Page 55 of Redemption of a Prince

Nikki watched him walk past her door then went to her room. She found a pair of cozy yoga pants, a t-shirt, and a long lightweight denim shirt to wear over them. Definitely comfortable. She quickly braided her hair into two plaits that hung over her shoulders.

Back in the living area, the fire blazed. Zeke waited for her on the lounge. “Want to finish last night’s movie?”

She snuggled in next to him. “Promise to quit comparing the movie to real life?”

“I suppose.” He gave an exaggerated sigh. “I don’t guess anyone watches HEA TV movies for reality.”

“Probably not.”

It took just over an hour for them to reach the happily ever after on the television. As they looked for another movie to watch, Zeke dug his phone out of his pocket.

“I need to take this,” he told her.

She scrolled through the movies while he answered the phone in the kitchen.

A few minutes later, he walked back in.

“Everything okay?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

He shook his head. “My father went in for surgery a few minutes ago. He didn’t want to tell me when they couldn’t bring me home without raising questions about why they sent a helicopter for me.”

“Who called?”

“My mother.” He stared down at the phone he held in both hands. “She knew I would want to know.”

Nikki stood and walked to stand in front of him, sliding her arms around his waist. Zeke held onto her, his head dropping against hers. “Are you all right?”

“I don’t know. I want to be there. I told him that. I don’t know why he went ahead with it. Maybe there was some reason it couldn’t wait. Maybe his condition was worse than he let on. I wondered that when I talked to him last time.”

“Maybe. I hope he would have told you the total truth, but he probably wanted to protect you. Or it’s possible he took a turn for the worse in the last couple of days and waiting wasn’t the best option anymore.”

She could feel the stress filling his body. It had to be hard, knowing your parent was undergoing an organ transplant while you were so far away and unable to reach his side. He also couldn’t sit with his mother or brothers.

Or Lydia.

The youngest of the king’s children had to be taking it harder than most. She understood the least, most likely, but that also meant she probably only understood the scary parts and not the odds of everything being all right.

Or was she an eternal optimist? If she was, that could help.

“How is your mother handling it?” Nikki held onto him a little more tightly.

“She sounded calm, but I could hear the underlying stress in her voice. The love of her life is undergoing life-saving surgery.” His hands clenched in her shirt. “I wish I was there. Maybe I can hike to town and get an auto.”

The idea made Nikki smile. “I’m sure they would both appreciate the thought. The surgery is only three or four hours long, though. It would take twice that long for you to get to town, especially with the roads iced over.”

“I could go through the woods.”

“Your security team wouldn’t let you help on the local grounds until the ice had been cleared. Do you really think they’ll let you traipse through the woods?”

She could feel him force himself to relax. It moderately worked, though not completely.

“You’re probably right.”

“I know I’m right.” She leaned back and looked up at him. “You know I am.”

A small smile crossed his face. “You are.”

“Instead, we’re going to say a prayer. We likely won’t stop praying until we get word that he’s doing all right. We can do something to keep our mind off it, though.”

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