Page 47 of The Prince's Castaway Baby

My livestream is shaky and poor quality, and usually I’d hate to see my face in so few pixels, but hundreds, then thousands of people tune in to watch, and as the hearts and comments start streaming in, I take questions. I can’t answer a lot of them very well, but that doesn’t stop people from asking.

It doesn’t matter if they’re doing it because they think it makes me look stupid. They’re still caring. They’re still engaging. And that is the whole point.

The entire time I’m talking, I grin. This is what I’m here for. This is the whole point of me, and it fills me with a lightness and a joy I never believed possible.

CHAPTER 24

BILLIE

“Come on, sweetie, you have to eat,” says Ella, watching me push food around on my plate.

I frown, staring at the pasta so I don’t have to look at her. I can’t stomach this right now. I just can’t. “I’m not that hungry, honestly.”

“Yes, but the baby will be.”

“Stupid baby,” I mutter.

“Honey, we talked about this. You don’t really mean that, do you?”

“No, I don’t,” I sigh, and it’s true.

I want this baby.

Motherhood has always been on my life plan. I just expected it to happen a little differently.

All the same, I think I’m allowed to be upset when my boobs are swelling and I’m being sick multiple times an hour.

And I’m still only in my first trimester. How much worse is this gonna get before the baby comes?

“I know what’ll make you feel better,” says Ella. “You need to go on vacation. Get back to work. Go to some tropical paradise for a while and take some photos. You’ll feel good as new.”

I smile thinly at her. She’s been so good to me over the last few weeks. She’s a nurse so she’s always busy, but she’s managed to come over at least once every few days and make sure that I haven’t died.

“I can’t go away like this,” I sigh again. “I feel too sick all the time.”

“I’d come with you if I could.”

“I know,” I say, closing my eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m just being grumpy.”

Ella grins. “Honestly, if you’re not allowed to be grumpy when you’re pregnant, whenareyou allowed?”

I chuckle. “True, but I shouldn’t be grumpy when my best friend is looking after me so well.”

“I’m just sorry I can’t do more.”

She squeezes my hand again, and I know what’s coming. It’s a subject we’ve been skirting around for a while now.

“Billie,” Ella says softly, “you can’t just raise this baby by yourself.”

“Why not? Plenty of people do it. I’ll be fine.”

“And I’m sure you’re right about that, but you know what I’m saying. Have you thought about telling Jensen?”

I swallow hard, clenching my fists and willing myself not to cry.

More than I would like to, I’ve been having this dream, this fantasy of Jensen holding our baby in his arms, giving our child that reverent smile he does when he’s seen something beautiful. I’m sure he would be a great dad. He just can’t be the one for my baby.

“Of course I’ve thought about it. But I can’t. How would I even get in contact with him? I can’t exactly slide into his DMs. He’s aprince, for goodness’ sake.”

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