Page 101 of The Wrong Royal
He raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “Emilie? What happened?”
I explained the situation, recounting the encounter with Sophia and Emilie’s sudden departure. Charles shook his head. “I feel bad for her,” he said. “But she’s got to know she’s not second-rate anything. It sounds like she’s been under a lot of pressure.”
I nodded in agreement. “Exactly. I just want her to know that I would choose her, not because of her family but because I genuinely care about her.”
Charles patted me on the shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. “Theo, I think she’ll understand that in time. These things take patience and communication. Just be there for her, and she’ll see your sincerity.”
His words provided some comfort. “Thanks.”
After the horse races, I decided to send some flowers to Emilie’s house, hoping to brighten her day and reassure her I was thinking about her and her alone. I made my way back to my own place. I thought about going to check on her, but I didn’t want to smother her.
Victoria and Jack were sitting in the living room with a cheese plate and a bottle of wine. They were engrossed in conversation. They both looked up when I walked in, and I couldn’t help but smile at their look of getting caught red-handed.
“What are you up to?” I asked.
“Mom and Dad are out and someone sent this over,” Victoria said, grinning. “Jack and I were bored and thought, why not?”
“You’re home early,” Jack said. “We thought you might stay out again.”
“Nope. No chance.”
“What happened?” Victoria asked.
I took a seat beside Victoria. “Sophia happened.”
“Sophia?” she asked. “Roman’s Sophia?”
“Yes. Except she’s not Roman’s Sophia, obviously, and that has left her bitter. She made some shitty comments about Emilie being the runner-up. It hurt her feelings. It wasn’t cool. Emilie said she was sick and left ten minutes after Sophia opened her big stupid mouth.”
“You know, Theo, Emilie is probably dealing with a lot of pressure right now. Being part of a family like hers can be tough, and she may have reservations about this match.”
I nodded in agreement. “I know. I can see that she’s been under a tremendous amount of stress. But I want her to know that my feelings are genuine. This isn’t just a match.”
“Theo, I think she’ll come to see that. It just might take some time. Keep being patient and understanding, and she’ll appreciate your sincerity.”
“I also got to hear I’m nothing more than a stud horse,” I muttered, snatching a chunk of cheese.
Jack laughed. “A stud horse?”
“Some of the guys were talking about how the Hansen family only chose the best-looking matches. They trade on their looks. They breed for looks. I’m the guy with good genes and money. I’m guessing if I was ugly, they wouldn’t want me. I could be rich and they wouldn’t let me near their precious daughter if I was short or scrawny.”
Victoria laughed. “You’ll make beautiful babies.”
“Thanks,” I muttered.
As the evening continued, we decided to stay in and hang out, just like we used to when we were kids. We gathered snacks, watched movies, and laughed. It was a welcome break from all of the Wed season nonsense. It was nice to just be the guy I was without worrying about the drama. Since Jack was with me, I knew Astrid would be with Emilie. Maybe a little downtime with her friend would be good for her as well.
“Do you think I should make some kind of public statement?” I asked as Victoria flipped through the channels. “Tell the world Emilie is my first choice. She’s not second or a consolation prize.”
Victoria shook her head. “No, I don’t think that’s necessary. Your actions speak louder than words, Theo. The way you treat her and show her how important she is to you is all that matters. Besides, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. This is your life, your happiness.”
I nodded, feeling reassured. Victoria always had a way of putting things in perspective. I hoped her future husband would appreciate her bluntness.
As the night wore on, we eventually settled on a romantic comedy. I felt a little envious of the characters on screen, their love story ending happily.
As the credits rolled, Victoria turned to me with a sly smile. “You know, if you wanted to, Mom and Dad would let you break your match. I’ve already told them I’m not worried about finding a good match.”
I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Not you too, Vic. I’m not interested in being set up with anyone else. Emilie is the one I want.”