Undo Me

by Ali Parker

  Was this the right choice for us? Was it time for me to confide in Sophia about what the council said?

  Though if she went to a wedding shop and tried on a dress, I didn’t want to ruin this moment in her life. She wasn’t going to marry anyone else, so I couldn’t put this mark on her memory of planning her wedding.

  No, this was my decision and mine alone.

  While I waited for Sophia to come back to the room, I went back and forth about my options. When working at the company, I always made lists of pros and cons when faced with a tough choice. If I told the council what I planned to do with my life, they were going to attempt to dethrone me. If I came back to the palace with a wife, they were going to try to oust me. Either way, they didn’t want me on the throne unless I got rid of Sophia. But I didn’t want the throne without her. I’d gotten used to the idea of ruling with her alongside me.

  I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

  Since the outcome was the same, I thought about my situation from another angle. If I told them ahead of time about the wedding, they would know that I respected them enough to do so. I didn’t appreciate where they were coming from, but I recognized their positions. If I did this behind their backs, they might never trust me again, and their thoughts about me not being the best candidate for the throne would be realized.

  The door to my chambers opened, and I snapped my head in that direction. I wondered if the council got wind of my idea somehow and had sent someone to fetch me.

  Instead, Sophia stood in the doorway. I tried to read her expression. I hoped Mother wasn’t too rough on my fiancée.

  “How did it go?” I asked.

  “It went better than I anticipated,” she said, closing the door behind her.

  I wondered if Mother was nearby and listening. Was Sophia about to tell me that Mother was rude to her again? I couldn’t imagine Mother changing overnight, but miracles did happen.

  “Really?” I asked.

  “Really,” she said. “We went for a walk. She opened up to me like I never thought she would.”

  “About what?” I asked.

  Sophia lifted and dropped one shoulder, her gaze moving away from mine. “Private stuff.”

  “You two have ‘private stuff’ now?”

  She smirked. “Maybe. We got along well. She wanted to know about my past, and she sort of gave us her blessing.”

  “She did?”

  “She did. She said she just wanted the best for you and that’s why she gave me such a hard time.”

  “She mostly gave me a hard time.”

  “Don’t make this about you,” Sophia said, grinning.

  “What else happened?”

  Sophia gave me a play by play of the conversation between her and Mother. When she came to the part about the fountain being a monument for Father, I asked her to repeat herself.

  “He commissioned it before he died,” she said, her gaze moving to her hands. “I think he wanted to do it for you.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  She licked her lips as if she were nervous to tell me something. Or maybe it was because she knew the topic of Father was hard for me to stomach, even more than a month after his death. “He knew you always went out to the gardens. He had all of the palace grounds to place the fountain, but he chose there.”

  “Wow,” I said, running my fingers through my hair.

  We were silent for a minute as I thought of Father.

  She took my hands in hers and squeezed them lightly. Her hands were cool, and their softness moved over my palms. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No,” I said, needing to process all of this first. “I do want to tell you something else.”

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “We’re getting married this weekend,” I said, putting it out there.

  “What?” she choked out. “Are you sure? What about—”

  “What about what?” I interrupted. “Unless you want to wait, I don’t see a need to.”

  “Me neither,” she admitted. “Last night when you mentioned it, I didn’t think you were serious. Has something changed? You can tell me anything, you know?”

  I sighed. “A lot is going on with the council. I think if we get married, that will solve a lot of problems.”

  “Problems?” she asked, stepping away from me. “So this is a political move?”

  “Not at all,” I said. “I want to marry you. If it were possible, I would have done it when we were in America. You’re not the problem. What I meant is that there’s no reason for us to wait, or for the kingdom to wait. They’re expecting a new queen, and I want to exchange vows with you and spend every waking moment of the rest of my life with you.”

  “Can you arrange it so quickly?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “I have connections, remember?”

  She rolled her eyes. “How could I forget?”

  “I already contacted Maddox, and he will be here Friday. Is there anyone you want to invite?”

  “Matt is the only other person I want here.”

  “Okay, then we can arrange that.”

  “I don’t have a dress, though,” she said, glancing at the armoire.

  I almost wanted to tell her about the conversation with Marie, but I kept my mouth shut.

  “But I can make something work. Now that your mother doesn’t hate me, she might be able to help.” She lifted her chin proudly. At that moment, I saw a glimpse of the regal woman I was about to wed in only a few days. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have such a woman in my life. I wasn’t sure if I would have been able to survive with anyone different. Someone who might add more drama to my life instead of lessening it as Sophia did.

  “She never hated you,” I said, cupping her face in my hands.

  She pulled a face. “Seriously, Luke?”

  I laughed and kissed her. “Despise is different than hatred.”

  “Tomato, tomato,” she said, accentuating the “ah” sound on the second one.

  I tilted my head to the side.

  “Never mind,” she said, waving me off. “Speaking of your mother, should we tell her about all of this? You are inviting her, right?”

  “If I wanted her to hate me, I wouldn’t invite her. No, she’s coming.”

