plane. We found our seats, which were more like private couches than seats. Not to mention the fact that our two seats were able to completely seal off from
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Twenty-One
No one was at the airport to greet us.Well, there was a chauffeur and a car, but none of Freddie's family or friends.We changed into nicer clothes in a private bathroom. I wore the suit I usually wore for job interviews- black dress slacks with a matching blazer and a conservative dark blue silk blouse. I'd managed to get two jobs wearing it, so I figured it was good luck.Freddie changed into a suit that had me feeling self conscious. His dark gray suit was impeccable. Mine suddenly felt a little threadbare. My slacks were slightly worn on the hems. The style was obviously dated. I fiddled nervously with a loose button on the cuff of my jacket I'd never noticed before.“You look great,” Freddie assured me, but I didn't believe him. It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself more than me.I reached for his hand. He gave me one quick squeeze before pulling away.“We can't remember?” he said softly. “My mother has to accept you into the family before we can be seen togethe
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A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Fifty-One
Two months later, Early December“I'd carry you across the doorway, but I don't think that's a good idea,” Freddie said as he hobbled up to the doorway of the castle. His crutches crunched slightly on the white crushed gravel.“That's only when you get married,” I told him. “So you have time.”I winked at him. He grinned at me.We'd already spent two weeks at his mother's castle. Freddie was slowly on the mend, but doing well. It would be weeks yet before he no longer needed the crutches. Femur fractures take a long time to heal.I wasn't in a rush though. He was officially on vacation.And we were going to enjoy it at his castle.Freddie's castle was stunning. It was bigger than his mother's, but more modern. Freddie's castle was only built in 1831, making it one of the newer castles of the country. The Romantic architecture made me think of Pride and Prejudice. I could easily imagine Mr. Darcy striding across the perfectly kept hedges.Inside, the massive hallway was breathtaking. W
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Fifty
“Is the Queen Mother not in residence today?” the Duke asked Mr. Irson as he walked through the hallways. “I don't see her standard hanging outside.”“The Queen Mother is visiting her son, the King, in Westshire,” Mr. Irson replied smoothly. “Would you like me to tell her you asked after her?”“No, no please,” the Duke replied. He smiled his lizard-like smile. “This is supposed to be a secret meeting.”“Of course, Your Grace.” Mr. Irson dipped his head politely. “I am the model of discretion.”Mr. Irson led the Duke through the empty stone hallways to the sitting room attached to Freddie's bedroom. He knocked smartly three times and then opened the door.Freddie sat on a comfortable couch with his injured leg elevated. The cast was hidden by oversized pants. A comfortable chair sat opposite of him with a small table between them. A black expensive looking box sat on the table. The TV on the far wall was dark, but soft classical music played. Freddie turned off the music as the Duke e
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Forty-Nine
My brain went fuzzy.Thoughts and images flitted around my skull like caffeinated hummingbirds, never settling down long enough for me to see them clearly.Freddie was coming to see me. Freddie still loved me. Freddie was buying the cabin. Freddie was in the hospital.The car turned off the highway. Sophie sat quiet, letting me process everything.“How bad is it?” I asked once I was in control of myself again. I forced my brain to go into nursing mode. Forced it to turn scientific and clinical. “What are his injuries?”She hesitated.“Tell me,” I urged. “Or I'm just going to imagine the worst.”“He shattered his femur and his right arm. Three skull fractures, two broken ribs, and a punctured lung.”Once again my breath caught. I thought for a moment I might die, but then my heart started again.“They've stabilized him. They don't think there's any damage to his brain and they said his lung will be okay,” she quickly assured me. “They already performed some surgery. He asked for you th
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Forty-Eight
“Thanks. I'll send you my resume,” I said into the phone.I sighed as I ended the call. The job in Madison was decent. There was nothing wrong with it. The pay was good, the benefits fair, and I had a friend in Madison that would be happy to rent me a room.I sat down on the guest bed and pouted.It just wasn't what I wanted.I wanted Freddie. I wanted normal.But those two things didn't go together.“Zoey.”I turned at the sound of my name to see Cecelia standing in the doorway to the guest room. Soft morning light filtered around her. Her face was drawn and pale.“What's the matter?” I asked, rising quickly. Something in the pit of my stomach went cold. I'd seen that face on Cecelia before. It was when she'd told me that our Grandmother had died.“You have to come in here.” She swallowed hard and glanced toward the living room. “There's something on the TV you need to see.”Fear whirled dark in my stomach as I walked through the short hallway.The big TV was on a news station. The
