Page 41 of Learning to Love

“Please, can we go back to my house? Just me and you. I’ve something I want to show you there.”

Dalton nods. “Whatever you need. You have my word.”

He turns and clicks his fingers at his staff before helping me into the car. I look back at the venue as we leave. I’m glad tonight was a success, but before Dalton and I can move on together as a couple, he needs to see exactly where I come from.

Twenty-Two

Dalton

Icouldn’t feel more guilty than I do about what I said to Elodie. It was me being insensitive and thinking of my irreparable relationship with my father.

I hold her in my arms all the way back to her house. My jacket is slung over her shoulders to keep her warm, even though it’s not a cold evening. Neither of us has said anything. The entire trip has been made in silence with only the driver and a bodyguard for company. Another car carrying more security guards is following behind, but I sent Hinchbootie back to the hotel to pack up our belongings.

“We’ll be there in a few minutes, Your Highness,” the driver informs me, and Elodie sits up in my arms.

“I just thought of something. I don’t have my keys to get in.”

“It’s all right,” I assure her. “Hinchbootie has been traveling with a spare set all this time. He gave them to me before he left us to go back to the hotel. I wanted you to be able to get into your home without any difficulty if you ever needed anything from there”

“I’m not sure if I should be worried or happy that you had a spare set of my house keys cut.” Elodie smiles at me, and it’s the first time I’ve seen that expression on her face since my idiotic mistake. I’m grateful for it. “I think I’ll go with happy, though.”

The car pulls into a loop of houses and stops outside one on a corner plot. The place looks freshly painted in blue and white with a neatly manicured lawn. Out front is a seated area with various, brightly colored plants, which I know are native to Florida.

The car doors are opened for us, and I walk around to retrieve Elodie from her side of the vehicle. She’s been on her feet all evening and is still wearing her high heeled shoes. I know from the moans of women in the past this is likely to have left the soles of her feet aching.

I hand Elodie her keys.

“Thank you,” she says, taking them from me.

“Would you like us to check out the property before you enter, Your Highness?” my bodyguard asks.

I shake my head. Elodie has been through enough tonight, and the property has been left secure for a long time now.

“Please, wait outside and keep the front and back doors secure. I’ll let you know if I need you.”

“As you wish.” The bodyguard steps back as Elodie leads me inside, and I close the door behind us.

“The first thing I want to do is take these heels off,” she announces as she places her clutch bag on the floor.

“All right.”

I help Elodie keep her balance, despite the fact she’s a yoga expert and doesn’t need my assistance, while she removes her shoes and then wiggles her aching feet.

“That feels better. I’d forgotten why I only wear flat shoes. I’ll be walking with a limp for the next few days.” Elodie leads me deeper into her house. The walls are white, and everything is clean and tidy. Everywhere I look, there’s evidence of her interest in yoga—candles, bells, pictures of yoga symbols on the walls, and flowers floating in water.

“I wish I could say you didn’t have to wear them again, but unfortunately, it’s pretty much a given when mixing in my social circles.”

“As long as I can wear flats when it’s just the two of us, then I’m happy.”

Elodie leads me to an alcove in a corner of her lounge. I can see it contains a few books on a table next to a comfortable looking armchair, but that’s not what captures my attention. Elodie turns on a small lamp to illuminate the area, and I step closer to get a better look at all the pictures adorning the wall.

I’ve never seen anything like it. My eyes quickly scan over them, and I can see there’s nothing formal or rigid about the poses of those pictured in them. There are no signs of boredom or a desire to be anywhere else. All I see are glittering eyes and faces beaming with happiness and love. I lower myself onto the chair, and Elodie perches on the arm.

“Is this you with your mother and father?”

“Yes.” Elodie points to a picture. It’s of two people holding a baby. They look tired. Well, the woman, mostly, but they both have the biggest smiles on their faces. “That one was taken shortly after I was born.”

She points to another one. “That’s my first day at school. Dad asked another parent if they’d take a photo of us. I thought it was silly at the time, but now I know better.”

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