  “Should we tell her now?”

  “No, let’s wait until tomorrow.”

  “What about dinner?” she asked. “Are we going to pretend like nothing is happening? That might tip the delicate balance out of our favor if she finds out we’ve been planning this without her.”

  “I thought we could do a private dinner tonight on the terrace.” Keeping away from the servants or anyone else in the palace might help in keeping a low profile and the council off my back. For now.

  Sophia glanced at the two balconies that jutted out from our chambers, and then she turned to me, smiling. “That would be nice.”

  “I’m glad you agree,” I said and took her in my arms. “I’ll tell Mother tomorrow, but for tonight, it’s all about you and me.”

  “I like the sound of that,” she said, and I took her in my arms and kissed her, pouring every ounce of love into that kiss. Even if she didn’t know it now, she would someday understand how much I loved her.

  16

  Sophia

  Our evening together was one of my favorite nights with Luke. While we’d gone to the most expensive and luxurious restaurants and hotels in the world, I was still that Southern girl who loved to kick back with her man and spend the night with just him.

  As if the servants were already aware of Luke’s plan, they’d arrived in the room quickly with all the necessary things to turn the balcony into a private dining experience. The table was small and just big enough for our food, offering comfort and intimacy that a meal in the dining room never could.

  I felt bad for skipping out on dinner with Gia right after we’d started to get along, but once Luke informed her of our plan to get married that weekend, I hop
ed she would forgive us, knowing that we had wanted to spend one night alone with the secret. I honestly wanted her to fill that mother-shaped gap in my heart.

  The next morning, my hands shook as we walked out of Luke’s bedroom for breakfast. While we hadn’t stayed up all night making love, my brain was fuzzy, and I wished I could have slept for another few hours. Though, with the wedding taking place in only a few days, we had a lot of planning to do.

  I wished I had done some research on weddings during all of our traveling, but I never expected Luke to want to get married so soon and without all the bells and whistles. Luke tended to do his own thing, and I hoped that he wouldn’t piss off too many people by pushing the ceremony so soon. If Gia was right about the council and how they reacted to change, I doubted they would be happy.

  But Luke was the one calling the shots. I had to allow him to be the king.

  It was a strange, yet freeing feeling to let go for once, and if I was honest with myself, it felt good.

  “What’s wrong?” Luke asked, taking my hand in his as if he knew my nerves were firing at a rapid pace.

  “Nothing is wrong, per se,” I said. “But I’m wondering how your mother will react. Up to this point, she’s been pretty traditional.”

  “She altered her view on you,” Luke said. “This is the start of many more changes around here.”

  “I thought you said she was hard to change?”

  “She is, but I’ve found the crack in her armor. Now, I plan on breaking it open whenever I can.”

  “What if she doesn’t approve?” I asked. “What will we do then?”

  “Let’s see her reaction first,” Luke said. His thumb made mind-numbing circles around the top of my hand. It was enough to distract me until we reached the dining room. I suspected he knew that as well.

  “Remember, we’re in this together,” Luke said. “I’m not leaving you, ever. No matter what decisions are made, we will be fine.”

  “We will be fine,” I repeated like a mantra in my mind. Trusting Luke was all I could do in this foreign place. Until I got my feet completely wet, I had to believe whatever he said was for the best.

  Inside the dining room, Abir and Gia were already at the table. Abir stood when we entered the room, and Gia was smiling. I couldn’t remember ever seeing her smile before and especially not when she looked at me.

  Luke helped me into my chair, and we all sat down.

  “Good morning,” Luke said to his family.

  “How did you sleep?” Gia asked.

  She was still smiling, so I knew that she hadn’t heard about our plans to get married this weekend.

  “Fine, thank you,” Luke said. “What are your plans for the day, Mother?”

  “I have the meals to prepare for the next week, but why do you ask?” Her smile pressed into a hard line. Her gaze shifted to me and then to her son. This woman had some serious intuition.

  Abir was completely oblivious to what was happening right in front of him. I almost wished I was in his seat instead of mine. At least then, the heat moving through me wouldn’t be making my hands clammy and damp.

  I cringed when Luke took my hands. If he noticed me sweating, he hid it really well.

  “Sophia and I will be married this weekend,” Luke said.

  Now we had Abir’s attention. “This weekend?”

  Little did he know, that had been my reaction as well. I wasn’t concerned with his response as much as I was with Gia’s. We were already balancing on a fine line with her patience and understanding about our unorthodox relationship. Was this the tipping point?

  “Yes, this weekend,” Luke said without skipping a beat.

  “It seems rather soon,” Gia said. “Are you sure you’re both ready for such a commitment?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked Sophia to marry me if I wasn’t ready for the commitment.”

  Luke seemed ready to fight back against his mother, but for the first time, I could see her side of things. From what I understood, mothers loved to help plan weddings for their children, daughters especially. Since Gia had two sons, was Luke taking away the joy and pleasure she would have had in planning a wedding with a future daughter-in-law?

