“Please tell me it’s not the place the octomom went to.” I can’t for the life of me fathom what that doctor was thinking even allowing the possibility of such a birth.
She laughs. “No, I’m not looking into anything that extreme.”
“What about twins or triplets?” I ask.
A myriad of emotions crosses her face before she answers, “Those are possible, but the odds are that if I can get pregnant, it will only be with one baby.”
I decide a change of subject is in order. “Bree mentioned you were going to stay here in Malquar for a while. I’m sure she can introduce you to some nice men.” I’m not going to offer to do it for the obvious reason that I’d like to date the woman myself.
“Your sister seems to be having as much trouble finding a decent relationship as I am.”
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I tell her, “I’ve invited Bree to come to the next party I throw on the yacht so she can expand her horizons outside of her normal social circle. Maybe you should join her.” At least that way I can keep my eye on her and invent stories to warn her away from anyone that catches her eye.
“Maybe I will.” She stares at me like I’m a calculus equation she’s trying to solve. “Are you dating anyone special?” she finally asks.
“I’m not. Much like you, I find women make assumptions about me that aren’t correct. I’d like to meet someone who sees me and not just my title.” Look at me, spilling all my secrets. There’s something about Lu that makes me want to tell her everything. “You know, no one would believe me if I told them about the orphanage. Most assuredly, not my family. They would tell you that it doesn’t fit my image.”
“Tell me about the orphanage,” Lu says. “Have you been visiting there for long?”
“Five years,” I tell her. “I’m their patron, but I like to do more than simply write checks.”
“Do you think I could visit there sometime?”
“I’m sure Sister Hennepin would be delighted to show you around.” I would offer to do it myself, but I don’t want Lu getting all weird around me again. She’s finally showing some signs of softening, and I don’t want to go back to her feeling like she’s being hunted.
Nodding her head, she replies, “Which days do you go?”
“It depends entirely on my schedule that week.” I’m guessing she wants to know when I’ll be there so she can avoid me, but I’m not going to make that easy for her. While I’ve decided not to openly pursue her, I am still going to see her every chance I get.
Chapter Twenty-One
Sheila
“I can’t believe it’s almost time for us to go home,” Sheila grumbles.
“Why don’t you stay for a while?” Tooty props her feet up on her sister’s lap. “I’m sure Charlotte would love to have you on hand to plan the upcoming shindig.”
“If I do that, then Lu won’t stay. The only reason she agreed to extend her trip was because she wanted to avoid me.”
“How are you going to track her progress with Alistair if you’re not here?”
Sheila replies, “The queen is going to keep me up to date.”
“But how will she know what’s going on if Lu is staying out at Bree’s cottage?”
“Maybe she has spies or something. All I know is that Alistair’s cottage is right next door, and I’m guessing that daughter of mine will see a lot more of him over there.”
“I’m not sure pushing Lu at him is the right thing to do. She’s had such bad luck with men, what if she and Alistair get together and things fall spectacularly to hell? That wouldn’t be good for Claire.”
“Claire is a big girl and can handle herself. Lu is the one who needs my help now. Kids are a blessing and a curse, aren’t they?”
“You’ve got that right, sister of mine,” Tooty answers. “We’re blessed to have them, then cursed with constant worry for them.”
Lutéce
I can’t believe what a nice time I’m having with Alistair. I keep expecting him to say something provocative like he has in the past, but he doesn’t. Instead, he’s treating me like a friend, and I feel like I’m getting to see the real him. As much as it pains me to say so, I like what I see.
“Thank you for a wonderful evening,” I tell him as we lean over the railing and watch as the dock comes into view.
“Any future family of my brother’s is a friend of mine,” he replies. “Next time we go out, I promise to regale you with stories of my failed romances.”
“Please, I’m sure they all failed because you weren’t interested.” Why did I say that? I sound mean and defensive at the same time.
He ignores my rudeness. “You might think so, but there was Elissa Frahn from my primary school. I may have only been eight, but I loved her beyond reason. She broke my heart.” He arranges his face into an exaggerated pout.
“You poor thing,” I joke back. “What was young Elissa’s reasoning for not returning your love?”
“She told me point blank that she was in love with my brother. I informed her that she’d never even met my brother, but she didn’t care. Her heart was set on being queen one day, and the only way that could happen was if she married Andrew.”
Even though his tone is light and playful, I start to wonder if maybe that isn’t the only time Alistair’s affections were rebuffed in favor of a hopeful gal wanting to be queen. “I’m sorry, that’s horrible,” I tell him sincerely.
Alistair inclines his head slightly. “I’m happy to say that I’ve fully recovered. Elissa went on to marry the boy who grew up next door to her and they are happily expecting their fourth child.”
“If it makes you feel any better,” I tell him, “I would hate to be a queen. Too many eyes on me. Too much responsibility.”
“Yet I have a feeling you enjoyed my brother’s attention the other night. Are you sure you might not overlook the spotlight if it means being with the person you love?”
