#Chapter 44: Simple Gestures

Xaden POV I did it. I asked Maeve out on a date—no guards, no chaperones, and absolutely no interruptions. Just the two of us on a proper outing like an ordinary couple. I couldn’t believe that it had taken so long for me to do so. But here I was, waiting in the grand foyer as she finished getting herself ready. Her request for a more low-key sort of date had thrown me somewhat off my game. The moment I decided to do this for her, I immediately began planning the whole date from beginning to end in my mind. It was going to be perfect. First, it would have been her choice to visit a prestigious art gallery or catch a show at a concert hall. Then, dinner reservations at L’Ambiance, the most romantic five-star restaurant in the capital, where we would have tasted a little bit of everything and shared dessert. And to finish, a private showing of the Luna Queen’s beloved butterfly garden, which was only open one season out of the year, and only the most exclusive, esteemed guests were