Page 52 of The Heart of the King

Hazel nodded slowly. “I think so.”

Tears filled Jasmine’s eyes as he reached out and squeezed Zellie’s forearm gently. “No one will be mad at you if you don’t get it exactly right tonight, I promise.”

Once again Zellie seemed to shrink into herself. “You won’t be?”

A tear spilled from Jazz’s eye as David shook his head. “No, Hazel. I won’t be mad if you make a mistake. If you purposely caused problems, I would be sad and disappointed, but if you do your best and forget something, I wouldn’t be mad at all.”

Jazz used a tissue from the table next to her to dab at her eyes. The last thing she needed was to look like a raccoon when all the VIPs showed up.

Maybe the same was true for her. If she did her best and still screwed something up before disembarking the yacht in a few hours, maybe he wouldn’t be mad at her either.

If there wasone thing David knew for absolutely certain, it was that he didn’t understand women.

Like why Jasmine was crying, or trying not to anyway, while he spoke with Hazel.

He’d simply told the truth.

No one expected seven-year-olds to remember all of this when it came to members outside of their family anyway, especially not in private.

Stewart cleared his throat. “King Benjamin will be arriving momentarily, sir.”

“Thank you.” David stood and straightened his coat. “Are you ready?” He looked at Hazel, but his question really encompassed both of them.

She nodded then stood.

David stood closest to the entrance. Jasmine stood next him with Hazel last in their little receiving line.

As they entered, Stewart made the announcement. “Their Majesties, King Benjamin and Queen Katrín of Eyjania.”

David shook hands with Benjamin then greeted Katrín with a kiss to the cheek as Benjamin did the same with Jasmine.

Rather than greeting Katrín immediately, Jasmine surprised him by turning to Hazel. “This lovely young lady is my sister-in-law, Mildred Hazel, but she generally goes by Hazel.”

Benjamin took Hazel’s hand and kissed the back of it much as David had done earlier. “It is truly a pleasure to meet you. May I present my wife, Queen Katrín of Eyjania?”

Hazel managed two curtsies in a very short period of time. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

Somehow, Jasmine never truly greeted Katrín, but David suspected it would be just fine.

The greetings with Edward and Astrid were similar, though Sofia was with them as well. Sofia took it all in stride. It wasn’t her first royal rodeo, as it were. She told Hazel she was looking forward to watching a movie together later. It might be late enough that both girls would fall asleep before it was over.

Then came the last couple. David greeted Esme as he had the other women, but Gabe gave him a manly handshake-hug thing David didn’t expect.

Once again, Jasmine forewent greeting the second in line and instead introduced Hazel, but a bit differently this time.

“Hazel, this is your brother, Gabriel, and his wife Queen Esmeralda.” It wasn’t the right order to introduce a royal couple, but David understood why she did it that way. They would, too.

They did as the others had done with Esme shaking Hazel’s hand and Gabe kissing the back of it.

Gabe added, “I do hope we’ll get to spend some time together before we have to go back home. I’ve looked forward to meeting you for years, Hazel.”

Hazel’s face colored. “Thank you, sir.”

Gabe leaned closer. “Call me, Gabe. I’m your brother.”

She nodded. “Yes, sir. Gabe.”

Gabe chuckled and the five of them moved into the salon where everyone else was gathered.

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