“I’m not in love with your brother, so I don’t think I’m in any jeopardy of needing to make that decision.” The look on his face suggests he might not be referring to his brother.
“I predict that when you go back home, you’ll meet the perfect man who will help you make all of your dreams come true,” he says.
“What about you?” I ask.
“I’m not looking for a man to make my dreams come true,” he teases.
“That’s not what I meant. What about finding the woman of your dreams? She must be out there.” As much as I claim I don’t want Alistair flirting with me, I seem determined to flirt with him.
“If the woman of my dreams exists,” he says, giving me a look that causes tiny shocks to ripple through my nervous system, “she may not be as easy to find as you’d think. She has to be willing to put up with an awful lot of public scrutiny. She also needs to be game to mother the six children I want.”
“Six? Why so many?” I swear I begin to ovulate at the thought of a man excited by the prospect of having a big family. Especially if that man is Alistair.
“I loved having so many siblings, and I’d like for my children to have a similar experience.”
“I’d have to adopt if I were to have that many children,” I blurt out. I immediately regret doing so when Alistair’s eyes pop open like he’s run headfirst into an electric fence. “I don’t mean with you,” I hurry to say. “I just meant in general. I’m too old to have a big family naturally.” I need to stop talking. Now.
“There’s nothing unnatural about adoption,” he tells me. “Every time I visit the orphanage, I yearn to take the children home with me and give them the same opportunities and love that I’ve had.”
“Why don’t you?” I ask.
“I probably will adopt part of my brood, but I’m waiting until I’m married. I’m not sure I’m up to the task of fathering without a solid support system.” He looks at me so tenderly, I want to crawl right into his arms. Alistair is turning out to be very different from the man I thought he was.
“Would
your parents be okay with you adopting?” I’m not sure why I care but I do.
“Why wouldn’t they be? My parents obviously love children. I can’t imagine it would matter to them who their grandchildren’s biological parents are.”
“I’ve never thought about adopting,” I tell him. “And I’m a woman who’s running out of time.”
“That may be an option you want to keep open for yourself,” he says. “I don’t know what your laws are in America, but here in Malquar a single person is allowed to adopt as long as they have a stable income and can pass the interview process.”
“My friend Ally and her husband adopted. It took them nearly three years before they got their son. That’s a long time to wait.”
“I would think the wait would be a great deal shorter if you didn’t need to have a newborn.”
Why have I never thought of this before? “That’s a good point. I’ll definitely have to research this when I get home.” And I will. I suddenly feel like a world of possibility has opened for me and the constant pressure I’ve been feeling eases a little. “Do you think you could show me around the orphanage sometime?”
He inclines his head slightly before saying, “I would be delighted to. I’m going in the morning, if that works for you.”
“Should I meet you there?” My stomach feels like a swarm of vulture-size butterflies are flapping around in anticipation of seeing Alistair again so soon.
“I’ll pick you up at the palace at ten. We can drive over together.” He stares at me so intently I expect him to lean down and kiss me. But after several moments of scrutiny, he looks back out to the water, his voice wistful. “I think I could live on this boat if my parents would allow it. I’m glad you decided to join me.”
I feel like I’ve seen a whole new side of Alistair. One that I like very much. “Thank you for tonight, Alistair. I had a very nice time.”
He gives me a look that I can only describe as longing. As the boat glides into its slip, I ask, “How are we going to get home from here?” Bree was the one to drive us and she’s long gone.
“I suppose we could ask Grady to lend a hand.” He pulls his phone out of his jacket and calls the captain. “Grady, would you be free to drive Lutéce back to the palace?”
When he hangs up, I ask, “Aren’t you coming with us?”
“I’m going to spend the night here. I always sleep better on the water.”
I don’t know why this disappoints me so much, but it does. Moments later, the captain joins us on deck. “Miss Choate, I’m at your service.”
Alistair takes a step back and says, “I’ll see you in the morning, Lu. Sleep well.” Then he turns and walks inside.
I’m suddenly so sad I could cry. What in the world is wrong with me? I can’t be mad that Alistair didn’t make a play for me when I’ve spent every moment that I’ve known him pushing him away. It’s just that tonight felt different, and special, and I wanted to commemorate that in some way.
“No, Lu,” I tell myself sternly. “Alistair is not for you. Be grateful he’s no longer treating you like his prey.”
The problem is, I’m starting to wonder if that’s what I want.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Queen Charlotte
“I received a note from Ellery Pasteur today,” Charlotte tells her husband while they prepare for bed.
“Dear God, what does she want?”
“She wondered if she might pay us a visit in a couple of weeks.”
“Why?” Alfred demands as he pulls the covers down and crawls into bed.
“Why do you think? I’m guessing she’s sniffing around after one of our sons again.”
“She left a mess in her wake the last time she did that. I truly started to think Alistair was falling in love with her, but then she turned her affections toward Andrew. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten the tension that created between our boys.” Releasing a sharp grunt, he adds, “You should tell her she’s not wanted.”
“How can I do that, Alfred? She’s the daughter of my dear friend. I’m her godmother for heaven’s sake.”
