Let it go. Show them that they didn’t break you, no matter how close you got.
“Is he your prince?” Lily grins.
I snap back into the conversation.
Henry shimmies his shoulders. “We’ll have to wait and see if he carries her off to his kingdom.”
The only kingdom that man resides in is hell and I’m not interested in visiting. He’s a devil in a designer suit with a personality to match.
“Good luck! You’re going to need it.” Henry leaves after patting me on the head like a child.
Every time I look in the mirror, Rowan’s emotionless, brown eyes meet mine. I shiver under his stare despite the warm lights of the vanity.
During the entire makeover, I somehow keep a straight face despite my heart pounding against my rib cage. I throw all my energy into ignoring my new boss while making Lily the prettiest princess in the whole park.
As I get closer to the reveal, I turn her chair toward the center of the room and away from the mirror. I finish up the final touches before making a show of swiveling her chair back in front of the mirror for the big reveal. Her eyes water as she checks out her reflection.
“You look beautiful.” I bend over and give her a small hug.
“Thank you.” She frowns at her chair.
My heart squeezes in my chest, making me wish I could do more for kids like Lily. They always seem to be overlooked.
I wrap my arm around Lily’s shoulder and smile into the mirror. “You’re one pretty lady. I bet someone is going to mistake you for the real Princess Cara the moment you leave here.”
“Really?” Her entire face brightens again.
I tap her nose. “You bet. And I know kids are going to be jealous of your cool wheels when their feet are aching and sore.”
She laughs. “You’re funny.”
“If someone asks you for a free ride, make sure to charge them. Promise?”
“Pinky promise.” She holds up her tiny finger for me. We lock ours together and shake on it.
I turn to call for Lily’s parents. My eyes lock on Rowan’s. Heat blooms in my stomach, spreading like wildfire across my skin from one look.
Am I coming down with a fever? I knew that sniffling kid at my station yesterday didn’t have allergies.
Lily’s parents come over and rave all about her makeover. While her dad kneels to talk to Lily, her mother turns and clutches my hand with her trembling one. “Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter. She was scared she wouldn’t fit in here like the other girls but you went out of your way to make her day special.” She throws her arms around me.
I return her hug. “It’s my pleasure. But Lily made it easy because you both have one beautiful daughter, inside and out.”
Lily’s dad blushes while her mom grins. With one last look in the mirror, her parents roll Lily away.
I turn toward the area where Rowan and Regina were chatting, only to find it empty. My stomach sinks.
I remain permanently nauseous for the rest of the day. No matter how many smiling kids leave my chair, I can’t shake this weird feeling in my gut. I’m not sure what Rowan’s up to but I need to keep an eye out. There was a time I ignored my intuition and I refuse to make that mistake ever again.
4
Rowan
Dreamland might be in the business of selling fairy tales, but it brings me nothing but nightmares and bitter flashbacks. The energy surrounding this place chokes me as much as the Florida humidity. Despite the raging summer sun, a chill runs down my spine as I stare up at Princess Cara’s Castle. The architectural monstrosity that put my grandfather’s park on the map nearly five decades ago reminds me of a past life I’ve long since forgotten.