Page 41 of Once Upon a Royal Summer
His mother studied him for a moment, her expression softening a bit. “And you? Did you have a good time as well?”
“Very much.” He nodded.
Here was his opening, served right up on a silver platter. Henry wasn’t sure why he was suddenly nervous about telling his mother about Lacey’s visit. If her past comments about his love life were any indication, she’d probably be thrilled.
But Lacey’s just a friend, remember?
Right. Why did he have such a difficult time remembering that significant detail?
Henry cleared his throat. “In fact, I wanted to tell you—”
But then Rose bounded into the dining room and threw herself at the queen as if she hadn’t seen her for a year, rather than just a few days. “Grandmère! We’re back.”
Henry’s throat grew thick as his mother smiled and returned Rose’s enthusiastic embrace. The queen took her role as the monarch with the utmost seriousness, and she was committed to the people of Bella-Moritz and upholding their traditions, but she also loved her granddaughter and wanted what was best for Rose—even if Henry didn’t always agree with what that might entail. It was easy to lose sight of that sometimes. Perhaps getting away had been good for his perspective, among other things.
“Did you have a nice birthday, Caitriona?” Queen Elloise asked, frowning slightly as she took in her granddaughter’s attire. She was wearing her Princess Sweet Pea gown…again.
Rose nodded. “It was the best birthday ever. We went to a tea party at Ever After Castle.”
Henry’s mother shot him a look, as if to remind him he needn’t have dragged his daughter to America for a royal tea party when she could’ve attended the real deal right here at home.
Henry shook his head. “Not the regular sort of tea party.”
“Daddy waltzed with Princess Sweet Pea, and everyone clapped.” Rose spread her arms out wide.
Henry probably should’ve seen this coming, particularly since Rose had issued a similar recounting of the tea party when she’d told Ian about it.
That had been days ago, though. So much had happened since then.
Henry glanced at the queen, whose eyebrows had shot clear up to her hairline. “Not the regular sort of waltzing, either,” he said.
His mother smiled in the serene way that queens throughout the ages had mastered, but Henry knew better than to trust outward appearances. Her face could be a perfect mask when she wanted it to. “The last time I checked, the assorted varieties of waltzing were somewhat limited.”
“It was just a waltz,” Henry said for clarification, but his heartbeat kicked up a notch.
The queen’s gaze narrowed ever so slightly before she turned her attention back toward Rose. “And what is this lovely dress you’re wearing?” she asked, fluffing one of the puffed sleeves of Rose’s Princess Sweet Pea gown.
She’d obviously dragged it out of her suitcase and zipped herself into it after Marie had finished braiding her hair. Henry didn’t see the harm in letting her wear it around the palace. In fact, it warmed his heart to think she’d enjoyed their trip to Once Upon A Time so much that she still wanted to wear the costume here at home.
“It’s my Princess Sweet Pea dress. Isn’t it beautiful?” Rose stepped back and twirled three times before dropping into an exaggerated theme-park-princess curtsey.
“Quite beautiful,” the queen said with her usual diplomatic flair.
“It’s just like Princess Sweet Pea’s gown, except I don’t have my crown anymore. I gave it away.” Rose climbed onto the dining chair beside Henry’s.
He motioned for her to put her napkin in her lap.
Rose talked throughout the entire meal, giving her grandmother a detailed play-by-play of everything they’d done in Florida, placing heavy emphasis on the time they’d spent with Lacey. It was Princess Sweet Pea this and Princess Sweet Pea that for the better part of an hour, until Rose was excused to go change for her riding lesson.
His daughter had been gone a grand total of two minutes when Queen Elloise brought up the subject of Lacey again.
“Rose seems quite enamored with this Princess Sweet Pea character,” she said, arching a brow. “Would this be the same ‘princess’ who was in the photograph you sent me a few days ago?”
So she’d gotten the text, after all. A reply would’ve been nice, but Henry refrained from saying so.
Still, he bristled at his mother’s unspoken air quotes around the word princess. “Yes, she was our guide at the theme park. Her real name is Lacey Pope. Rose took quite a shine to her.”
“I can see that.” The queen sipped her tea.
