“He’s not here, Your Highness,” the butler said, his face pinched with concern rather than disapproval for a change.
That stopped her dead. “He’s not?” she asked, struggling to catch her breath. “Where did he go?”
“He didn’t say. Lambert saw him leave but he was too late to catch him.”
If the head of security couldn’t catch him, what chances did she have? She turned around, confused. Seb had lived in the palace for a few months but he rarely left it, too busy with the preparations for the wedding. And on previous occasions, he’d only visited a few spots around the island. He didn’t know the place particularly well so where would he go?
Her breath caught in her throat. “Thank you, Jerome.” She turned back in the direction she came from and ran.
“Your Highness?” His voice was heavy with unease and confusion.
“Everything is all right,” she called over her shoulder but she was already in the stairwell and wasn’t sure he’d heard her.
She hoped word of Seb’s outburst hadn’t reached the kitchens yet when she walked in as if she was just on the hunt for one of Cook’s delicious snacks.
“Your Highness,” one of the aides greeted and curtsied.
“Is Cook around?” Alix asked.
“She’s in the back helping unload the groceries.” The girl pointed toward the back door.
Perfect timing. Alix walked out the door and nearly crashed into Cook with her arms loaded with carton boxes. “Sorry!” She caught the door before it closed in Cook’s face.
“Much obliged, Your Highness,” Cook panted as she moved through the doorway sideways.
Alix peeked into the trunk of the car and saw that it was already emptied. The keys in the ignition were just the gift she needed right now. Slamming the trunk shut, she called into the kitchen, “I’ll be back soon.”
Before anyone could question what she was doing, she jumped onto the front seat and turned the key. The fastest car it was not, but it would get her further than her feet in designer ballerina flats.
When she reached the first intersection, she realized her plan only covered getting out of the palace but she didn’t know where to search for Seb.
She followed her first instinct and drove down the street toward the hotel where Seb stayed when he had first visited the country, just before he met the Queen for the first time. He’d been so edgy it was cute. They’d used all that nervous energy to make love the entire morning until she was so exhausted she didn’t think she could face the Queen either. It had been Seb who gave her a pep talk before they left for tea with the Queen, reassuring her that everything would be okay.
Two hours later they reversed the roles when he was crushed after the way the Queen had more or less advised Alix—in front of Sebastian—to think carefully of her future before she made a decision. He interpreted it as a dismissal of him but Alix had taken the Queen’s words for what they were—a sound advice passed from the current Queen to the future one. When you were royalty, you didn’t take things lightly. Not that Alix had ever taken Seb lightly. He’d gotten under her skin the first time they met and everything afterward was like a freefall for her. She couldn’t break up with him even if the Queen ordered it directly. She wondered what she’d do if the Queen forbade her to marry him? Would she abdicate? Would she have the courage to do it?
****
The wedding had been beautiful in its simplicity.
“I’d have expected more glamour and shine,” Alix whispered to Seb. He was Jarrod’s best man and Alix was Seb’s plus one. Only she had brought along two more guests. Seb had rolled his eyes when he saw her two bodyguards. She promised they would be as discreet as possible and he didn’t believe her until she told him she’d had four guards with her in Florida when they first met.
“You’re joking?” he’d said, sounding shocked. “I didn’t see them.”
She lifted her eyebrows at him to make her point.
“But then again, I only had eyes for you,” Seb said, pulling her to him and kissing her silly.
“You’ll ruin my dress,” she said but she couldn’t have sounded happier about it. No dress was worth enough to stay away from some cuddling with Seb.
“What can I say, I still have eyes just for you,” Seb said, trying to steal another kiss.
“The groom is waiting,” Alix had said and gently pushed him toward the vestry door where he was supposed to meet Jarrod.
