Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 80

“So you’ve heard about Clarisse’s arranged marriage?” Nicholas asked.

“Yes.”

“So Clarisse told you about it,” Nicholas said.

“Not much,” Sophia admitted.

“When I asked Clarisse who it was with, she told me to come to you,” Sophia admitted next.

“Me?” Nicholas asked.

“The man Clarisse is being put in an arranged marriage doesn’t happen to be a distant family member or friend of yours, does he?” Sophia asked Nicholas candidly.

Nicholas shook his head.

“He’s not,” he denied.

Sophia sighed in relief before she heard what Nicholas said next.

“He’s my brother.”

Had Sophia been drinking, she would’ve choked on her beverage.

“Your brother?!” Sophia nearly yelled.

“What’s he like?” She decided to ask for Clarisse’s sake.

Nicholas pursed his lips.

“I don’t know actually,” he answered.

Sophia then remembered what Angelica told her.

He was the black sheep of the family.

She shook her head, “You don’t have to answer.”

“Although, if you would…”

Nicholas threw his head back and laughed.

The same laugh Sophia loved hearing.

“So… what’s he like?” She asked once more.

Nicholas answered, “I don’t know much, since he and I weren’t close growing up.”

“And the times we talk, he’s…”

He stopped mid-sentence, wondering if this was something he rather Sophia know or not.

Sophia placed a hand on his shoulder.

“There’s a reason he’s not Liv’s favourite brother,” Sophia said.

Nicholas beamed.

“Right,” he nodded.

“And, to your question, I suppose my brother’s carefree, sweet, easy-going and free-spirited.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound as horrid as you were making things seem,” Sophia admitted.

Nicholas added to his previous words, “To everyone but me.”

“Oh,” was all Sophia could muster.

Nicholas then decided to ask the question, “Windsor.”

“What are we?”

Sophia was taken aback.

‘What kind of question is that?’ She wondered.

However, when she thought about it more, the question made her wonder. What were they?

A fling? Partner-in-crimes?

She regained her composure.

“Whatever you want us to be,” she answered truthfully.

“Well, I suppose, that and how the date goes,” Sophia added.

Nicholas grinned cheekily.

“Of course! There’s the date,” he said.

“What do you have planned?” Sophia asked.

Nicholas winked at her.

“It’s meant to be a secret,” he said.

Sophia pouted.

“A secret?” She asked gloomily.

“It better be worth it,” she said in a nearly threatening way.

“It will,” Nicholas said confidently.

He seemed to have something on his mind. Something other than the date.

“So, mind telling me why you barged into my room to tell me I’m ‘not dead’?”

Sophia grimaced. She was hoping Nicholas wouldn’t ask.

“Long story?” She said non-convincingly.

“We have all the time in the world,” Nicholas said to her.

Sophia knew she couldn’t just tell him she dreamed of him dying. That’d be incredibly dark and strange.

“Just a nightmare, ‘is all,” she lied, hoping Nicholas wouldn’t pry further.

Nicholas shot her a sceptical look before he took her hand.

‘What’s he doing?’ She marvelled.

He kissed the back of her hand, “Just know that you’re not losing me anytime soon.”

Sophia’s cheeks burned up.

“I-I know,” she answered.

__

“So, tonight’s date night?” Clarisse asked excitedly.

Sophia nodded.

“So an actual date with Nicholas?”

“It’s not a part of a ruse this time?” She asked, seeking confirmation.

Sophia nodded once more.

She was ecstatic.

Obviously, she hadn’t any idea what had Nicholas planned, but she knew whatever happened, as long as she was with him, she’d be perfectly content as it is.

Dates weren’t about where they went together or how they spent it, it was about the people the date was spent with.

Clarisse was grinning from ear to ear.

“You must be excited,” she assumed.

“I am.”

Sophia then placed both her hands on Clarisse’s shoulders.

“Then what are we doing standing around?” Sophia asked.

“To the closet!” Sophia exclaimed.

Hours later, after choosing the right outfit for Sophia’s first-ever date…

“Nicholas is one lucky man,” Clarisse mused.

“So, what’s he got in store for your very first date?” She asked Sophia, who was admiring the ensemble Clarisse had chosen for her.

“Nicholas decided to keep that a secret,” Sophia answered as she held up two pairs of earrings.

“Left one, the right just doesn’t suit you as much,” Clarisse said, shaking her head.

“Alright,” Sophia said as she placed the other pair down.

“Claire, what if this date goes horribly wrong?” She suddenly asked after she put on her earrings.

Clarisse assured, “It won’t.”

“And frankly, even if it did, I wouldn’t know a thing about dates, seeing as I’ve never been on one in the first place,” Clarisse admitted.

Sophia stared at her friend.

“Soon.”

“And how do you know that?” Clarisse asked.

Sophia smiled, “I don’t.”

“But things are far more fun that way,” Sophia said next.

