Page 68 of Royally Benevolent

Alexandra sweetly said, “He is a good judge of character, so we all must approve.”

“Rick isn’t going to freak out?”

“Rick wants you happy, sono. He would love for you to find someone worthy of your time.”

The implication was someone better than Guy. And the more Wyatt took care of me, the harder I fell. Maybe Wyatt was too old and complicated, but he’d only shown me respect. That was more than I could say about my ex.

39

A LITTLE PRINCE

WYATT

Odette was under the weather the following day. I gave her the number of my massage therapist. Post-appointment, she thought things were better but still wasn’t up to going out. I was sad that the first free night without a nanny disaster was a bust.Ifinallyfound a woman I could see myself spending time with—only for a car accident to upend it. And even thinking about that made me sick to my stomach. My focus remained on putting fewer cars on the god damn road.

“Papa,” Theo whined, throwing the book at my feet. “Read my book.”

“Please?” I instructed. “Can you saypleaseand be polite?”

He grimaced, took the book back, and returned to his corner, where he had a stack of building supplies a mile high. He’d been working on a castle all day—per him. I could not see the castle, but he had a powerful imagination.

“I’m off then,” Mom said. “Are yousureyou want me to go?”

Mom was headed out to a trivia night hosted by the American Embassy. It didn’t sound all that entertaining, but she had some friends she’d met in her lap swimming group. I hugged her.

“It’s good. Go. Have a good time,” I said.

Theo ran over and hugged her leg before running back to his castle.

My phone buzzed. Odette was calling. I worried something terrible had happened.

“Hello?”

“Yeah, sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you. Uh, Astrid came to town for wedding stuff on a lark. We’re having a big dinner. Alex wanted me to ask if you wanted to join. I’m still a wreck, but I’m up for dinner.”

I watched Theo play quietly, wishing like hell I could say yes. However, I couldn’t call the nanny back on duty to see Odette.

“Sorry. My mom went out, and I don’t have a nanny until tomorrow.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” Odette said.

“Another time?”

“I meant that you’re welcome to bring Theo—only if you want to. He can play with the niblings.”

“Oh, I couldn’t?—”

“No, seriously. They would love him. I bet he would get on great with Karolina. They’re about the same age.”

“The kids are going to be there?”

I assumed royals ate separately from their picky children. Perhaps I didn’t understand these people at all.

“They have to eat. It’s not a late dinner,” Odette said.

Not by Neandian standards. Only old people ate before eight.

“Oh… well… he’s already eaten.”

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