Now that church wedding was almost over, she couldn’t but sigh at the sight in front of her. The bride was stunning with her love for the groom shimmering in her eyes and her strapless lace gown trailing behind her. Jarrod cut a nice figure, too. Tall, blond and so obviously in love with his bride. But it was Seb by his side that kept attracting Alix’s gaze. He’d looked over his shoulder at her more times than she could count. If anything, he seemed just as smitten as Jarrod, but there was also something else in his gaze. He seemed too brooding for the occasion.
The priest pronounced Jarrod and Maya husband and wife and they kissed while everyone clapped and cheered.
The informal celebration continued under a tent set up in the local park. The atmosphere was relaxed and Alix admired how down-to-earth Seb’s parents were. They didn’t have any arrogance or haughtiness she was used to seeing with the rich people. No wonder Seb ended up being such a nice guy. Her nice guy.
The thought took her breath away. She still couldn’t quite believe they’d gone from a summer fling to a spat over her princess status to the most meaningful relationship of her life in less than a year. As she watched Jarrod and Maya dance to ‘Love is All Around,’ she wished she and Seb would share something like that one day. Jarrod and Maya seemed completely oblivious to the dancers around them, they lived in a love-filled bubble. She and Seb were a lot like that, if Seb completely overlooking her security detail in Florida was any indication.
The party grew wilder as the afternoon progressed. Lights lit up the perimeter, making the setting magical. Seb’s father had at some point—possibly after a number of glasses of wine—tied his tie around his head and his blonde, gorgeous wife laughed till tears ran down her cheeks. Afterward the two of them acted as besotted and in love as the newly married couple.
“Your parents are absolutely adorable,” Alix said to Seb as he walked up to her with a plate of snacks.
He looked at them on the dance floor before saying, “Where else do you think I got my adorableness from?”
Alix giggled in a way which would raise the Queen’s hackles. And she enjoyed it all the more because of it.
Pensive, she nibbled on a canape with candied prosciutto. “I want to be like that one day,” she admitted in a half-whisper.
Seb gazed at her with an expression on his face that she couldn’t decipher. Before he could misinterpret her words, she added, “I barely knew my parents. I was just five when they died. It was more or less Grandma who raised me and she was a widow by then, too.” She remembered the awful months when she’d felt deserted and lonely. Grandma had done everything in her power to make it easier for her, but she was just one woman and had a whole country to lead not just one lost little girl to take care of. “I didn’t exactly see many examples of happy couples growing up. It made me feel like ruling a country was a one person job. Like it was just me. Like it would always be just me.”
Seb took the empty plate from her and handed it to a passing waiter.
“Hey.” He touched her cheek with his warm hand. “I’m here for you, Alix.”
The gentle emotion she saw in his face made her eyes fill with tears. He was so good to her. Sometimes, she thought she didn’t deserve him with all the limitations and hurdles and rules she brought with her.
His lips touched hers softly, slowly. “I’ll be here for you for as long as you want me to,” he said when he pulled away.
She was at a loss for words as she gazed in his eyes. He was such a good, beautiful man. “I love you,” she blurted. Usually, she wasn’t one for such proclamatio
ns in public. She’d learned to be guarded and careful. Anything she said outside the palace walls usually ended up in the papers with supersonic speed.
“I love you, too, Alix,” Seb said.
It must’ve been the romantic atmosphere of the wedding that made her feel so emotional and raw. With Seb’s pensive eyes on her, she felt utterly exposed. For a change, she didn’t mind it. She felt safe with him and his family, which was a rare thing for her.
She leaned into him and he held her pressed to his body, caressing her hair as if he could do that for the rest of his life.
But would he? Despite his declarations of love, he’d never once mentioned marriage. In fact, she had the distinct impression he actively avoided all topics which might lead to talk of marriage. He’d alluded to a joint future but she was never quite sure how long-lasting the future in his mind was.
She didn’t want to rush things, wasn’t allowed to, anyway, considering her position. As if all the complicated emotional stuff wasn’t enough, she also had to contend with so many royal rules and regulations. She hadn’t gathered the courage yet to ask Seb if all the limitations of their situation bothered him. If she were honest, she feared he’d say yes.
