Page 27 of Loyally, Luke
Ellie:Maeve!
Maeve:El, you’re going to have to keep choosing to do the right thing over and over again. It’s much harder to climb out of a bad reputation than to sully a good one. So just keep choosing right and let all those right choices speak for themselves.
Maeve:And getting the right kind of kiss now and again is definitely a good choice in my book.
Ellie:You are no help at all!
Text from Rose to Ellie:Are our parents forcing the Duke of Styles upon you?
Ellie:Mother recommended him from their list of eligible suitors for me.
Rose:Ah, the list.
Ellie:He has an excellent reputation, which Mother feels will help clean up some of my messy past.
Rose:Marriage is not mercenary, Elliana.
Ellie:Depends on who you ask. Besides, I’m not attached to anyone, so they made a recommendation or two. It was only dinner. And their list worked wonderfully for Stellan. He’s the perfect Crown Prince with the perfect wife. Even his sons are perfect.
Rose:You wouldn’t say that if you’ve ever attempted to watch them.
Rose:As far as Christopher, it would be fine if you really liked him, but as your elder sister, I know you can’t. He’s very nice, but his personality is... well, does he even have one of his own?
Ellie:He’s reserved.
Rose:Ah, perfect royal marriage material. The media is not your measuring stick. Take care, Elliana, that you do not continue to pay for a debt that has been forgiven. Despite all their expectations, our parents would never wish for that.
Ellie stared down at her phone, her sister, Rosalyn’s, last text niggling deep into her heart. Simply accepting their forgiveness seemed too simple for all the trouble her mistakes had caused.
All the horrible press.
All the heartache.
The very least she could do was try to make things right. To take their suggestions into consideration.
She wasn’t too certain she trusted her own ability to make the best choices anymore.
Especially about relationships.
When men discovered she was a royal, everything changed. And in her experience, not in a good way. She’d been such a fool to think any of them really cared for her.
They’d only wanted popularity or spotlight or whatever they could get by being associated with her. None of them had been genuine or honest. None trulysawher.
How could she have been so stupid?
She pressed a palm into her stomach, forcing the memories into submission. Years of therapy and thousands of prayers had brought her to the other side, and she would not go back.
No, it was time to turn her hopes and expectations to serving others. To embrace her royal life and duties. Love could grow in time as it had for some of her ancestors.
Her parents cared for her. They loved her through all the messiness and ramifications of her choices, so surely their recommendations held weight enough for her to push back any dreamy romantic notions and embrace solid good sense.
Luke Edgewood came to mind, unbidden. Perhaps it had been the word “solid,” or maybe the phrase “good sense,” for surely it had nothing to do with romantic notions. Something about his genuineness was so refreshing. He had no idea of her past or her pedigree. No kid gloves. No deference. Her lips tipped ever so slightly at the memory of the kitchen closet scene. He’d teased her. And brought out her laugh. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed with a man.
Her fist pressed against her chest.
And she’d instantly felt safe near him. Safe enough to lower her guard, even for a few moments.
She rarely experienced such a feeling outside of her family.
