Page 20 of The Duke's Brother

He pulled her close and wrapped her in a hug. “I’m so glad you are here with me for this.”

She snuggled into his chest. “Me too.” Her heart fluttered with that tantalizing idea of maybe.

Chapter 11

Everyone met back at the palace exhausted. And by everyone, Tripp grunted in irritation, Jorge had come. The Baldeez brothers were present. All of Jenneca’s ski team, plus an entire street full of people who had been swept from their homes.

People gathered in the main hall of the palace, blankets, mattresses, and towels were provided; the best they could everyone found a corner to make their own. Many areas, right along the shoreline had been evacuated, their homes flooded. Already teams were tearing away at the drywall, the wet wood, anything that water had touched. The homes had been gutted. And the people had nowhere else to stay. Tripp breathed in satisfaction at the sight. This is what he had always imagined life as a Prince might mean. Helping his people in times of need.

A young girl ran to him, clinging to his knees. “Daddy, tell Peter to stop.”

He laughed.

And she looked up in shock and turned white. “Your highness. I’m sorry.” She curtsied just like they all had decades ago and then she ran for her mama. The mother hid her in her own skirts and mouthed an apology. Tripp smiled in response. He had enjoyed the feeling of small arms wrapped round him, seeking protection. One day he’d like to start a family of his own.

Jenneca walked by on the far side of the great hall, carrying a pile of blankets, Jorge in tow.

A mounting irritation flared within Tripp. No way was Jorge sharing her rooms in the west suite. He began to march in their direction. Nico beeped him on his phone. Their devices were set up as two way radios, pagers, whatever they needed to be. And right now, Nico was interrupting whatever Tripp had going on and needed an immediate response.

Tripp put the phone to his ear. “I’m here.”

“We have to lock the pool and hot tubs. I don’t want children drowning. And if you can, find a way to keep the group contained.” Nico’s voice sounded strained. He was not as community minded as Tripp and the amount of people suddenly staying in his house was straining his kindness.

Tripp smirked. “I’ll take care of it.” He texted a few of the staff and put several more on pool and hot tub duty. He also commissioned someone to keep the family areas of the palace off limits and Jenneca’s set of rooms as well. Simple enough solution. But he didn’t blame Nico for passing that responsibility on to someone else. The man was likely more busy than he had ever been and that was remarkable.

Jo entered the great hall just then and asked for their attention. After a few moments the group quieted. “We will have regular meals brought in and water will be available soon. Now, for a bit of fun. Tonight on the lawn, we will be showing a double feature movie for all of the children and their parents.”

The kids cheered, and Tripp smiled. That would help. With any luck, their renovation crews would have the homes gutted of any dangerous moisture and ready for the rebuild in a matter of a week.

He needed to check back in with the village. And he had a special call he was waiting on from the construction crew. But before he could do any of that, his burning jealousy commanded his feet to move in the direction Jenneca and Jorge had gone.

A few of Jenneca’s team members had gathered some of the children together and they were playing games. Tripp smiled. Not seeing Jenneca among them, he kept walking. He entered the long hallway on the west side that held Jenneca’s rooms and some others for their special guests. Murmured voices came from down the hall and he followed them.

Jorge’s voice carried to him as he got closer. “I’ll do anything. There is such a need everywhere, but I’ve got to get back. The coach is uptight I left for the two days I have.”

“I know—”

“You should come with me. You can’t stay here, your whole team will get back and you’re gonna miss your chance J. C. This is it. Take it. Don’t waste your time in this mess. They’ve got it taken care of.”

“It’s not a waste, Jorge. I love these people.”

“But this is your time. I just don’t want to see you so focused on helping others that you get taken advantage of.”

The silence that followed made Tripp wince with the thought they might be embracing, or worse. He paused outside her door. Jenneca did need to get back to skiing. She had dreams to pursue. He hadn’t thought much about her skiing in the past couple days, more concerned with his feelings for her and then the disaster that hit Torren, but in all this concern for her bakery, her village and the country, Jenneca was probably also wishing she could train. She had a shot at the Olympics if she could just prepare.

Tripp chastised himself for his selfishness. She didn’t need him as an additional distraction in her life either, someone to confuse her and drag her all over making repairs.

He cleared his throat to give them warning and then rapped on the open doorway. Jenneca and Jorge pulled apart and his heart tore in two.

“Excuse me.”

Jenneca’s face colored, and she looked away.

“I was just stopping by to let you know, Jenneca, that the repairs to your bakery will be finished tomorrow.”

“What!” The light in her face gave him a painful kind of happiness.

“Yes, I sent the crew there first.” He had more to say, but now was not the time to say it, and he realized, in all his efforts to save the bakery, he had really cleared the way for her to leave him. For her to pursue her dreams.

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