Page 80 of A Royal Promise
Today was the day. The day that would end all the questions surrounding his relationship with Bri. The day that would change the course of Drew’s life, for better or worse.
His heart thudded with the hope she would say yes to forever with him, but it was also filled with dread at the possibility she wouldn’t.
As he rounded the corner of the hallway, heading to breakfast, his hand grazed the wainscoting covering the lower part of the wall. When he took another step, Drew felt a snag and heard a ripping sound, stopping him in his tracks.
No.
He knew what it was before he even looked down. On the hall floor laid the friendship bracelet Bri had made him over a decade ago. With it went his last shred of hope that Bri was going to believe everything he’d told her, that she might love him and want a future with him too.
Drew bent over and picked up the ripped bracelet, rubbing his fingers over the faded green and blue threads before shoving itinto his pocket with a sigh. His fingers brushed the velvet box in there—he planned to propose to Bri today for real. The only real question was what her answer would be.
He pulled his hand out of his pocket and made a fist before opening it, flexing his fingers. All he wanted to do was place a ring on her left hand, but for now, he would give her the space she’d asked for until this evening. A rumble erupted from his stomach, so he finished the walk to the dining room, greeting his mother before making a plate of food from the sideboard.
“Hi, Mom.” Drew piled scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, roasted potatoes, and an assortment of fresh fruit, sans watermelon, onto his plate.
“Good morning.” She smiled brightly at him.
“Is father joining us?” He set his plate on the table and dragged his hand through his hair before taking a seat across from his mother.
She shook her head after taking a bite of toast smothered in a mixed-berry jam. “He has a call this morning with Edward.”
Drew nodded to acknowledge her response as he shoveled eggs into his mouth.
“How did you sleep?” his mother asked.
He pushed the remaining eggs on his plate around with a fork. “Honestly, not too well.”
“It wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with a certain blonde-headed beauty, would it?” His mother sipped her tea.
Drew sputtered as he took a drink of orange juice, the citrus burning his throat when it went down the wrong way. “How do you do that?”
“A mother always knows.”
The look of amusement she shot his way had him nervously chewing on a potato. She couldn’t possibly know about everything between him and Bri. She couldn’t possibly knowthe truth.
“What exactly do you think you know?” Drew popped another potato into his mouth, feigning nonchalance.
“Sweetheart, I’ve always known about the marriage pact.”
“You…” His mouth fell open as his eyes searched hers. “What?”
“I decided to let you sleep in a little bit the day after we attended a ball, and I saw it on your desk when I went to wake you. I don’t make a habit of snooping through your belongings, but I noticed the royal seal on it, so I looked over the paper to ensure you hadn’t taken an important document from your father’s office.”
Drew pressed his lips into a firm line as he resumed pushing the eggs around on his plate. “And you read my marriage pact with Bri?”
“I did. I’ve always loved the friendship you two have shared, but one of the greatest joys of my life was watching you fall in love with her right before my eyes.”
His attention shot to her.
She smiled at him, gently setting her cup of tea on its saucer. “Now, it appears to have taken quite some time for her to return your affection, but I believe you have it now, if I’m not mistaken.”
“I…she…” Drew could hardly speak as his brain attempted to keep up with all the revelations his mother was sharing. He rubbed his mouth as he gathered his thoughts. “I can’t believe you’ve known about the pact and my feelings for Bri all this time.” His mouth fell open as another notion hit him. “Why on earth were you going to force me to marry Clarissa, then?”
His mother’s grin grew. “I never would’ve let you go through with marrying that girl. Did you really think I wantedClarissaas my daughter-in-law?”
“I didn’t know what to think.” He shook his head. “Why did you say you thought Clarissa was the best option for me? Whydid you speak to her parents about the potential of a marriage contract?”
“I’ve always loved Bri like she was my own daughter. I’ve known you loved her for a long time, and I thought you needed a little push to share your feelings with her before you were thirty…or some other lucky guy snatched her up.”
