Royal Pain in the Ass (33 page)

“I
’
ll ring the doctor, Xavier, thank you, I think.
 
Keep an eye on her until the doctor comes, unfortunately I have a meeting in an hour otherwise I would wait.
 
Feel better.
” 
James closed the door, the suspicion etched on his face.
 
Xavier and I both let out a sigh.

“
You didn
’
t have to do that.
”
Xavier murmured, an appreciative look on his face.

“
Neither did you.
”
I replied looking into the depths of his deep brown eyes.
  “But I
’
m not kidding.
 
You want me to pour my heart and soul and confess my deepest fears and thoughts to you, I
’
m going to have to be sure I can trust you.
 
If you can
’
t trust me, then I can
’
t trust you.
 
If you really want to know what
’
s going on with me, I
’
m going to need to know what
’
s going on with you.
 
I can be an open book, but only if you are too.
” 
I gave him a hard look.
  “I
’
m no one
’
s tool.
  I
’
m not going to be used.
 
Are we clear?
”

“
You think I want to use you?
”

“
Xavier, if you can
’
t trust me, it means I can
’
t trust you.
 
I don’
t know what reason I
’
ve given you to make you think I
’
m not trustworthy, but I have a lot of reasons not to trust people in general.
  Okay?”

“
What in the world would make you think I don
’
t trust you?
”

“
You won
’
t tell me whatever it is that
’
s bugging you.
”

“
Juliet, you are a silly little fool sometimes.
”
Xavier chuckled.

“
For the record, that
doesn
’
t earn you brownie points.”
I snapped.

“Don
’
t misunderstand, I meant no offense.
 
I merely didn
’
t want to burden you with the horrors of my past.
 
That is all.
 
If you truly wish to know I will tell you, in good time.
  It
’
s a lot to take in all at once.
”

“
And let me guess, you decide when that time is?
”

“
As do you.
 
You choose to when and where to tell me anything.
”

I nodded.
  “Okay, I
’
m a little less pissed at you.
”

“
Ah, so you
’
re sobering up.
”

“
Wait, pissed, American pissed, as in angry, not drunk.
”
I laughed.

We both shared a laugh and the tension seemed to dissipate between us.

“
Okay, so if you won
’
t tell me what
’
s up with you, tell me something else I don
’
t know about you, then.
”

“
What would you like to know?
” Xavier smiled.

“
Everything and anything.
”

Xavier let out a chuckle that made me shiver.
  “
Where would you like me to start then?
”

“
How about the beginning?
”

“
Very well, I was born on November 19th twenty-four years ago.
”

“
Eww, you
’
re going to be twenty-five, you
’
re going to be old.
”
I teased, and I watched his brow crease and he gave me an annoyed look.

“
Ehem, as I was saying, I don
’
t have any siblings.
 
I didn
’
t have much of a family life, as soon as I could I went off to University.
 
As you know, I went to Cambridge and got my degree in Politics and Psychology.
 
When I finished, I decided to travel, then I got that call from Lana and here I am today.
”

“
Wow, you summed your life up in what, five sentences?
”

“
Is that a problem?
”

“
That
’
s like a sandwich that
’
s only bread.
 
There
’
s not meat, no cheese, no condiments, no, lettuce or tomato, what the hell kind of sandwich is that?
”

“I
’
m not sure what you mean?
”

“
I want details.
 
I went to college tells me nothing.
”

“
Then what about yourself?
”

“
Fine, I was born August 22nd, Mom raised me alone.
 
I didn
’
t have any siblings until I found out about Angelica.
 
I grew up on the beach and was always around water.
 
If not at the beach, then in the pool.
 
I broke my arm when I was seven because I was convinced a grocery bag worked like a parachute and jumped off the roof of my apartment complex.
 
I graduated with honors and a 4.0 GPA from high school and college.
  I
’
m a cellist at heart, but the steel drums kick butt too.
 
I manage at a fast food chain back home.
 
When I get back, I
’
m next in line for a store of my own if I want it.
 
I got a letter that I thought was a hoax not long after Mom died from James and here I am.

“
There, and that
’
s not even scratching the surface, but at least there
’
s a little to it.
”
I replied, a smug smile on my face with my arms crossed across my chest.
  “
Now, tell me something, a favorite childhood memory.
 
Your first love.
 
Your favorite color for god
’
s sake.”

After a moment of silence Xavier finally answered.
  “Green. 
Not just green either, granny smith apple green.
”

I burst into laughter.
 
I couldn
’
t help it and the more I tried to stop it, the harder I started laughing.
 
I had tears in my eyes and Xavier scowled at me with a sour look on his face.
  “It
’
s, it
’
s not funny,
”
I laughed,
“
, but it is.
”

“
I fail to see the humor in this.
”

“
You thought for that long to say . . .
 
green!
”
I couldn
’
t control myself, I clutched at
my ribs and even with the pail I was practically rolling on the floor laughing.
  “
You are too intense sometimes.
” 
I managed after I started to catch my breath.

“I
’
m glad I could amuse you,
”
Xavier replied in a flat tone looking none too enthused himself.

“
Dude, you need to relax and be less serious every once in a while.
”

“
One of us has to be serious.
”

“
When was the last time you had fun?
”

“
What?
”

“
When was the last time you had fun?
 
Took a little time to yourself with no other agenda?
 
Just to do it?
”

“I-I,”

“
In other words, never, or it
’
s been so long you can
’
t remember.
”

“
Well,
”

“You
’
re overdue.
 
No wonder you went a little crazy this morning.
”

“
Excuse me?
”

“
Dude, you need an outlet, worse than I do.
”

A soft knocking distracted us and Laurel walked in.
  “
What
’
s going on?
 
Master Eastgate said you have a concussion?
 
He told me to come keep an eye on you and he wants Xavier to meet him in his study.
”

Xavier bit his lower lip and take a deep breath.
  “
I best not keep him waiting.
”

“
Good luck,
”

“Thank you, Juliet,”

Xavier reached up to straighten his tie, only to realize he wasn
’
t wearing one.
 
After he straightened his shirt he stood up straight and walked out.
 

Laurel gave me a knowing look.
  “
What happened?
”

“
I might have gone out again.
”

“
Juliet,
”
Laurel scolded.
  “
What did you do?
 
Master Eastgate looked furious.
”

“
I went out drinking and Harper and Xavier got in a fight.
”

“
Harper?
  Oh my . . .”

“Yeah,”

“
How badly is Xavier hurt?
”

“
Not much, I
’
m pretty sure Harper is worse for wear.
”

“
How did you get hurt?
”

“
I jumped in the middle.
”

“
Juliet!
 
That was stupid!
”

“
Yeah, I know.
  Trust me, it
’
s not something I
’ll forget quickly, I’
m still hurting.
”

“
Good, hopefully you
’
ll think next time.
”

“
Hopefully, but not likely.
”
I sighed.
  “
I really don
’
t want or need another lecture, thank you very much.
”

“
You certainly do not allow this place to get boring.
”
Laurel sighed.
  “I
’
m just glad you
’
re alright.
 
Let me take a look at that.
”

Not much longer after that a portly, balding man with thick glasses came in.
  “I
’
m Dr. Buroughs, I am pleased to meet you.
 
Your father called for me.
 
He fears you may have a concussion.
 
Let me take a look at you.
”

After several questions I knew the answer to and about thirty minutes of me feeling like an idiot, Dr. Buroughs gave a content sigh.
  “
Just a bump on the noggin.
  You
’
ll be right as rain after some rest.
 
Now off to bed, doctor
’
s orders.
”  
He chuckled at his own joke.