Page 117 of My Five Daddies

Once back out in the hallway, Nolan pulls me against him. “You did great,” he says, grinning his headoff.

“I feel like I’m going to pass out,” I admit. “Why didn’t you warn me aboutthis?”

“I didn’t want you to worry. I made sure that they did the bare minimum to make thislegit.”

“Still.” I sigh, shaking my head. “That was one hell of asurprise.”

He just shrugs, a smirk on his face. “What did you think ofit?”

“It was nice and simple. Plus, I didn’t understand a word ofit.”

“The part with my father, that’s the first time that was said inEnglish.”

“Really?” I ask, a littlesurprised.

“Really. He wasn’t too happy when they told him he had to do it in your language.” Nolan laughs and pulls me against him. “Too fucking bad, I said.” He kisses me more deeply, the sort of kiss I’m used to fromhim.

We break apart as the crowd begins to filter out of the chapel. I stand beside Nolan as we greet people, shaking hands and smiling. He introduces me to practically everyone, and very quickly one person blends into another. I don’t remember a single name that he told me. At one point, I know I saw Britta, and we exchanged a quick hello before she got usheredaway.

After that, we’re lead into the main great room. Tables are lined up, heaped high with food and drink, and I recognize this part of the wedding. Like every wedding, this is the funpart.

Nolan and I have the seats of honor at the head of the table on a little raised platform. I actually liked it up there, because fewer people can accost us. Mostly Nolan talks about those present, goes into detail about the very complicated family I just married into. He talks about the feuds, the betrayals, the friendships, and theenemies.

“Mostly, we want to kill each other,” he says to me, filling my wine glass again. “Been that wayforever.”

“Isn’t that most royal families?” Iask.

“Sure,” he admits. “At least in the middle ages it was. Modern royal families aren’t like ours,though.”

“How so?” Iask.

“Ours still plays political games. Most royals live in countries that aren’t actual monarchies anymore. They don’t have real power. But here, my family has all the control, and people are constantly jockeying for position around myfather.”

I glance over to where the king and queen are seated, directly in the center of the table. People are constantly coming up to them, speaking into their ears. The king looks miserable, but the queen smiles and laughs and says hello to everyone that comes up tothem.

“It must have been hard to grow up in a family like that,” Isay.

“It was,” he admits. “But they mostly sheltered us as kids. I didn’t see all the bloodshed until I gotolder.”

“Is that why you left?” I ask him, treadingcarefully.

“Yes,” he says slowly. “That and my relationship with my father drove me away. I didn’t want to play the games or to become the man my father so desperately wanted me to become. I wanted to be my own person. And so I had to leave if that was going tohappen.”

“And did it?” I ask himsoftly.

He smirks at me, tips my chin up toward him, and kisses me softly. “What do you think?” heasks.

Before I can answer, the band starts playing, and people move over onto the dance floor. Nolan turns to watch, a smile on his face. I have to admit, I like that smile. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile like that, so happy and carefree. He’s usually so much more guarded and secretive, but right now, I feel like he’s being himself without any hesitation. It’s the most attractive I think he’s ever been tome.

I lean back and watch the festivities with him. I don’t know what most of the people around me are saying, and there are some customs that I don’t understand. For example, some stewards are walking around with enormous goblets, and people keep dropping pennies intoit.

“What is that?” I ask Nolan at somepoint.

“They’re collecting good wishes for us,” he answers. “Each penny is a wish, and the more you collect, the happier you’ll be. Or some shit like that.” He grins and sips hisdrink.

There are other things that I don’t recognize. Some of the food is traditional Polovian, and although delicious, it’s not something I normally see. There’s another tradition where the men keep tying blue ribbons around women’s arms and pulling them onto the dance floor, but when I asked Nolan about that one, he just grinned at me and didn’trespond.

The evening quickly progresses, and it’s almost overwhelming, but I have to admit that I’m having a good time. I haven’t had actual, simple fun since the night Nolan took me to the party with his other noble friends. I spot Ryan, Scotty, and Jessie in the crowd, but only Jessie stops by to say hello, and only very briefly. I wish she would stay and talk to me and act friendly like she did when we first met, but tonight she’s a little more reserved, which confusesme.

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