11 Chapter 11
Later that day, Grayson gave Carlton a call. He had stressed to Ari not to divulge her connection with AmericanMate, but Carlton knew about it, too. Grayson knew Carlton wouldn’t leak anything to the media, but he wanted to make sure.
“What’s up?” Carlton answered on the first ring.
Grayson let out a deep breath. “I need to ask you a favor.”
Carlton laughed. “You change your mind about the girls?”
“No, not hardly.” Grayson rolled his eyes. As long as they had been friends, he really was starting to get on his nerves. But they had been through too much together and like brothers for too long.
“What can I do you for?” When they were younger, Carlton seemed worldly, in control. He had always been Grayson’s best friend. But now that they were getting older, the act was getting old. Grayson wondered if he was ever going to grow up. But, clearly, he had Peter Pan Syndrome and probably never will. Grayson just hoped that one day he would.
“Do you remember our conversation the other night?” Grayson cringed, hoping that Carlton would abide by his wishes, for once.
Carlton chuckled. “You mean, at the party? Which one?”
Grayson rolled his eyes, waiting.
“Oh! You mean the one about you calling Snow White Escorts or AmericanMate?”
Grayson sighed. “That’s the one.”
“What about it?” There was a long pause at the other end and then he laughed, and excitement filled his voice “Did you call them?”
Grayson said nothing.
“Oh, you sly dog!” Carlton yelled into the phone. “You did! You called them!”
Grayson sighed. “You’re such a dick.”
“But you still love me,” Carlton replied. That seemed to be his go-to answer of late. “I can’t believe you called them, man! How did it go?”
“Ssshh!!” Grayson pulled the phone away and then held it to his other ear. “Keep your voice down!”
“Okay,” he whispered.
“I’m serious.”
Carlton chuckled. “What about it?”
“Do me a favor and don’t tell anyone that we talked. Okay?”
There was a pause, and then Carlton replied flatly, “You don’t trust me?”
Grayson sighed. “Yes, I do. Of course.”
“As long as we’ve been friends, do you think I would ever sell you out?” Anger, along with hurt, leaked into his voice, although it was obvious that he was trying to mask it.
Grayson sighed, ashamed that he had ever doubted him. “Sorry, man. I just thought—”
“You just thought that I might think about making a quick buck off you?” Carlton asked in disbelief. “After all we’ve been through together, if I were going to sell you out, I would have already done it a long time ago.”
“You’re right. Sorry, man.” Grayson bit his lower lip and then released it. “But all the same, don’t tell anyone, okay? I know you talk when you drink.”
Carlton chuckled. “I think it’s time I quit drinking, then.”
Grayson sighed. “Let me know when you do.”
“Will you join me and quit, too?”
Grayson shrugged. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good enough.” Carlton waited for a moment and then added, “By the way, your secret is safe with me.”
“Thanks, man,” Grayson replied, hoping that Carlton stuck to his word.
Just then, the door to his office opened and Declan Bates, publicist for the Crown, peeked in his head. “You wanted to see me, Your Highness?”
“Carlton, we’ll talk later.”
“Wait! You have to tell me about her!”
Grayson hung up with Carlton still yelling excitedly at the other end.
“Yes, Declan. Please, sit down.” Grayson stood and indicated the chairs in front of his desk.
But Declan shook his head. “No, thank you. I’d rather stand.”
Grayson nodded. “Would you like a drink?”
“I’m on duty,” Declan said flatly. “What was it that you wanted to see me about, Your Highness? If now isn’t a good time—”
“No, now’s fine.” Grayson sighed. “I just wanted to give you a heads up about something that I’m planning.”
Declan folded his arms across his chest. “And what, pray tell, is that?” Declan shook his head and then walked over to the mini bar in the corner. “On second thought, I think I will have that drink.” He held up an On-The-Rocks glass. “Want one?”
“I’ll make it.”
“No, no.” Declan waved him off. “I’ll pour, you talk.”
“Now, wait a minute.” Grayson perched on the corner of his desk. “You’re the one working for me, remember?”
Declan crossed the room and handed him the drink. He held his up to toast and they clinked glasses. “Not just for you, for the whole Royal Family.” He downed the contents and then set it on Grayson’s desk. “So, what is so important that requires my attention.”
Grayson sighed, knowing that Declan was the first person he had to tell. He shuddered to think what might happen if this leaked out before he was ready. “I’m taking a bride.”
Declan’s eyebrows rose nearly into his hairline. “You what?” He looked away for a moment and then scoffed. “What happened with the supermodel?”
“Dima Franz?”
Declan picked up his glass and poured himself another drink. “That’s the one.”
“What about her?” Grayson knew that he would hear backlash about her for a long time to come. But then again, they had just broken up.
Declan shrugged and then took a sip this time. “You just broke up with her.” He shook his head, gesturing with his glass. “Hell! She was on the news the other night slandering you, saying you beat her—”
“All lies,” Grayson cut him off.
Declan nodded. “Yes, I know, but I should have been the first one you called when you walked in on her and her lover... in your bed.”
Grayson’s eyebrows pulled together in concern. “How did you know about that?”
“It’s my business to know.”
Grayson nodded. Declan wasn’t their publicist for nothing.
“Now, what’s going on,” Declan instructed. “Tell me everything before the press gets hold of it.”
Grayson sighed. “I’ve met a young woman and I’m going to marry her.”
“Oh?” Declan asked in disbelief.
“It’s an arranged marriage.”
Declan sighed. “And why are you doing this? The Crown doesn’t need any more bad publicity.”
Grayson took a sip of his drink and then crossed the room to the window and looked out at the snow falling lightly over the snow-covered ground. “After what happened with Dima, I don’t want to take any more chances.” Grayson turned to look into his eyes. “My forefathers made arranged marriages. Why not me.” Grayson bit his lower lip and then released it. “I’m next in line for the throne and it’s time to settle down and to think of the future of the realm.” Grayson sighed. “As much as I love my brother, I doubt if he will have any heirs.”
“But you never know.” Declan took another sip of his drink.
Grayson nodded. He would love nothing more than if Xavier found happiness with someone and maybe adopted a child... or had a surrogate mother. But he pushed the thought from his mind for the moment, determined to deal with the issue at hand.
“Well, this is good news! I could do something with this to spin favor in our direction again.” Declan was about to put up his glass, but Grayson stopped him.
“There’s more.”
Declan sighed. “What?”
“I arranged it through AmericanMate?”
“You’re going to marry an American?” Declan’s voice rose several octaves.
Grayson chuckled. “That is what you’re worried about? That she’s an American?”
Declan shrugged. “Well, if you had told me what you were planning, I could have had a suitable matchmaker meet with you to arrange something with a suitable Estrean girl.”
Grayson shook his head. “No. I wanted something different. It was sudden, but I wanted to do this alone.”
“Good enough.” Declan sat in the chair that Grayson had originally offered, pulled a small pad of paper and pen from inside his suit coat, and settled in. Grayson wondered why he didn’t just jot down notes in his phone. But then again, he was old school. “So, tell me about her and I’ll take care of this.” He jerked his head up from his pad. “Does your father know yet?”
Grayson shook his head. “No, not yet.”
Declan cocked his head to the side. “Well, I suggest you tell him before he hears about it on the news.”
As Grayson told him about Ari, he realized how honorable she was for agreeing to an arranged marriage for her sister. But he knew that people would do anything for family. Although he was doing this so as not to have to go through the dating experience again after Dima, he was also doing this for his family, to further their lineage, and to make a change in his life. He just hoped it didn’t backfire on him.
