Page 39 of The Prince's Castaway Baby

My parents stare at me like they can’t believe what they’re hearing. But they don’t say anything, so I keep going. “I really mean it this time. I can’t promise I’ll be perfect. I don’t really know what I’m doing, but I’m tired of this life I’m living. I don’t want to be Jensen the party boy anymore. I want to actually do somethingusefulwith my titles, with my life. And I think I need help to get there.”

My mother’s face twists into something I can’t comprehend, and my heart pounds in my chest. Maybe Iamabout to get grounded after all.

Father takes a step towards me. “Jens,” he says, and I clench my fists to stop myself from wincing because the last person to call me that was Billie.

Even she didn’t believe I could be better in the end. If nothing else, even if she won’t see it, I want to prove myself to her.

“I do not want to be angry with you, my son. I want you to make us proud. What is it that’s given you this change of heart?”

“Don’t tell us it was a girl,” Mother says sourly.

I decide not to mention Billie, even though they will both have seen the photos. Assuming there are photos. I haven’t dared to look.

“It wasn’t,” I lie. “It was just, I don’t know. Being out there in nature. It made me see that, like, there’s a whole world, isn’t there? All this time I’ve been partying and—” I cut myself off before I saytrying to get your attentionbecause that would only go down like a lead balloon. “What I mean is… that’s something people do, isn’t it? When they’re like us? I’ve seen it before, famous people and stuff — they go on boats and write songs and make normal people look at animals or trees or people in cocoa mines… or farms?”

“Jensen,” my father says gently, reaching out to touch me on the shoulder. “Are you telling us you want to start doing conservation work?”

“Yes!” I say, glad that he understood the point of my word vomit.

Please don’t let this be the moment they say no.

“You mean it?” asks my mother.

I nod. “I know it’s unexpected, but yes. I mean it.”

“Then let us see how we can help you,” she says. “I’m sure there are some scientists who would be eager for royal endorsement.”

“Wait, but — really?” I blink in surprise, my mouth moving before my brain catches up.

Theylikedthe idea?

“You’re still in trouble, mind you,” says my father. “When a scandal breaks out — whether it’s true or not — it is your duty to stick around and answer to your people. I still can’t begin to understand why you thought running off to a desert island was a good idea.”

“It wasn’t a desert island,” I say without thinking, and bite my lip to stop myself blurting anything else.

They both give me a raised eyebrow. “But if you’re serious about this, then yes. We will help you. It’ll be good for you to put your brain to something useful.”

I get another lecture about etiquette and behaving after that, but I barely hear it. They actually responded positively to my idea. They actually want me to do it?

I can hardly believe what I’m hearing.

After I get excused, I go up to my bedroom and flop down on the bed. I call George on his new number, using all the codewords we’ve developed over the years just in case someone has decided to hack him again. As I’ve been reminded lately, the press are demons.

I tell George about my plans, and how shocked I was that my parents supported them. We talk for hours, but the whole time I can’t stop thinking about how much I want to tell Billie. I tell George all about her, and he tells me off for not getting her number.

But he doesn’t understand. She would never have wanted that.

I want to tell her everything. But I let her down.

I let her go. And I regret it more than anything.

CHAPTER 20

BILLIE

Usually I enjoy staying in a hotel after one of my trips, relaxing back into modern life without thinking about work for a few days, but this time felt different. With two days to burn before my flight back to Philly, I knew I would have to occupy my time somehow.

The day after arriving in San Juan, I treated myself to a fancy breakfast in the café on the corner, then headed back to my room, opened up my laptop and dove into work.

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