Page 72 of Mistletoe Season
“I’m not having this conversation with you.” She gave her head a hearty shake and moved toward the door. “He’s aprince.”
And that should end the argument.
“Wimp,” came Luke’s low challenge.
She pivoted toward him, hands on her hips. “Wimp?”
“You’re objecting to a future with a good guy because he’s a prince?” He shrugged one of those massive shoulders of his. “The poor guy can’t help it, Charlie.”
“I’m not objecting tohim. I’m objecting tomebeingwithhim.”
He relaxed back against the porch wall, pot in hand, and stared down at her. “Why?”
She paused, cutting her gaze up to her cousin. “Luke.”
“Seriously, why? If he’s looking for someone who’s smart and kind and hardworking with a sassy sense of humor, then you’re a great choice.”
She gestured toward the door. “He’s aprince!”
“And he’s a man looking for the right woman.”
“Maybe. But I could never be like the dozens of posh women he’s dated in the past.” The admission squeezed through her throat.
“I can assure you he’s smartened up since then, and he isn’t looking for a repeat of his past.”
“I’m no princess, Luke.” Why did the admission hurt so much?
“Okay, so now we get to it.” Luke released a long breath. “I understand, Charlie. If anyone in this entire family gets it, it’s me. I argued the whole thing in my head too.Not fit to be married to a royal. Don’t want to be a part of the royal life. No way Ellie would ever really want someone like me at her side.”
Statements she’d been making to herself since the date offer in the truck on the mountain.
“But here’s the truth of it,” he continued. “Prince or pauper, the right woman for the right man will make all the hard-to-figure-out stuff work.” He stepped closer, the corner of his mouth tugged up. “My life isn’t going to look like I’d planned. It’s going to be better. Harder, but better, because Ellie is worth the risk.” He searched her face. “And so are you.”
She was quiet for a moment, afraid to embrace the hope he peddled. “But you... you already knew how to do royal things like dance and wear nice clothes.”
His exaggerated eye roll wasn’t comforting. “You’relearninghow to dance and wear nice clothes, and you have the smarts to figure out the rest. But you already have what you need most for any man.” He tipped closer. “Your heart.”
The bridge of her nose tingled, and she swallowed the rising lump in her throat. “What if I’m not enough?”
His entire expression softened. “What if you’re muchmorethan enough?”
Her bottom lip quivered, so she bit it.
“Charlie.” He looked down at her with such brotherly tenderness that the tingling in her nose spread to her eyes... and inspired leaking. “Just because your mama had a broken perspective about you doesn’t mean Arran does. In fact, I’d say you’ve done a whole lot to get his perspective on the right track, which only proves he’s smarter than he looks.”
A weak laugh limped out of her mouth.
“Only you can decide whether whatever is going on between you two is worth all the hard stuff. But you are just as equipped to handle their crazy lives as I am.” His grin twitched. “Now doesn’t that make you feel better?”
“Loads.” She shook her head and stared at the wreath on the front door.
The impossible?
“Why does Granny always decorate for Christmas the week of Thanksgiving?” Charlie rubbed at her nose, the topic change giving her swelling emotions a small reprieve. “Give Thanksgiving a chance!”
“Why do you ask questions as if they matter to Granny?”
“You’re right.” She reached for the door handle. “What was I thinking?”
