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Cian’s brows arch. “Um…probably nothing.”
“But that’s the big news.”
He laughs. “No, darlin’. You’re the big news.”
“Only because they don’t know about the farms. Torin is working so hard for them. You need to tell them what a great prince your brother is,” she says. “If you and Astrid are such great ambassadors, you should be out there gushing about Torin and how lucky Cara is to have him back.”
I feel a mix of emotions. I love that she’s defending me so ardently and that she’s acting as an ambassador for me. But I’d love for her to want to be a part of this, linked with me, and that she’d enjoy having people talking about us as a happily-in-love couple who is going to take the world by storm.
“And he’ll tell them all about that soon enough,” Cian tells her. “Right now they want to know about the gorgeous blonde that’s wrapped our handsome prince around her little finger and who’s going to be making little princes and princesses with him.”
Exactly. And I want her to want that.
Why is our relationship being the center of attention such a terrible thing? We’re the fucking prince and princess. Of course people want to know more about us.
I’m proud of her, not just the scientist who is making the farms a reality, but the woman I’m in love with. I want to have photos of us splashed up everywhere. I want to give interviews about how I felt when I met her and how we fell in love. I would love to marry her in front of the entire country.
I can’t wait to announce things like the international awards she’s sure to win for the farm initiative, and the expanded programs we’ll be introducing. I’m eager to introduce her to all of my friends and every dignitary who will be important to Cara’s future.
And yes, I’m looking forward to throwing her birthday parties, and celebrating our anniversary, and announcing when she’s pregnant and when our children are born.
I suck in a deep breath.
I’m getting way ahead of things here.
The woman likes me. I’m sure of that much.
I think she might even be falling for me.
She’s willing to come to family dinners at least, and that’s actually pretty huge.
But she still thinks we have an expiration date. She’s not going to be here long enough to even see the lavender bloom. On our first anniversary she’ll be getting on a plane.
My gut clenches and I have to consciously relax my neck and shoulders.
Abigail’s frown has deepened. “Tell them Torin will be at the market. That will make them want to come out. Maybe you and Astrid could go too. Help turn people out for your brother.”
“Abi, baby,” Cian says with a laugh. “They don’t care about the market! They want to know how you danced the night away, staring into each other’s eyes at Charlie’s wedding.”
“But that’s not how it happened,” she protests.
He chuckles. “I know. But I’m going to make you both look good. As amusing as I, and everyone, found your general disinterest in my big brother at first?—”
“Cian,” I interrupt.
“Wait, disinterest?” Astrid asks, eyes sparkling. “What’s this? Torin, did you have to actually work for it?”
“Stop it,” I tell them both. This is not the story that needs to get repeated. These two are both mischievous and if they get a little beer in them at the local pub, God knows what they might say. “Abigail is amazing. She’s not easily won over, but when she finally…”
I trail off. I was about to say ‘when she finally fell in love with me’ but…I don’t know if she’s in love with me even now.
I clear my throat. “It took more than charm and waltzing, but I finally won her over.”
Astrid grins. “Obviously.”
Yeah, I wish it was obvious.
Abigail knows me. She knows a side of me no one else really does. She knows my dreams and hopes and my vulnerabilities. Jonah has guessed at many of those, I’m sure, but we’ve never talked about them. I’ve never admitted them to him. Abigail knows what I’m like in my most intimate moments.
