Page 152 of Rags to Royals

My eyes get wide. “What?” I demand.

“Nothing!”

“Ruby,” I say warningly. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I was just…” She swallows. “I was just thinking about how Cian really liked how proud his family was of him. How he felt like he was doing something important like they all do.”

“Right,” I agree. But my stomach is knotting.

“And now, their grandfather might be dying,” she says.

“Right,” I say again, slowly.

She takes a breath, then ask in a rush, “Do you think that Cian would marry Astrid?”

My stomach roils. I gasp. Then I shake my head. But then…I stop shaking my head. I stare at my sister.

“I mean, it’s what his grandfather wants,” Ruby says. “It’s really important to the king. What if it’s like a deathbed wish?”

My heart is now pounding so loud, her voice sounds muted.

“Astrid is really close to the family,” Ruby goes on. “She’ll probably be there. What if, in the midst of all the emotion and everything, they think they can make Diarmuid happy in the end and get married before he dies.”

I’m squeezing Ruby’s arm harder now. “But…” I start. Then I honestly can’t think of anything else to say. I’m the dumbass who didn’t tell him I love him. And hisgrandfatheris dying.

“So…you haven’t told Cian that you love him. And now you have sent him home where his grandfather is dying and his final wish might be for Cian to marry an amazing, beautiful, very successful and?—”

“Ruby,” I interrupt. “Can we skip over the part about how his fiancée is fucking incredible?”

“Right. Sorry. It’s just that she’sAstrid Olsen.”

I finally let out a long breath. And nod. “I know, right?”

“Okay,” Ruby says, shaking us both. “You need to call him and tell him that you love him.”

She’s probably right. But instead I say, “I think I need an airplane.”

“Oh,” she says. “Oh.” Then she nods. “Okay.”

“How do I get to Cara? If I fly from Columbus, I could go to Chicago? New York?”

Ruby pulls her phone out of her back pocket. “Are you seriously telling me that you think you’re going to fly commercial? That will take forever!”

“Well, I don’t have a private plane. My maybe, sort of, boyfriend who is also Astrid Olsen’s fiancée does. But it’s kind of in use!” I think my voice is suddenly much higher pitched than usual.

Ruby holds up a finger, telling me to wait and puts her phone to her ear.

A second later, she says, “Yes, it’s me.” She pauses, listening to the other person. “No, I’m okay.” She frowns. “I know I told you I was never going to call you again, but Scarlett needs a favor. She needs an airplane to bring her to Cara.” Ruby pauses, listening, then she says, “Fine.” Another pause. “Yes,fine.” She sighs. “Okay.”

She disconnects and meets my eyes. “Henry’s going to take care of it. You need to go home and pack. Actually, we all do. Henry insists that Mariah and I come too.”

“You called Henry?”

“He’s the only one I know who can get a private plane on short notice and who’s number I have in my phone.”

“Even though you said you were done with him and told him you weren’t going to call him ever again?”

She gives me a little smile. “I’ll do anything for you, Scarlett.”

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