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“I don’t know … I guess it’s just really great to see you and August talking again,” she began, pausing to sip her coffee. “Before you know it, you two will be just like old times. Completely inseparable.”
I sighed, a smile tugging at my lips as I gazed out at the ocean’s restless waves. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I appreciate what he did to get my purse back, and I’ll admit I’m seeing things in a different light, but I still have to consider what’s best for me. Choosing to be with him isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. It isn’t just about love. It would mean becoming the future queen of Verdana.”
Daphne set her cup down with a gentle clink. “But you were prepared for that exact scenario when you were engaged to Oliver. It would have been the same outcome, queen either way, but this time you’d be with the right king.”
“How do you know?” I countered. “The marriage of convenience with Oliver stripped away the emotional complications. It was like a partnership or even a business transaction. With August, it’s different. Love brings feelings, expectations ... which complicate everything.”
Daphne nodded slowly, processing my words. “Maybe, but doesn’t love also make the hard parts more bearable? If you’re going to be queen and have descendants, wouldn’t you rather it be with someone you truly love?”
Her question lingered in the air, heavier than the humid breeze wafting across our balcony. I pondered her point. The reality that perhaps facing challenges with someone I loved, let alone making the babies, could make things easier.
“Love might make some things easier,” I admitted, folding my arms across my chest. “But it also makes it harder to think with my head versus my heart. I can’t let my guard down completely—not yet.”
Daphne reached across the small table that separated our chairs, her hand briefly squeezing mine. “I get that. Just don’t close your heart off to the possibility, Veronica. Sometimes, what’s best for you might also be what’s hardest to admit.”
Daphne’s perspective held more truth than I had allowed myself to acknowledge. Still, there were some loose strings, some things even she didn’t know, like the confession he had.
“There’s also something he hasn’t told me,” I shared.
Daphne turned to me. “Do you know what it is?”
I shrugged. “I don’t have a clue, but he said it was a confession, which means it was obviously something he did. I’m not sure if that is good or bad, but I can’t get it out of my head.”
“We also can’t ignore all the things he’s been doing for you. How many times has he saved your life now?” Daphne leaned back with a grin, her chair creaking slightly under the shift of weight.
That made me chuckle. “Letting me borrow his swim trunks or getting my purse back from a ten-year-old kid hardly counts as saving my life, although I felt horrible that he got injured.”
“He’s going to great pains to do anything and everything for you, which is always a good thing,” Daphne persisted, her voice playful yet pointed. “I forgot to ask you if you had the dream again last night.”
I nodded. “Every night like clockwork. If only real life were that simple.”
In my ever-recurring dream, August and I had a blissful marriage with three children—two girls and a boy—who filled our days with joy and our hearts with love. Each time, the dream painted a life so vivid and touching, it seemed my subconscious was telling me not to give up on what might be.
Daphne smiled softly, understanding my internal struggle. “Sometimes life surprises us in ways we can’t anticipate. Maybe your dream isn’t as far off as you think.”
Her words were meant to comfort but only made my heart race a bit faster. Shifting gears, I decided to touch on something that had been on my mind.
“Speaking of relationships, what’s happening with you and Caleb?” I asked. “Was that a kiss on the bus or not?”
Daphne shrugged nonchalantly at first, but then her lips curled into a mischievous grin. “Maybe not, but I wanted it to be.”
I leaned closer, intrigued. “Are you really interested in my brother?”
“Yes, more than I care to admit,” she confessed, her eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and nervousness. “I’m definitely in exploration mode. Yesterday, we talked a lot.”
Although the thought of Daphne with Caleb still felt slightly odd, the potential reassured me because they both were genuine people with good hearts.
“It might be a little weird at first seeing my brother with you, but I think you’d be great together,” I said. “Caleb is fiercely loyal. I respect him more than just about anyone I know. He would never leave you, like August left me.”
Daphne nodded, her expression thoughtful. “You know, you really haven’t given August a chance to explain his side of things. There might be more to the story than you think.” She patted me on the leg. “For now, you need to hustle. Be downstairs in ten minutes to meet Abena.”
Descending to the lounge, I was a mix of anticipation and curiosity. Today wasn’t about leisure; it was about my passion—agriculture.
Settling into the cozy lounge chair, I pulled out my phone to check the time, and just then, a text from Abena popped up. She said was running a little late, which gave me a moment to relax and enjoy the soothing sound of the ocean waves nearby. I ordered two chai teas, hoping they’d be ready by the time she arrived.
Moments later, Abena entered the lounge, her elegant gold kaftan fluttering slightly as she hurried over. Despite her brisk pace, there was a graceful air about her.
“I’m terribly sorry for the delay, Your Highness,” she apologized with a slight bow, looking flustered.
