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She stared at her shoes and whimpered quietly every time I looked at her. Was meeting the prince really that dreadful?
“Are you okay?” I spoke softly, anxious she might burst out of her skin at the slightest startle. “Would you like some water? Or something to eat?” She was remarkably petite. It was hard not to be taken aback by her size.
“I’ll survive, Your Highness.” Refusing eye contact, she clutched her stomach, as if my words had reminded her of her hunger. To resolve the issue, I made my way to the cabinet, where I had stashed a couple of snacks to enjoy between meetings. I returned with a small bag of nuts and extended them to her.
“I know this evening has taken longer than expected. We have dinner scheduled for later, but this might hold you over until then.”
Her eyes met mine for the first time. Never had I witnessed such a mesmerizing shade of amber that radiated warmth and enchantment. I set the bag in her hand and smiled, pleasantly surprised by the authentic connection we’d made. “Hello there. Finally, we meet. Nice to see you.”
A flicker of a smile twitched her full lips. They parted as if she might speak again. I waited; hopeful that fear wouldn’t hide in her tone.
“Get your hands off me!” a voice echoed off the hall walls outside my study. I recognized it immediately and clenched my hands to keep my frustration at bay. Rising to my feet again, I left Sadie on the settee and strode toward the doorway. Chantal, my ex, filled it before I arrived, eyes alight with trouble. “Hello, darling. It’s been too long.”
“Not long enough,” I said without remorse. “Please trust that I am not the reason you are here, Chantal.” The guard stepped forward like he meant to remove her, but I raised a hand to stop him. I didn’t want a scene.
Cameras wouldn’t focus on anything between me and Sadie, the commoner, but all the gossip rags had hunted me for months after my breakup with the international model who stood before me. She mastered the art of provoking me, appearing innocent and victimized. The entire nation yearned to witness our petty arguments in a public arena.
“Excuse me, Your Highness.” Small Sadie slipped around me and through the space left open in the doorway. I opened my mouth to call her back, but like a field mouse, she had already scurried away.
Frustrated, I turned away from Chantal and started toward the couch again. “Why agree to come when I’ll just send you home?”
“Don’t be silly,” she followed like she had no clue that I was trying to put space between us, “you still love me, Leo. I know you do.”
“Not as much as you love yourself.” I couldn’t deny that seeing her again brought up old feelings I thought I’d smothered, but along with the good, came the horrible. “The second I thought about giving up the crown, you were gone, and now that it looks like I’ll reign, you’re back again.” I took my seat, not caring that I should have waited for her to sit first. “Tell me why on earth I should let you stay?”
Chantal lowered herself to the seat, shrugging like this was all a game. “I make your mother happy. She adores me. You know I’d make a good queen. I have a deep understanding of the inner workings of the kingdom. Being raised as a lady of court, I know what it means to rule. To me, it’s the obvious choice.”
“And to me,” I met her haughty stare, “it’s not so simple.”
Once again, the long hallway telegraphed a visitor with echoing footsteps headed our way. Someone was coming. Likely whoever was supposed to follow Sadie. I glanced up, hating that I dreaded the next contestant like I was waiting on a threat. At that moment, seeing Gwendolyn in the doorway brought me unparalleled joy.
“Did they send me early?” Gwen smirked. “You know I always have been bad with timing.”
Chantal kept her stare locked on me. “Not at all. We had a lovely chat. Didn’t we?”
I didn’t say a word. The pain she’d caused when she dumped me still cut fresh. But once again, I found myself conflicted. She’d made a good point. I once believed she’d be queen, but then I questioned my own duty to the throne. Was I to blame for the breakup?
Chantal left as Gwen hovered in the doorway. She waited briefly, ensuring our privacy, before making a face. “That is one intense duchess.” Her mouth shifted to the side with sneaky thoughts. “Do you think we could slip her a Valium or something?”
Laughter crept up on me and took me by surprise. Rising to my feet, I covered the ground between us and pulled her into a hug. It was too familiar. Too easy. Hidden cameras watched us from all angles. I swore I felt them zooming in to get a close up. I needed to be more careful.
But for a moment, I didn’t care.
I needed something real.
Coming to my senses, I released my grasp and stepped away. Gwen ducked her head and started toward the couch as if she knew her role. “Sorry to barge in like that, but I saw her go barreling down the hallway and I thought you might need to be rescued.”
“You know me,” I said ruefully as I took my seat.
“Yes,” she agreed, “I do.”
My mind flashed back to our last conversation and how it all unraveled. Bringing her back like this wasn’t fair, but I had no choice. Desperation dictated decisions.
Gwen took a quick breath and asked the question everyone wanted to know. “What’s Chantal doing here? You didn’t end on good terms.”
I leaned back and ran my palms over my slacks. “She was always my mother’s favorite. Chantal must have been her pick. Mother always thought she’d make a good queen.”
A heavy pause landed between us. Not because Gwen had nothing to say. Judging from her expression, she wanted the right words.
