Page 110 of Royally Benevolent

“I know. And you may always do that, but I think you realise you did the right thing and that Odette being here reallyhelped, right?”

“It did. I love how caring she always is. We don’t deserve her.”

“You do, honey. You do.”

Mom hugged me. I always wondered when I’d tire of this need for a big bear hug from my mom, but I figured it might never come. That is why I said I would if Theo let me cuddle with him during story time every night. Time was precious and fleeting.

“I think I’m good,” I said. “I just want to dry my eyes and see this falconry thing.”

Pulling myself together, I smiled and went outside. The falconer explained to the children, in age-appropriate detail, how birds evolved.

“How did you find this guy?” I whispered to Odette.

She wrapped her arm around my waist. “He does a demonstration at our country home sometimes. It’s a real crowd-pleaser.”

“Thanks for doing all of this,” I said. “It means the world.”

She rested her head on my shoulder. “I love that you let me help. Celebrating Theo and being included by your family feels great.”

Watching Theo stand and help catch the bird as it did its pass was pure joy. Theo was living his best life on a day that—for the first time—felt all about him. We’d gone from focusing on the day’s pain to what it should be. Theo was a bright light that always got me through. And now, we had more people than ever to give him love.

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WATCHFUL EYE

ODETTE

Rick beelined for me. I wasn’t sure why he looked so concerned, but I saw the worry spread across his face. We’d been focused on Theo’s party. The kids were having a lovely time together. However, he was in full concerned dad mode, and I wasn’t prepared for what would come next.

He kept his voice low, “Don’t panic, but I just spotted a camera over the hedge.”

“What? Where?” Ingrid overheard. She was angry and unwilling to back down or take the easy way.

“What part of don’t panic don’t you get?” I asked, annoyed. “Where?”

Rick nodded. “I sent our detail to check it out. I think they will pull all of us.”

“I cannot leave Theo,” I protested. “He needs me to stay.”

“Odie, it will be obvious as hell that you’re with Wyatt if you don’t go.”

“Let me talk to Wyatt,” I said.

There was no good choice. If I left, I might salvage whatever plausible deniability I had left. I’d also hurt Theo and maybe Wyatt. Eitherway, Wyatt was about to be upset with me. We had purposefullynotwanted to get caught. We’dnotgone public. This would only hurt him.

I tapped Wyatt on the shoulder. He was watching Theo open his gifts. His mother was takingallthe photos.

“I have to go, I think,” I said. “We have an incident.”

“What?”

Wyatt instinctively stepped back so we could talk alone.

“There are press. One climbed up to take photos over the fence. Rick spotted him and sicced our detail on him, but… I have no idea how long he was there, and… it’s a risk we take if I stay and don’t leave with my family.”

“Babe, you did a lot of this. You should stay. It will break Theo’s heart if you go. If you’re told youmustgo, that’s one thing. If you’re told?—”

“If they connect us, we will have no way to deny we’re together, Wyatt.”

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