Rosella sat up with a sheepish smile directed at Emmeline.
As if she herself couldn't believe what she had just said.
"Isn't it a bit too soon for that?" Emmeline finally laughed as she asked the question.
"It looks like it is," she nodded thoughtfully.
"But tell me something, how would you explain the magnetic pull that I feel towards him? The need to find him, just to see and make small talk with him again?"
"I don't really know," Emmeline shrugged.
"It could be a result of your loneliness, you know? Or just a passing phase. Who knows? It could even just be something entirely infatuation fueled."
Rosella shook her head slightly as she chuckled, because she knew it was none of what Emmeline had just suggested.
It couldn't be about her desire to starve loneliness, because Royal duties almost always required her to be out and about every now and then.
Making a public donation to an NGO, kissing a few babies here and there, and of course being on her husband's arm whenever required by his plethora of meetings and interactions with other people in high places.
So, she knew that, that one just couldn't be the truth.
She didn't have an insane amount of time on her hands that she had no idea what to do with, like most people would assume.
Sometimes she even struggled to find a bit of time for her sketching hobby, somewhere between her Royal duties.
She highly doubted that it had something to do with a phase too.
Because she had never experienced anything quite like it, her entire life.
If anything she was strongly convinced that her matters of her heart, in particular, had no concept of phases.
She briefly thought about her first true love, Marcus.
And how much she had loved him.
Which made her realize that once she experiences the love emotion, it is never a fleeting thing.
But it becomes something that she clings into it with invisible claws, and further does whatever it takes to make it work.
So, that's why this too couldn't be a phase.
She quietly decided.
Infatuation was a more far fetched option of the three. Because in twenty five years of her life, she had never been intimate with a man.
And to think and believe that she was pulled towards Andrew because of physical needs and sexual desire just didn't make sense.
But of course, she didn't point all of this out to Emmeline. Instead, she teased her by implying that she had a very creative mind that could probably make writers envious. Then wished her a restful sleep.
The next day passed in a blur for her.
Partly because since Andrew came into the picture, she found herself losing interest in spending her entire day stuck in the palace- despite it being expected of her as the Queen.
Another big part of the quickly flying by day, was the fact that she was now more interested in nightfall than anything else.
Her nerves and excitement couldn't even allow her to sketch anything while waiting for the sun to set today.
Which was a totally new thing. But then again, what exactly wasn't new about how she was acting because of Andrew? Nothing.
She realized, as she excitedly found clothes to wear.
And like last night, she sneaked out of her bedroom's side door.
As well guarded as the palace was; the only guards and security they had were at the entrances, as well as the spaces surrounding the enclosures.
Which made it easy for her to easily sneak out of the house. As the only brief explanation she had to mumble was at the gate, where the security gave her a slight nod and a look of disapproval- every time she mumbled that she was driving in search for sketch inspiration and motivation.
Because in all her sketching history, she had never had to make that excuse for three nights in a row.
The guards might be beginning to worry or even suspect something, she thought.
And she instantly knew that whatever was happening in their minds, wasn't going to be good for her.
Especially if they chose to notify King William of her little situation and new night patterns.
Or even follow her, just to see if it truly was an innocent drive or not.
That's why upon reaching the parking lot, she immediately ditched her car and headed to the grocery store.
In hopes that she would appear doing something so harmless and normal, in case someone had decided to follow her all the way.
"Careful, Cinderella." A familiar voice said to her, causing her head to immediately snap up.
"If we keep meeting up like this, we might just get caught out for having this affair. And I really wouldn't want it to end before it even got a chance to begin." Andrew teased.
But to Rosella, it hit way close to home more than he knew.
"Why am I Cinderella now?" She bemusedly asked, while intentionally ignoring his joke about a possibly budding affair.
"Because you rushed off last night while we were still talking," he shrugged.
"You did it in true Cinderella fashion too. Going on and on about how you were running late for something."
Which made a broad smile to break on her face.
But then again, so far Andrew had been managing to consistently bring out that happier version of herself.
That before he came along, she wasn't so sure she still had buried somewhere within her bones.
"I'm sorry about that," she softly said.
As she pretended to be vastly interested in the various cereal boxes in the shelf in front of her.
"But if you come with me right now, I just might make it up to you." She hesitantly invited.
"To be honest with you, I'm usually a more careful guy. One who isn't naive enough to think that a woman isn't strong enough to abduct a man," he joked.
"But in this one instance, I think I'll take the risk. And just go with you wherever you're leading, without even asking more questions." He grinned down at her, making his whole face transform into what she always imagined a god amongst men to look like.
Rosella chuckled as they followed each other out of the store, after getting rid of their still empty carts.
"I love how dimly lit the lot is," she began.
"It honestly makes what I do for a living much easier for me."
"So I was right?" He raised an eyebrow at her inquisitively. "You abduct people for a living?"
