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“Sure.”

“You heard the part about my ex being a woman. Does that bother you? I mean, is that okay?”

“If she hurt you, Palmer, then I’d say, no, it’s not okay,” Elizabeth replied. “But I think you’re asking me if it’s a problem that you date women.”

“I’m a lesbian, yeah.”

Elizabeth shook her head and replied, “It’s not a problem.”

“Good,” Palmer said. “So, I’m done eating. It was delicious. I will now happily report to the world that you, Queen Elizabeth, are a great cook.”

“Queen Antonia,” Elizabeth corrected.

“What?”

“I’m taking my mother’s name when I’m coronated. I’ll be Queen Antonia I.”

“So, should I call you Antonia now?”

“No, Palmer; that’s just my formal name. You can always call me Elizabeth, or Lizzy even, if you’d like when we’re alone.” She smiled at her. “Or, if Victoria is in the room. She’d hate that.”

Palmer laughed.

CHAPTER 12

“Was Martin interested in being King, or was it just that he was born into it?” Palmer asked.

It was a couple hours after they’d shared a meal in the kitchen, and now they were sitting back on the sofa, staring at the fire as it burned, with one of them occasionally standing to add another log.

“Martin was, quite literally, born for the role of King.” Elizabeth had a far-off look in her eyes. “He would have been a great one, too.”

“How so?” Palmer asked.

She’d long ago set her notebook and pen on the table in front of the sofa, choosing to keep the interview more conversational since that seemed to work so well with them.

“He and my father had similar temperaments, but Martin had a bit of my mother in him, too. So, he was less stern than my father. He’d taken to learning more about the history of the monarchy in St. Rais from an early age all on his own. He used to tell Alexander and I that he wanted to be a good King, and he planned to put in the work to make that happen.” Elizabeth paused. “I wonder, sometimes, if Alex would’ve been born first, if he would’ve been the same way or if he would have just been himself.”

“Alexander wasn’t interested in ruling?” Palmer asked.

“Alexander is interested in fun.” Elizabeth met Palmer’s eyes then. “Was. Hewasinterested in fun. I still do that sometimes.”

“It’s been weeks, Elizabeth. You’re not required to do anything a certain way; you know that, right?”

“Yes, Iam. I’m the Queen. Everything I do has to be done a certain way. I can’t make a mistake like that in a speech. I have the Christmas address to the nation coming up after my coronation. What am I supposed to say to the people of this country?”

“Hey,” Palmer said softly, sliding over a bit on the sofa to get closer. “It’s okay. You’re not giving a speech right now. It’s just me.”

“And your story,” Elizabeth replied.

“We’re off the record right now, then. I can just be your, I don’t know, sassy American friend.”

Elizabeth smiled at her and said, “I don’t have many friends.”

“Why is that?Ilike you. I’m sure everyone else does, too.”

“I had a few friends at university, but not many, and I didn’t confide in them. The only person I confided in was Teagan.”

“What’s it like, having your best friend marry your brother?Thathad to be interesting,” Palmer asked.