Page 79 of A Royal Arrangement
Beverly shooed his comment away with the wave of her hand. “I’m talking to my son-in-law.”
“It’s fine.” Colin chuckled. “Give it to me straight.”
“Why did you mention an annulment? Is that something you’re actually considering? It looked like things were going so well with Rosalie a week ago.”
“It was merely a thought that crossed my mind.”
“But why?” Beverly prodded.
“Because I’m not good enough for her,” he blurted the words.
Beverly took a paper fan out of her purse and flung it open before whacking Colin in the arm with it. “Don’t you ever say that again, you hear me?”
“Rosalie deserves more than what I can give her.”
“What ifyouare all she wants?”
Colin shook his head. “It’s impossible. I can’t be.”
She placed her hand on his cheek, and he leaned into her touch. “You don’t get to decide if somebody else loves you.” She stepped back, wagging her finger at him. “But you do get to choose how you respond.”
Richard walked over and set a hand on his shoulder in a fatherly gesture. “We’re all a little broken, son. That’s life. Our heart breaks, but it heals. Your everyday life might not look the same, but that doesn’t mean it will be any less full. It just means it will be different from how it was before. And then, one day, what you once thought was different will become your new normal.”
Colin looked between Isabella’s parents. “You all give really good advice, you know that?”
“We’re only parents telling our son-in-law the same things our parents told us once upon a time. You’ll probably share the same kind of message with Addie one day when she gets her heart broken.” Beverly sat down in a chair and dabbed a tissue under her eyes. “We know you loved our daughter. That love will always be a part of you, but it’s been almost five years. It’s okay for you to open yourself to love again.”
Colin pushed himself up from the couch and walked over to Bev, pulling her into a hug. “Losing my father and Isabella so close together was the hardest thing I have ever been through. Thank you all for being my family. I know I’m not the easiest person to love, but you have never given up on me.”
“You’re our son for life, Colin. You’re stuck with us.” She patted his hand and looked at him with such motherly affection it made his heart ache.
“Thank you,” he said to her and then turned to look at Richard. “Both of you. Addie and I are lucky to have you in our lives.”
“We wouldn’t have it any other way.” Beverly sighed. “Now, back to Rosalie. We adore her. Don’t mess it up, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Colin saluted her, and she hit him with her fan again.
“Don’t sass me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“You sound like Wes.” Beverly laughed.
Colin’s eyes went wide when he realized she was right.
“Promise me you’ll think about everything I said before you talk to Rosalie?”
“I promise.” He didn’t know exactly what he would say to Rosalie the next time they had a real conversation, but he could at least think things over before he said something he might regret.
“Good.” She nodded her head like her work here was done. “All right, Richard, let’s hit the road. Otherwise, we’re going to miss our pickleball tournament.”
As they walked past him, he stopped Richard and whispered, “Pickleball?”
“Yeah, we started playing earlier this year. It’s all the rage right now—or at least that’s what Bev tells me.” Richard pulled him in for a hug, clapping him on the shoulder. “We do wild things for the people we love.” He gave him a knowing smile before walking to join his wife.
When Richard reached Beverly, his whole expression softened. He looked at her as if she were his entire world.
Colin knew it was exactly how he would look at Rosalie if he allowed himself to go there. If he allowed himself to sitin the love he felt for her. She would be the sun, his whole world revolving around her, if he let her be. He simply had to decide if he was willing to open his heart to another forever kind of love.
