“Luckily for you they don’t have those here,” chirped Jo. “Plus, she’s the star of a TV show and marrying a prince. Let her spoil you a little.”
I chuckled. “She’s got a point.”
Jo laughed and was about to say something else when her eyes landed on something behind me. I turned my head and my heart did a somersault.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Alexander announced, stepping up to my chair and resting his hands on my shoulder.
“You must be Alexander!” Mom shot up from her chair. “You’re so much more handsome in person.”
I stood and introduced Alex to my parents, cringing when my Mom tackled him in a hug. He didn’t seem to mind, at least. They chatted amiably for a couple minutes, with Alex asking polite questions about their stay and how they were enjoying the country. He didn’t say a word to me. Barely even looked at me.
“Will you stay for lunch?” Mom asked, resting a hand on his bicep. I hoped to god she wouldn’t squeeze. That was the last thing I needed.
“Actually, I was wondering if I could steal your daughter away.” He glanced at me with a smile, but it was gone too soon. Alex returned his gaze to my mom. “I’d like to meet you all for dinner, though, if I may.”
“You may certainly,” Mom clucked, giggling like a schoolgirl. “And she’s yours now so I wouldn’t call it stealing.”
Ugh, Mom. Could she be any more cringey? Couldn’t she see that I was going through a crisis?
Alex was angry at me. He had to be. He was doing his best not to show it, since it was his first time meeting my parents and all, but why else would he be so distant? I hadn’t heard from him all day, and now he was pulling me off somewhere private to break the news that I just wasn’t up to snuff.
Whatever he and his advisors had been discussing regarding the amount of negative press I attracted must not have worked out well for me. They’d told him the hard truth—that he’d made a mistake in asking me to marry him.
Alex put a hand on my waist. “Do you need to grab anything?”
I shook my head and grabbed my purse and the cardigan dangling over the back of my chair. “Nope. I’m ready to go.”
He led me away without another word, waving goodbye at my family. I swallowed hard.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
Alex didn’t answer.
Yep, this was it. we were done. I would be on the next flight back to the States, probably signing dozens of legal documents meant to muzzle me from talking about my time as the prince’s one time paramour.
Alex’s SUV was parked just out front, and the valet watching it nodded to Alex as he opened my door. I slid in and Alex took the driver’s seat. I looked hopefully in the back for Hank, but he wasn’t there—further evidence that whatever we were going to do today wouldn’t be fun.
“Alex.” My accelerated heartbeat made me jump when a car cut us off. I closed my eyes and took a breath.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Oh, so you’re acknowledging that I exist now.”
His lips ticked into a slight smile but otherwise Alex kept his eyes on the road and his mouth shut. I sat back in my seat and folded my arms.
“Where are we going?” I tried again.
Alex reached to the console and flicked on the radio. I groaned. I could’ve told him how I felt, how anxiety was burning a deep pit of angst inside of me and I thought I might vomit at every moment. I could have told him how terrified I was to lose him.
In the end, however, I sat back and watched the world fly by the window. I was too scared to say anything because wherever we were going, I didn’t want to spend the entire drive crying. I would have enough time for that when we got there.
I amused myself on the drive by trying to guess where Prince Alexander would take a girl to break up with her. A morbid pastime, I know, but it was oddly calming.
Until we turned into the drive for Springfield Manor.
“Alex...” I glanced over at him, panicked. This was exactly the kind of place I could picture the prince delivering such a blow.
“Tamara...”
Even freaking out as I was, I still felt irritation slither under my skin. I tightened my jaw and stared straight ahead. Right, if he didn’t want to talk, then I didn’t want to talk.
Alex parked in front of the door. There were no other cars in the lot at least, no witnesses.
“Come on.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and slipped outside. I huffed a sigh and followed.
Alex walked around my side of the car and took my hand. I looked up at him uncertainly but he merely began to lead me around the side of the house. I couldn’t tell whether it was a good sign or not.
“I’ve never been able to get down with the whole strong silent type thing,” I said. “It’s something I associate with serial killers and mobsters.”
Alex chuckled. “Maybe I’m trying something new.”
“Wish you wouldn’t.”
The back lawn spilled ahead of us and my heart began to slow. The garden bloomed with every color of the rainbow, and sunlight gilded the leaves of the overhanging trees, where great tits frolicked and sang.
“What do you think?” Alex asked finally.
I raised my brows and looked up at him. Was he feeling okay?
“What do I think of the estate?” I asked. “It’s my favorite place in the world. You know that.”
Alex turned to me, skin practically sparkling in the light. “What do you think of our home?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“So eloquent. You simply must write poetry.” His lips drew back in a dazzling smile.
“Alex!” I smacked him on the arm. “Don’t be a jerk. My nerves are shot enough as it is!”
He laughed, a throaty, full-bodied laugh, and bundled me against his chest.
“I’m sorry, Kitty Kat.” His words vibrated through my cheek and I closed my eyes and smiled. “I knew if I said it was a surprise you’d punch me in the throat. I thought saying nothing at all was better.”
