I slept most of the flight, still miserable from everything that happened the night before. My ankle was sprained, so I had been carted around in a wheelchair and had crutches for short distances. The media had gone bat-shit crazy when we arrived at the airport and I could feel Alex’s anger like a physical force. Last night would forever be etched in our minds. I was angry too, but for the most part I just wanted to leave. The queen was dealing with the press and I trusted her to do what was best. Her first move had been to make sure there would be no assault charges pressed against Alex and me. There was photo evidence of the man I kicked touching me and grabbing my purse, which gave me the right to defend myself.
As for Alex, it seemed the reporter was at fault for blocking rescue personnel from a person in need. I had no idea how that worked, but I was saving that to tease Alex with another day. I’m pretty sure I could squeeze several Knight in Shining Armor jokes out of it.
Photographers were waiting in the States, but I chose to ignore them. In fact, our official statement was that there was no official statement at this time and we thanked everyone for respecting us during a difficult time and for giving us our space. I didn’t speak or even look in their direction; Chadwick did all the talking when needed. After the debacle with the nightclub, the city had provided police escorts for us and a security team was set up at the hospital for my father. They were taking no chances. You’d think we would need protection like this from people pointing guns at us, not cameras.
We arrived at the front entrance in a wave of sirens and flashing lights. Jess, Bert, and a man in a suit were waiting at the doors with a wheelchair. Alex helped me out of the car and into the chair.
“Your Highness. Duchess. I am in charge of the cancer ward. I’m sorry to meet you under such terrible circumstances. If I can be of any help, please don’t hesitate to let me know.” The man shook our hands before making way for my friends.
With tears in her eyes, Jess threw her arms around me and then patted my head like I was a sick puppy. Bert leaned down and hugged me carefully, wincing when he saw the bruise on my left temple.
“I’m fine, guys. It’s just my legs. Mostly. I could walk if Alex would stop complaining about how slow I am.”
“Ha ha.” He pushed the chair through the doors and into the main lobby. A few patients seemed surprised to see us, but no one gave us a hard time. The doctor in charge of the cancer ward acted like an ambassador, leading us to Dad and asking if we needed anything.
“How’s Dad?” I looked at Jess.
“He was awake when we came down.” She sighed. “Sam, he doesn’t look good. I just want you to be ready.”
I nodded my head but didn’t say anything. Part of me was terrified of what I’d see and the other part of me wanted to get it out of the way. Some of the staff watched us as we walked by, but it didn’t bother me. They weren’t going out of their way or trying to take pictures. It was more that we were interrupting their routines. It made me feel like a normal person. Who would have thought a bunch of busy, annoyed nurses would make me feel better?
When we got to the door, I made Jess stop. “I don’t want to go in there in a wheelchair.”
“I’ll help you.” Alex slid an arm around my shoulders to help me stand.
“We haven’t told him much. You guys have been all over the news, but I knew you wouldn’t want him to see that,” Jess explained.
“Thank you.”
“We’ll wait out here.”
Alex opened the door so I could hobble in first. He moved beside me to help support my weight on the bad ankle and we crossed the room to the hospital bed. Patricia was sitting in a chair, knitting. Her face was pale and her eyes red. I would hug her after I saw my dad. He had to come first.
“Dad?” I touched his hand, careful to not move any of the tubes or cords. Jess had been right. He barely looked like my father any more.
He opened his eyes slowly and gave me a weak smile. “Hey, baby girl.”
Alex pulled a stool over for me so I could sit down and then moved back to give us space.
“How are you?” I wrapped his fingers around mine and fought the tears that were blinding me.
“Not too bad.” He squeezed my hand.
“Liar.” I sniffed.
“I’m sorry I’m leaving you.” His voice was so soft I had to lean forward to hear him.
“Then don’t.”
“I knew it was a lost cause. Can’t win this one.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me go when it was this bad?” I shook my head. “I would have been here for you.”
“No.” His voice rose. “You needed to live life. I wasn’t going to let you give up something so wonderful because of me.”
“I could have gone anytime.” I groaned in frustration. “You stubborn old man.”
“Sam, I didn’t want you to watch me die. Can you understand that? I wanted you to remember me—the real me. Not this leftover husk.”
“You’re still you.” Tears ran down my cheeks. “I could have played crossword puzzles with you and stolen the remote for the TV after you fell asleep.”
“Remember the good times, okay?” He reached up with his other hand. I leaned down so he could touch my cheek and tried not to sob. “You’ve lost so much in such a short time. You deserved to be part of something lasting.”
“Our family is lasting.” I leaned into his palm. His fingers were so cold it broke my heart. “I wish I had been here.”
“No. I loved hearing about your adventures and seeing your pictures.” His hand fell and he looked around the room. “Did Alex come with you?”
“I’m here, sir.” Alex moved to stand behind me.
“You take care of my Sam. She’s a feisty thing, but someone needs to love her in spite of it.” He squeezed my fingers and I rolled my eyes.
“I do and I will.” Alex dipped his head in a small bow. “You have my word.”
