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“Of course.”
“Then you know what you have to do,” Calanthe said. “But if what you want is a damsel in distress, someone you’ll always need to coddle and protect, you should know that’s never going to be Dani. She’s too strong, been through too much.”
Jameson shook his head. “Her strength is one of the traits I love about her. I don’t want to change that. I want to be included. Considered. I need to know my opinion matters to her.”
“I believe it does.” Calanthe smiled softly. “You know, part of loving someone is knowing their flaws and figuring out if you can live with them. Life isn’t magically perfect after you say I love you or even I do. After all, neither of you are perfect people. But if you’re aware of all your issues and you’re still willing to work on them together? That’s love that will last.”
They rose simultaneously and he kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Mother.”
“Will you allow me one more piece of advice?”
“Of course.”
“You’re going to be tempted to act right away, but I want you to take some time. Think about how much you love Dani and how you felt this week without her. Consider her flaws and your own. When you’re absolutely certain she’s the one, reach out. And when you do, offer her something she’s been searching for since her grandmother died.” She patted his chest over his heart. “A place to belong.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bow Down? Bow Out! Prince Jameson to the Yanks: You Can Have Her Back!
Metro
Hampton, Virginia
“You want me to come with you?” Antoine asked from the front seat of the midsized SUV.
“Nah, I’ll be good. With this disguise and in these clothes, no one should recognize me.” Dani opened the door and hopped out. “You don’t have to wait here. I’ll text you when I’m ready to leave.”
If the press were looking for her—and she knew from the people who worked for her at her homes and business that they were—they might go to the house where she lived with Nana, but it would never occur to them to check out this park near her old middle school. She’d spent many an afternoon here after Nana’s death, especially when she dreaded the place she was currently staying.
It wasn’t the same as when she was little, thankfully. Growing up, it had been a poorer neighborhood, but like with a lot of areas, gentrification had come to Tidewater, and the neighborhood park was now a respectable recreational space with recycled rubberflooring and rainbow-colored structures that were a mix of ladders and bridges and tunnel slides.
Unlike the patchy grass, monkey bars, and metal slides that could burn your skin when it got too hot in the summer, that she remembered.
But she was happy to see the swings. They had always been her favorite. When she was swinging, she was in charge and she could soar and fly and pretend to escape to anywhere in the world. No one could ever get to her when she was up there.
She’d been right that no one was giving her a second glance, outside of the ones usually reserved for sullen teens by themselves. The swings were set off to the side, a long stretch that included bucket swings for babies, teeter-totter swings for a group, large full-support swings for people with disabilities, tire swings for the adventurous... and four solo swings. Dani approached the last swing of the last set, ensuring there was space between her and the kids still playing in the waning afternoon hours.
She dropped onto the plastic rectangle seat and used her feet to push herself backward. She didn’t know how long it had been since she’d been on a swing, but her body recalled what to do. She let go and let her limbs take over.
And for the first time since she left London, she allowed herself to think about Jameson.
It had been a little over a week since she’d left and missing him was a physical ache, a pain unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
She loved Jameson and she knew he loved her. But it was the first time she understood the saying that love may not be enough.
Why couldn’t he see that what she’d done hadn’t been because she didn’t care or love him, but becausesheneeded to take care of it.
“Can I swing here?” a teen called, in a southern accent that felt more Richmond than Tidewater.
Dani tried hard not to roll her eyes. There were three other solo swings. Did the girl have to interrupt her ride and choose the one right next to her?
Sighing, she stopped pumping her legs, and as the swing slowly came to a stop, she looked up and—
“Nyla!” she shrieked.
“Shhh,” Nyla said, motioning with her hands for Dani to calm down. “I thought we were being incognito.”
Happiness bubbled in Dani’s chest but she lowered her voice. “What are you doing here?”