Relief poured through every bone in my body. I felt like sobbing.
“I thought you were going to break up with me,” I admitted in a small voice. It sounded ridiculous out loud.
Alex pulled back and stared down at me, concern knitting his eyebrows. “You thought I was going to...what? Why would I do that?”
I looked down but Alex held my chin and forced me to look at him. The depth of warmth in his eyes made my heart flip in the first happy way all day.
“All the bad press stuff,” I admitted, feeling as childish as I sounded.
He leaned in and brushed his mouth over mine. “That’s exactly why I brought you here today.” His breath tickled my lips. “To our home.”
“That’s the second time you’ve said that.” I searched his eyes. “Do you mean that we live here now?”
Alex nodded and stood to his full height, gazing out at the sun-soaked lawn. “We don’t have to live here full-time if we don’t want to, but I wanted this place and all of its happy memories to be our refuge.”
He looked down at me with a tender expression. “I know things have been crazy. They’re probably going to be crazy for a while. But every time you feel overwhelmed, I want you to think about us stargazing in our backyard, or drinking tea in the conservatory while we listen to the rain play a symphony on the glass, and I want you to remember that it’s not always going to be so crazy.” His thumb glided over my cheek. “I love you, Tamara. I love you and I want to be with you, and that’s that.”
I jumped onto my toes and kissed him. A flood of emotion passed between us as our mouths danced, our bodies pressed. I didn’t realize I was crying until the first tear skidded down my cheek.
Alex wiped it away. “I have something to show you.”
“Something else? Is it my birthday or something?”
He laughed and took me by the hand, leading me into the house via the conservatory and threading his way through the rooms until we reached the carved d
ouble doors to the ballroom.
Our ballroom, I realized. I never thought I would have a ballroom.
Alex pushed the doors open, and I jolted to a stop, puzzled and alarmed. The walls were plastered with pictures and white and black rectangular shapes, which I soon recognized as newspaper and magazine clippings. Alex tugged my hand but I halted.
“Is this some sort of facing your fears thing?” I asked. “If so, I’d like to go back to the part where we were having a nice time on the lawn.”
Alex chuckled and tugged me inside. “Go look.” He pushed me toward the nearest wall I reluctantly approached.
MEET THE NEW PRINCESS, the article said. SEE WHY SHE’S TAKING THE ROYAL WORLD BY STORM.
I skimmed over the article, and quickly realized that the theme of Alex’s display had nothing to do with facing my fears. I moved to the next article, then the next. The hundreds of clippings coating the walls, taken from publications all over the world, were all positive. Not a single one found a nasty thing to say.
I spun in a circle, taking in the room and Alex’s hard work. “Alex...”
“See, I’m not the only one who thinks we’re perfect for each other.” He gestured around the room. “All these people believe in us. Do you?”
Tears welled in my eyes and I nodded. “I do.”
And, for the first time, I felt one hundred percent confident that our fairytale would have a happy ending.
Chapter 31
Alexander
“We should get a swing,” Tamara said, leaning her head against my shoulder.
“A swing?”
She looked up at me. “Yeah. Can’t you imagine us sitting out here, swinging away?”
The image flashed through my mind. Stars above, quiet below. Peaceful.
I smirked. “You only just got the place and you already want to start changing things around. You’re ruthless.”
We’d spent the afternoon exploring the rooms of the house. They were familiar to me, but to my bride there was a surprise behind every door. Even rooms she’d seen before she now saw in a new light. They were her rooms. This was her house. It belonged to both of us, but Springfield Manor was my gift to Tamara.
Tamara shoved my shoulder and giggled. “I don’t want to change a single thing. It’s not like I want to put a pool in. It’s just a swing.”
“A pool,” I mused. “Now there’s an interesting thought.”
“Don’t you dare touch a single blade of grass on the lawn,” she warned.
I chuckled. “Yes ma’am.”
Tamara sighed and stretched her legs out on the blanket, leaning back against the mountain of pillows. We’d piled up every one we could find in the house to make ourselves a little lounge area, and it was paradise.
“I wish we didn’t have to go back in the morning,” she said. “I wish we could just get married here, tonight, without anyone else around to bother us.”
“I think we’ve gone off book enough as it is.”
I shouldn’t have said it. Tamara glanced my way and worry laced her words.
“You never told me what your family said when you told them.”
“Because they didn’t say anything of consequence.” I pulled her a little tighter.
Tamara was stressed enough without me adding to that by revealing that my announcement had ended with an argument between my father and I. Edward had stayed out of it, as did Victoria, but I hadn’t spoken to the king since. There was nothing he would or could do to stop the wedding, so it didn’t matter. What was done was done.
“I feel like you’re holding back on me,” Tamara said. “I don’t like secrets.”
“Tamara, I told you.” I kissed her forehead. “We ruffled a few royal feathers. That’s it—just some feather ruffling. It’s going to blow over.”
“I don’t want your dad to hate me.”
“He doesn’t.”
Me, however? Perhaps a little.
