He kissed me, slow and soft. “It’ll be a fairytale come true if you never leave me.”
I took his hand in mine. “Never doubt me.”
He pulled me close and held on tight.
Parenthood officially began a few hours later, when Prince Jackson Roan Quinn Agassi McPhee let us know it was time to be fed. His tiny voice was surprisingly strong as he began wailing from his bassinet that we insisted stay in the birthing suite.
Auggie brought him to me and watched as he began to nurse. We were eager to do it, though we were both exhausted.
We didn’t get any real sleep until the nursing staff insisted that they take little Jackson for his litany of tests to ensure he was as healthy as he looked.
He was a whopping seven pounds, eleven ounces, with strong lungs and a robust cry. He was also curious and alert, which delighted me most. I could have stared at him for hours.
Kelly brought us a change of clothes so that we could be more comfortable throughout that next day, when the Unity Hospital staff helped us navigate the new waters as parents, teaching us things like how to bathe him and how to swaddle him. He liked being swaddled most of all. It was like a big hug and he was already a fan.
That was his McPhee nature, through and through.
The announcement had been made early Halloween morning that the royal baby had arrived, so the crowds grew outside to get a first look. We had released no details yet, much less the gender or name, so our story remained at the top of each news cycle until we prepared for our release the next day, a month to the day of our wedding.
“Please tell me things can go back to normal after this,” I said as Auggie helped me into a dress for our departure.
While the epidural had helped block a lot of the pain before, I felt the full brunt of my body’s recovery. Auggie may have wanted a dozen more kids, but nothing was going in or out of that area for a good while yet. I could barely sit down. Every single movement was a reminder of what kind of traumatic event my body had undergone.
“We have the christening,” he said, answering my question. “But Grandmother had suggested we wait until sometime around Christmas.”
I nodded. Now that I had given birth, the next six weeks of my life were technically on hold thanks to a royal maternity leave mandate, which allowed mothers and their new babies, issue, as they were called, private time to bond without the pressures and duties that came from royal life.
After mid-December, I figured all bets were off.
Because of the crowds and the number of royals to protect, in this case, three, we had four guards with us as we prepared to greet the public for the first time. I already knew from the video playing on a constant loop on the news channels that there was a line of press to meet us, with thousands of Aldayneans lining the street to get a first look at the new royal baby.
I could hardly blame them. He was just as cute as he could be. I couldn’t get enough of him myself, having stared at him for hours trying to memorize every single thing about him.
We kept him swaddled but wrapped him in a white blanket with pink and blue hearts. I got wheeled through the private hallway to the exit where we were expected to step outside and greet the public. I wore a free-flowing shirtdress with a floral design of white roses on a rich orchid-colored background. Auggie wore black slacks and a matching orchid-colored shirt and sweater. We both wore suede jackets to ward off the November chill.
Two guards went ahead of us, and two guards stayed behind. One of which was Sean, who had already had a rare moment alone to fawn over the newest Quinn. He was back to his emotionless mask as he followed Kelly, who wheeled me to the door. Just as they opened, Auggie helped me to my feet and we walked outside to the burst of flashes from the cameras and cheering from the crowd.
We had already talked about how we would choreograph the event. I would hold Jack for the first little bit as we allowed the crowd their response. Then, I would hand off Jack to Auggie, who would hold him as we took any questions from reporters.
I had a smile frozen on my face, happy to see how much the Aldaynean people already loved little Jack. I only felt that smile fall a smidge when I saw Monica Whitehall, my former colleague, waiting to take some questions.
Her PING nametag did not escape my notice.
I knew immediately that Christopher had a hand in her selection, knowing that her appearance would likely shake me as a reminder to my old life. She was one of the few ties I had left to Christopher, and I suspected he knew that every bit as much as I did.
Still, this wasn’t my first day as a royal. I kept that smile frozen as I waved to the adoring crowd instead.
Jack squirmed in my arms, agitated by the noisy crowd. Auggie was quick to reach for him, allowing for our trade-off so that we could step forward towards the microphones.
“Congratulations, Your Highness! Tell us about the baby!”
“Thank you,” he said graciously. “Thank you to everyone who has waited outside to support us.”
“It was an early birth, was it not?” Monica asked. “How’s the baby doing?”
Auggie recognized her in an instant. His eyes narrowed as he connected the dots. “Yes, it was an early birth. As you might have heard, we had a scare at Castlewick, which triggered Peaches into early labor. But fortunately for all involved, the baby was delivered without any complications at all. Both mother and baby are doing very well.”
“Is it a boy or a girl?” someone yelled.
Auggie smiled big as he held up the baby for them to view. “We are very proud to introduce you to Prince Jackson Roan Quinn Agassi McPhee.”
The crowd went bananas. Auggie protectively held Jack close until they died down.
“Why Jackson?” someone wanted to know.
“It’s a family name,” I answered.
That turned their attention to me. “How are you feeling, Your Grace?”
“I’m excited and happy,” I said honestly. “It’s been an incredible journey so far. Like any new parent, we are both looking forward to what the future holds.”
