Free Gamble on Engagement by Rachel Astor

I had to stay there
24/7. I mean, was I a prisoner or what?
    Not that I should complain. The place was practically a paradise. God, what was I thinking even
leaving? I couldn’t have had a more perfect situation than living
in a lavish castle with all the amenities in the world, including,
apparently, a natural oasis pool area, and I went and blew it just
because I decided I wanted to see the world.
    I mean seriously, what was wrong with
me?
    “I’ll go start packing,” I said, picking up
the books and walking back toward the castle.
    As soon as I rounded the corner and was out
of eyesight of Miranda—she’d apparently stayed back to either cool
down or give me some space—Lance practically jumped right in front
of me, the perfectly twisted ends of his moustache bouncing a
little.
    It was all I could do not to let out a
scream.
    “Don’t let her get you down, Miss McMaster.
She’s always got her knickers in a bunch.”
    Despite the situation, I couldn’t help but
smile. I’d only been there for a little while, but I was going to
miss this place.
    “Yeah, well, it’s looking like I won’t have
to deal with her much longer.” I tried to smile, but I’m sure it
came out rather pathetic looking.
    Lance patted me on the shoulder. “Don’t
worry Miss Josie, the Prince won’t let you go that easily.” He
smiled and walked away.
    But… what the heck was that supposed to
mean? Not let me go? It’s not like I was his in the first place.
Well, except as a ghostwriter. Oh, that’s what he meant. He
wouldn’t let me go as his ghostwriter. Sheesh Josie, you really do
have a vivid imagination. I figured I’d better go straight for the
Disaster Diary.
     
    Dear Disaster Diary,
     
    Remember that first date with the cute law
clerk that worked downstairs? And how long we’d had that flirtation
going? Man I put a lot of time into that guy, ‘accidentally’
getting into the elevator at the same time as him, except I was
actually just standing outside the elevator door for hours, just
waiting to see if he would be in there? And just ‘happening’ to go
for a drink at the coffee cart at the same time as him, only
really, I was standing at the window, waiting for him to appear?
Then finally, that fateful day when he actually said hi? Eeee!
    So, after all those months of, you know, not
exactly stalking the guy, but not exactly not stalking him either,
he finally asked me out? What a marvelous day! Really, it was a
miracle I was able to spit out the word yes, I’d built the whole
thing up so big in my head.
    And then we went out for dinner. To that
sports bar with the patio. And he was totally outdoorsy and wanted
to sit outside.
    Where that ‘friendlier than you’d ever want’
bird kept hovering around our heads?
    Yeah, I guess I didn’t come off too great
after it decided to poop right there on my head.
    I still wonder if it was the poop itself, or
all my panicked screaming that turned that very hard-won first date
into our last.
    At least I learned that stalking someone is
hardly worth it.
     
    Since I probably only had a tiny bit of time
left on the premises, I decided I was going to make the best of it.
Well, as best of it as I could without leaving my room, that is. I
was not about to risk running into Miranda again. I could only
imagine what she’d rip into me for next time.
    So I poured another shot of aromatherapy
into the tub and eased in for a soak.
    A little while later a frantic pounding
sounded at the door.
    Great, she’s sent some kind of security thug
to evict me from the premises or something, I thought. “I’ll be
there in a minute,” I yelled as I reluctantly stepped out of the
tub, searching for a robe. Prancing across the room, shivering like
nobody’s business, I finally grabbed a towel and wrapped it around
me, completely forgetting about the flowered bath cap I’d put on to
keep my hair dry. And it might not have been so bad if it hadn’t
have been one of those ones that looked like