Page 29 of Royal Surrogate 2

I don’t know exactly what has happened to me, but I know I’ve changed. I know it’s Renae who has changed me. And I know I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between us. I must. After my conversation with my brother, I realized that my feelings for her could only be explained by one thing. Though I hired her to carry my child, and inadvertently tricked her into being my wife for the next two decades, I’ve come to realize it’s the only thing that truly makes sense.

“Sir…I love your daughter. I love her more than I ever knew I could love anyone. And our son. I…I love them both. I want to protect them and love them for the rest of my life. I’m not sure how to make you believe that. Honestly, I’m not sure how to makeRenaebelieve that.”

“She’s a good girl,” he says, though it doesn’t seem like he’s really speaking to me. “She took her vows, and she’ll do what’s right.” He meets my gaze. “I can’t make her love you back. But she’ll do what’s right.”

I nod. “I give you my solemn promise, sir. So will I.” And I mean it. I will do what’s right by Renae for the rest of my life.

CHAPTER 23

Renae

I stand just outside the door to my dad’s room, hardly breathing.

I didn’t intend to eavesdrop. I honestly wanted to get out of Caspar’s vicinity as quickly as possible—I still don’t trust myself to think straight around him—and I made it all the way to the facility door before I realized I forgot my purse in my rush out of the room.

I arrived back here just in time to hear Caspar tell my dad how much he loves me.

My heart is beating so fast and so loud that I feel lightheaded. I slump against the wall, my hand over my heart, trying to make sense of the whir of emotions in my chest.

I’m still pissed at him—still not entirely sure I can trust him after everything he’s kept from me. But I also can’t deny the rush I felt when he told Dad how deeply he loves me, how he wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life protecting me and our son.

And I’d be lying if I denied that, deep down, in a warm, dark place inside me I’ve been avoiding for months, I love him, too.

I love Caspar.

Admitting that to myself feels like a dam breaking, a sudden rush of feeling so strong, so terrifying, that it makes me gasp.

Inside the room, Caspar and my dad are still talking.

“So what are you going to do now?” my dad asks. “I hope you don’t think this is just going to fix itself now that you’ve decided to do the right thing.”

“No, I don’t think that,” Caspar says. He’s quieter, more thoughtful than usual. “I’ve had a lot of time to consider, Mr. Foster. About how I might begin to regain her trust.”

“Yeah? And what did you decide?”

“That I can’t,” Caspar says bluntly. “I can’t change what I’ve done. I can’t go back in time and tell her the truth when I should have.” He pauses, then continues, “But maybe—we can start over. From the beginning. She and I…we didn’t have a traditional courtship. Maybe if we had… I want to do this right. I should have done it right from the beginning, but all I can hope for now is that she’ll give me a second chance. To do things as I always should have. To be the husband, the lover, the partner she deserves.”

It’s a good thing I’m already leaning against the wall, because my knees are threatening to give out. I’m still not sure I can trust him but hearing him say these things makes me willing to give him another chance.

“I would do anything for her, for our family,” Caspar goes on. “And I will give whatever it takes to?—”

“Ms. Foster, are you all right?”

I jerk. I’d been so focused on the conversation between Caspar and my dad I hadn’t even noticed the nurse approaching. I can only imagine how shaken I look right now.

“I’m fine,” I tell her in a hushed voice, gesturing that she can keep going. “Just needed a few minutes of fresh?—”

“Renae?” Caspar is suddenly in the doorway, and when his eyes land on me the emotion in them is overwhelming—concern, love, fear, hope… I don’t have the strength to hold his gaze for long.

“Renae,” he says again, and this time his voice is thick with worry.

“We need to find her a place to sit down,” the nurse says. “She looks pale.”

“I’m fine,” I assure them. “I just…got overwhelmed for a second there.” I make myself lift my eyes to Caspar again.

Understanding dawns on his face. “You heard us.”

“I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop,” I said quickly.

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