Page 77 of A Royal Promise
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bri
I think I’m falling for my best friend.
Her breath hitched when Drew rubbed small circles on her arm as they gazed at the stars.
Scratch that. I think I’m in love with my best friend.
But Bri wasn’t sure of the depth of his feelings. He had been flirty with her, but from the beginning, they’d said this engagement would be fake. They had rules. Rules they’d broken…but rules, nonetheless.
Breaking the no-PDA rule had led to her breaking the no-catching-feelings rule. It had started like a small snowball at the top of a hill, but now it was this giant mound, careening at her full speed and hitting her with an avalanche of feelings.
She felt like she was stuck under all the feelings, unable to breathe, unable to process everything at the rapid pace it all was piling on top of her.
Trying to change the subject, she said, “How has work been lately?”
Drew sighed. “It’s been a little like getting thrown into the deep end of the pool without a floatie.”
“Information overload?”
“Yeah,” he scoffed. “I thought I already knew everything I needed to know to rule from watching Dad, but I was sorely mistaken. I’m fine at events, because I’ve been attending those my whole life, but being the one in charge of meetings… I’m still trying to figure that one out.”
“That’s understandable. You’ve heard how your father has answered questions he’s asked at meetings recently, but that can only prepare you so much. It’s okay to still be learning as you step into a new role. People don’t expect you to know everything, and it’s okay to seek further counsel before getting back to them. Everyone knows how dedicated you are to Glencrest. You were not only born to be in this position because of your family, but I believe this is the role you were created for. The people deserve a king as kind and caring as you.”
He leaned his head gently against hers. “You give the best pep talks.” Drew pressed his lips to her temple. “Sometimes I feel like my best isn’t enough, so it means the world to me knowing how you see me.”
“I’m happy to remind you anytime.” Her voice came out a little breathless. The press of his body beside hers. The feeling of his lips on her skin. Everything about him was making her heart rate increase and her palms feel clammy.
When she opened her mouth to ask another question, Drew beat her to the chase, shooting up onto his feet and pacing the room.
“Bri, we need to talk about our kiss…and our relationship. I’m done pretending,” he practically shouted.
She sat up on the bean bag, turning to face him. Her heart dropped at his words. She hadn’t been expecting him to say that.If they were done pretending, she didn’t know how to go back to what they were before.
“Where do we go from here now that it’s over?”
He ran his hand down the back of his neck before grabbing fistfuls of his hair. When he turned to her, his eyes were filled with emotion. “What do you mean it’s over?”
“That’s what you said, isn’t it?” She stood, placing her hands on her hips.
“That’s not what I meant, Bri. I’m done pretending.” He crossed the observatory in a few long strides. Drew took her hands and pressed a small kiss to her knuckles.
“I’m done pretending this isn’t real. I’m done pretending I could walk away from you with my heart still intact. I’m done pretending I don’t love you with every fiber of my being. This has been real for me since we attended the Spring Fling carnival when we were twelve. I’ve always known you were different. That you were special. That you wereitfor me. And I’m ready to treat this relationship like it’s real for both of us.”
Her mouth fell open in shock. Each little declaration he made wiggled its way deeper and deeper into her heart. He was saying hehadn’tpretended. He was saying he loved her… But she needed to protect her heart.None of this is real, she reminded herself.
“But I thought we agreed everything would be fake.”
“Not one part of this was ever fake to me. I told you I don’t say anything I don’t mean.” He cupped her jaw with both hands, looking into her eyes with so much love and devotion it made her feel weak in the knees. “When I asked you to enact the marriage pact, I wanted to marry you for real. I’ve been carrying that piece of paper around with me for most of my adult life, wondering when I could finally use it, but you thought I was joking and said you wouldn’t marry me for real…”
Drew dropped his hands, rubbing the back of his neck again. Her eyes moved to the ground as memories from that day a few months ago danced around in her mind.
“You told me you would fake an engagement with me to get my parents off my back about marrying Clarissa, and I went along with it because I wanted you to be comfortable doing this. But not one moment of this has ever been fake to me. Not our dates. Not our conversations. Not our kisses. Not even the words I said to our parents about my love for you. I’ve loved you for so long I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t.”
Her eyes wandered around the room, looking everywhere but at him. It was a lot to take in. This giant love confession. How he said he’d loved her for years when she’d had no idea.
“Why did you never tell me?” she asked, her voice shy. “You say you’ve loved me all these years. Why wait until now?”
