“So, what brings you to Denver, Colorado during finals?” I eyed him suspiciously as I peeled off the top of my container. The spicy smells of chicken tortilla soup hit my nostrils as I breathed in deeply. My favorite.

Mason clutched his chest as if I’d offended him greatly, causing me to arch an eyebrow at him. “Can’t I do a romantic gesture for my girlfriend without having an ulterior motive?”

I snorted. “Nice try. Seriously, just shoot straight with me. I can take it.”

Mason winced before retrieving a cream linen envelope from the inside of his sports jacket and handed it to me. I wiped my hands with a napkin before taking it from him. On the front were the words: To Mistress Reese Fitzgerald in beautiful gold calligraphy, and on the back was an honest-to-God golden wax seal that had been stamped with a crest. It was a shield with a horse, a mountain, a sword, and a cross on it flanked by two lions and a crown of jewels resting at the bottom. I eyed him warily before breaking the seal and retrieved the embossed invitation from within.

“Coronation Reception. Their Majesties request the honour of the company of Miss Reese Fitzgerald at the Coronation of Prince Mason Royce Livingston, II on the evening of Friday the 4th December 2018 from 6:30 to 7:30. Reception to follow at Grobertiger Palace from 7:30 p.m. to Midnight. Evening Dress Required,” I read aloud and then blinked several times.

“This is an invitation to your coronation?” I asked rhetorically.

“Ah, technically it is an invitation to the reception. Only the royal council, the Court, and family are allowed to attend the coronation, but Mother has promised you will be permitted to attend it as well if you’d like.”

“A coronation that is four days away?”

He cleared his throat and tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Ye-yes?”

I glowered at him as I re-read the contents of the invitation. “Mason, even if I hadn’t just spent every night this week taking my online exams and wasn’t facing the holiday book tour from hell, I couldn’t go. I don’t have anything that would be remotely appropriate for that sort of affair.”

“Milla has assured me you have the next week off, and if a dress is your only concern, I will personally see to it that you are outfitted by one of the most talented fashion designers in the industry. She does all of Mother’s and Charlotte’s dresses,” he said, referring to his four-year-old sister.

“Um, I…” I trailed off. The fact that he’d gone to Milla first to make sure my schedule was clear took away my one trump card. I couldn’t tell him that I didn’t want to go because I was still mad at his father for how he handled the whole media scandal last year that almost destroyed mine and Mason’s relationship. That would seem petty in light of the fact his coronation was something he’d been groomed for since he was a little boy. It was going to be one of the greatest moments of his life. If I really loved him, I would set aside my feelings toward his parents and be there for him.

I took in a steadying breath before nodding. “Okay. When do we leave?”

The way his eyes radiated with pure joy and his smile broadened to take up his face, it was like he was experiencing the magic of Christmas for the first time. My heart stuttered as I found myself smiling back.

“Good! That’s really good. Well, our plane leaves at seven. Do you think you will be finished before then? I can wait here or have a car pick you up.”

“I should be finished by five, but all my things are still at the hotel.”

“Let me take care of that, and I will send a car for you at five.”

He leaned over the table, clasped my face between his hands, and kissed me thoroughly. It was several minutes before we resurfaced and resumed eating. While he grinned like he’d hit the jackpot as he bit into his turkey sandwich, I swirled my spoon in my soup and wondered why I suddenly felt kinship to Daniel in the lion’s den.