Page 74 of Royal Rising

I’ve made more of a fuss out of a non-kiss than of Mathias kissing me goodnight. I guess that shows where he stands.

Now I’ve got to tell him.

24

Kalle

Ispend a lotof time in the office thinking whether I’d still want Edie if I were just a regular guy.

There’s no question about her: me being a prince is actually a detriment to Edie. If I were just a regular guy who owned a bar, would we be a couple by now?

I have no idea because I’ve never been a guy who just owned a bar, as much as I try to pretend I am.

I’ve never been one to consider my feelings. Emotions are unknown to me. I like action. I can do gestures. I can’t talk about my feelings. It took three whole therapy sessions after my mother died for me to give something real.

This is what’s terrifying for me. Summoning the courage to tell Edie exactly how I feel. It has taken a bit for me to figure it out, but now I think I’ve got it.

I love Edie. Eventhinkingit has my breath clutching my chest with fear, so I don’t know how I will ever manage to tell her. But the thought also makes me smile—it’s a comfortable thought; proud, like I’ve managed to fit in the last few pieces of the puzzle.

The thought of Edie makes my future less foggy.

I love Edie. I love her as my best friend, but I’m alsoin lovewith her.

I might have been in love with her for a long time.

“I’m an idiot,” I groan.

“Is there a reason you’re talking smack to yourself?” I look up to see Edie standing in the doorway of the office with a concerned look on her face. She’s wearing her usual outfit of jeans and a T-shirt, her white apron already tied around her waist.

She’s wearing a pink T-shirt today and her hair is down, swinging to her shoulders. She’s traded in her usual diamond studs for simple gold hoops and put on lip gloss, so all I can stare at is her lips.

The whole package is the best thing I’ve ever seen.

It’s not—Edie in that black dress the other night was pretty spectacular, but I know she got dressed this morning knowing she would be seeing me. So I can think she looks this good for me.

If there was any doubt in how I felt, seeing her there made it vanish. Disappear like the morning fog over the harbour. Seeing here there makes my insides feel like that dish of butter when Skywalker left it too close to the grill one time. There are rainbows and fireworks. Puppies and spring flowers after the rain.

There is a need to hug her that I can’t ignore. I push back the chair and go to her, scooping her up in my arms, lifting her right off the floor.

Edie laughs and it’s the best sound ever. I’ve always loved to hear her laugh, but everything sounds so much better today.

“What are you doing in here?” I ask into her hair. It smells good. Edie smell.

She kicks her legs. “I’ve got nothing else to do and it’s too wet to go outside.”

“Or maybe you missed me?”

Her arms tighten around my neck. “Or maybe I missed you.”

“Good.”

“Is that how it’s going to be? I say something nice and you give me a grunt?” She gives my shoulder a playful slap.

I set her gently on her feet but keep my arms around her for a moment longer. “Probably.”

I hold her longer enough for Edie to slide her hands from my shoulders all the way down my back to rest on my butt. And then she gives it a squeeze. “Did you just grab my butt?” I accuse.

Edie shrugs and gives me a mischievous grin. “You say something nice back or I squeeze something,” she warns.

---