Carter shot Kaiden a look. “Not helping.”
“What? I'm just saying what we're all thinking,” Kaiden said with a flick of his wrist. “Our little Theo, snagging actual royalty. I'm shook, but also kind of impressed?”
“Dead serious,” I said, leaning against the doorframe, aware of how completely insane this all sounded when said out loud. “Look, I know it's fast. I know it breaks every rule in The Ranch's handbook. But this is... different. He's different.”
“Different how?” Carter asked, his voice level but concerned, while Kaiden just stared at me with his mouth hanging open like he was waiting for me to spill the most epic gossip ever.
I understood his hesitation. If our roles were reversed, I’d probably be saying the same things. But how could I explain what had happened between Ricard and me? “He came back for me,” I said simply, hoping they could see the significance in my words. “He left everything behind to come back. Forme.”
Kaiden set his mug down, absorbing that information. “And you trust him?”
“I do.” The certainty in my voice surprised me, though underneath it all, a twist of anxiety gnawed at me. “And it’s not just about him. This is about Casey too. Ricard wants to help with Casey's treatment. We're flying to San Diego today to get him, and then... we're going to Avaline.”
“Avaline,” Carter repeated. “As in, the actual European country? With castles and shit?”
I nodded, a slightly hysterical laugh bubbling up in my throat. “With castles and shit.”
“So let me get this straight,” Kaiden said, counting on his fingers. “Your duke is flying you to San Diego today, picking up your brother, then taking both of you to live in his tiny European country where Casey will get treatment at some fancy European brain clinic?”
When he put it that way, it sounded batshit crazy. “Yeah, pretty much.”
For a moment, the kitchen was silent, my words settling in. Both of them knew how much I cared for Casey, and they could probably sense my nervousness about this leap.
Then Kaiden stood up and pulled me into a tight hug. “Holy shit, Theo. This is insane. In the best possible way.”
I hugged him back, grateful that he was on my side. When we pulled apart, I saw Carter’s cautious smile, and I felt a flutter of hope.
“If anyone deserves a fairy tale ending, it's you,” he said, stepping forward to join us. “Just... guard your heart, all right?”
“I will,” I promised, even though deep down, I knew it was already too late for that. My heart was already invested in this leap of faith.
We broke apart, and I glanced at the time on my phone. “I should finish packing. Ricard's waiting for me in the lobby.”
“The lobby?” Kaiden's eyes widened. “Ibrahim's going to have a stroke. Like, actual medical emergency.”
I grimaced. “Yeah, well... I think we're past following The Ranch's rulebook at this point.”
“No kidding.” Carter shook his head in disbelief. “Do you need help before you take off with your duke?”
The casual way he saidyour dukesent a flutter through my stomach.My duke.That still didn't feel real. “Actually, if you could help me gather my stuff, that would be great. I don't have much, but…” I gestured around the apartment.
“Say no more.” Kaiden clapped his hands together. “Operation 'Get Theo's Ass to Europe' is officially underway.”
The next twenty minutes flew by in a flurry of motion. Kaiden and Carter swept through the apartment with surprising precision, collecting my belongings and stuffing them into my duffel bag and a small suitcase they’d somehow found. “You know, this is basically Cinderella,” Kaiden remarked, folding one of my shirts, “except your Prince Charming comes with a private jet instead of a pumpkin carriage.”
Carter whistled. “Of course he does. Jesus, Theo, you hit the jackpot.”
“It’s not about the money,” I said, needing them to understand. “Or the title, or any of that. It’s about him. About us.”
“We know.” Carter’s voice was gentle. “We’re just giving you shit because that’s what friends do. But seriously, we’re happy for you.”
“Ecstatic, even,” Kaiden added, zipping up the duffel bag. “And low-key jealous as hell, but mostly ecstatic.”
I laughed, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. “Thanks, guys. For everything. These past few weeks... I don’t know what I would've done without you.”
“Oh God, don’t get sappy on us now.” Kaiden pretended to gag, but I could see his eyes getting shiny. “Save the tearful goodbyes for the airport scene in the Netflix adaptation of your life.”
We did one final sweep of the apartment to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything important. As I looked around the small space that had been my home for the past few weeks, a bittersweet feeling washed over me. Despite the brevity of my time here, despite the complicated emotions I had about my work as a companion, this place had felt like a sanctuary.
