Page 47 of Powerful Prince
My brother gave her a curt nod and the yacht wobbled as he jumped off. I didn’t waver, but my sister held on to a rail until we stabilized. I let out a long sigh and said, “I don’t need a babysitter, Emily.”
She motioned toward the cabin and I realized that her arms had goosebumps. I waved her in and, as she crossed, into the main room she asked, “What happened with Nicole?”
She sat on the bench and patted the seat beside her. I joined her and tapped my fingers on my knees. “She sees her blog as part of who she is.”
Emily took my hand like Mom used to and said, “It’s been her life since she was a girl.”
When had my sister turned so sweet? I swallowed and said, “I never wanted her to give it up. Father had other opinions.”
Emily hugged me. A slight pain pulsed through me, like I’d missed my sister for too long. And Nicole, too. I wished she was here. I swallowed. Emily resettled in her seat, smoothed her pants like they had a wrinkle, and said, “I thought you wanted out of our family and that’s why you married the stripper. I was so happy that Gio stopped you, and that you brought Nicole home. I thought you were both in love.”
There was a huge, hollow cave in my heart. I’d had this feeling of emptiness ever since the day my mom didn’t come home from a speech. I glanced at the porthole and said, “I don’t know what love is.”
I turned away and faced toward the empty room. “It’s not like our family are experts at that.”
She bumped into my shoulder. “You and Mom were close.”
True. Mom was the best to me. “She watched out for me as no one else did.”
Emily let out a small sigh and folded her hands in front of her. “We’re the only people who ever challenge Dad’s word. I mean, normally, people just go along and follow whatever he says without question.”
Yet, Father was charmed by Emily when she laughed at his rules, while he derided me for everything I did wrong, down to how I’d tied my shoes as a boy. I let my head rest against the wall and said, “Doesn’t matter. I’m not meant for love.”
Emily turned toward me and crossed her legs as she asked, “Seriously, what happened with Nicole?”
I glanced down my nose at her. Emily had grown up these past two years, while I’d been avoiding home. My pulse was calmer now, and I told her the truth. “She won’t marry me without father’s approval.”
She squeezed my palm. “Wow. I thought she was in love with you.”
Love. That word again. My head pounded like I’d missed an answer, but I sucked in my breath and wished Nicole was here as I said, “We … never discussed our feelings.”
Emily’s phone rang. She reached for it, but she said, “So you’re the idiot here. If you love her, then you need to tell her.”
Probably true. Nicole had gotten under my skin, and losing her opened a gaping wound and uncovered the hole in my heart. I stood and paced as I said, “Go, Emily.”
She jumped up and stood in my way. “I’m the annoying sister who doesn’t budge. Do you love her?”
“Maybe,” I said quickly. If love meant there was a space in my heart where the only person who could fill it was Nicole, then, yeah.
The thought almost evaporated out of my skin like water, but for the first time in hours calmness also fell over me, like I had a mission.
Emily tapped her foot and it echoed on the metal floor as she said, “That’s the wrong answer. No wonder she left.”
I crossed my arms, as this wasn’t the time to argue. I needed to be sure, though. I said, “I’ve avoided feelings since Mom died.”
She waved her hand in the air like she needed space. “I hope I’m never like you.”
Huh? I tilted my head and asked, “What did I do?”
She crossed her arms and widened her stance. “You treated Nicole like she was the only one you cared about. I think that scared Father, and that’s why he came up with a list of demands.”
My mind whirled with what she said. My father, for once, wasn’t my priority. But I said, “I don’t follow.”
My sister said, “In his soul, our father is afraid of losing us. He knows we’ve not been close since Mom died. He saw how happy you and Nicole were … she seemed to make you happier than I’ve seen you in years. And Father still wants us in his life, despite his hard-headedness.
“I know he’s trying to protect us, but that picture Nicole and I took … I voluntarily took it with her. She didn’t surprise me.”
My head was stuck on how happy I’d been with Nicole. Having her next to me at a formal dinner had been sweet. She made the most boring events interesting, but my lips thinned. “I’m never happy.”