"Get in the car and you'll see," she opened the door for him. She was used to having doors opened for her; but the amused look on his face when she did so, was just a too good an opportunity for her to miss.
After going around the car to her side, she got settled in the driver's seat.
Then retrieved the portraits' envelope from the backseat.
"I almost ran you over last night, because of these." She handed it to him, just before she turned the light on.
Without asking questions or even speculating, he opened the envelope and took out the portraits.
"Wow," he breathed as he studied one after the other. "Surely I can die a happy man if you would abduct me right now, Miss Hightower. Because these are exquisite."
He gave her a stunned look, that made the butterflies in her stomach to multiply.
"Thank you," she said.
"I enjoyed sketching them, just like I enjoy being around you."
She found herself confidently saying without intending too.
"Okay, now you have to let me cook for you." He beamed. "It's the only thing that will make me feel like I've sufficiently expressed my gratitude for these."
"Yeah," she laughed.
"Maybe one day you will." She said, even though she knew how highly unlikely that was. Especially since she would never be able to come anywhere near him in daylight, or even while he's at his restaurant.
Because even though he might not have a clear idea of who she was, someone else could easily recognize her.
Which was a risk she wasn't willing to take.
"One day sounds far," he jumped out of the passenger side of the car and jogged to her side.
"I was thinking right now," he said persuasively upon opening her door.
"But aren't you closed already?" She wondered.
"I have," he nodded and gently grabbed her hand.
"And that's what makes it perfect, you know? It will be just you and I."
"I'm not sure, Andrew." She conflictedly said.
"Well, I've seen how marvellous you are at what you do." He began negotiating.
"I believe right now is time for you to see if I'm good or horrible at what I do too."
Seeing the logic in his words, and no way out- she ended up agreeing.
"Fine then," she grinned, deciding to let her hair down for a night. "Let's do it!"
Andrew opened the door to his restaurant for her, and immediately locked it once they were inside.
"So, this is the joint that I've been telling you about."
He happily announced, as he led the way to the kitchen.
"It's a very fine establishment," she complimented.
"Why, thank you, kind ma'am." He playfully did a courtesy. Which would have been more genuinely funny, if it didn't painfully remind her of the personal prison that she had been living in for half a decade now.
"So what are you whipping for me, Mr Chef extraordinaire?" She beamed, as she mounted a stool by the bar area.
"Well, they say patience is a virtue." He grinned.
She couldn't help but notice that he appeared to be an even bigger burst of happiness, when he was in his element. Which rubbed off on her.
As she happily absorbed all the joy and contentment that he was radiating.
"Can I pour you a drink?" He raised two bottles of wine.
One was a dry red, the other a sparkling white.
"Yes, please." She smiled and nodded at the white one.
Which he eagerly poured for her, with a huge smile on his face.
Even though he disappeared into the kitchen after that, he never neglected her or their ongoing conversation.
Such that by the time their meal was fully ready, she had gathered so much about him.
Like his other interests outside of cooking being bowling and cycling.
He was just four years older than her.
And had been raised in an orphanage.
Which made her heart break a little for him, but he was quick to assure her that it had played a huge positive role in how he turned out.
Especially in him becoming a world class chef at his age, as cooking for the younger children was something he enjoyed doing a lot.
"I feel like I'm about to have dinner at a boisterous German brauhaus right now," she noted as she studied the food in front of her a few moments later. "What inspired the meal?" She curiously asked.
"Oh, you know, I thought over bratwurst, kraut, and a few schooners of weissbier, new friendships may be forged." He hopefully smiled.
To which she simply smiled in return.
Amazed by how refreshing everything seemed around him. His attitude towards life, inspired her.
His adventurous spirit, ignited some passion inside her that even she didn't fully understand.
His laughter was contagious. His charisma, excited her.
And made her see how different the world was outside the high walls of her prison. Which was all a very much welcomed change.
One that she secretly wished would go on forever.
"To forging friendships?" She raised her glass in a toast.
"I'll definitely drink to that," he clinked his glass with hers. And they dug in after that.
He had insisted that she kept her back on him at all times, while he set the table.
Which proved to be a bit challenging for her at first, because she liked looking at him while talking.
But as more minutes passed, she gradually began to calm her curious mind and reflexes.
Until she got the greenlight from him after.
Everything was perfect.
It reminded her a little of a table set up, that was straight out of a movie scene.
One that even had rose petals to complete its perfection.
"You have a little something right on the corner of your mouth," he softly said halfway through dinner.
But when she tried to wipe it off, she did so on the completely wrong corner. Which led to him deciding to kneel right next to her, in order to properly remove the piece of food with a napkin.
"Thank you," she told him after he helped.
"You're welcome," he looked up at her from right where he was still kneeling.
Which she saw as the perfect chance to let her intentions known.
She bent a little to meet his lips with hers.
Before shyly telling him, "I've been meaning to do that since the very first time I laid eyes on you."