Page 64 of Royal Reluctance

“You looked so beautiful then, and your hair.” I swallow, fighting the urge to touch her hair. “You look even more so now.”

Her voice catches and the way she looks at me… “Thank you,” she whispers.

I’m not one to believe in second chances but the way Hettie looks at me… maybe.

Just maybe.

23

Hettie

Bo said I lookbeautiful.

It’s been a long time since someone told me that, other than Tema. Timothy is a good man, but he’s not free with affection or compliments. But Bo, even with his reserve and quiet stoicism, never hesitated in telling me that I looked pretty, or catching me in a hug.

I’m not without affection, and it’s not that Timothy never touches me, but it’s one thing I missed about Bo.

One of many.

When Tema emerges, followed by a harried Abigail, it’s obvious what the problem was. Her dark red hair is a frizzled nest from Abigail’s failed attempts at making it look presentable for a royal dinner.

“You want to try?” Abigail asks. At least she managed to keep Tema from pulling the dress off. My daughter is at the stage where she hates wearing anything but her favourite pair of purple velour leggings when forced to dress up.

“You look pretty,” Bo says and Tema’s face lights up.

“We can go now,” she says to me. “Prince Daddy says I look pretty.”

I look at Abigail and then at Bo. His expression is bemused and I can tell Tema has got him wrapped tight around her finger. I shrug. “Let’s go then.”

“Sorry about the hair,” Abigail says.

I laugh. “You do a better job than I do. At least you kept her away from the scissors.”

Tema leads the way to the staircase, dancing in front of Bo. It is going to take a while for me to find my way about this place.

And for the first time, I allow the little thought ofmaybe I should staytake root.

“Are you the oldest?” Tema demands of Bo as we start down the stairs. I’m torn between looking around at the variety of weapons in this place and their conversation.

“No, Kalle is, and then Odin.”

She peers up at him from beneath bangs that need a trim. “You mean there’s princes bigger than you?”

Bo chuckles and my heart gives a funny squeeze at the sound. “Just Kalle, but he can’t swing an ax like I can.”

“You have an ax?”

Bo nods. “Odin has a sword.”

Tema clutches her hands together. “Do you think he’ll let me play with it?”

“Absolutely not,” I cut in. “No weapons allowed.”

Bo glances over his shoulder at me. “He’s got training ones too. Camille got pretty good at sparring with him when she was here.”

“That’s Lady Camille; the one who runs a country?” Tema demands.

“She’s been using Google,” Abigail offers.

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