Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Patrick strolled into the estate boutique to find Cat in the salon chair facing away from him, and Felix was doing something to her face. 

“Are you done yet?” Patrick was usually joking around with Felix, but he had never been more serious. They were on a schedule and already running late. He needed Felix to hurry up already! 

“Hold your damn horses! I’m almost finished here!” Then Cat groaned. “Stop your belly aching, or I’ll end up stabbing your eye with this!” 

“This man has been torturing me for an hour, Patrick!” She complained, and Patrick couldn’t hold in the eye roll. He knew Felix was pretty rough around the edges, but he knew his job and did it beyond expectations every time.

“There! Finished!” Felix took a step back before looking to Patrick with a cocky smirk. “Only I can, with only an hour, take the duckling you brought to me and turn her into this gorgeous swan.” He spun the chair around to reveal an irritated Cat until her eyes met Patrick and gave him a nervous smile, scared of his reaction. She had yet to see herself in a mirror and was petrified by what she might look like.

Patrick audibly gasped as he looked upon her. Gone were the bushy eyebrows and hairy lip line and all other things that were unattractive about her before. Her hair was sleek yet full of body, laying gracefully on her shoulders, she had makeup perfectly placed on her face, nails were done on both hands and feet, and was dressed in a green floral dress with matching green heels and a green sweater.

“Oh, wow. You look beautiful, Catalina.” She never would have described herself as beautiful so this word being used surprised her.

“What?” She turned to look in the mirror and saw a woman she barely recognized. Her eyes sparkled as she looked back at someone she had never seen before. Her mother had always been the beauty of the two of them, and now she could see how much she truly resembled her lost parent. “Whoa,” she whispered as Patrick clapped with joy.

“This tops anything else you have done, Felix. I owe you one.”

“If I had a dollar for every time you’ve said that, I'd be a millionaire,” the grumpy man grumbled before Patrick pulled Cat out of the chair and led her out the door.

“We don’t have much time to waste. We need to get in the car, and I’ll brief you on the way.” She was baffled by what he said.

He led her to the car, and they were off.

“Brief me?”

“On the other suitors. There aren’t very many, but you need to make as many friends as possible if you wish to win Thomas over which shouldn’t be too hard for you.” If she was actually there to do that, she might be a little worried, but she wasn’t. It couldn’t hurt to be too friendly, though. 

“First off is Victoria Burgess. She is the Duchess of Sussex and was intended to be the Queen beside George, Thomas’s brother who abdicated. She is quite close to Thomas, but don’t let her try to fool you. She is truly lethal. She doesn’t ever do anything unless she thinks it will benefit her. The only way she will be on your side is if you develop a common enemy.” She doubted that lady was very nice. She imagined her being gross and nasty or impossibly beautiful.

“Next is Elizabeth Cleary. Her family bought their way into nobility. Her father is an oil tycoon. She is very quiet, keeps to herself. No one really knows much about her other than she loves to garden and has a soft spot for Shih Tzu puppies. 

“Next is Alexandria Brayden. She will be new to court this year. She is a widow who is mostly only present to appease her family. She is still in mourning and just hoped to make some friends or so I’ve heard. She seems to be one of those girls who will befriend you if you are just nice to her so she would be the best to start being friends with….”

After that, Cat stopped listening. It wasn’t really that important. She was there for Julien, not Thomas. She didn’t need to impress him or his parents.

She caught herself wondering about Julien’s family. Did he have siblings? What was his mom like? Was she anything like hers? 

She thought it would be nice to be a part of a real family, one that didn’t just include a daughter and her mother. One where there were siblings and children and grandchildren at some point. Oh, how that would be a wonderful future. She didn’t need riches or fame. If she just had a man who loved her and children to raise, then she would die a happy woman.

“We are here!” Patrick announced as he turned into a long driveway, made of white rocks. The driveway led through a beautiful field of trees and flower bushes full of purples and yellows. It seemed to go forever until the estate finally came into view and the long line of cars appeared, a few patrons standing close by. 

If it weren’t for the windows being tinted, she would have been trying to hide. Those people looked pretty intimidating from how they were looking at the car. 

“You are going to do great! Just leave all the talking to me. Just smile and nod at first.” She looked at him unsure before looking out the window. 

