Page 42 of Fake Fiancée, Real Baby
The queen reached out and placed her hand on Claire’s arm.
“I don’t think any of us ever are,” she said. “But we have to make the best of things. Smile, nod, wave — do everything that’s expected of us — and remember that behind it all, we have one another. You and Adrien make a lovely couple, Claire. I hope you’ll be very happy together. I’ve not seen him like this in a long time. You’ve given him back his spark. I’m very grateful to you for that.”
Claire smiled. She hadn’t realized she’d done anything much, but she was grateful to the queen for her words, and when they’d parted company, she thought again about what she was doing. It was unfair of her to leave without saying something more — without giving Adrien a chance to tell her how he was feeling. It wouldn’t be fair, and she realized now how selfish she was being. The baby was his, too. He was going to be a father.
What am I doing?
Taking a deep breath, she ran her hands through her hair, not knowing which way to turn. The car was waiting for her. The flights were booked. Her old life was waiting. But the new life remained, and the queen’s words had resonated with her. Claire had spent so long worrying about what others were saying about her, thinking about her…
But none of that matters, does it? Not if we love one another.
Sighing, she placed her hands on her stomach, imagining what being a mom would be like. Could she do it on her own? Her family wouldn’t understand what she’d left behind, and Adrien, too — didn’t he deserve more of a say? But staying together for the sake of a baby was a recipe for disaster. Claire knew of others who’d done the same. They’d said they’d make a go of it — “for the baby’s sake.” But the queen was right. There was no other reason to be together except love. If anything else was the case, it would fail. Did she love Adrien? Claire thought back to those first days. There was something about him. Something different. He made her feel like no man had ever done before. It wasn’t about money, or privilege. None of that mattered. She didn’t care if she lived in a palace or a condo. What mattered was love, and if Claire was going to stay, she had to be certain of her feelings.
And that means not running away. It means giving him a chance.
Her mind was made up. She couldn’t just leave like this. There was so much more still to be said, and taking a deep breath, Claire went in search of the prince.
CHAPTER 22
ADRIEN
“Have you seen Miss Bellamy?” Adrien asked, catching one of the footmen who was just leaving Claire’s apartment.
He shook his head. “No, Your Highness. I haven’t seen her. I was just delivering a message from the kitchens. Monsieur Faronne was asking to know a detail of the recipe she’d given him.”
Adrien looked at him in surprise. “What recipe is that?” he asked.
Again, the footman shook his head. “I don’t know, sir. But Miss Bellamy went to the kitchens this morning. It was a favorite dish of yours. I think I saw langoustines in a pan.”
The mention of the langoustines made Adrien think. He wondered if perhaps this was the same dish as Claire had cooked on board the yacht. But if it was, why had she left the recipe with Monsieur Faronne? Wouldn’t she be making it for him herself?
“You don’t think she’s leaving, do you?” he asked.
It was hardly appropriate to voice such a thought to a footman, and yet Adrien was now gripped by a sudden fear. He wondered if Claire having shared the recipe with Monsieur Faronne meant she had no intention of being there to cook it for him. The footman looked confused.
“I… I don’t know, sir. There’s a car waiting. But I don’t know where it’s going to take her.”
Adrien stared at him in astonishment. “Find her. And when you do. Tell her I have to see her. Tell everyone to look for her. She can’t be allowed to leave. Not until I’ve spoken to her.”
He was gripped by a sudden desperation. If Claire was leaving, everything was lost.
“Yes, Your Highness,” the footman said, as Adrien hurried away.
He’d wanted to wait and surprise her — to reveal the present he’d promised her from the beginning. But now, the thought of her leaving had galvanized him. Rushing through the palace, he told everyone he met to find Claire and to tell her to meet him at the royal theater.
“I’ll be waiting for her there,” he called out, hurrying along, gripped by a sense of desperation.
He’d taken Claire for granted, and expected her to be something she wasn’t yet ready to be. In doing so, he’d come close to losing her — perhaps he already had. But the thought of doing so brought with it a resolve, and Adrien knew he couldn’t allow her to slip through his fingers. He loved her, and now was the moment to prove it.
“Miss Bellamy? Miss Bellamy?” a voice behind Claire called out.
She’d been returning to her apartment, looking for Esme, but now, as she turned, she found several people hurrying towards her from different directions.
“What’s wrong? Has something happened?” she asked.
It was one of the footmen who’d reached her first.
“His Royal Highness requests your company at the royal theater, Miss Bellamy. I’m to ask you to go there at once,” he said.
