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Then she picked up her purse and stalked out of the villa.
For a long moment, Xander and Maisy just stood there, not moving, not speaking. Xander was reminded of how they’d been when they’d first arrived — awkward and upset with each other. Now, he was upset for another reason. How could their time together be cut short like this after just one day? He’d hoped for more time to explore how they felt about each other before they had to face the real world.
But time was up. In a few hours, they’d be back in Aenicea in front of the king and queen — whether they were ready or not.
“Xander.” Maisy sounded a little teary. Xander wanted to put his arms around her, but he didn’t. This all felt like too much. “I think it’s time to talk now, isn’t it?”
“I think you’re right.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Maisy, this day has been one of the best of my life. Perhaps the best.”
“For me too.” Maisy wiped her eyes with one hand. “But Xander… this isn’t going to work out, is it?”
Her words hit him like a punch in the gut. He’d hoped to make a plan for how they could be together, but it seemed that Maisy didn’t want that.
“You don’t think so?”
“I mean, how could it?” Maisy shrugged helplessly. “I’m betrothed to your brother. We both have duties, responsibilities. I have to go marry Niko. Don’t I?”
Xander wanted to tell her to screw her duties and responsibilities, that they could make things work, that she didn’t have to marry Niko at all. He wanted to beg her to stay married to him. But even as these words rushed through his mind, he knew he couldn’t say them. He wanted nothing more than to be with Maisy for as long as she’d have him. But that didn’t mean that being with her was the right answer — for either of them.
Maisy was born to be queen. She was thoughtful, caring, and intelligent. She would rule over the Aenicean people with a kind of grace and caring that Niko couldn’t provide. Even if they didn’t love each other, Xander had to admit that his brother and Maisy would make a perfect team. Maisy could fulfill her destiny, and Xander could fade into the background.
Xander tried desperately to think of another way, but he fell short. If Maisy chose him over the throne, she might alienate herself from her family forever. She would never be a queen. Over time, she might come to resent Xander for taking all that away from her — even if she didn’t feel that way now. Xander couldn’t bear to think of causing Maisy any pain, now or in the future. And she herself had said that their relationship wouldn’t work. This was what she wanted.
“I understand,” Xander said woodenly. “You have to marry Niko.”
“I know.” Maisy wiped her eyes again. She was biting her lip. “It seems like we’d better consign this whole trip to the history books.”
Xander nodded slowly. The most loving thing to do was to let Maisy go, so that was what he would do. No matter how much it hurt him. After all, they’d spent less than twenty-four hours together. That was no basis to throw everything else away. Even if he wanted to. Even if agreeing to end their relationship felt like a knife in his heart.
“I agree. Let’s leave what happened here, on the island.”
“Okay.” Maisy took a deep breath. “I’ll just go pack, then.” And she fled. As she closed the door to the bedroom, Xander saw her wipe her eyes again. His heart ached. For a moment, he considered running after her, but he held himself back. Their future was not to be.
CHAPTER 16
MAISY
As soon as Maisy was alone in the bedroom, she burst into silent tears. Her heart felt like it was breaking. She’d hoped that Xander might contradict her, that he might say that they could work things out and that she mattered more than any duty, but he’d just agreed with her. Maybe he didn’t feel as strongly about her as she felt about him. Maybe, despite what he’d said, this whole trip was just another fling for him.
She sank onto the bed where they’d made love just the night before and felt tears spill down her cheeks. The last twenty-four hours already felt like a dream, like something too good to be true. And it had been too good to be true. Why had she ever let herself imagine that Xander would want to be with her? Maybe there had been a good reason why he had refused to talk about the future. Maybe it was because he didn’t see one.
Maisy let herself cry a little longer, then pulled herself together with a series of deep breaths. She needed to put on a brave face. Xander couldn’t see how heartbroken she was.
Quickly, she packed her things, tossing them pell-mell into the open suitcase on the floor. Next, she collected her toiletries from the bathroom counter and tossed them in before dropping her clothes in, in a wad. She would never do something like this normally — she liked order and for things to be in their proper place — but today she couldn’t handle folding her clothes or organizing anything. Once her suitcase was more or less packed, she grabbed an outfit at random and hurried back towards the bathroom for a shower.
Xander was kneeling beside the couch, packing his own suitcase. Maisy didn’t make eye contact with him. Instead, she walked briskly by. He was going to be a part of her life forever, as her brother-in-law, and she needed to get used to that. She couldn’t cry every time she saw him.
Yet, in the shower, Maisy found herself teary again. Her betrothal to Niko had never been thrilling, but she’d made do because she didn’t know the alternative. But now that she’d had a taste of the fairy-tale romance she’d always dreamed of, it was going to be almost impossible to go back.
She considered going to Xander and confessing that she did want to try to be with him, but she held herself back. Xander had been clear that he was just fine with their relationship ending. This was for the best.
Maisy only wished that it didn’t hurt so much.
About ten minutes before they were supposed to meet Safa at the airstrip, Xander knocked on Maisy’s door.
“We should go. Safa must have called a cab for us — there’s one waiting outside.”
“Thank you.” Maisy stood and slung her bag onto her shoulder. In the living room, she didn’t meet Xander’s eyes. He was clearly subdued as well, but she had to imagine that it was out of worry about what would happen when they returned, not because he had any kind of feelings for her. He would have said something if he did.