We answered a few more questions before the guards stepped forward to bring the event to a close. We walked back into the hospital so that we could give the crowd a chance to disperse while we departed through another, more private exit through the parking garage.
I sat on one side of the car seat and Auggie sat on the other, with Jack seated between us as Sean pointed the Alda for home. People lined the streets to wave and cheer. We responded with waves of our own.
By the time we pulled up to Castlewick, my face hurt from smiling. While I appreciated their adulation, I was completely exhausted from the past few months. I just wanted to get back to our apartment and spend some private time with my new family.
Mom and Dad stayed at the hospital with Dashie, who wasn’t expected to be released for another day or so yet. Fern was staying at Castlewick with Dallas, so they had organized a special party to welcome us home.
The house staff waited in lines to receive us as we arrived. Even stodgy ol’ Hedwig couldn’t help herself to coo over the newest prince.
By the time we reached our apartment, I was pooped. “You should take a nap, babe,” Auggie said, cuddling Jack in his arms.
“Are you sure?” I asked. I hated to leave Jack. Even for a minute.
He nodded as he swayed the baby in his arms. “Give us boys some quality guy time,” he grinned.
I chuckled. “Just no running off to Noxbury till he’s twenty-one,” I teased.
“No promises,” he teased back.
I was asleep before my head hit the pillow and it was dark before I opened my eyes again, though it felt like it was only a blink.
When I went out into the living room, I spotted Auggie dozing on the sofa, with Jack sleeping soundly on his chest, cuddled protectively in his arms. I smiled as I approached them in the darkened room, lit only from the TV which was on low.
No surprise, it was more news of the baby. I watched as they replayed o
ur appearance at the hospital, to discuss what it means for Aldayne now that there is a new prince. I used the remote to turn it up a tad.
“Polls suggest that the majority of Aldayneans feel invigorated by the new royal family dynamic. There are a few who aren’t entirely comfortable with the mother being an American, but so far, the outreach the family has done to endear her to their subjects seems to be working.”
The other talking head nodded. “They also have plenty of time to prepare the country for leadership under a new king. Prince Augustine has a lot to make up for, having abandoned us for so long, but it would appear he has definitely turned over a new leaf as a family man.”
They showed the video of him holding little Jack at the hospital. He was the very picture of a doting father. It made my heart swell with pride. I turned the TV back down again as I sat on the sofa next to my two men.
Feeling the weight shift on the sofa, Auggie’s eyes immediately opened. He smiled at me. “Feel better?”
I nodded. “Enjoy your guy time?”
“It was the best,” he grinned. “Played some poker. Went to a strip club. The usual.”
I laughed. “Don’t even tease about that. You get to be the Duke of Mayhem. He’s going to be my perfect baby angel forever and always.” I lifted my baby gently off Auggie’s chest and curled him into my arms.
I still couldn’t get over the miracle of him.
Auggie echoed the sentiment as he sat up to watch us both together. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful, Pea.”
I held up my pinky to Jack, who curled his tiny hand around my finger. “I’ve never felt more beautiful,” I admitted.
We shared a kiss.
“Are you hungry? I can order some food.”
I nodded. I took over baby duty as he coordinated dinner. Jack had drifted off to sleep by the time it arrived.
“Should we put him in the nursery?” Auggie suggested.
“I don’t want to be apart from him,” I protested.
“Me either,” he confessed. He pulled a rolling bassinet from the nursery into the living room to put him down so that I could eat.
Neither one of us could take our eyes off him as we ate dinner.
“I got a message from Grandmother,” he informed me. “She is sending over the official photographer in the morning.”
I rolled my eyes. It was never ending. “Did you tell her he’d be cuter in a week?”
He shook his head. “Isn’t possible,” he said with a loving smirk.
I giggled. “You’re right.” I paused. “You think she’s going to nail us on the Halloween thing?”
He shrugged. “Not likely. It’s to her benefit to regard Jack as a Quinn.”
I hated to bring it up. “What about Cillian?”
Auggie sat back in his chair with a sigh. “I think it’s safe to say at this point he’s capable of anything.”
I shuddered, thinking about the Masquerade Ball. “So, what do we do?”
Auggie thought about it long and hard. “We do nothing,” he finally decided.
“Sounds… passive,” I replied.
“Everything he’s done has been to force us into acting. He tilts the first domino, we knock the rest of them down, doing his dirty work for him. What’s the point? Nothing changes the reality. I will be the next king. And challenging the paternity of Jack won’t change that.”
“It could change how the country sees you,” I argued. “They’re just now coming around to accepting me and my family. If they find out about Jack…,” I trailed off.
“If Cillian makes the mistake of overplaying his hand, we will fight it with the truth. The whole truth,” he added. “Christopher assaulted you. Bottom line.”
I set my fork down. I didn’t want to think about that, much less share it with the world at large. “It’ll be hard for folks to have sympathy for me, given the situation.”
“What situation is that?”
“I willingly went to bed with the guy. Drunk, but willing. A one-night stand with a guy I didn’t even like. That doesn’t look good, Auggie.”
“And he circumvented your consent by not wearing a condom. In my mind, that’s assault. Nothing you did justifies that or excuses it.”
