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“I agree,” I tell him.
“Take a right out of this room. You’ll find the main hallway. Take a left to get to the staircase to the upper levels.”
I was on my way to my bedroom when he carried me in here.
I definitely don’t feel like going back to the party now.
“Thanks,” I say softly.
Then he leaves me, shutting the door behind him.
Chapter 4
Henry
I’ve been a growly asshole for the past two days, since my ‘talk’ with Ruby—okay my break-up with Ruby—so I’m not surprised that it takes me nearly thirty minutes to find Jonah. I’m also not surprised to find he’s not answering my text because he’s at a little party that I wasn’t invited to. So no one’s answering my texts or wanting to hang out. I’m not in a good mood and they’re sick of me. I get it.
But I’m still annoyed when I walk past Cian and Scarlett’s room and find the doors open and not only Mariah and Saoirse inside the front sitting room but Linnea and Jonah looking very comfortable, as if they’ve been here for a while.
"Didn’t think we’d be welcome across this threshold for a few more days," I say dryly,
"Welcome is a strong word," Cian replies.
My friend has sequestered his new bride in this room for the past forty-eight hours. We’ve left them alone, of course. Her daughter, Mariah, has been warmly welcomed into the family, and her new cousin, Saoirse, who is only a couple of years younger, has kept her constant company, showing her around the palace and grounds.
Cian and Scarlett haven’t been needed for anything, so they’ve been left alone.
Until now, I guess.
I look around as I cross the room to take the chair near where Cian and Scarlett are sitting. I’m acutely aware of the fact that Ruby is not here.
"I was just filling them in on the trip to Portland to open up the new moms’ community there,” Linnea says. “And telling them how excited Christian is to have us come to New York and open one. He’d like to sit down and meet. He has some great input on locations.”
Linnea, Jonah’s new wife and long-time royal advisor, is helping Cian and Scarlett with their new foundation. The foundation funds communities that bring single moms together to live and help each other with childcare, cooking, housework, laundry, and all the other activities of daily living that are made easier when they have people they can trust and depend on.
She discussed a number of plans with me, including a trip to Portland and one to New York. She’s already reached out to Cian’s brother Declan to help with the new site in Portland and Christian Waite, one of the senators from New York, to get him involved with the one there.
"Of course Waite is interested," Jonah says, his hand moving from the back of the loveseat where he and Linnea are sitting to the back of her neck in a very possessive, almost second-nature gesture.
"Anyway,” Linnea says to Cian and Scarlett. "The trips are all planned. I think a couple of interviews would be interesting for you as well, but we can check on those as we go. And I love the idea of talking to the podcast. In fact, I’m going to pitch having Mariah come back after we’ve gone around the country and opened some of these homes. I’m sure they would love to have a young woman’s perspective on this kind of work."
Mariah sits up straighter. "That would be really neat.”
Why isn’t Ruby here? She’d love to know all the ways they’re involving Mariah in the project.
Linnea smiles at her. "You’re going to be so great at all of this. As an ambassador for the royal family, but also for all of the wonderful things your mom and Cian are doing."
Mariah looks over at her mom and Cian, almost as if she’s stunned.
"As much as you want to do," Cian assures her. "Your call."
Saoirse leans over and nudges Mariah with an elbow. "It gets easier as you go along."
And is Ruby going to be traveling with us? Has she told Scarlett about law school and New Orleans yet? If not, when is she going to? Are they making plans to involve her in the foundation? If so, she needs to tell them that she’s not going to be around for that instead of springing it on them after they’ve planned a whole future with her in it.
I realize I’m scowling when I lean over and ask Cian, "Where is Ruby?"
He looks surprised at the question. "She left. Last night, actually. She texted Scarlett when she landed in Ohio this morning."