Dating the Prince(40)

"I hope you don't mean that," Nicolette said quietly. She clasped her  hands and glanced down at the rag rug Libby had made herself. "The part  about moving on, I mean. Because back in Durham, I have a son who's very  miserable without you. I've come to ask if you won't consider returning  to Durham-that is, if you feel the same way."

Libby's mouth fell open and her heart began pounding. She dropped her arms to her side and inhaled sharply. "I'm sorry?"

"I've never seen Alex this despondent," Nicolette said. For the first  time since meeting the queen, Libby saw a hint of vulnerability in the  woman's eyes. "There's no joy left in him. He hasn't left the palace in a  month. We can't get him to go anywhere but his office and his rooms. He  doesn't eat meals with the family, doesn't participate in activities  with his siblings. I think that when you left Durham, you took a part of  him with you. And he hasn't been the same."

Guilt swept over Libby at the thought of a depressed Alex, but it was quickly replaced by fury. "He kissed Isla-"

Nicolette held up a hand, forestalling her protest. "I know. But you  know the truth about Isla Martin. That woman is as selfish as they come,  and any feelings that Alexander may have had for her disappeared a long  time ago. My son hasn't told me the specifics of what happened that day  last month, but I do know Isla pounced on him. Alexander was caught off  guard. Since then, Isla has done everything she can to capitalize on  what she claims is a second heartbreak at the hands of the crown prince.  The only thing Isla loves is the spotlight. I don't think she could  handle seeing you steal it."

Libby put a hand to her throat. She knew Nicolette spoke the truth-had  known it when she last spoke to Alex-but that hadn't stopped the  insecurities from eating her alive. "If he's as miserable as you claim,  why hasn't he come after me? Security could've tracked me down in an  hour if he asked them to. It's not like I tried to cover my tracks." For  that first week, she'd startled at every sound of tires, wondering if  Alex had finally come to beg her to return. She knew it was silly, but  part of her had wanted him to chase after her.

But he hadn't and it had confirmed her decision to run.

"He thinks you're better off without him." Nicolette looked around the  small living room. Libby's defenses rose as she tried to imagine how the  room looked to a queen. No family pictures hung on the walls-just a  single oil painting of the ocean that her mother had done, hung in a  frame her father had made. Even the palace hallways were more spacious  than this cramped space which barely fit a couch, chair, and table.

"Then he's an idiot," Libby said. "It's not him I ran from. It's everything else."

Nicolette out a weary sigh. "You can't separate the crown from the man.  It's made him who he is and is a burden and blessing he'll always  carry."

Libby looked down, guilt slamming into her. "I know. But things got so intense and I panicked."

Nicolette looked around the room again, seeming to take in every inch of  the space with one sweeping glance. "When Alex first told me he thought  you were better off without him, I didn't really understand. But now I  do, even if I disagree with his assessment. You do have quite an idyllic  life here. Very simple and peaceful."

Libby rubbed her hands up and down her arms, fighting the chills there.  "I used to think so, too," she whispered. But she wasn't better off  without Alex. Ocean Meadow meant nothing to her without him.

Nicolette leveled her gaze on Libby. "You aren't better off without  Alexander, Libby. I understand better now how overwhelming our lifestyle  and responsibilities must be to someone who grew up here. I never fully  recognized that before. But Alex would be the most faithful, loving,  and kind husband a woman could ask for. He would do everything in his  power to ease the transition and help you adjust to your new life."         

     



 

Libby brushed back her hair, the shock of the situation overpowering  her. She would've guessed her chances of winning the lottery without  ever buying a ticket were better than those of Queen Nicolette showing  up in her living room and begging her to return to Durham. "I can't  believe you're asking me to come back."

"Only if you feel the same way about Alex that he does about you. I have  no wish to see him hurt more than he's already been. But your mother  seems to think you've been quite as miserable without him as he's been  without you."