  “I’m not being argumentative, Luke,” Gia said. “In fact, I think it’s a great idea.”

  “You do?” Luke and I asked at the same time. That didn’t go the way I anticipated.

  Gia placed her hands in front of her on the table, clasping them. “Over these last few months, I’ve seen you go against every wish I’ve had for your future. As I can see, you’ve chosen a woman that is your equal in many ways. While the country might not be ready for such a change in tradition, I don’t see any harm in continuing with your new traditions. If you want to marry her outside the eyes of the country, I won’t stop you.”

  “You won’t?” Luke asked.

  Abir reached over and touched Gia’s hand. Gia turned to him.

  “I just wanted to make sure you haven’t taken ill,” Abir said.

  Gia swatted at him. “The two of you. You have no faith in me. After losing Erol, I’ve concluded that I’m not willing to lose any more men in my life. Traditions are important, but you two, and you, Sophia, are much more important to me.” Her eyes met mine, and her smile had returned. “All I ask is that I can help with the arrangements. It’s the least I can do for you both.”

  “Of course,” Luke said, taking my hand in his. He moved our hands to the surface of the table.

  It was the first time that Luke and I were so close in front of his mother without her scowling at me. I wondered what the hell someone had put into her tea that morning because I wanted some of it. I was seeing a damn miracle unfold in front of me. I’d never seen her be so agreeable about anything in the time I’d known her. And by the slack-jawed expression on Luke’s face, it appeared that neither had he.

  During the remainder of the meal, Gia talked about the different plans she had for the wedding. The two of them hashed out a lot of the details between the two of them. Since Luke and I were on the same page when it came to a lot of the details of our lives, nothing he said seemed out of line for me.

  Gia wanted to use the grand ballroom, but Luke thought it was too big of a room to accommodate the few guests that we wanted.

  “We want to keep this intimate, small,” Luke said. “We have the rest of our lives to be surrounded by hundreds of people at social events.”

  “Do you agree, Sophia?” Gia asked.

  “I do,” I said, popping another strawberry into my mouth. I was almost finished with my fruit bowl and eyed the full one in front of Luke.

  “It seems you two agree with most of these details?” Gia asked.

  Luke glanced at me, and I nodded.

  “Yes, we do,” I said.

  Gia placed her cloth napkin next to her plate. One of the servants rushed over to her and helped with her chair. “Then, Luke, you wouldn’t mind if Sophia and I handled the details of the wedding?”

  “I wouldn’t mind,” Luke said with an edge to his voice. It was as if he were waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  Truthfully, so was I.

  Gia opened her hand to me, and I quickly wiped my mouth before putting my napkin down as well.

  “Sophia and I will handle the decorations. Abir, you prepare the music. And Luke, you handle the food.”

  “Very well,” Luke said, unable to hide his smile.

  Without a second look behind her, she started for the door. I quickly followed behind.

  “What was your wedding like?” I asked her when we reached the hallway.

  “It was a grand affair,” she said. “Hundreds of guests and it took place over many days.”

  Did she want that for Luke? Had we disappointed her again?

  “This is better,” she said as if reading my mind. “It will be easier for you to remember. All I remember is being pulled around all over the palace and grounds, many different outfits, so many people. It was a whirlwind.”

&n
bsp; “Still sounds fun, though,” I said, not wanting to put down anyone’s idea of a perfect wedding.

  “Looking back, it was.”

  Gia turned down a hallway so quickly that I tripped over my foot to turn in time with her. She pushed through one of the rooms, and inside was what looked like someone’s study. It was all hardwood and very masculine.

  “This was Erol’s study,” Gia noted. “Now, it’s Luke’s. Through here is the royal family’s private library. It’s much smaller than the one that you’ve seen. But I prefer it.”

  Her words pulled me away from noting the small details of the room. I wondered how hard it was for Luke to work in the same place that his father had for years.

  Through another door, I marveled at the intimate space. Bookshelves took up every inch of the wall while sunlight blazed through several large windows, illuminating the room.

  Three couches sat in the center of the room. They looked like the newest pieces in the space. They were pristine and looked incredibly comfortable.

  Gia went to one of the shelves and pulled out a leatherbound book. She sat on the biggest couch and patted the spot next to her. “Come, this is my wedding album. I don’t know if you care to see it, but I thought it might give you a little inspiration.”

  “I’d love to see it,” I said, truly meaning it.

  I settled next to her. Our legs pressed together as she spread the album over both our laps. The photographs had a sepia tone to them, but the pictures were gorgeous. As she flipped through the pages, pointing out the various people in her life at the time, the pictures had a more formal tone to them. They reminded me of the photographs that I sifted through after my parents died. Their wedding had the same traditional flare to it.

  As Gia spoke, an idea started to form in my mind. Even though she had only been agreeable for the last two days, I wanted to show her how much we appreciated her support and somehow honor my parents as well.

  When she finished with the book, she took it in her lap. “If you want to go online and research, I can give you the email address for our event planner. There’s no money to be spared in this. You will get everything you want.”