Page 81 of How to Date a Prince

“Will you come down to dinner?”

I shake my head and immediately regret it. Everything spins. Today was too much.

He gives me a worried look, squeezing my arm. “I’ll have something sent up.”

“I’m not hungry right now.”

“Later, then.”

I gaze up at him, his lined face and silvering beard. “Don’t you have more important things to do than fuss over me?”

“Auggie, you’re important too.” The corners of his mouth tug downward. “And I—all of us—have been terribly worried. I’m glad you’re home.”

I can’t say I’m glad to be back to the palace, back to my life beforeRenaissance Man, except now with bonus concussion content.

“I need to sleep,” I whisper. “Please, Father.”

The concern remains on his face. “The doctor will come tomorrow morning to check on you. Unless you think you need to see her tonight.”

“I’m okay.”

He shakes his head. “I wondered if you might be up for an event tomorrow. Obviously, you’re not. I’ll ask Anne instead.”

There it is. Confirmation. Duty calls. If I were feeling better, I would have agreed because as much as I feel constrained by duty, disappointing the public who honestly want to see me is much worse. But I’m quite sure I wouldn’t last more than a few minutes if the last couple of weeks are anything to go by.

“’Kay.” I sag back into the pillows, feeling heavy.

“I’ll be back to check on you later. And, I should say, I’m off tomorrow to Canada.”

“’Kay.”

“And it should go without saying you are forbidden to stay or communicate with Thomas Golden or any anti-monarchist, for that matter. Or go anywhere off the palace grounds while the media uproar continues. We don’t want even more attention by the paparazzi.”

I close my eyes, weary. “I understand, but?—”

“Auggie—”

“I’m staying here. Where can I go like this? You’ve also forbidden my continuation on the show?—”

He frowns. “It’s for your own good. I made a huge mistake letting you on a TV show. It’s a disaster in several ways. You’re lucky to be alive.”

I let my eyes slide shut. My father continues to sit beside me for a few minutes before leaving.

He doesn’t even know about my romantic relationship, such as it was, with Thomas. Even if it is a secret. And only for the duration of the show. At least that’s now in the past, and he won’t have to know.

I can only hope Gisele doesn’t use whatever footage they managed to record of Thomas and me.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Over the next week, back at Buckingham Palace, I try to get used to the new reality of my physical limits in familiar surroundings. I sit in the garden for fresh air in the shade where I once sat with my mum, watch the shadows creep across the garden, and listen to the songbirds in the heart of this urban oasis. In the dappled sun, filtered through the leaves, I try to forget Thomas, the media uproar, and everything else.

I start to reach out to everyone who’s messaged me and do my best to provide assurances I’m okay. Especially after I get a text from Theodor.

You’re meant to clear the jumps, not break them xxxxx

To which I respond,

Thought it more memorable to do a header into it instead x

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