I shake my head at him. “That’s what you got out of my statement? Really?”
“Sure—you sound just like Tommy’s mum and she’s the best one I know.”
And something occurs to me—something we haven’t talked about yet.
“Do you want that one day?” I imitate Logan’s accent. “To be a da?”
“I do.” His face softens. “As long as you’re the mum, I’d like very much to be the da.”
My stomach gets warm and fluttery. “Me too. Should probably make me a Mrs. first, though.”
Logan kisses my palm, smiling. “That’s the plan.”
Good to know.
But for today, there’s only one wedding that matters: the royal one.
Lady Sarah sits at the vanity table, in the private bridal rooms in the back of St. George’s Cathedral, looking unbelievably stunning in a short-sleeved white lace wedding gown with a two-tiered tulle skirt and cathedral-length lace veil. She’s the image of the perfect bride. A dark-haired Bridal Barbie.
She stares at her reflection in the mirror, chanting, “It’ll be fine. It will be fine. It will be fine.”
“Is she on drugs?” Penelope Von Titebottum, Sarah’s sister asks, pointing with the lily-and-lilac bouquet that matches her lavender maid-of-honor gown. “Did you take drugs, Sarah?”
“I wish.” Sarah closes her eyes and breathes deep and cleansingly. “It’s a calming technique Mother’s meditation specialist taught me. ‘Say it until you believe it.’ It’ll be fine. All fine. Very, very fine.”
She really does sound like she’s on drugs.
My poor sister waddles out of the bathroom, looking uncomfortable in a pretty lilac maternity-styled dress with an adorable white bow above her ginormous belly.
I’m not in the wedding party. I’m just here to look pretty. And help Sarah stay calm if I can. And . . . catch Livvy’s babies, if needed.
“You feeling okay, Liv?” I ask her. “You look kind of pale.”
She rubs my arm. “It’s my only color these days.” Then she lets out a slow breath . . . just like Sarah’s.
“It will be fine . . . It will be fine . . .”
“It will be fine,” my sister tells Sarah firmly. She’s the only one in the room who’s walked the royal green mile before, so I’m hoping Sarah will take her opinion to heart.
Sarah stands and nods. “You’re right. Weddings happen every day.” She shrugs. “I mean, truly, how many people are even out there anyway?”
Olivia closes her eyes and rubs her lower back.
Penelope tries to be helpful. “Not many. Only a few . . . thousand.”
Slowly, Liv sinks down into the chair along the wall. Inhaling deeply.
“Thousands—child’s play.” Sarah scoffs—not convincingly. “And the total watching on television can’t be more than a couple . . .”
“Million.” Penelope waves her hand. “Tens of millions. Pfft.”
Sarah nods.
And then she collapses onto the vanity bench, covering her face with her hands. “Oh dear God, help me! Please . . . send me a miracle.”
That’s when Liv starts to pant. “Hee, hee, hee, hoo. Hee, hee, hee, hooooo.”
Oh boy.
Sarah spins around. “Olivia, . . . are you . . . in labor?”
Holding her stomach, my sister nods. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I know this is—”
“—amazing!!” Sarah yells, throwing her arms up to heaven. “Thank you, Lord! Yes!”
“You’re not upset that I’m stealing your thunder?” Olivia asks, panting.
“Take all the thunder, and the lightning, too! If anyone even suspects you’re in labor no one will look at me. It’s perfect.” The future queen sobers. “Will you be able to make it through the ceremony, though? I don’t want you to take any risks.”
My sister grimaces. “I should be able to make it down the aisle. But I want to get to the hospital soon, so if the Archbishop starts droning on, I’ll give you a signal. If I’m moaning in agony—you’ll know.”
My sister’s spunkiness has returned to her.
And then a thought occurs to me. “Hey, the babies aren’t just going to share a birthday with each other, they’re going to share Henry and Sarah’s wedding anniversary. Lenora’s gonna be pissed.”
Just before the ceremony is set to begin, I find Logan out in the main Cathedral. It’s beautiful. Light streams through the windows, depicting saints and biblical scenes in richly-colored stained glass. When my eyes finally land on Logan, it’s like the wind is knocked out of me—because I haven’t seen him since we parted ways to get dressed at the palace. And now, he’s wearing his tuxedo.