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Forty-Seven
I checked my phone. No messages. No missed calls.Nothing for two days from Freddie.Several from Sophie, but nothing that made me rethink my decision to leave.“You okay?” Cecelia asked from the kitchen. I tucked my phone back into my pocket and tried to smile at her as I walked into the living room. The smells of spaghetti filled the air. “Have a seat. Watch some TV. Dinner won't be ready for another twenty minutes or so.”I sat down on the comfy leather couch and pulled a quilt over my lap. It was such a different couch experience than what was in Paradisa. I couldn't imagine a worn quilt made by the Queen Mother on a worn leather sofa with soft throw pillows. This couch was made for comfort and family, not for looking pretty.I turned on the TV.And saw Freddie.“In world news, Paradisa and Navia have signed a historic trade agreement. Paradisa, known for their lithium deposits and Navia, known for new technology signed the agreement this morning. The two countries have had a cont
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Forty-Six
My hand trembled and I pulled back.My whole body shook and I thought I might be sick.“Just talk to him,” I whispered to the empty hallway. “He loves you. It'll be fine.”I counted to ten and forced my hand to move. I knocked. It was clear and loud and I glanced around the hallway, sure that heads were about to pop out of every room and yell at me.No doors opened.Silence hung in the hallway. The pale light of the coming dawn flickered like a ghost in the windows as I waited. I thought of running away. I thought of just going back to my room and hiding under the covers until I had courage again.But it had to be now. I would be on a plane in an hour.Unless Freddie stopped me.If he said I should stay, I would cancel my flight. I would stay here with him and deal with the consequences of the Stair Walk. I would do it for him.My heartbeat thundered in my chest, too fast and completely unsteady. I should probably see a doctor about that, I thought. Or have a little less caffeine.A p
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Forty-Five
I pulled up his name in my messages and froze. I had no idea what to say.There was a knock on my door that made me look up. It wasn't Mr. Irson's gentle three beat knock.Freddie?My heart sped up, fueled by hope.Maybe there was a chance I didn't need to send this message.“Come in,” I called, throwing off the blankets.The door opened.But it wasn't Freddie.It was Sophie and the Duke.“What are you wearing?” Sophie asked, looking completely shocked.I stood in the center of my bedroom, and looked down at my pajamas and bare feet. Everything was covered. She'd picked these pajamas out for me. They were long pants and long-sleeved dark satin and covered everything appropriately. I was suddenly glad I hadn't worn the tiny cotton shorts and tank top I often did.Sophie made an exasperated sigh and stalked over to the bathroom. She handed me a white cotton robe. “Please cover up. Try to be appropriate.”I slid the robe over my shoulders.“Honestly, I know we went over this,” Sophie con
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Forty-Four
I'm not sure how I made it back to my room.I just know that I stumbled through the hallways, tears streaming down my face as I forced my aching muscles to move. No halls were empty as I walked along with cold bare feet.I opened the door to my room, expecting to find it dark and empty. Instead, a warm light shone by the bed. Mr. Irson was pulling the drapes of my room shut and humming as he prepared the room.“My apologies, Ms. Miller. I wasn't expecting you to return so early tonight,” he said, tugging the drapes tight. He turned with a smile on his face that quickly faded the moment he saw me. “Oh my. Are you alright?”He rushed to me, his eyes full of concern. He touched my shoulders gently, moving down my arms and checking for injuries with kind hands.“Is anything broken? Do you need a doctor?” he asked. Worry filled his voice and wrapped me like a warm blanket. I wanted to sob into him.“I fell,” I stated. “And I nearly killed the Queen Mother in the process.”He stared at me f
A Midwestern Cinderella Chapter Forty-Three
We sat in yet another sitting room somewhere deep inside the castle. This one looked like it had been stolen from the Downton Abbey set, complete with turn of the century furniture and oil portraits. I fully expected Dame Maggie Smith to walk in wearing full costume and yell at me for trying to kill the Queen Mother.I figured I probably had a slight concussion from hitting the marble floor with my head.The Queen Mother sat on the center sofa. The on-call doctor was speaking softly with her. So far, they hadn't found any injuries. She seemed to be alert and oriented. She answered questions and moved without restriction. The doctor didn't look worried.Liam sat beside his mother holding her hand. Aria sat on her opposite side with Henry on the couch across from them. Freddie stood by the window, his arms crossed. Sophie stood near him, her expression unreadable.I sat in a high backed chair in the far corner of the room. It was as far away as I could get from everyone without leaving.
