Carina, who had been focusing on her conversation with Rosalie, hadn't noticed that the crowd around them had fallen silent. Not until a smooth voice spoke out from behind her.
"Rosalie."
Rosalie's smile didn't falter at the new presence, in fact it even seemed to grow a notch bigger.
"Gabriel!"
Carina cursed internally, hoping that the prince hadn't heard what she had said just a moment ago. It wouldn't be good if she angered royalty.
She sucked in a deep breath, and then finally turned around to look at who was behind her, readying her usual small polite smile on her face.
Although people mostly said that Prince Spencer was the handsomer out of the two, Prince Gabriel still had his own charms, and Carina could admit that with Prince Gabriel now in the room, none of the other men could compare.
Having thought that, she wondered just how pretty Prince Spencer could be if even Prince Gabriel's good looks didn't compare.
"Prince Gabriel." Carina greeted, curtsying.
Prince Gabriel took a moment to look Carina up and down, something which Carina really did not appreciate.
She supposed though, that being a prince he was probably allowed to be this bold, and that it was likely no one had ever objected to it to his face.
"Who's this?" Gabriel asked Rosalie, as Carina finished her curtsy and took a step back, quietly sipping on her champagne.
"Oh, this is my new friend, Carina Rayburn!" Rosalie happily introduced Carina, excited that her two friends were meeting for the first time.
As the prince's intense gaze lingered, Carina wondered if this was worth being friends with Rosalie.
"I can't believe you've been hiding such a beauty from me all this time, Rosie." Gabriel commented, smiling at Carina with what he must've thought was his most charming and flirtatious smile.
Carina downed the rest of her champagne in one gulp, and then smiled at Gabriel as if she ate his words right up.
"And I can't believe you have a friend that's so shameless and uncouth, Rosalie."