Page 101 of Reluctantly Rogue

“You’ll be one of the first to know how things turn out,” I assure him.

I’ll definitely need to discuss how I feel about your best friend with you.But I can’t do that over the phone. And I can’t do it before I discuss those feelings with that friend.

“I’ll go over everything you’re sending me, and maybe I’ll try to get James on the phone. But I will present this to my grandfather before you get back.” Torin pauses. “If that’s okay?”

“Of course. I think you should take this to him. I think he needs to see you with important ideas and programs for Cara, and the ability to negotiate to get what Cara needs. We definitely don’t have enough resources on our own to keep our young people on the island and to keep building our economy. Your grandfather knows that. While he might not fully understand green energy and embrace the idea, if we can talk in terms of jobs and international goodwill, he’ll appreciate that.”

“International goodwill,” Torin repeats. “I’ll remember that. That is important to him. He wants Cara to be seen as a country that others can look to as a leader, and one that can cooperate with a number of different groups for lots of different purposes.”

“Exactly. Our small size and government structureareadvantages when it comes to putting programs and ideas into place quickly and pivoting when things come up, like this thing with James,” I say, trying to emphasize the point to Torin as well. “If you can manage to say something like that, it would make Diarmuid very happy.”

“You mean acknowledge that there are good things about the monarchy?” Torin asks with a chuckle.

I grin. “Yes. And you know it’s true. There are pros and cons, of course, but being able to make decisions quickly is definitely in the pro column.”

“Fine. I’ll see if I can work that in,” Torin says.

“And,” I say, “try the other-countries-will-look-at-little-Cara-as-a-major-leader-in-an-important-field angle instead of the scientific or ecological stuff.”

The king cares about ecology, of course, but he’s an eighty-two-year-old man and it’s easier to just speak directly to the things that are most important to him.

“I’ll give it my best shot,” Torin says. “Okay with you if I call James?”

I’m flattered that he even asks. He’s the prince. I am simply his advisor. My job is to make these connections between him and people like James, and if Torin wants to call the other man, he certainly doesn’t need my permission. It’s truly very respectful of Torin to ask.

“Of course. I think that’s a great idea.”

“What do I say if he asks about you?” Torin asks.

“Why would he ask about me?”

“He might ask if you mentioned your date last night. Remember, he called me to get your number.”

“Do you want to tell him that I just didn’t say anything?”

Torin chuckles. “I’m not sure that will make him feel any better, but yeah, at least I have plausible deniability.”

“I’m sorry if you feel in the middle of this.” I glance at Jonah again. Speaking of awkward situations for Torin, I wonder what he will think about me and Jonah being together.

I think he’ll be fine with it. He doesn’t want me himself, and he loves Jonah. If Jonah and I are happy, Torin will be happy.

Though it won’t solve the problem of getting him on the throne. Diarmuid doesn’t think he’s ready, and the king has been counting on me being there to make sure everything goes well.

“Well, I didn’t expect you to end up with both of them, so obviously at some point one of them was going to be disappointed.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“I’ll let you go. I hope you have a good time tonight. Tell the senator hello for me.”

“I will.”

We disconnect, but my stomach is suddenly uneasy. I have a date tonight. With a man other than the one I slept with last night.

With a man who is probably very close to perfect for me.

If I’m not going to be married to a prince, a senator would also be a good fit. Of course, assuming we get along and are attracted to one another.

But I can’t stop thinking about Jonah. Of course, because of the things we did last night.Of courseI’m thinking about all of that. It was…amazing. I was disappointed to wake up alone in bed this morning. It was all so new for me and better than I ever imagined.

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