I sighed and looked away. He placed his utensils down, rose from his chair and came to kneel before me, taking my hands in his.
“Tell me you know that, Peaches. You didn’t deserve that. No woman does.”
A tear slipped down my cheek. “But…,” I started, and he was quick to cut me off.
“How would you feel about Fern if this had happened to her? Would you look at her any differently?”
“Of course not,” I said, without hesitation. “I’d have killed him.”
“Exactly. So, why do you keep beating yourself up?”
“I just feel so stupid.”
“Then learn from it and move on. That’s all you can do, Pea.” He glanced into the bassinet. “Does it change how you feel about Jack?”
“Never,” I swore instantly.
“He’d have never been here had you not made that mistake you think is so stupid. Everything you’ve done since you found out about him has been in his best interest. You’ve literally given him the world, Pea.” I could hardly argue that. “If they come for us, and they might,” he conceded with a weary nod, “we’ll fight them with all the power that we have. In the end, no matter what, we’ll have each other. And that’s all that matters.”
He leaned up to hold me and I hugged him back hard. I was so glad that my loving Auggie had returned. He made me feel safe, like any fairytale prince should.
We finished dinner in time for Jack to wake up and demand his own dinner. We retired to the bedroom, where I bared my breast for my hungry baby. Auggie watched in wonder. When he withdrew his camera to take a photo, I started to protest. “Auggie, no.”
“Why not?” he asked. “It’s beautiful and natural. And I never want to forget this moment between my wife and our son.”
I knew better than to argue, so I let him snap as many photos as he wanted. That night, Jack stayed in the bedroom with us, nestled between us on our big king-sized four-poster bed. Auggie kept my hand in his as we dozed off and on between diaper changes and feedings.
I allowed myself to be fully happy in that beautiful moment, mostly because I knew it couldn’t last.
Chapter Eighteen
The next day was a busy one at Castlewick. The photographer arrived at eight o’clock on the dot to take a slew of official photos of the new prince. This kept us busy until noon, when the new nanny the queen had chosen, Lady Hannah Covington, arrived with suitcase in hand. She was to move into her own apartment on the third floor, in between the McPhee residence and our own.
By afternoon tea, Dash returned home with his new bionic boot and his wheelchair, which is where Hannah’s duty started in earnest. Not only did she take over Dash’s physical care, she also was able to home school him while he was off his feet for the next six weeks.
Thankfully, Hannah was young enough to keep up with both Dash and Jack. She had just graduated Girbridge with a degree in childcare and elementary education, minoring in music theory. At the tender age of twenty-three, she was still spry on her feet and able to switch tasks between Dash and Jack without mussing her perfect ponytail of long, chestnut hair.
Standing tall for a girl at almost 5’9, she resembled a colt with her striking features and athletic build. The lifelong advantage of her family’s aristocracy only made her stand even taller.
It only bugged me a little bit that she was attractive.
My husband was thoroughly besotted with me and the baby. I didn’t feel like she’d pose too much of a threat for his affections. But her overly sweet demeanor immediately put me on guard as too good to be true. I said as much to Fern, who shrugged off the concern. “Auggie loves you,” she assured. “I saw him on tour, when all those sexy groupies would do just about anything to catch his attention. He only had eyes for you
.”
I chuckled. “I guess it’s a good thing that he doesn’t do that anymore.”
Still, it always warmed my heart to see him singing to the baby. Jack loved it when he would play the piano, composing beautiful music nobody else would likely hear. He’d bounce in his bouncy chair and wave his hands, responding to the music.
Auggie fell more in love with him by the day.
He was fiercely protective of any news that went out about him, demanding full control of any official photos that were posted. When he included one of our breastfeeding shots in the mix, Maeve immediately shot it down.
“It’s inappropriate, Augustine,” she said, drawing her line in the sand.
“It’s completely natural,” he argued. “No woman should feel shamed by it.”
“It’s not proper. She’s practically nude.”
“It’s the curve of her breast,” he had argued. “You see no more than what she’d be showing at a swimming pool.”
She told him she wouldn’t post it, putting up rather boring, stuffy portraits instead. Auggie decided to upload it on his own socials, no permission required.
To make the pill easier to swallow for Old Mother, we included a link about breastfeeding in the caption, to educate, inform and encourage.
Her first reaction was negative as predicted, but, as it turned out, the women of Aldayne loved it. They felt supported and seen in their efforts to naturally nourish their children without shame.
In fact, even Auggie’s biggest critic, Astrid Truelove, who led a movement to rid Aldayne of its monarchy altogether, supported the photo and helped share the message.
“It’s always good to see a leader who is willing to change with the times,” she had written.
Approval for Auggie, and for me, went up by six points over a weekend.
Of course, knowing that both Christopher and Cillian liked the photo did little to comfort me. When I checked my personal emails later, I found a message from his professional email at PING. I didn’t want to open it, but I knew I had to.
“Congrats on the kid. Pretty big baby for a preemie,” he had written. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
The Duke Takes a Bride (The Rocking Royal Trilogy Book 2) Page 18
