Free The Royal’s Pretend Wife by Sophia Lynn Page A

Apolo?” the host asked, gazing at her food with interest.
    “Well, I grew up within striking distance of Texas,” she said, “and though I love authentic Mexican food, there is a large space in my heart for Tex-Mex. I've always loved how brightly colored fajitas are, and they provide a filling meal with a lot of flavor.”
    “I see, I see. Have you ever made this dish for Prince Apolo before?”
    She hesitated before shaking her head.
    “No. I'll be honest, I don't cook normally. We…we have plenty of people who will do it for us, and they do such a good job. I'm glad to have the opportunity—it feels more…intimate, doesn't it?”
    She hid her sudden real attachment to the task with a soft laugh, shaking her head.
    It was enough for the camera, at least, which roved on to Carolina, who was now doing something with lamb shanks.
    The fajitas went together quickly, as she knew they would. She set everything to marinate in the refrigerator until Apolo and the other royal men came home. At some point, Serafina came to sit next to her in the living room, trailed by the camera. It was astonishing how easy it was to dismiss the camera. Trinity warned herself not to make the mistake of doing so.
    “You're finished quickly,” Serafina said, and there was a distinct derisive note in her voice.
    “Not really,” Trinity said with a shrug. “I'm marinating. In a few hours, I'll go back and start the real cooking before our husbands come back.”
    “Bah, they get to go shop while we slave over a stove, where is the justice in that?”
    Trinity wanted nothing more than to leave the spoiled princess to her tantrum, but she forced herself to be still, only raising an eyebrow.
    “I thought it was fun,” she said. “I might not want to do it every day.” She didn't, she really, really didn't. “But for today? I think it was just fine. After all, it is not like they are shopping for themselves.”
    Serafina's irritated look was just short of sneering.
    “And you think that he's going to get you something you actually want? How long have you been married again?”
    Trinity hesitated. Whatever Apolo brought home, she knew that she was going to act as if she loved it. That was the deal. She was smart enough to know that there was really no such thing as reality in reality television, but at the very least, she had to be convincing.
    “I hope that I'm going to love it,” she said honestly. “Sometimes, I'm not sure what he's thinking, but I think that after the time we’ve spent together, I always know that his heart's in the right place, even if his head is in the clouds.”
    Serafina stopped just short of rolling her eyes at Trinity, and then Carolina came in, fretful about the food that she had made. Trinity checked the time and realized she needed to throw the fajitas in the skillet, if she was going to have the meal ready for Apolo. As she cooked, she contemplated her counterparts.
    Both of these women were actresses in their own way, Trinity realized. They had been raised in the limelight, if not nobility themselves, then wealthy enough that it made no difference. She wondered with a slight sadness whether the performance stretched to cover what happened after the cameras were off. She had to assume that they were playing only slightly exaggerated versions of themselves, but sometimes, they seemed to be such caricatures of real people that she couldn't be sure.
    Inwardly, she shrugged. They might simply think the same of her. Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the men, joined by the host.
    “Well, now, it only seems fair that we eat and then see to the presents,” the host said with a wink. “Let's see what these divinely beautiful brides have cooked up.”
    Trinity noted with satisfaction that Apolo was getting less wary of the camera. He still stared at it from time to time, but now he was beginning to ignore it. Honestly, if he weren't a prince, he was quite handsome enough to make it as an actor,