“Good.” Dad smiled at Alex. “Good.”
His fingers loosened on my hand and I panicked. “Dad?”
“Just tired.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It rattled loudly and I bit my lip. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I didn’t move from that stool until the monitors stopped beeping and the doctors made it official. I hadn’t cried so much in years. The last time was when my mother died in the car accident. When they wheeled him out of the room, Alex pulled me into his arms and rocked me against his chest. I felt small and emotionally raw. I clutched at Alex, needing to know I wasn’t alone.
We buried Dad next to Mom on a bright Thursday morning. Chadwick managed all the arrangements, only asking for input when he needed it. Birds chirped in the trees and it was warm enough to not wear a large coat. There were a lot of people, most of them close friends of my family, people who had served in the military with my dad, and people from school. Cops kept the reporters as far from the funeral home as possible and I barely noticed the cameras. I was relieved to see that many of the people were very respectful of the event. There were so many flowers I’d eventually told the funeral home to start sending them to the hospital. Might as well let the living enjoy them. Rose flew in from Lilaria to attend the ceremony and laid wreaths on both of my parents’ graves and said a few words on behalf of the queen.
I spent a week sorting through my parents’ home. We packed away a lot of stuff to be shipped to Rousseau and got rid of things that weren’t worth keeping. I gave the house to Bert and Jess as an early wedding present. They’d never have to worry about paying rent again. I liked the idea that it wouldn’t just go to some stranger. Jess would brighten the place up and give it new life.
Alex and I had stayed in my childhood room. It amused me to see him walking around such a normal house, washing his hands in the kitchen sink or sitting in my dad’s old chair. I was glad Dad had met him before he passed and I’m not sure I would have realized how important that was to me until it happened.
The
last couple of weeks had cemented the relationship between Alex and me. There were no more questions about how we felt about each other. I’d deal with the rest of it when the time came and do my very best.
“We can stay longer,” Alex told me over dinner. “Maybe we could work it out so you can finish your degree here. I could take time away and only go back for the most important functions.”
“Dr. Geller got in touch with his friend in Lilaria. They’re working out a way for me to finish my degree.” I was actually really relieved about that. When Dr. Geller approached me after the funeral with his idea, it had made my heart lighter.
“Still, we could stay.”
“No. I’m ready to go back.” I shook my head.
“You can think about it.” His eyebrows pulled together. “I know you miss your home.”
“My home is where you are.” I reached out and grabbed his hand. “Nothing else matters.”
Long Live the Duchess of Rousseau
—Lilarian Post
Today was the day I would officially become the Duchess of Rousseau. In light of my father’s passing, the queen had pushed the ceremony back until the summer. It had worked out for the best. Not only had I been able to work on my schooling some, but my friends were here. Patricia, Jess, and Bert were representing my family and sitting in the front row.
I could hear the large crowd gathered on the other side of the doors and looked at Alex. I bit my lip and rubbed my hands together.
“You’ll do fine. You can say the words in your sleep.” He chuckled. “You do say them in your sleep.”
I snorted and ran a hand over my gown. It was a floor-length, fitted dress, and every inch of it was covered in silver sparkles. I was wearing the deep green sash of the Rousseau family over my shoulder and the tiara with emeralds. Alex picked up my hand and brought my fingers to his lips.
“Stop fidgeting. You’re breathtaking.”
“This tiara weighs eighty pounds.” I reached up and touched it gently.
“You wear it very well.” His eyes ran over my body in appreciation. “You look like a queen.”
“Please. Did you see your mother?” I patted my dress again. She was wearing a floor-length robe that trailed behind her, a sword tied around her waist, and a diadem that was older than the building we were standing in. “I’m so nervous. Where are you sitting? You never told me. Will you be up front with your mother?”
“Where would you like me to sit?” He flashed his mischievous smile.
“Where you’re supposed to.” I shook my head in exasperation.
“Now you sound like a queen.”
“Alex? You’re being weird.” I reached out and touched his cheek. “Are you okay? Are you nervous too?”
“A little.” He ducked his head.
“You just have to sit there.” I laughed.
“Yes, but I want to sit with your family.” He looked up at me and my heart stuttered. Was he saying what I thought he was saying? He wanted to be family?
“They’re pretty strict about that kind of stuff.” I bit my lip. “Very formal occasions like this have a rule book.”
“I know.” Never taking his eyes from mine, Alex moved to one knee in front of me. My heart beat so quickly I thought it would burst from my chest. There was something humbling but exciting to see him there, looking up at me. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. When he lifted the lid I thought I’d faint, but I didn’t know how I’d get up off the floor in this dress, so I managed to stay upright.
“You want to sit with my family.” My breathing had picked up so much that I started feeling dizzy. I knew Alex loved me, knew that he saw this as our future, but never in my wildest dreams had I expected him to propose today.
“Samantha Ellen Frances, Duchess of Rousseau, will you be my wife and queen?” His bright blue eyes stared up into mine. Love and devotion shone from them.
“Yes.” My voice caught. “Yes, I will.”