Tears pricked at Libby's eyes and she shook her head. "You hate me. I'm a  poor backwoods girl from the United States. I'm probably the exact  opposite in every possible way of what you've always wanted for your  son."

Nicolette inclined her head to the side. "I'd be lying if I said your  presence at the palace didn't upset me in the beginning. But Alex loves  you, and I love Alex. Perhaps, in time, you and I will grow to at least  tolerate each other."

Libby laughed and Nicolette's lips quirked up in something that almost resembled a smile.

"I can at least promise that if you return, I won't stand in the way and  will do my best to treat you with respect," Nicolette finished. "I  can't promise that our relationship will change overnight, but I'm  willing to work on it for my son's sake."

Libby sank onto the couch, her legs trembling uncontrollably. Could she  really return to Durham? She imagined herself once again donning formal  wear and spending an evening on Alex's arm, offering nervous smiles at  the diplomats she was introduced to. It suddenly didn't seem as  distasteful as it had a month ago. Not as hard.

But then she remembered how Isla had set up Libby to look like a jealous  girlfriend. How she'd lost her temper with Alex, pushed him in a pond,  and gone viral. In time, Alex might resent her for her inability to  conform to his lifestyle.

"Alex's world is so different from mine," Libby said. "I don't know if I can ever fit in."

"It's not you that needs to fit in. Alex will adjust his world to accommodate yours. That's the kind of man my son is."

The words brought a flood of memories, reminding Libby of all the times  when Alex had done exactly that. The way he'd whisper protocol into her  ear before introducing her to a dignitary. How he'd never commented on  her clothing choices, so obviously different from those of his mother  and sisters. The way he'd made their excuses to leave early from events  on nights when she was particularly overwhelmed.

Nicolette set a paper on the coffee table. "This is a voucher for a  first-class plane ticket to Castlebridge. Turn it in at any airport  ticket counter and they'll make sure you're on the next flight to  Durham. If you love Alex as much as I think you do, I sincerely hope  you'll use it. Whatever sacrifices you must make to be with Alex will be  repaid by him a hundredfold, I assure you."

Nicolette headed toward the door, leaving the voucher on the coffee  table. The white rectangle stood out in stark relief against the dark  wood, like someone had shone a spotlight on it.

"Why are you doing this?" Libby asked.

Nicolette paused, her hand on the doorknob. "Because I love my son. It  was good to see you again, Libby. I hope we'll see more of each other in  the future. I mean that."

Libby stared at the door as it swung shut behind the queen. Her face  felt numb, her mind muddy. She slowly picked up the voucher and stared  at it. For the past month, she'd been feeling sorry for herself in Ocean  Meadow, thinking Alex's feelings must not have run very deep.

But he thought she was better off without him. He loved her enough to let her go.

Libby raced to her bedroom and grabbed a suitcase, throwing items  inside. Déjà vu reminded her vividly of the last time she'd packed, but  this time her heart was filled with hope instead of heartbreak.

She was nearly done packing when the front door opened.

"I figured I better come check on you and make sure you're okay," Autumn  said, her voice carrying into the bedroom. "Is she gone? I didn't see  the car outside."

"She's gone," Libby said. "And so am I. Can you drive me to the airport, Mama? I'm going back to Durham."





CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN



Alex looked around the set of Sara Greene's talk show, a flood of  emotions making his eyes burn. There were two chairs arranged around the  coffee table this time-no need for a love seat since he'd be doing this  interview solo. But everything else was the same, from the artificial  plants dotting the set to the fake windows on the far wall.         

     



 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Maggie asked. She clutched a tablet  to her chest and pushed her red glasses up the bridge of her nose with a  trembling hand.

Alex knew that he might very well destroy his reputation forever with  this one interview. Durham would be furious at how they'd been duped. If  they decided to fault him for his lies, there'd be no returning from  that level of distrust. Alex's entire reign would be characterized by  opposition at every turn.