Page 56 of Prince Un-Charming

“I wasn’t unfaithful.” I know I’m on thin ice, but I try anyway to convince her.

“How are we supposed to accept that with all your history?” She has a point. “Doesn’t this work for you? Now you can be free to go be yourself.”

“I don’t want to be free. I want Vivienne. More than anything, I want her to be by my side forever. And I want to be by hers. Please, Adela, let me stay until she gets home so I can talk to her. If she wants me to go after that, I’ll go.”

Delano appears at the door. “She does want you to go, Caesar. It’s over. And you need to leave.” He closes the door firmly, leaving me on the porch.

I drive around Sandyville, hoping I’ll catch sight of Vivienne somewhere, but I can’t find her. Stalking wasn’t the plan when I came here, but they left me no choice.

I show up at the house every morning for the next three days but never get Vivienne at the door. First, it’s her dad. “Hi, Delano, is Vivienne home?”

“No,” he says with finality, and he moves to close the door.

“Can I come in? I just want to talk.”

“Vivienne wants nothing to do with you. I don’t see why I should, either. You messed up big time, son. It’s time to move on.” There it is again,moving on.He closes the door, and I leave the roses I brought with me on the porch.

The next day, I bring an apple pie from the diner down the street. I notice with a glimmer of hope that the roses are gone. Even if they only made it to the trash, Vivienne might have seen them. I knock on the door and her brother Cory answers.

“Hi…”

“Can’t you take a hint?” he interrupts. “She doesn’t want to see you. Get out of town or I’llmakeyou get out.” He slams the door, and I leave the pie on the porch.

The day after that, I come to the door with a card. The pie is nowhere to be seen. This time, her sister Loretta answers. “Hi, Loretta. Can I come in?”

She tosses a doubtful look over her shoulder. For a moment, I think I have an in. “Look, I’m kind of on your side here. If Vivienne didn’t want to take the risk of you showing up in the tabloids, she shouldn’t have married a royal, especially one like you.”

It’s kind of backhanded, but I’ll take it. “I just want to talk to her. Five minutes. Two. If she doesn’t want to talk, I’ll leave peacefully, but I’ve got to hear it for myself.”

She shrugs and shakes her head. “I’m sorry. To be honest, I think it’s all really romantic, but I can’t breach Vivi’s trust like that. I think you should go.”

“And do what?” I hate to sound perturbed with the first person who’s shown me any kindness, but I’m getting desperate. “We’re married, not dating. I’m in love with her. I can’t just walk away from that. I’m not some disappointed schoolboy. I’m her husband.”

“Look, things happen. You should go home and let the chips fall where they may. Love always finds a way, right?” She closes the door, an apologetic look on her face.

I’ve never been somebody who leaves things up to chance. I wash up at my hotel, then camp out on her street in my car, waiting to see if I can spot Vivienne at all.

If any of them sees me, they don’t give me a clue, but they’re not giving me an opening. One morning, Loretta brings a cup of coffee to my car window and knocks. I roll it down, and she bends to my eye level, holding the mug out for me.

“Thanks,” I say groggily. It’s been a string of very long nights.

“Don’t mention it. Everyone is out back having a picnic breakfast, so I don’t have long. She’s going on a beach trip with the cousins soon to take her mind off everything.”

I sigh. “For how long?”

“A week.”

“Which beach?”

She shakes her head with that same shrug and over-the-shoulder glance. “I can’t tell you that. I just thought you might want a break.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I insist gruffly.

Loretta chuckles. “I didn’t say you were. And the family might be getting the hint, too. But I don’t want to give you hope. She hasn’t talked about you. You should probably leave.”

A pang of despair hits me in the gut, but I ignore it. “I know I don’t have the right to expect anything, but if you tell her anything, tell her I’m not giving up.”

She shrugs again, a noncommittal gesture, and goes back into the house.

---