Particularly today, when she’d caught him look at her several times already with that pensive, sad look in his eyes. What was that all about?
“Is everything okay?” she asked, looking up at him.
He kissed her forehead. “Sure.”
She could tell it wasn’t but she didn’t want to press him because he’d clam up.
“I’ll go get us some champagne,” he said and left for the bar.
She decided to let it go for tonight because she didn’t want to spoil this special day. When he came back, they drank their champagne, then they danced. Things were seemingly back to normal.
The longer the party went on, the crazier it got. Jarrod and Maya joined them on the dancing floor and it wasn’t long before her stomach hurt from all the laughing as the boys goofed off. All her life, Alix had missed a family like this. She’d had Grandma and her friends, but none of this freedom and casualness. She was determined to enjoy it while it lasted. She’d have to return to the palace and her boring duties much too quickly.
Her brow was damp and her feet hurt from all the dancing when Jarrod suggested a drink at the bar.
“I’m too tired,” Maya said and dropped into the nearest chair. “I think I’ll just wait here. Have a nap.” She giggled.
“Me too.” Alix joined her just as Jarrod rolled his eyes and patted Seb on his shoulder.
“Looks like it’s just us then. Man, my wife deserted me on our first married night. That hurts.” Jarrod threw a look over his shoulder at Maya and winked. She sent him a kiss.
Alix sighed. Jarrod and Maya looked so happy to be married.
“I thought you’d be thirsty after all that dancing,” Alix said.
Checking out her painted nails, Maya said, “I’ll just stick to water.”
The way she said it sent Alix’s thoughts in overdrive. “Are you …?”
Maya glanced panicked over her shoulder before she shook her head at Alix. “Don’t … I haven’t told him yet.”
“So it’s true?” Alix’s voice was breathy as she tried to contain her excitement and not squeal with delight.
Maya nodded. “I’m five weeks along. It’ll be a surprise for Jarrod tonight.”
Alix went to Maya and hugged her warmly. “I’m so happy for you two,” she whispered.
“Thanks.”
As Alix tried to envision future Maya and Jarrod with a baby, something occurred to her. “Seb will be an uncle.” The thought was surprising but it filled her with gentleness and warmth. She didn’t have a hard time imagining him play with the baby, cuddle it or put it to sleep. And the images did weird things to her. This wedding business messed with her hormones and she needed to put a stop to it.
“I think he’ll be an excellent uncle,” Maya said, watching her attentively. “Great practice for when you two have kids.” She grinned, as if she knew how confused Alix was about everything this evening.
Not trusting herself to keep her confusion hidden, Alix thought it best not to say anything. But she should’ve known that with Maya that was not the solution.
“Is everything okay between the two of you?”
Alix shrugged. “Yeah. I think so.”
“Is that royal speak for ‘no, not at all’?” Maya raised her eyebrows and then glanced over her shoulder to check that the boys were still at the bar. Alix followed her gaze and just then Seb looked her way. He smiled and his eyes stayed on her for a long moment before Jarrod nudged him and Seb turned back to his brother who was in the middle of explaining something.
“He’s been behaving odd tonight. Actually, he’s been odd since I arrived on Wednesday. It’s like something’s bothering him but he won’t say what it is.”
“What do you mean odd?” Maya asked, putting her feet up on the chair opposite her. Her cheeks were still flushed from the dancing, but her eyes were clear and sharp like she could see straight into Alix’s thoughts. Alix had to admit she feared this woman a little.
“He’s quiet. And I caught him look at me with this sad look in his eyes a few times. I think …” She was afraid to say the words for fear they might be true. “I think he wants to break up with me.”
Maya made a disbelieving sound. “That boy is so smitten with you he can’t remember his own name half the time.”
“You think?” She hated how vulnerable the hopeful tone of her voice made her sound.