“Smile and nod?” He chuckled softly.

“That and don’t slouch or trip over yourself, but I’m sure you can handle those all on your own. Tomorrow, my sister will help educate you on edicate and our customs, but for today, I will help you if anyone tries to question you. Like I said, smile and nod.” She nodded before sitting up straight and taking a deep breath.

“Alright, let's do this.” Both of them got out of the car, and he handed her a rather large green hat, and she looked at him confused. That thing was scary. She worried it might eat her. 

“To block out the sun. You’ll thank me tomorrow.” She nodded and took the hat, carefully positioning it over her perfectly groomed hair. He helped her adjust it and handed her a pair of sunglasses. She slipped them on and looped her arm with his. 

She kept repeating over and over in her head the words ‘smile, nod, don’t slouch, don’t fall’ to try to keep herself in check. When someone looked at her with perplexed eyes, she smiled and nodded like he said, and they returned the gesture.

“Just like that, Cat. You already look the part of a noblewoman. As long as you keep that up today, no one will question your ability to be a suitor. They will see you as one of them.” She nodded as Jasper escorted her through the palace towards the gardens. A couple of servants opened a pair of double doors for them, and she was hit by the biggest chaos she had ever seen.

Hundreds, maybe thousands of nobles, were chattering away like they were all best friends but most of them held jealousy in their eyes as they conversed. Some were off playing some strange game with oranges being kicked around while some were drinking and some were just mingling. 

Her heart was a jackhammer, pounding away in her chest. 

“Relax,” Patrick whispered in her ear, and she nodded, trying her best to do as he asked. 

“Okay.” He led her through the crowd towards the area where there was the largest fountain she had ever seen, and he helped her take a seat on the ledge.

“I’ll be right back with something to drink. Don’t say or do anything until I get back.” She nodded and kept her eyes to her hands, waiting on Patrick. It seemed like forever that Patrick was gone and she was getting agitated.

Suddenly, some girl sat down next to her with a huff, a similar hat covering her face. She had on a ruby red dress but that was all Cat could see in her peripheral vision. 

“They look so ridiculous, pretending they don’t want to kill the other person,” the woman spoke up, and Cat turned her eyes towards her, seeing her frown. “Is it your first time, too?” she asked, and Cat knew she wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone, but this girl seemed so upset. 

“How can you tell?” Cat responded as this girl turned to her, pulling off her sunglasses. 

“Only first-timers sit by themselves or so I was told by my father. It might seem strange to say being a grand-duchess, but I absolutely hate these parties.” Cat snickered to herself before pulling off her own glasses.

“I thought I was the only one who thought it looked like you were walking into a battle instead of a party.” The girl smiled and nodded.

“Maybe we should just give them all spears so they can just get it over with.” Cat laughed at this and nodded.

“Would any of them know how to use one though?” The girl shrugged which had Cat laughing more.

“I’m Alexandria Brayden by the way. My friends call me Alex.” So this was the widow who Patrick thought would be her best ally. Turns out the little shit was right. She and Alex did get on great.

“I’m Catalina Graham, but most just call me Cat.” They shook hands, and Alex sighed.

“Where do you hail from? I don’t recognize your accent,” Alex asked, and Cat blushed.

“I’m actually from America, New York to be specific.” Alex gasped at this.

“Oh, lord! You’re one of the sponsee’s for the social season?” Cat nodded.

“The, well, I actually don’t know the name of the house, but it was the Crown Prince’s friend who is sponsoring me. I met him in New York on a trip he took, and Patrick thought I had a chance, so I said ‘meh, why not?’” Alex could see the indifference in Cat.

“You don’t seem very invested in it? Is there someone else for you?” Alex inquired, and Cat flushed.

“Yes, but please, don’t say anything.” Alex put her pointer finger to her lips and gave an encouraging smile. “Um, have you met Thomas’s little entourage?” Alex shrugged a bit.

“I saw them. The time hasn’t come for the introductions yet.” Cat nodded and sighed.

“Was there a guy with him with short black hair and really tan skin?” Alex nodded, and eyes widened with recognition.

