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And fifteen minutes after walking into the judge’s chambers…I’m officially Cara’s new Crown Princess.
Holy shit.
I’m still in a bit of a daze as we head to the airport to get on Torin’s private jet.
Until Jonah pulls me aside while Torin is talking to the pilot and our luggage is getting loaded.
“May I have a word, Princess Abigail?”
“Oh my God, you have to keep calling me Abi,” I tell him. “No…P word in front of it either.”
He laughs softly. “Okay, Abi.”
“And of course you can have a word. Have several.”
Jonah doesn’t waste any time with small talk. "You make Torin happy,” he tells me.
“I’m…glad.” I’m not sure how exactly to respond. Jonah knows this is all temporary and very outcome oriented. “That will make this next year easier, right?” I smile.
Jonah doesn’t return it. He’s not frowning, but he looks very serious. “Torin is conflicted about his role as prince. He’s not sure he believes in the monarchy, but he feels the pressure to step up to be the monarch. His family needs him to. The country needs him to. If something happens to his grandfather without Torin there and ready to take over, his family and the whole country will be in turmoil. His primary desire is to provide stability to them all. To accomplish that, he could simply continue doing things exactly the way his grandfather does them. But Torin is…Torin. He’s not really the bare minimum type.” Jonah tips his head. “Why just dance when you can waltz?”
I take a breath and nod. I know all about Torin being…more. Seemingly in every way.
I realize Jonah isn’t telling me all of this as Torin’s bodyguard. This is my new husband’s best friend talking to me.
“He wants what he does for the rest of his life to matter,” Jonah goes on. “And he believes the country needs more than what they have now. There needs to be innovation and growth. But he really wants his grandfather, the only person who really knows what it’s like to be king, to tell him he’ll do a good job and that his ideas are right.”
I understand that to some extent. It’s nice to hear that you’re doing something right. But I learned a long time ago that people’s words don’t mean much without actions behind them. “It’s even better to see you’ve done something right. To prove it. To yourself and to others,” I say.
Jonah gives me a small smile. “I agree.”
My heart starts thumping.
I know how much words mean to Torin, though. “The king doesn’t tell Torin that he’ll be a good king?”
Jonah shakes his head. “The king focuses on the things Torin isn’t doing right and tries to correct those. They butt heads a lot. Torin has a lot of ideas, things he’d like to try, but the king hasn’t let him put any of it out there yet.”
“Torin abdicated. Surely, it’s clear to his grandfather that he doesn’t agree with how Diarmuid does things.”
Jonah nods. “Exactly the problem. Torin’s not really able to hide his feelings or bite his tongue when he has something to say. As you might have noticed.”
I nod and can’t help but smile. “Now that you mention it.”
“You need to know that since Torin met you and learned about your farms, he’s been committed to the throne in a way I haven’t seen before. He’s excited about your farms because they’re tangible. They make sense, and he knows he can depend on you to make them happen. Torin believes in you. The farms give him a specific purpose. Something he can really do with the power of the crown.”
I take a deep breath. That’s a lot. But it also makes me feel warm and excited.
“That’s what he needed,” Jonah says. “Torin needed to see that he can do good—specific, visible good—with his power. He’s uncomfortable with the idea of power with no purpose. He left the throne and the chance to rule behind. He came back to Cara reluctantly. He’s only there because of his family. But to really step up enthusiastically, he needs a plan that will for certain make things better for the people.”
I feel my heart start thumping hard.
The idea that someone understands and believes in my farms in the first place is exciting but imagining that what I want to do could also give someone like Torin a real purpose, a reason to embrace his position, is thrilling.
“I’ll be there for him,” I promise. “I know he’ll be a great king. I’ll do whatever I can to help him.”
“Temporarily,” Jonah says.
I frown. I can’t tell if Jonah thinks that’s a good thing. Or not.
