Page 71 of Royal Reluctance

“I like it here. I wish we’d come sooner.”

The sigh escapes before I can stop it. “Me too, baby. Me too.”

Bo is poking the fire and I wonder if he heard our comments. Not that it matters; I do wish we’d come sooner. Seeing Bo with our daughter, it’s not difficult to feel the regret of not telling him.

If I had told him I was pregnant, things would be so different.

But I didn’t, and here we are.

“Thank you,” I tell him as I sink onto the couch.

He frowns. “I’m not sure exactly what you’re thanking me for, but you’re welcome. I had fun.” He points through the fire. “With her.”

“Thank you for not being upset about me not telling you. You had every right to be angry.”

“Ah.” He sets down the poker and comes to sit beside me. Not too close, but less than a cushion distance apart this time.

I make note of how close he is, and how I wouldn’t be opposed to having him a little closer.

Not that I should suggest, or hope for it.

“Getting upset wasn’t really an option.” Bo shifts, resting his arm on the back of the couch as he looks at me. “If I was mad, it would have gotten in the way of me getting to know her.” He points to the bedroom. “But you never know what the therapist is going to tell me to do.”

I smile, realizing he’s joking. “You’re going to talk to someone?”

“I don’t really have a choice there either,” he says ruefully.

“Like you told me, you always have a choice.”

The blue in his eyes is intense. “Do I?”

I don’t think he’s asking about the therapist. “I think it’ll be good for you,” I say instead.

“Have you ever?”

I shake my head. “It probably would have helped when I was growing up, but no. Anyway, I have Abigail. There’s no keeping secrets from her, and she’s always quite open with her opinions.”

“What do you think is going on with her and Spencer?” Bo frowns again, and just the slight movement in his forehead makes him look more like his father.

The king.

I have to remember that this isn’t just Bo sitting here in the warmth of the fire with me, but a man who has a duty to his own family, as well as a country.

“Nothing. Yet.” Because Abigail might give in to whatever she feels for Spencer, but she won’t consider anything longer than a few days until she knows what I’m going to do. And it’s not just me that will keep Abigail at my side. She loves Tema almost as much as I do.

“Depends on this, then.” Bo motions between the two of us.

“Maybe.”

The fire cracks and sparks flare as a log catches fire.

There are still sparks between us, but we need more than that. We need… I’m not sure.

Forgiveness? For ourselves as well as each other? It would be a start but would it be enough. We have eight years to get through.

We need more than one conversation for that.

“Maybe we should figure it out. For their sake.” Bo’s fingers stretch out to rest on my shoulder. The touch sends a jolt through me and I shift without realizing it.

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