Page 59 of A Royal Arrangement
She stood, needing an escape. “I’m going to go get a cup of tea. Can I get anyone anything?”
“I can ring for the staff to fetch that,” Colin said, motioning for the guard at the room’s entry.
Rosalie held her hand out to stop him as she slowly backed toward the door. “That’s okay. I’ve got it.”
When she had almost escaped the room, she heard Charlotte’s hushed voice saying, “You’d better not hurt our girl.”
And she could’ve sworn she heard Colin respond, “I don’t plan to.”
But her time married to Colin had already taken her on a rollercoaster of emotions, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep putting her feelings on the line just for the rollercoaster to plummet downhill at full speed again.
Chapter Nineteen
Colin
Charlotte stared him down for the second time that day with more intensity than he thought possible. “You’d better not hurt our girl.”
Colin leaned forward, wanting her to see the sincerity in his eyes as he said, “I don’t plan to.”
He looked over his shoulder at Rosalie as she pulled the door closed behind her. It was surprising she was leaving the room when she had hardly spent time with her friends yet.
“Do you think she left the room because I didn’t answer your question?” he asked Bridgette.
“You mean when you didn’t confirm she was a triple threat?” She shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Why didn’t you answer? Don’t you think she’s beautiful?” Sienna jumped in.
He decided honesty was the best policy with his wife’s friends. “I mean, of course she’s beautiful, but I couldn’t say that with her right here.”
“Why not?” Charlotte gasped.
Sienna crossed her arms against her chest. “Why can’t men ever say how they actually feel?”
Colin cleared his throat. “Well, I can’t speak for all men, but I don’t believe I’ve ever told Rosalie she was beautiful before. I didn’t want the first time to be in front of her friendsand her to think it was only because of the question you asked.” He looked directly at Sienna. “When I tell her she’s beautiful, I want her to know, without question, that I mean it.”
The three girls all looked at each other. It seemed as if they were having some kind of conversation without words. Suddenly, they all nodded and turned their attention back to him.
“Aww,” Sienna cooed.
“I officially like you. Are you trying to win her over, Your Majesty?” Bridgette teased.
Charlotte smiled. “You really should tell Rosalie that soon.”
“I will.” He turned to Bridgette. “And…maybe? What I know is that I want to make her happy. I’m still trying to figure out ways to understand her more. Her likes, dislikes, love languages…those kinds of things.” He steepled his hands and rested his chin on them. “I feel like she’s the kind of woman who needs action over words.”
“See?” Charlotte nudged his knee with hers. “You already understand her better than you think.”
Colin looked between Charlotte, Sienna, and Bridgette. He might already have a small understanding of Rosalie, but he realized he had a wealth of knowledge sitting right in front of him.
“What can you three tell me about Rosalie that she wouldn’t tell me herself?”
“Actions over words, like you said, is a big thing. She’s always putting others before herself, so if you show her you’re putting her first and that you value her, that’s big in her book,” Bridgette said.
“Agreed. Rosalie likes small gestures—bring her favorite iced coffee to her or play a game of chess with her—but I think she’s more of a big-gesture kind of gal. Knowing that someone went completely out of their way to do something special for her would definitely win her over,” Charlotte added.
Sienna bit her bottom lip before asking, “Has she told you about her family?”
“I know that she has her mother and father, a brother who is married and has a child, and her sister. She mentioned that her family went through something, but she hasn’t told me what yet.”
