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“Soon, I hope,” Juan Carlos said. Juan Carlos’s grandmother suffered from Parkinson’s and had her good days and her bad days. “We are waiting for her doctors to okay the visit.”
“How is she doing?” Rafe asked. “You talk to her nurse every day, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. I think the thought of returning to Alma has rallied her spirits, and though medically I’d have to say there have been no changes, she seems healthier.”
Rafe smiled to himself. The very thing that felt like a burden to him was a dream come true to Tia Isabella. She had longed to return to her home for decades and now it was possible.
That almost made his royal sacrifice worthwhile. But there was also a lot to be said for the old-world charm of Playa del Onda. And for Juan Carlos’s excitement over their all being part of the royal aristocracy again as well.
It just made everything more difficult for Rafe. He wanted to keep his family happy. He was the eldest and had the power to do it. But then he remembered Emily and he was torn.
Had been torn for too long. When he got to Miami he needed to see her and figure this entire thing out.
“Do you think that the government would accept a commoner as my wife?” Rafe asked his cousin. They were still negotiating the constitution that Alma’s parliament had brought to them. Rafe had been asking for little changes because he wanted to see how far they would go to get him and his family back in the country.
“Is your woman a commoner?” Juan Carlos asked.
“Not many royals in the States, Juan Carlos.” He didn’t want to talk about Emily with anyone else. Not yet. Why then did he keep bringing her up? He clearly needed to talk even if he didn’t want to. Not until he had her sorted out. God, she’d kill him if she knew he thought that way about her.
“I don’t know. I think they want you to marry a woman who will reinforce the monarchy, and a commoner wouldn’t do that,” Juan Carlos said at last.
Rafe nodded at his cousin and then leaned back and closed his eyes. He’d figured as much. There was no way to have it both ways. Why was he still trying to?
Because he couldn’t walk away from Emily.
There it was: the truth he’d been trying to pretend didn’t exist for too long. And letting his family down, well, that wasn’t something he was prepared to do, either. He wasn’t even sure if he walked away from the throne that they would let him keep his job at Montoro Enterprises. Though truth be told, he was a genius at making money, so he had no doubt he could start his own company and make it a success.
But that would mean walking away from everything and everyone. His family was so deeply rooted in his life, he truly wasn’t sure what he’d do without them. When they’d lived in the Miami area, he saw them every day at their Coral Gables compound. He worked hard for all of them so that they wouldn’t have to worry.
That was why he hesitated. Then there was Tia Isabella. With her deteriorating health, Rafe didn’t really want to do anything to upset her. If he walked away, would he find a way to make peace with the family before her illness got the better of her? Bella would be forced into a difficult position as well. His father would more than likely try to come between her and Rafe, and that would cause her stress. She liked to keep the peace.
Gabriel would be none too pleased with him. Gabe lived a nice and easy lifestyle, enjoying the many beautiful women who flocked to Miami. No-strings relationships were his MO.
Rafe laughed to himself. Gabe always did whatever the hell he wanted. He’d be plenty pissed at Rafe if he walked away from the throne and Gabe had to take it. That would be a nightmare for all concerned. His younger brother was a player. Not the image that Alma wanted for their new king.
So Rafe was back to the exact same position he’d been in since he left Miami. Except this time he was leaning more toward Emily. Hell, last night had changed something between them.
He no longer saw her as the fun-loving bartender who had gotten pregnant, but more as Emily, the woman who was going to be the mother to their child.
Their child. If he had a son he’d be Rafael V. Or would he? Would Emily want to name him something else? There was still so much for them to discuss.
He closed his eyes, trying to picture what their child would look like. Would the baby have his dark hair and eyes or Emily’s bright blue ones? He tried to picture the little tyke, maybe with her red hair and his hazel eyes.
He wanted to be a part of that. Be a part of his child’s life. He had to find a way to have it all. Perhaps he needed introduce Emily to his family so they could start to get to know her. Once that happened, they would be on his side. And marrying a commoner wouldn’t be such a big issue.