He slid the ring onto my finger before standing up and wrapping me in his arms. I kissed him like there was no one around. I didn’t care who saw us or what the tabloids reported later. This was the happiest moment of my life and I was going to live it.
The Royal Wedding Guests
—Minnesota Reports
Hours of small talk, handshaking, and the unveiling of a plaque were starting to take their toll on me. I was fidgeting with the napkin I’d picked up from one of the rotating servers when Alex managed to make his way back to me across the room.
I was getting better at these types of events, but when they were as big as this one, it was hard to not feel overwhelmed. Thankfully, Chadwick was always nearby and I could count on him to extradite me from overly enthusiastic strangers. Alex was good about not leaving my side when it could be helped; unfortunately, it was quicker for us to split up to work the room when possible. And these were all people who donated to the FBT.
“You’re looking antsy.” Alex ducked his head down to my ear. “Ready to get me back to the hotel?”
“These shoes are killing me.” Even with the heels he had me by a few inches. “And it’s after four in the morning back home.”
“So, you’re not planning on attacking me when we get back to our room?”
“I don’t know. How soon can we get out of here?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Give me five minutes and I’ll have you out of that dress.” He put a hand on the small of my back and guided me toward the exit. I smiled, remembering how much it used to amuse me when he did the same thing and now I just felt special. He dipped his head down to my ear once more. “Have I mentioned how much I like this dress?” His fingers caressed the fabric and I shivered. Even now, after all this time, I couldn’t fight the pull he seemed to have on me.
“Just don’t tear this one. I like it, too.” I looked up at him and bit my lip to try and not smile. “I’m still angry about the black dress.”
“Hm, that was an unfortunate casualty.” His eyes ran over my body. When we neared the door, Chadwick exited ahead of us to get our car while we said our goodbyes to the mayor.
When the car pulled up to the carpet, Chadwick nodded at me to let me know it was ours. Alex and I made our move to exit, smiling for the cameras that lined the ropes. I managed to trip a little on all the fabric around my legs, but Alex caught me before I went down. I laughed at my clumsiness and gave a small wave to the cameramen as they took pictures. No matter how much they annoyed me, I’d learned a lot about handling them since my father’s death. Duvall opened the door while Alex helped me slide in, and I fought with the skirts to keep them out from under my shoes.
When Alex got into the car I narrowed my eyes at him. “When I agreed to your bet all those months ago, I had no idea this is how you expected me to spend my week volunteering for the FBT.”
“I know.” Alex leaned back in his seat but lifted my hand to his mouth. “But I had a plan.”
“Oh, like your brilliant plan for getting me to fall in love with you? Stick around until I had no choice?” I snickered.
“Exactly. I was going to make you go with me to all these events as my date.” He pulled me against his side as the car drove through the streets of New York. “I was going to woo you while you couldn’t run away. You’d have no choice but to succumb to my charms.”
“Your ego is a scary beast. It should have its own name. We could call it something frightening like Darth Yummy.” He snorted at me as I snuggled under his arm. “I thought I was going to be helping with the birds. In fact, I was looking forward to it. When did you start coming up with your elaborate schemes?”
“As soon as I realized how stubborn you were.”
“So, right away?”
“Pretty much.” He chuckled. “Are you ready for the wedding?”
“Ugh. Don’t remind me.” I shivered. “The dress, the flowers, the pictures. It’s going to be torture. There’s so much to do and take care of!”
“C’mon, you’ll look gorgeous.”
He kissed my temple. “And I’ll be there.”
“Yes, you’ll be there.” I glared up at him. “Laughing at me and the brown monstrosity Jess picked out for me to wear.”
“Cathy thinks Jess missed her true calling in fashion.”
“She would.” I frowned. Those two had been like a monster with two heads when wedding-dress shopping for Jess.
“Think of it as practice.” He ran his thumb over the ring on my left hand. It always gave me tingles when he did that, to know he was part of my future. That he wanted to be a part of my future.
“I wish. Your mother and sister have gone off the deep end. Did you see what they want me to wear?” I shuddered as I thought about the eighteen-yard train and lace sleeves. “The dress weighed four hundred pounds.”
“I’m not allowed to see the sketches, remember?” He kissed my temple. “You seem to be holding your own though. Cathy was grumbling about flowers and ribbon last week. She’s horrified by your lack of concern for texture.”
“Don’t get me started on the ribbons. What a stupid way to spend money. I mean, what are we going to do with all of those ribbons afterward?” Technically the queen was footing a large chunk of the bill, but I didn’t care. “And they’re still using the whole church thing against me. I used a lot of my leverage when I insisted on getting married outside. We should’ve eloped.”
“The wedding needs to be what you want, too.” He tilted my face up to look in my eyes. “In the end, no matter our titles, this wedding is about us. No one else. We could run to Vegas right now if that’s what you want.”
“I know.” I pressed my lips to his and sighed. I loved this man. Loved him more than I ever thought possible. He’d become the stable point of my universe—part of my family. “But your mom might behead me.”
Suddenly Royal Page 30
