Page 16 of Once Upon a Royal Billionaire

“Call me. Let’s talk about what’s really going on. I feel like there’s more I can do there, too.”

She hesitated and then nodded, slowly. “Maybe.”

“Good enough.” Then he turned and left, nodding at Rhett.

The room was quiet for a moment, then Rhett approached. “So, why the huge pitch for financial backing?”

“I told you. We’re moving into new opportunities, new avenues, diversifying…” She let her voice trail off, feeling unaccountably guilty that she was hesitating to disclose their hardship. But she refused to offer more.

“I can free up some of the capital of Aegira and be an official sponsor, or I can be like the other guys and sign up for a percentage from my personal investment portfolio. Tell me what would be the best fit.”

She didn’t know what he was asking. “Whatever makes the most sense for you, I guess.”

“That’s fair. But, Emily, is there more I can do? I’d do anything for you. Why do I feel like this is a cry for help more than an investment opportunity?”

His face was open, curious, concerned, but she couldn’t bring herself to disappoint him, to show herself as the failure she was. How could she tell him her last three ventures had failed in the few short years she’d been at the head of Mountain Blue? That she wasn’t sure anything else she wanted to try wouldn’t be an equal failure? She couldn’t. Besides, the company could turn around. People asked for investors all the time. This was nothing different. “You’re misreading. This isn’t a cry for help.” She swallowed back her half-truth, hoping it wasn’t obvious on her face, and tried to mask her worry.

“I’ll give you whatever you need, Emily. You know that.” He lifted her bag and put it on her shoulder, “And now what I want to know is are you ready to hike Nepo?”

Her shoulders relaxed. “More than anything.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

“What, right now?”

“Sure. I’ve got the Jeep packed.”

“Just like that? Take off?”

“I’ve cleared my whole day.”

Suddenly, she felt free and ready for some fun. Her pitch was done. The guys had supported her. Now she was free to have fun like she used to. “Okay, I’m ready! Let me get changed.”

Soon they were both sitting in his Jeep. The doors and top were off, and wind blew through her hair. She knew that a security detail was following, but she tried to ignore them. She knew that someone might see them and take a picture, but she didn’t care. For now, the world circled around Rhett and Emily like it used to, and they were going to hike to their favorite spot. Everything would look small from up there, and it would all be okay.

She shouted, “Woop, woop!” and turned on the music.

Rhett laughed and smiled at her, reaching for her hand. She let his fingers twine with hers and the ache of familiar tingles made her heart grow. Her chest seemed to expand with acceptance. She wanted more—happiness, security, partnership. And Rhett seemed to offer all those things. She could allow herself to pretend, for a day, that there was a ‘what if’ when it came to Rhett—if he didn’t run a country, if she didn’t have to worry about Lily, if the last ten years hadn’t separated them.

Even though all of those things mattered, and opening up even the tiniest weakness to Rhett could prove disastrous, she let go and planned to just enjoy the day.

7

Rhett exulted in the beautiful woman at his side. In his Jeep was one of his favorite places to see Emily. Her thick, deep-red hair filled the air behind them until she pulled it back into her signature ponytail. He echoed her shout. “Alright, let’s go! Woop, woop!”

He used the digital console to casually adjust their music to his “Emily” playlist, and suddenly they were taken back in time to the music of their favorite band. Song after song accompanied them through the windy roads to the base of the mountain trail. By the time they hit the parking lot for the trailhead, they were both singing at the top of their lungs with pretend microphones in hand.

The Jeep pulled to a stop, and Rhett tried not to notice the other cars in the parking lot and the straggling hiker at the drinking fountain. Hopefully they wouldn’t recognize their king and he and Emily could hike in peace.

He shouldered a backpack. He’d filled it with extra water and trail mix. Then they hit the trail. “We’re so late heading up, I think we can hit the sunset if we pace it right.”

“I’d love to see the valley in daylight first. And then we can watch the sun set.”

Rhett set a clipped pace, hoping they would be able to do just as she wished. The first part of the hike passed through the woods that circled the peak. The ground was covered with a small-leaved holly, and the air smelled of pine. Now and then the air was cooled by a breeze that came off of the river rushing down from the peak. Their talk of memories carried them for the first couple hours of the hike, and then their trail opened up onto the bald hilltop.

A rolling meadow spread out in front of them, and just as Rhett had been told, the wildflowers were in full bloom.

The small gasp beside him was reward enough for all the effort to get them up there, for all the missed appointments and the rescheduling of his ribbon-cutting on a new wing to the museum.

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