Page 109 of A Princess for Christmas

It was hard going, but soon they were back in the car, all of them cold but unharmed. Gabby wasclearlyunharmed, judging by the barrage of questions she let loose about the ball. What was everyone wearing? How was dinner? What did they have for dessert? Were the decorations as pretty with the ballroom full as they’d been with it empty?

“Kiddo,” he whispered into her ear.

“Yeah?”

“Hush.”

She did, and he regretted his intervention. Without her chattering, the silence became charged.

“Father,” Marie said, just when Leo was about to open his mouth and say something that would probably have turned out to be ill-advised.

The king held up a hand as they pulled up to the palace steps, and never had Leo been happier to see the fancy old pile of rocks. Emil waited until they’d all piled out of the car and were in the grand foyer before speaking. “We will all visit our rooms and change out of our wet things, after which we will reunite in the ballroom.”

“Father,” Marie said, “I really think, after all that’s happened—”

Ignoring her, he gestured for Frau Lehman, who came scurrying up murmuring apologies as she enveloped Gabby in a hug.Leo knew that wasn’t right. Apologies were due in the other direction. “Gabby, do you have something to say to Frau Lehman?”

She hung her head. “I’m sorry I ran off. You must have been very worried.” She lifted her head and looked the rest of them—the king, Marie, and him—in the eye, one after another. “You all must have been.”

The king said nothing, merely turned to Marie and Leo. “I’ll see you back in the ballroom shortly.”

“Father! You can’t pretend that none of what has happened tonight matters! You can’t just—”

The king was already halfway across the foyer, speaking in a low voice to Frau Lehman, who had Gabby by the hand.

“I think he can, love,” Leo said, a little impressed at the king’s relentless ability to ignore reality. To ignore his daughter. “But we don’t have to do anything we don’t want to. Come on, let’s go get changed and find Gab. It’s Christmas Eve.”

“You know what?” Marie wasn’t looking at him. She’d turned to face the direction of the ballroom. “Iamgoing back in there. I’m going to abdicate.”

“What?”

“When you came into the ballroom, I’d been on my way to tell my father I wasn’t going to marry Max. I hadn’t been using the word ‘abdicate,’ even in my head, but I was—I am—prepared to if need be. I’mnotprepared to go back in there and pretend that nothing has changed. If he can’t see that—if everything he saw tonight wasn’t enough...” She shrugged. “Then I guess I need to make my point more explicitly.”

Holy Mary, mother of God. “Okay, hang on now.” Leo tookMarie’s hand and started towing her toward his room. She resisted. “I’m cold,” he said. “I need to change first.” He could give a shit about being cold, but he needed a moment to gather his thoughts, and he wasn’t above manipulating her sympathies to get it.

Inside his room, he shut the door. “You can’t abdicate.” He rummaged around in his stuff until he found a pair of jeans.

“I can, though. I can do whatever I want.” She laughed incredulously, like the idea was equal parts astonishing and delightful.

“Marie.” Leo flung his wet dress pants to the side and jammed his legs into his jeans. “Listen to me—”

“No.Youlisten tome. Do you want to be with me or not?”

“Yes, of course.” He gentled his voice. “I love you. I just think we can leave this for tomorrow. We can talk to your father tomorrow. And if you need to...” Jesus, he couldn’t even say the word. “Maybe there’s a way to do this that doesn’t result in you losing your father.”

“I already lost my father. He used to be my father the king. Now he’s just the king.” Her voice hitched and she swallowed. When she spoke again, it was in a whisper.

“Leo, I don’t want this life anymore. Not like this, anyway.”

He took her in his arms. “All right, love.” She was shivering. He tightened his hold on her. “But does it have to be now? Are you sure you want to go busting in there breathing fire?”

“You did!”

He chuckled. “Yeah, you got me there.”

She pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes. “I think sometimes you need to make a grand declaration. You have to say things in a way that ensures they’ll be heard.”

He still didn’t thinksheneeded to do it that way, though. She’d be the center of attention, which she hated. She’d embarrass herself.

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