Page 38 of Royally F*cked

Chapter 13

Jude

Charlie lets me hold her hand as we wander through the palace gardens, breathing in the floral scents of roses and peonies.

In just a few minutes we’ll have to face my family and play the game all over again.

The ache in my gut from the punch Charles landed reminds me of the price we’re both paying.

A better man might have wised up and let Charlie go at that point.

I am not that man.

Instead, I pause right in the middle of the garden where two angel statues stand among a bed of my mum’s favorite lavender roses.

“My dad planted these roses for my mother, with his own two hands. The first rose bush went in when they started dating,” I tell Charlie as I pluck a single stem from the bush. “My grandfather was livid because my dad picked such an awkward place to put them. And every anniversary, my dad would plant another.”

“I never knew that.”

“He asked her to marry him in this very spot too.” I tell her before kneeling at her feet and handing her the rose. Reaching into my pocket I pull out the ring I’ve been holding onto since this morning. “Charlotte Summer Wilson, will you marry me?”

I’m not sure what I expected at this moment, but she looks at me in a state of shock as I slip the ring on her finger. The circle cut diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds and set in a diamond encrusted band looks perfect on her finger.

“Charlie?” I whisper. “This is where you’re supposed to say yes.”

She asked me for a proper proposal. And she’s also the one who said it should come after I’ve spoken with her father. I thought that right here, as close to my own parents as I can possibly get, would be the perfect spot to deliver on her wish.

“Yes,” she finally says back to me and I’m able to stand up.

When she kisses me, I’m pleasantly surprised. Until I hear her whisper, “You never know who’s watching.”

“Oh, what will I do with you Charlie?” I chuckle and pretend that my ego isn’t just a little deflated by her words.

“Looks like you’ve got a lifetime to find out,” she replies, looking down at the ring on her hand that is sparkling in the sunlight.

“That ring was my mother’s as well. After she passed away, it became mine.”

“Jude,” her voice cracks. “And you’re sure you want me to have it?”

“Absolutely. No one else in this world deserves it.”

“You know, if you keep telling me things like that, I may start to believe it.”

“Good.” I choose to kiss her once more for good measure before we reach the patio doors leading into the palace.

Oscar is already waiting for us in the hallway.

“How? He was just…”

“He left us alone for a moment and came inside to let the king know we arrived,” I answer her thought.

“Speaking of which, Your Highness, His Majesty is waiting for you in his office,” Ozzy lets us know.

I shake my head in acknowledgement. “And pray tell, how is His Majesty’s mood this morning?”

“I’m afraid it’s not much better than it was yesterday, Your Highness.”

“Oh God,” Charlie mutters under her breath.

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