for your entertainment.”
It took Izzy a minute to realize the man was addressing her. “Thank you,” she muttered, wondering how he knew who she was.
The flight attendant smiled at her. “Would you like me to escort you to your seat, ma’am?”
“Thank you, Luka, but I will show Princess Isabel the way,” Niko said before Izzy could answer.
Luka bowed. “Enjoy your flight, ma’am, sir.”
“I thought you wanted to keep my identity a secret to avoid publicity,” she whispered to Niko as she moved away from Luka.
“Only until after we appear before the High Court,” he explained quietly.
As his male scent surrounded her, heat rushed through her veins. She hoped the High Court would be their first stop after they landed.
“Do not worry,” he continued. “The crew is part of the Vernonian Air Force. They can be trusted with the information. As can the palace staff.”
That seemed like a lot of people in on the secret, but he was the prince. “If you say so.”
“I do.”
Izzy made her way down the aisle, holding her backpack in front of her. The interior, a mix of warm beiges, browns and blues, created a welcoming environment. Couches and tables filled the first section of the cabin.
“This is the lounge area,” Niko explained. “Feel free to come up here if you want to stretch your legs.”
“I doubt I’ll unfasten my seat belt during the flight.”
The corners of his mouth lifted. “That may get uncomfortable if you have to use the facilities.”
Her cheeks warmed. She hadn’t considered that.
The second section of the cabin contained rows of seats. The wide leather seats looked comfortable and luxurious, not narrow and cramped and squished together as her high school classmates had described after their graduation trip to the Caribbean. Izzy hadn’t been able to afford the trip, so had stayed home and worked at Rowdy’s garage.
Times sure had changed. Mechanic Izzy Poussard was now Princess Isabel, the wife of the crown prince of Vernonia. She nearly laughed at the absurdity of it.
“This is where we sit for takeoff and landing, or, if you choose,” Niko said, “the entire flight.”
Izzy passed the row where Jovan sat. A few other seats were taken by people she hadn’t seen before. She continued to the last row of empty seats before a divider.
Before she could sit, a female flight attendant rushed from the rear of the plane. The young woman wore a navy jacket and skirt. Her blond hair was neatly braided into a bun. “Good evening. Allow me to hold your backpack for you, Your Royal Highness.”
Before Izzy could say a word, the backpack strap was lifted out of her hand. Every one of her muscles tensed, bunching into tight balls. She wasn’t used to being catered to. It was disconcerting because she didn’t feel like royalty.
She sat in the window seat and buckled her seat belt.
The flight attendant handed the backpack to Izzy. “Would you care for something to drink or eat, ma’am?”
“No, thanks.” Izzy didn’t want to upset her stomach any more than it already was. Her nerves were getting the best of her. Over the flight, over Vernonia, over Niko. Maybe if she distracted herself…
She pressed a button that turned on the overhead light. She twisted a knob that regulated the airflow nozzle.
Niko sat next to her. “Are you certain you do not want anything?”
Izzy wanted this to be over with. “No, thanks, Your Highness.”
“Call me Niko.”
“I’m not sure I should get in the habit of calling you by your first name. As soon as our marriage is annulled I doubt you’d want to be on such familiar terms with a commoner.”
“You are not a commoner,” he said. “You are a princess by birth. Royal Sachestian blood flows through your veins.”
“That may be true, but I was raised American. Royalty is something other countries have.”
“Americans have unofficial royalty. The Kennedys, the Rockefellers, the Hiltons.”
“I suppose, but a princess
It took Izzy a minute to realize the man was addressing her. “Thank you,” she muttered, wondering how he knew who she was.
The flight attendant smiled at her. “Would you like me to escort you to your seat, ma’am?”
“Thank you, Luka, but I will show Princess Isabel the way,” Niko said before Izzy could answer.
Luka bowed. “Enjoy your flight, ma’am, sir.”
“I thought you wanted to keep my identity a secret to avoid publicity,” she whispered to Niko as she moved away from Luka.
“Only until after we appear before the High Court,” he explained quietly.
As his male scent surrounded her, heat rushed through her veins. She hoped the High Court would be their first stop after they landed.
“Do not worry,” he continued. “The crew is part of the Vernonian Air Force. They can be trusted with the information. As can the palace staff.”
That seemed like a lot of people in on the secret, but he was the prince. “If you say so.”
“I do.”
Izzy made her way down the aisle, holding her backpack in front of her. The interior, a mix of warm beiges, browns and blues, created a welcoming environment. Couches and tables filled the first section of the cabin.
“This is the lounge area,” Niko explained. “Feel free to come up here if you want to stretch your legs.”
“I doubt I’ll unfasten my seat belt during the flight.”
The corners of his mouth lifted. “That may get uncomfortable if you have to use the facilities.”
Her cheeks warmed. She hadn’t considered that.
The second section of the cabin contained rows of seats. The wide leather seats looked comfortable and luxurious, not narrow and cramped and squished together as her high school classmates had described after their graduation trip to the Caribbean. Izzy hadn’t been able to afford the trip, so had stayed home and worked at Rowdy’s garage.
Times sure had changed. Mechanic Izzy Poussard was now Princess Isabel, the wife of the crown prince of Vernonia. She nearly laughed at the absurdity of it.
“This is where we sit for takeoff and landing, or, if you choose,” Niko said, “the entire flight.”
Izzy passed the row where Jovan sat. A few other seats were taken by people she hadn’t seen before. She continued to the last row of empty seats before a divider.
Before she could sit, a female flight attendant rushed from the rear of the plane. The young woman wore a navy jacket and skirt. Her blond hair was neatly braided into a bun. “Good evening. Allow me to hold your backpack for you, Your Royal Highness.”
Before Izzy could say a word, the backpack strap was lifted out of her hand. Every one of her muscles tensed, bunching into tight balls. She wasn’t used to being catered to. It was disconcerting because she didn’t feel like royalty.
She sat in the window seat and buckled her seat belt.
The flight attendant handed the backpack to Izzy. “Would you care for something to drink or eat, ma’am?”
“No, thanks.” Izzy didn’t want to upset her stomach any more than it already was. Her nerves were getting the best of her. Over the flight, over Vernonia, over Niko. Maybe if she distracted herself…
She pressed a button that turned on the overhead light. She twisted a knob that regulated the airflow nozzle.
Niko sat next to her. “Are you certain you do not want anything?”
Izzy wanted this to be over with. “No, thanks, Your Highness.”
“Call me Niko.”
“I’m not sure I should get in the habit of calling you by your first name. As soon as our marriage is annulled I doubt you’d want to be on such familiar terms with a commoner.”
“You are not a commoner,” he said. “You are a princess by birth. Royal Sachestian blood flows through your veins.”
“That may be true, but I was raised American. Royalty is something other countries have.”
“Americans have unofficial royalty. The Kennedys, the Rockefellers, the Hiltons.”
“I suppose, but a princess
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