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He had proposed marriage when he knew she couldn’t afford to say no. That was how badly he wanted her. And what he’d done was selfish. It was immoral.
It was a lie.
How could they build a life on a lie like that, and never mind that it was a lie of omission and not commission? He’d spent three weeks telling himself that and it was time to face facts.
A lie was a lie, no matter what you labeled it.
Alyssa had to know she would lose nothing if she left him. If she stayed with him, became his wife, it had to be because it was fully her choice. Why had he been such a coward, thinking the only way he could keep her was through subterfuge?
He could tell her later, when they were alone. When they were in bed, when he could take her in his arms and show her with his mouth, his hands, his body how much he wanted her. Needed her. How much he—how much he—
“Lucas, look!”
There was a little stir among the guests. Several had risen to their feet.
“It’s your grandfather.”
They had invited Felix, of course, though Lucas had never expected him to come. The old man had moved into a spacious apartment on the grounds of a rehabilitation center. Lucas visited him daily; Alyssa had twice gone with him and Lucas had asked Felix, in advance, not to mention the contract.
“It upsets her,” he’d explained.
“Even though I abrogated it?”
“Even though,” Lucas had replied, feeling as guilt-stricken as he had at the age of five, when he’d told a whopper of a lie about his governess, a box of chalk and a Velasquez that hung on the sitting room wall.
All the more reason to come clean with Alyssa, he thought with growing urgency. And she would surely forgive him. She was happy; hadn’t she just said she was?
Perhaps, given the choice, she would not have agreed to marry him three weeks ago but surely she would now.
He had to tell her. Had to hear her answer. Suddenly it mattered more than anything in the world that she should want him for all the right reasons.
“Lyssa,” he began, but she was already tugging him across the terrace, to the little entourage gathered around Felix’s wheelchair.
“Your Highness,” she said, and made a perfect curtsy.
Felix chuckled. “A lovely gesture, but you will be my granddaughter soon. Don’t you think it’s time you gave me a kiss and called me by my name?”
Alyssa smiled and touched her lips to his forehead. “Felix. We’re happy to see you.”
“And I am happy to see you, child. You will make a beautiful princess. My Lucas is a lucky man.”
Alyssa reached for Lucas’s hand. “I’m lucky, too,” she said softly. “So lucky that I’ve decided to forgive you.”
“Ah. That contract.”
“That contract. Even that ridiculous marriage stipulation. Without it, I’d never have met Lucas.”
“True. Still, I’m sure we’re both glad that I—”
“Grandfather,” Lucas said quickly, “let me take you to the buffet. We have that chorizo you like so much, and wait until you see the size of the lobsters.”
“It’s all right, mi hijo. I know you warned me not to mention the contract but your lovely novia is the one who brought it up and I’m glad she did. For weeks now, I’ve wanted to tell her how pleased I am she decided to ignore the fact that I abrogated the silly thing.”
Lucas felt Alyssa’s hand stiffen in his.
“Alyssa,” he said quickly, “amada, come into the house where we can talk.”
Alyssa ignored him. “You made the terms null and void?”