“Oh, you mean the prince’s right-hand man, Julien?” Cat bit her lip and nodded. “Sure, everyone knows about him. He’s practically the prince’s personal bodyguard. He even lives at the palace. There’s rarely an event that he doesn’t attend and most of those he is complaining the whole time or so I’ve heard.” Cat bit her lip before lacing her fingers together.

“Julien is the guy I came to Cordova for," Alex gasped aloud, and her hands instantly went to her mouth.

“Oh, my double croquet sticks!” Cat thought that was the cutest curse she had ever heard. “Wait, wait; let me get this straight.” Alex moved closer and lowered her voice so no one but Cat could hear. “You came to Cordova as a suitor, but really came for Thomas’s best friend, not Thomas. You came to win Julien?” 

“It sounds horrible, doesn’t it? I’m not the kind of girl who chases after guys, but it seemed like destiny when Patrick offered to sponsor me, like Julien and I might be meant to be. I know it sounds corny…” Alex placed her hand over Cat’s with her emotions clear in her eyes.

“It’s not horrible or corny. It’s so romantic!” Alex’s hands moved to her chest to emphasize her point with such an awestruck look upon her face.

“I’m worried he won’t see it that way. I wasn’t going to go after him, but then Patrick showed up.” 

“Cat, you flew halfway across the world for Julien. If he doesn’t see that as a romantic gesture, then he isn’t worth your time.” Suddenly, Alex paused and looked past Isa as she saw Julien strolling towards the fountain.

“What?” Cat asked at her sudden stop.

“Julien is headed this way, right now.” Cat innocently glanced over her shoulder and was struck with awe as she saw him scanning the crowd with an indifferent, displeased look upon his face. 

She bet he was having even less fun than she had been having before she started talking to Alex. 

“Yup, that’s Julien.” Cat sighed in relief before turning her attention back to Alex, slipping back on her sunglasses. “He probably won’t even recognize me. Patrick did this whole makeover thing, so I look a bit different than a couple of days ago.” Alex smirked before patting Cat’s hands. 

“I foresee that you two will live happily ever after and have a future full of blessings.” Alex cheered at Cat who flushed.

“Thanks.” Then, Julien started to stroll past them, and she knew it was now or never. He was alone, and she had a moment to explain her presence.

“Hello, stranger,” she spoke up, and he glanced around before his eyes landed on the strange noblewoman.

“Are you talking to me?” She nodded with a playful smirk.

“You don’t recognize me, Julien?” His eyes narrowed, and she pulled off her glasses before his eyes showed his shock at seeing the woman he had spent the night with a few days before then.

“Graham?” She had a small twinkle in her eyes as she gazed up at him.

“Hello, Julien. It’s good to see you.” He stood there for a minute, his shock lifting.

This was a disaster! Graham couldn’t be there! He knew instantly there was only one reason she would show up there. Patrick had to have sponsored her, and he knew it was his fault. He had told Patrick that there was no way anything could happen between this girl and his best friend. Now, thanks to his big mouth, she was there, and everything was up in the air. 

He liked Graham. She had spunk and spoke her mind. She was also sweet and caring. Not to mention, fuck, she looked so damn beautiful, sitting there in that green dress. Her skin glowed from the sunburst, and it took everything in him not to just grab her and kiss her with excitement at her being there.

No, he couldn’t do that no matter how much he wanted to. She was a suitor and, no doubt, the one his friend would pick in the end. If there was one thing he and Thomas actually had in common, it was that Catalina Graham was both of their dream girls at least for as much as he knew about her. 

He had to fix this. She was going to end up hurt like his sister had been, and he would be damned if he let those royal bitches cause irreparable damage to her. She deserved better, and he knew he was the one who had to get her to go back to New York.

“Um, excuse me.” He turned and retreated in the direction he had come which brought a frown to Cat’s face.

“Julien, wait.” She stood up to go after him, but he was already far enough away that it would take a miracle to catch him. She groaned and took a seat back next to Alex.

“Maybe he was just surprised to see you?” She tried to offer some comfort, but Cat knew differently.

“I saw it in his eyes. He knows I’m here as a suitor. I just hope he lets me explain myself and doesn’t just give up on me.”

“What if he does? Have you prepared yourself for that?” Alex asked, and Cat nodded.

“I’ll understand, and I guess I’ll give being a suitor a shot. I have nothing left for me in New York anyways.”