My phone rang and I welcomed the distraction, even though Edward’s name popped up and I’d specifically told him not to bother me tonight.
“Hello, brother,” I answered.
“Forgive me for interrupting. I know that you had something special planned for Tamara tonight.”
“I assume it’s important?”
Tamara sat up and her face filled with concern. I smiled reassuringly, even as Edward proceeded to ruin my evening.
“I need you to come home,” he said. “A couple of flighty sponsors have backed out of the project. I’ve arranged a press conference in the morning to assure everyone you’re the right man for the job. I’m having a speech drawn up and delivered to your apartment.”
My smile slipped. “Bugger.”
“Just memorize the speech and pour on a couple bucket loads of that famous Alexander charm. Things will normalize.”
“Thanks for the heads up. We’ll leave now.”
I ended the call and pulled Tamara in for one last cuddle. “I’m sorry, Kitty Kat. I’m afraid we have to cut the fun short.”
“Is everything okay?”
I struggled to translate what Edward had told me into less grim language. I didn’t want to lie to Tamara, but I didn’t want her to worry either. I knew how much everything was stressing her out and I was terrified that one day she would decide it was too much and call it quits.
“Flighty sponsors,” I answered finally. “Never did the world of business run smooth.”
“Anything I can do?”
I shook my head and stood from the blanket, extending my hand to help her up. “Not this time. You can come cheer me on at the press conference tomorrow, though.”
Tamara smiled and took my hand. “That I can do.”
It was late by the time I dropped Tamara off and got back to my apartment. Nana was watching Hank for me tonight so I didn’t expect to find anyone waiting for me, which was why I was surprised to walk through the door and hear Debussy’s “Nocturnes”.
My father stood from the couch, holding his hands behind his back in the dignified way he did when he needed to say something uncomfortable. It was the same stance he’d taken when he passed on the news of my mother’s death.
“I hope you haven’t been waiting long.” I closed the door behind me and went straight to the bar. “Gin?”
“Please.”
I poured us each a drink and handed his over. He sat and I took the armchair across from him.
What was he doing here? If he’d come to harangue me further about my engagement, he’d come at a bad time. Then again, there wasn’t a good time to try to talk me out of marrying the love of my life.
Father cleared his throat. “We exchanged some uncomfortable words the other evening.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” I took a sip of my drink and watched him. “If you’ve come to have another go, you’re wasting your time.”
“I think you misunderstood me.”
“I think I understood you perfectly.” I sat forward. “You think I’m a rash, opinionated child. You like Tamara, just not enough for me to marry her.”
His mustache twitched. “That’s not what I said.”
“It’s close enough.”
The music filled the long, silent gap between us. I upended my glass and went to stand, but he held out a hand to stop me.
“I found fault in your execution, not in your decision,” he said. “It came so quickly. You didn’t follow the correct procedures. You didn’t tell anyone in the family first. You did what you always do—jumped in with both feet and hoped for the best.”
I settled back in my seat and swiped my tongue over my dry lips. “I don’t see the point in arguing about it again. I’m marrying Tamara.”
“I know, and I’m not here to argue with you.”
“What are you here for?”
Father sighed. He swirled the liquid in his glass and stared at it, a slight hunch in his shoulders.
“Your mother didn’t care much for procedure either,” he said finally. “She
wanted everything all at once.” He chuckled. “I used to ask her what the rush was. Things take time, especially in our family. We can date our lineage back a thousand years, so why fuss over a little wait? A little care?”
I sensed this was something my father hadn’t thought about, much less spoken about, in a long time. It intrigued me, and was happy to sit back and just let him talk.
His eyes glassed over. “And then she died. My beautiful, impatient Noelle, who never took her time, didn’t even take her time to die. It felt like a second passed between the moment we realized she was sick and the moment I buried her. Just like that.” He looked up at me, looking more fragile than I’d ever seen him. “I have few regrets in life, but my biggest one is not doing more for her. Giving her more. I should have moved mountains for her, son, not built a winding path around them.”
“She never blamed you,” I said. “She knew your duty. She knew hers.”
“I know.” He nodded sadly. “And my regrets won’t bring her back. I know that too. What I’m saying is, I see a lot of your mother in you, Alexander. Especially with everything you’ve done recently, all the growth you’ve shown. If you’d come to me with a fiancé a few months ago, that would be a different story, but the man you are deserves more credit than I have given.”
“You’re saying you support the marriage?”
He smiled. “I’m saying I support you. I’m proud of you, son, and I believe in the goodness of your heart. And you can count on my continued support as long as you try not to cause too much more drama.” He laughed gruffly. “You’ll give your poor brother a heart attack.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a moment so candid with my father. Had I ever? It felt bloody good, like I was shedding years of doubt and resentment.
I stood to get us another drink and my eye caught on the folded paper on the table. My speech for tomorrow.
An idea pinged in the back of my brain and I grinned. “Very well,” I said. “Only, I’ve got a little more drama to cause.”
Royal Engagement Page 20
