Page 61 of Rogue Royal
It was Mav’s turn to laugh. “I want nothing more, but it’s not possible, Your Majesty. We’re too different.”
She waved her hand. “Pfft. Love isn’t difficult, Maverick. The things that make life hard are the barriers we put in our own way or other people put in our way. The latter is easier to push aside than the former.”
“I can’t let Douglas suffer for being with me. It’s not fair to him, especially as he has such amazing plans for his future.”
She tilted her head. “Why would he suffer for being with you?”
Mav rolled his lips inwards. Although the queen had been present when the king had asked Mav to continue seeing his son, did she know about it? Did she agree to it? Or was she in the dark? He didn’t want to implicate the king in anything.
“Ah. I suppose my husband has had some ideas of his own for how his son needs to live his life.”
Mav neither confirmed nor denied, but Queen Louisa’s mouth firmed. “You let me deal with my husband, Maverick. I have never seen Douglas as happy as he has been these last few weeks. Whatever worries you have about your relationship with him, please don’t give up on him.”
“I’m not giving up on him, but our relationship won’t last.”
“How do you know?”
“He’s an heir to the throne, Your Majesty. I’m…” He didn’t know how to finish his sentence. He wasn’t anyone of consequence.
“You’re the person my son is in love with.”
Mav lifted his gaze to meet hers. “What?”
She smiled and reclaimed her teacup, taking another sip. “You’d be surprised what a mother knows when nothing is said.” Mav didn’t know how to respond. “Let me handle my husband. You have your hands full with my son.” She winked. “Good luck.”
Mav stood, bowing to her before exiting the room. When he was several corridors away, he rested back against the wall, puffing. What the hell?
****
“She saidwhat?”
Zara’s voice screeched through the phone. Mav should expect that to be her reaction to everything he said instead of being surprised every time. This time, though, it sliced through his head like a knife.
“You heard me.”
He had his phone resting on a stand in the kitchen as he cooked his dinner. Douglas was finishing up his last appointment, and Mav knew he would eat at the castle before leaving for his apartment. Mav decided to eat as well; therefore, they would have time to do…other things, as long as his headache let him. A tremor of excitement filled him, despite having no sense of what to expect from Douglas.
“Basically, you’re saying the king is against it, and the queen is for it?” Zara’s words brought his attention back to the conversation as he poured the pasta into the pan of boiling water.
“Yep.”
“I knew they didn’t agree on everything. That interview was wrong.”
Mav snorted. “They have to be seen in a good light, Z. What did you expect them to say?We argue all the time. Neither of us can agree on anything.I doubt it would go down well with the public.”
“I don’t see why not. It would show that they were human, not above us all.”
“Of course, they’re above us. They’re the fricking king and queen!”
“But they’re always going on about how they want to be seen as normal. How can they when all the public sees are the perfect couple?”
Mav had to admit she had a point, but he could also see how it would seem to the public to see the king and queen as a “normal” couple. There were too many differences between them and the average citizen to make anyone believe them to be normal. It’s why his job was so important. Showing the world that, despite their differences in status, they were the same as everyone else wouldn’t work.
“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Things will never change. The world wants people to believe in and scrutinise and get frustrated at, and the royal family is one of those groups.”
“When you marry into the family, it will make you that, too.”
Mav paused in his movements. She was correct…if he married Douglas, he would change, but it would never happen. The king wouldn’t allow it.