“I know, Alix. You’re all he talks about. All the time. No offense, but it gets a little annoying after a while.”
“None taken. Still, something’s not right and I just …” What could she do when he wouldn’t tell her what was wrong? She felt so helpless and she wasn’t used to feeling that way.
“Maybe he wants more.” Maya’s perceptive eyes bored into her.
“What do you mean?” He knew she loved him. What more could he want?
Maya was silent for a moment before she said, “Well, you two seem pretty serious so maybe our wedding made him think about marriage, too.”
“But he’s never mentioned it. I mean, he’s never even hinted at wanting to propose or anything.” If he’d wanted marriage, he would have said so. He wasn’t shy or insecure, in fact, he was one of the most self-assured men she’d ever met. Usually, her princess status messed with her relationships. Men became either too shy or too aggressive because of it. It didn’t seem to bother Seb. At least, it hadn’t until now.
“Maybe he feels he doesn’t have the right to propose because … well, you are a princess. Where he comes from that’s not exactly the usual state of affairs, particularly because his family is influential and rich so he’s used to being in the power position. Perhaps he thinks it should be your decision in this case.” Maya fanned her face with one of the menus she’d picked up from the table. “God, it’s hot. Or is it just me?”
Alix was so absorbed in her thoughts she couldn’t tell whether it was hot or not. “Maybe it’s your hormones,” she said.
“Could be. That’s one part of this I’m not looking forward to.” Maya sighed just as Jarrod walked up to them.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
Maya smiled. “Everything’s perfect.” She winked at Alix and Jarrod frowned, not understanding the exchange between the girls.
Seb was right behind Jarrod and he leaned down to Alix. “Another dance, princess?”
“Love to.”
He pulled her up and embraced her, kissing her lips. “Did I tell you yet how gorgeous you are?”
“You can say it again, I won’t mind.” Alix grinned against his lips. Seb had the most beautiful eyes, soft and filled with humor and wit.
They swayed gently to a slow rhythm. At this late hour, the dancing floor wasn’t so crowded anymore. Alix caught a glimpse of Seb’s parents across from them as they embraced and whispere
d to each other. She again felt a pang watching the loving couple. Would her parents be like that had they survived the airplane crash? She’d like to think they would. She remembered her mother as a sweet and gentle woman and her father was stricter but fun. She adored them as a small girl. She loved and respected her grandma but it was not the same.
Perhaps she appreciated family more because she’d never had a real one. Grandma had often preached on the value of family and how important it was for her as a member of the royal family to set a good example for the citizens. At other occasions, she’d begged her to choose her partner well, to raise her future kids with the values her parents had instilled in her. She’d warned against rushing into marriage for fear it would end in divorce and a broken family for the kids. Alix wondered how Grandma would welcome Seb. Would she see him as a responsible, good man as Alix did? If not, Alix would just have to convince her he was worthy of her love.
“You are gorgeous,” Seb whispered in her ear.
“And you are very sweet.”
“I mean it,” he protested. “You’d make a stunning …” He fell silent abruptly.
She knew he’d meant to say she’d make a stunning bride but he caught himself in time. Perhaps Maya had been right. It was far from an easy situation, still, the only thing which should matter was their love.
“A stunning bride?” she asked, smiling gently to reassure him.
He grinned, relieved. “The most stunning bride ever.”
“Would you make me a bride?” Alix asked, holding her breath. Was she too daring? Would it scare him off? What if he said no? Oh, God.
“I …” Seb seemed at a loss for words. His eyes scanned her face as if he were trying to see if she was serious or just pulling his leg.
“Marry me, Seb,” she said, her voice unsteady with insecurity. But then she realized with any other man this could end with the biggest humiliation for her but she was sure of Seb. She’d been sure of him almost from the first moment they’d met.
“Are you … proposing to me?” He sounded stunned and amazed at the same time and the expression on his face would be hilarious if the moment weren’t so important.
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