Page 75 of The English Queen

“No, no. The job is high maintenance. “That’s the expectation all of them. She’s the opposite. Happiest sitting barefoot at a piano.”

“She’s really that good?”

“The woman wrote our wedding march. It’s a surprise. She inspired her ex to write and an entire symphony. Which he will continue to perform around Europe until he dies, apparently. I went to the debut. I have to go again when he comes to Brussels this summer.”

“He wrote her a symphony?”

Louis nodded.

“Is she magic?”

“She might as well be. At least, she has me in a fucking trance. A year and a half ago, I was quite sorry for myself and visiting you, remember?”

“I do. Did I not say, ‘Man, you really need to get laid’ or did I not?”

“You did. I figured it was impossible to find someone to put up with me and my neuroses. I mean, she will poke fun at me. She will call me a nerd but, at the end of the day, I know it’s in good humour and she loves me.”

“She has to. You’re not hideous, my friend, but she’s marrying a man thirteen years her senior with a slowly receding hair line, limited hair colour, and a mother who scared his ex off. So, it must be good to be The King, yeah?”

Louis shook his head. “Not as much as you think but loved me enough to stick it out. All before I decided we would buy a chateau outside Paris because our town home does not meet her standards.”

“Ooof, you are in deep, my friend.”

“Yeah. I didn’t even complain. I said, ‘Sure, Bethany, whatever you want.’ She’d buy it herself if I didn’t.”

“But now, you can take credit for it.”

“She makes good points. The house is too small for a family with multiple children and all of our detail. It suited me as a bachelor pad when I was there and it’s fine for Marta or the occasional visit but it’s not suitable for a family of four and security.”

“A family?”

“Have you been living under a rock, man? Yes. Blessing and a curse this life. But we gotta have kids. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

“Well, she is young enough. I know nothing about it. I mean, isn’t that better?”

“You’ve been married twice and have no children. If I married someone my own age, I’d be up shit creek without a paddle.”

“The second time for 90 days did not count. I say I’m never getting married again but if a girl like Beth walked my way, I might eat my words.”

“You are a liability, man. You have no business throwing your hat in the ring a third time right now.”

“Ouch… but accurate,” Rudy admitted as Beth approached.

“What are you boys doing?” she asked.

“Louis says you are looking for a house outside of Paris.”

“Well, not immediately, but yes. My sister-in-law’s parents own some real estate in Paris. They put out some feelers but beyond that, we’re not in a rush. I recently sold my apartment there. It was lovely but only about 3000 square feet and not suitable for us.”

“Yes, 3000 square feet in Paris. How did you survive?”

“Rudy, be nice to the princess,” Louis said, annoyed.

“No, no, he’s right, it sounds entitled. I’ll grant you, Rudy. However, I did hear you say earlier you own a car that cost well over a million dollars and work for a charity that fights homelessness. I would agree we can all be logically inconsistent, yes?”

“On brand for a princess.”

“I used to be an avowed socialist until I could no longer avow anything,” Beth whispered.

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