The king plumps the pillows under his head. “Do you relish the thought of making our sons uncomfortable?”
“Of course not. But I’m sure they’re both firmly over her.” The queen sits down on her side of the bed and takes her slippers off.
“Yet neither of them has dated anyone seriously since she was here last. I find that quite telling.”
“Maybe they just need to be reminded she’s not the woman either of them once thought her to be. After that, they can finally move on.”
“Or one of them might wind up marrying her. Do you really want Ellery Pasteur as a daughter-in-law after all the trouble she caused?”
Charlotte slides into bed next to her husband. “You’re not giving Andrew and Alistair enough credit. Our boys aren’t stupid.”
“Nor are they married.”
“Sometimes you need to make peace with your past before you can proceed with your future,” the queen decides.
“Nothing I say is going to change your mind, is it?” Alfred asks his wife.
She simply laughs and tells him, “Darling, a mother knows best. You have to trust me on this.”
Alistair
I sip my brandy as I sprawl out on a deck chair. Tracing the lines of the Big Dipper with my mind’s eye, I replay the evening in my head. Once Lu realized I wasn’t the enemy, we had a wonderful time.
I discovered something about her that she may not even know about herself. While she claims to be looking for love, she’s afraid of it at the same time. Her past has left her injured, which is a circumstance I can relate to.
The only woman to break my heart did such a fantastic job of it, I gave up dating altogether. That was over two years ago. I haven’t been tempted to put myself out there with anyone else since. Until now. Too bad the lady I’m interested in is as damaged as I am.
Grady joins me as soon as he gets back from taking Lutéce home. “She’s lovely, isn’t she?” I ask while pouring him a drink.
“She is.” He sits down on the chair next to mine. “But she’s American and she doesn’t live here. That might make pursuing her a bit difficult.”
I release a snort of laughter. “That’s the least of my troubles. The biggest obstacle is that she doesn’t want me to pursue her. She’s made it perfectly clear she doesn’t think of me in that way.”
“Yet she couldn’t keep her eyes off of you,” my friend says.
“I’m not sure if that’s true or not. She’s staying in Malquar for a while. She’s going to help my sisters plan Claire’s bridal shower.”
“Well then, you may have a shot after all.”
I change the subject. “Why did my mother want Bree off the boat?”
“She didn’t say, but I got the feeling she was trying to give you and Miss Choate an opportunity to get to know one another better.”
“That’s not it,” I tell him. “I’ve been warned that I’m not to get involved with the bride’s sister. The queen doesn’t think it would be conducive to keeping family harmony.”
“How so?”
“Mother is convinced I’ll break Lu’s heart, making future family functions awkward for Claire.”
“Interesting.” He doesn’t offer anything more.
“How so?”
“The only reason I can see her wanting your sister off the boat is to give you time alone with Lutéce. Also, I’m pretty sure Bree will never speak to me again after tonight.”
“The two of you are ridiculous,” I tell him. “Bree has worshipped you since she was a little girl, and you go out of your way to antagonize her by treating her like she’s your employer.”
“What can I say? Her family does employ me.”
“I’m part of that family too, and you and I have maintained a close friendship. Why is it different with Bree?”
“I don’t want to kiss you,” he says plainly.
“And thank God for that. My
point is, why can’t you kiss my sister? So long as you don’t toy with her affections, I don’t see what the problem is.”
“Say I ask Bree out on a date and she says yes. It would be terribly awkward if things didn’t work out.”
“You’re not even going to try because you’re afraid?” I might as well be calling him a coward to his face. But if the shoe fits…
“I don’t think you’re the one to lecture me on the subject of women.”
“Why, because I’m not involved with anyone?”
“Because when you got your heart broken, you gave up on love entirely.”
“Well, that’s a mean thing to say.” Sounding as hurt as I am, I say, “Ellery didn’t just break my heart; she chose my brother over me. She played us both like fiddles until she made her choice. I can’t believe we never knew she was leading us both on at the same time.”
Grady pours himself another brandy. “She may have chosen Andrew, but he dropped her once he found out she was involved with you, too.”
“He still loved her,” I say.
“And so did you.”
“What’s your point, Grady?” I slam back the rest of my drink before refilling it.
“My point is that you aren’t in a position to give me advice until you take that advice for yourself.”
“If I asked Lutéce out on a proper date, she would say no,” I tell him.
“Have you tried?”
“No, but I know she wouldn’t accept.”
Grady turns so he’s looking at the night sky instead of me. “Using that same stellar reasoning, I’m telling you that no good can come from my asking your sister out on a date.”
“Do you have a crystal ball that I don’t know about?” I demand.
“Do you?”
We consume our drinks quietly from that moment on. I can’t help but wonder if part of what Grady says is correct. Am I afraid to ask Lu out because she’ll reject me? Or am I just afraid of opening my heart to love again? The truth is that while I have pursued Lu in the past, it was never with the intention of something serious happening between us.
You're So Vain: A Royal Haters to Lovers Romance (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Book 4) Page 11
