Page 105 of Royally Benevolent

Wyatt pressed my face to his chest, cradling me. I listened to his heart’s constant, easy blub-blub and let it lull me into a place of comfort. We’d been so lucky to have one another and to share so openly that I didn’t resist telling him. I knew I could trust Wyatt always.

“I trust you,” I murmured. “And that’s not nothing. You can trust me, too, Wy.”

“I know,” Wyatt said quietly. “Thanks for not hating it whenever I bring her name up.”

I pulled back, taking his face in my hands. “I won’t ever get cross over you mentioning Isla, okay? I promise.”

Wyatt kissed my forehead. “Thanks for letting me have that, Odette. Thanks for letting us both take up space in this house.”

It never occurred to me that shedidtake up space. Isla would always be there. I’d have to learn to love that bit if I loved him, but I couldn’t fault Wyatt for his reaction to losing his beloved wife in his thirties. What he’d been through was unimaginable. He did the best he could—just like I was. I loved him for all he was. His resilience was just another reason I appreciated him.

60

BACK HOME IN STL

WYATT

Ireturned to St Louis with Mom and Theo rather than Odette. I hated to leave her for a week but was relieved she’d mostly be busy with wedding planning and her new niece. Theo hadn’t been “home” since Christmas, but my mother was glad to be back stateside. I went to meetings and tried to sell the city on my plans to improve existing transit.

I also spent some precious downtime with my sister, Becca. We grabbed coffee together at the wonderful coffee shop on the edge of Forest Park. It was a brisk walk from the house for me and a quick one from where her brewery was located. We walked through the park towards the other side near our house. Theo skipped on the walk. He held a stick he’d picked up.

“So, things with Odette are good?”

I shook my head. “You don’t have to ask about that. God, you and Mom make big deals out of it. Yes, things are good. Things are excellent.”

“So, if you get this project, is she coming here?”

I let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. I have a nice life there. Theo has stability. He has a school he loves and friends. I won’tneed to be here all the time. But if we returned occasionally and she travelled with me, I wouldn’t hate it.”

“So predictable. Wealthy man falls in love with an attractive, much younger woman,” Rebecca teased.

“I didn’t fall in love with her because she was beautiful—she is—but because she’s kind.”

“I know. I like her. She’s a winner, and Theo told me all about her yesterday.”

“He likes that she speaks to him in French,” I said. “There is some comfort there. It warms my heart.”

An older couple with a dog approached.

“Theo, you must ask if you can pet the dog!” I called out instinctively.

The older couple stopped to let Theo pet their elderly poodle.

“It’s like Grieg,” Theo said in French.

Not at all, buddy.

“He misses my girlfriend’s dog,” I said. “His name is Grieg.”

“Does he love animals then?” The older woman cooed.

“He does.”

I fluffed his hair.

“Thank you,” Theo said sweetly, letting them pass.

He took my hand, still skipping. “I miss Grieg.”

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