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Ellery looked up at Derek. “Who’s Sophie Pederson?”
“The best chef in Europe and the former love of Malik’s life. Tragic story actually but Macey is hoping to revive the romance and matchmake a bit.”
She smiled. “Nobody has to matchmake you though. Right?”
“No, Princess Elle. I’ve already found the love of my life, and destroyed an irreplaceable Lambo for her.” His voice deepened. “You are irreplaceable to me, love.”
She kissed him, but it was short because she turned to watch his dad, Malik, Tristan, Ray, and Macey walk away. “I can’t believe they truly forgave me. Do you think Hattie and Steffan will as well? And Kiera? I hate that she was so sad.”
“Kiera will forgive you. She’s a twelve-year-old girl. And Hattie and Steffan have been through much worse. They’ll be fine, and they’ll love you just like everyone else does.” He stared at her with those blue eyes that she loved. “After the reception tonight, we can fly back to Boston. Unless you want to stay until Tuesday still?”
“I want to fly back to Boston.”
“Oh … okay.” He didn’t even show his disappointment at leaving his family so soon. A family that had forgiven and accepted her.
“I want to pick up my mom and Aunt Elise, pack up our apartments, and say goodbye to our friends at the gym.”
“Elle?” His brow furrowed in confusion.
“I spoke to my mom before I realized what a nightmare drive I was in for with a sadistic psycho.”
He studied her, his blue eyes lighting with hope. “And?”
“She and Aunt Elise would absolutely love to live in a magical castle in the most beautiful country in the world.”
“They would?” At her nod, he wrapped his hands around her waist, lifted her into the air, and yelled, “Yes!”
His family turned back to watch them, smiling.
“Elle, let’s get married,” he said far too loudly.
“I hope your wedding goes better than ours did,” Macey called back to them.
“Sorry,” Ellery called to her.
“I’m just teasing you. You’ve got to learn to take a joke and a tease if you’re going to be in the family.”
Derek and Ellery both laughed at that. Their relationship had been built on teasing.
“We’ll work on that,” Derek told his sister-in-law.
Then he lowered Ellery to her feet, and he kissed her. A kiss of promise and forgiveness and their future spread out before them. With the mess with the Rindlesbachers and the dangers in the kingdom, it wouldn’t be easy, but they’d face it together and with his family and hers fighting by their sides.
Like Malik said, it would all buff out. Somehow.
Epilogue
Derek escorted Ellery around the reception with his arm firmly around her waist, introducing her as his girlfriend to friends and extended family, people he’d known all his life. They’d agreed they wouldn’t say fiancée until they were officially engaged.
Her mom and Aunt Elise had been ecstatic with the news they were moving to a ‘magical castle with the handsome princes.’
Kiera had instantly forgiven her, clutching her tightly and saying over and over, ‘I knew you were good; I knew you were good.’
Aliya had apologized for her ‘snake in the grass’ comment and invited her and Kiera to come stay at their cabin tonight.
Currently Kiera was performing tricks for everyone to ooh and ahh over. Macey looked radiantly beautiful. They’d somehow cleaned her dress and discreetly stitched a few tears, cutting off the train. She’d claimed it was a pain anyway.
The prime minister and his wife Leslie moved comfortably through the crowd. For everyone who hadn’t been involved in this afternoon’s mess, it would appear Henry Shule was as tight with the royal family as he’d always been.
