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“Yes, because she’s still gorgeous and funny and–”
There was a knock on Bexley’s door.
“Shit. That’s her. I’ve got to go.”
“Bex, I want details later and–”
Bexley hung up and said, “Come in.”
The door opened slowly, and Alex stood there.
“I just wanted to apologize for my behavior outside.”
“Oh,” Bexley uttered.
“You were being polite, and I dismissed you.”
“It’s fine,” Bexley replied. “We’re both tired.”
“Can I come in?” Alex asked.
“Sure.”
Alex walked into Bexley’s bedroom and stood there with her hands clasped in front of her.
“Tonight, at the bar, the reason I was short with you about the whole hat and security thing is that I don’t want you to worry about that. I have people for that. It’s their job to keep me safe. I don’t want you thinking about that, Bexley. I don’t want you to worry about me or to not have fun because you’re thinking that someone’s going to recognize me. I deal with that all the time.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I wantedyouto have fun. I knew if someone noticed you, that would end, and you’ve seemed so happy today,” Bexley explained, smiling up at her. “I didn’t want that to end.”
“It wouldn’t have even if someone noticed me. I was withyou, Bexley. I always have fun when I’m with you.”
“Alex, I have fun with you, too.”
Alex smiled so warmly that Bexley just wanted to wrap her arms around her and pull her in. This was the Alex that no one got to see, that Bexley wished the world could get to know.
“I know I come with baggage, Bex. I don’t want you to think about that.”
“It’s not baggage. It’s–”
“No, it is,” Alex said. “And it’s not just an ex-girlfriend that I run into at a bar. It’s a lot more than that. There are rules, customs, and traditions, and whomever I date, even casually, has to know that there will be cameras and prying eyes. There will be interviews and security people around all the time. It’s obtrusive and frustrating at times, and I hate that I can’t do anything about it, but I can’t. I’m used to it. I was born into this. But anyone I date has to be prepared to go through it, too. And if it lasts – if it goes beyond just dating and turns into something more – it’ll always be there. They’ll literally always have to put up with it. Hell, even the women I’ve been linked to in the past still have cameras on them at times.” Alex paused. “It’s part of what it means to be me and to bewithme. I try to be as normal as possible around you because I don’t want you to be reminded of it. I don’t want you to think about the fact that I’ll inherit some throne one day. If I’m just Alex to you, if we can be two normal people out at a bar, just talking to your friend and having a drink, maybe you’ll…”
“Maybe I’ll what?”
“Maybe you’ll like me, too,” Alex said. “And maybe you’ll like me enough to want to be with me despite all of that. That’s not ideal. I don’t want you to be with me despite it. I want you to want it, Bex. I’d love it if you wanted to be with me in part because it means you’d have an amazing opportunity to help people in the UK and the Commonwealth in whichever way you choose. You see me like this because it’s how I want you to get to know me, but I care deeply for my country, for my duty, and for what my duty will become one day. Iwantto be Queen. I want to be a patron to charities and send the Christmas message. I want to help the countries of the Commonwealth in any way I can. I want to support LGBTQ+ rights around the world and do the best I can to normalize being gay. And I want, more than anything, to be with someone who wants to do those things with me, not just put up with them. I know how much that is to ask of someone, which is one of the reasons I’m still single. I’d hoped if we could spend some time together, you might grow to feel about me how I feel about you.”
“Howdoyou feel?”
Alex smiled that warm smile again and said, “Just ask Alice and Nora.” She chuckled a bit.
“What?”
“They’ve known how I feel about you since the beginning.”
“Alice has known?” Bexley asked, surprised.
“I told her the day you and I met for the first time.”
“The day we… The coronation party?”