Clarisse laughed softly.

“Alright, enough with the chit-chat.”

“Go, enjoy your date,” she said, gesturing for Sophia to leave.

Sophia raised her brow.

“I’ll be in my quarters right after I grab a bite,” Clarisse said.

Sophia shrugged, “Alright.”

“Bye for now,” she said as she waved Clarisse goodbye and left.

She headed for the hotel lobby, where she was informed Nicholas was already waiting for her.

“Hop in,” Nicholas told Sophia, opening the door for her, being the gentlemen he was.

Sophia sat shotgun, right beside Nicholas who sat at the driver’s seat.

She asked Nicholas, “You sure you can’t give me the slightest hint as to where we’re going?”

Nicholas closed his car door, “Trust me.”

“Buckle in, it’s going to be a long drive,” Nicholas warned in advance.

Sophia strapped herself in.

“I better like it,” she said to Nicholas, looking in his direction.

Nicholas raised both his eyebrows, acknowledging her.

He’d successfully driven past the palace gates.

“Well, someone looks charming this evening,” Sophia praised.

Nicholas didn’t look away from the steering wheel, focusing on the road ahead.

“I could say the same for you.”

“You look stunning,” he praised wholeheartedly.

Sophia tried hard not to get flustered so easily and blush.

She wouldn’t be the person to soften up once she and her ‘prince charming’ shared one literal kiss.

She looked out the window; the car passed greeneries and foliage as it ascended the steep path up the mountain.

Nicholas opened the door for her.

“So, this was why you told me to wear warm clothing,” she realized, looking at the panoramic mountainous view.

She shivered slightly. The air felt chilling and numbing; Sophia was grateful she chose to wear a cardigan.

The serrated mountains were grass-green and shrouded in ghost-grey mist, and its peaks reminded Sophia of harpoon tips. She asked, “So where’s the date taking place?”

“Right here,” Nicholas said from behind her.

Sophia whirled around.

Her mouth fell open.

Laid in front of her was a picnic beautifully set up.

Spring rolls, wraps, salads, desserts, all kinds of pasta, etc. A pitcher of a fruity mocktail.

“Wow,” was all she could utter.

She walked towards the set-up, still admiring the view of her surroundings.

She hadn’t been outside the palace unless it was for royal events, so this was a moment she’d forever choose to savour.

__

“I’ve never been on a picnic before,” she admitted in the midst of her and the prince’s bantering.

“Never been on a date before either,” she admitted next as she laid her head on Nicholas’ shoulder.

“Well, me neither,” Nicholas admitted.

“I would’ve taken you to the local movie theatre but… they don’t allow you to bring your own snacks,” he said next nonchalantly.

Sophia chuckled.

Her eyes landed on the picnic food.

She blinked.

“You made all of this?” She asked.

“I did,” Nicholas said complacently.

“Whoa,” Sophia said in complete awe.

“Yet another reason why you’re the best,” she mused.

Nicholas was musing on her. The entire time, he didn’t pay any heed to the view. He only had eyes for Sophia, no one else.

She didn’t need to be wearing some elegant gown or dressed to the nines for her to be beautiful to him. Just seeing her smile made his entire world stop. It made him want to scoop her up and twirl her around. She meant so much to him.

“Nicholas.”

“Nicholas,” Sophia called.

Nicholas asked dreamily, “What is it?”

He blinked.

“The sun’s setting,” he realized.

“Seeing the sunset with you, now that’s the perfect finish to an amazing date,” Sophia admitted.

Nicholas then decided to ask her, “So… I’ve got a question.”

Sophia asked Nicholas to pass a platter of wraps before she said, “Shoot.”

“What was the best part of this date?” He asked.

Sophia laughed softly.

“You’re silly,” she said to Nicholas.

Once she realized Nicholas didn’t get what she was talking about, she told him what it was.

“Ambrose.”

“The best part of this date wasn’t the views, or the food no matter how amazing they taste.”

“It’s you,” she admitted to Nicholas’ face.

Nicholas’ jaw dropped.

“So, does that mean…”

“Does that mean you’re willing to go on another date with me?” Nicholas asked.

Sophia nodded.

“I am.”

Nicholas gasped.

“You are.”

“You are!” He exclaimed as he scooped her up and twirled her around.

Sophia burst into laughter.

“I don’t mean to sound like every other girl whenever they’re scooped up or anything, but…”

“Let me down!”

“So help me Ambrose I will…”

Nicholas asked, “You will?”

Sophia glared at him, not that he noticed.

Nicholas gave her a peck on the lips.

“Just don’t drop me,” she pleaded.

“I won’t,” Nicholas promised before he gently placed her down.

“So, I suppose we should head back to the palace,” Nicholas figured.

Sophia didn’t want to leave, but she knew she had to.

She asked Nicholas, “What time did you promise Julia you’d bring me home?”