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He got to his feet, making quick work of the fake dragon until he was on the other side of the destroyed beast and in front of her; his tale-telling teacher, his irrepressible instructor, his starry-eyed scholar.
He needed to tell her how sorry he was he’d let her go. He needed to tell her that he couldn’t imagine another moment without her. He needed to tell her he loved her. Leo opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Esme waited patiently, expectantly while he fumbled their ending once more.
“I had everything I wanted to say to you planned in my head,” he finally managed. “I just forgot all the words now that I’m looking at you.”
“That’s a good start,” she said. “Did you just slay a dragon to get to me?”
“I would defeat any and everything that came between the two of us. I’m not sure if you’re a damsel or a witch, because I came under your spell the first moment I laid eyes on you. I boarded a white jet and rode it hard to come to your rescue. And yes, I destroyed this man’s dragon—which I will pay for, by the way—all to get to you.”
She was in his arms, and Leo felt everything in his world shift. He came to realize that all his life he’d been looking at the world on a tilt. Now that the love of his life was finally in his arms, the balance was restored, and he saw the world anew.
“I nearly made the same mistake twice,” he said. “I was ruling with my head instead of my heart. I was set to marry someone else, but I couldn’t do it. See, there’s this thing between you and me. I haven’t encountered it before, so I wasn’t sure if it could be what I thought it was. You’re the expert in these types of stories, so you’ll have to correct me if I’m wrong, but I think it’s love.”
“I know this story,” she said. “I’ve studied it all my life. It’s definitely a case of love.”
“I love you, Esme. You are the queen of my heart.”
“I love you too. But what about the country and the tradition?”
“The country will learn to love you as I do. You’ll teach them, just as you taught me.”
“I’m so glad you came. I almost gave up on fairytales.”
“Not this tale. This is the only way this story could’ve ended.”
Esme tilted her head to the left, and he went right. Their lips met in the middle in perfect alignment. Leo pressed his lips to Esme’s and sealed their lips with a kiss to start the beginning of their happy ending.
Epilogue
Alex looked at his brother and his soon to be sister-in-law and queen. He’d had more than his fair share of women offer their undying love to him. Watching Leo and Esme, Alex knew each of those women had been liars. Not one of those propositions came close to the bursting passion between those two.
For years, Alex had watched his brother toe the line. He’d had tried to lighten the load for Leo, but he usually wound up making a mess and more work for his overworked brother. With Esme in Leo’s arms, Alex saw a definite lightening in his brother’s shoulders.
Alex’s gaze flicked to Jan on the other side of the couple. A rare smile peeked out of the corners of her lips. He knew Jan wasn’t one for fairytales. The practical pie maker only had time to pair different spices. And she was a master at it.
He couldn’t get the taste of her last dish out of his mouth. The woman was a wonder in the kitchen. He was glad she wasn’t going away too soon. He couldn’t wait to get her back into his kitchen.
Alex had his favorite dishes. But no one had ever made him want to try the same dish twice in a row on the same day. But Jan did.
She’d only made him desserts. He wondered what a side dish under her mixing spoons might taste like. He wondered if he might coax her into making a main dish? Perhaps even a full course if she stuck around?
Despite his parents barring him from the castle’s kitchens when he was younger, Alex loved the world of food. He’d had to indulge his passions away from his homeland and spent most of his time on food expeditions to the far reaches of the world tasting exotic dishes. Jan was the first woman he’d met that shared that passion.
He wanted to show her his private spice collection and see what she’d make of it. He wanted to cook beside her and come up with new mixtures. Yes, he definitely wanted to watch her work in the kitchen again. Perhaps she might even consider a partnership with him?
Alex was tired of being known as the playboy prince, as the directionless spare. He had an idea, an idea that made him excited. An idea that made his mouth water. And Jan was the one, the only one who could bring his vision to light.
He went around the kissing couple and stood next to Jan. “Hey.”
She eyed him suspiciously. She’d done that since the first day they’d met. She was a smart girl.
“I suppose you’ll be catering the wedding reception?” he said.
With a tiny shake of her shoulders, she laughed. It was a pleasant sound. He’d heard it while she’d prepared the winning pie the other day. He caught a whiff of sweetness from her breath on his tongue.
It wasn’t the sweetness of her winning pie. It was the sweetness he’d tasted when he’d stolen a kiss from her when they’d won the competition. The kiss had meant nothing. Except that he couldn’t get it off his mind.
