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“Congratulations.” Bekah meant it. That meant there would be two Quatremaine cousins at the same time.

Except, even if by some incredibly odd quirk of fate she and Josiah ended up falling in love and staying together for the rest of their lives, her baby wouldn’t be an actual Quatremaine. Would that matter to Josiah’s family? Or would her child be included as much as a blood-related grandchild?

Would it only matter in terms of the line of succession? The one Josiah was so far down it would take a world-ending disaster to move him to the top. She suspected from what she knew of the Queen Mother, that’s the only place it would matter.

Josiah would love the baby as much as he would any of his biological children.

Bekah had clearly never had those kinds of conversations with him, but she knew that deep in her soul.

Her husband, no matter the circumstances of their marriage, would love her child as his own.

And maybe that was all she needed to know.

CHAPTER 7

Something had been different about Bekah since Gen left after the furniture arrived two days earlier, but Josiah couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

She definitely seemed quieter, more introspective, but not in a bad mood.

Something had to be going on in that pretty head of hers, something she wasn’t ready to share with him.

And why would she?

They weren’t really a couple, though as they’d spent some time together the last few days, he found himself wondering why it wasn’t a possibility.

Except that she hadn’t been a widow for long. It couldn’t be possible for her to be ready to move on to someone new.

Could it?

What Bekah needed was a friend, not someone angling for a relationship and all the implications that came with a romance.

He could do that.

Maybe, someday, they’d both decide they wanted to consider something more.

But maybe not.

Maybe he’d be the first Quatremaine in the exceedingly long history of Quatremaines to get a divorce. Ben said something in passing that made Josiah think they wouldn’t be able to get an annulment.

He shook his head and tried to turned his attention to the meeting with his oldest brother’s PR team.

Since he’d be staying in Eyjania for a few weeks, they wanted him to do some public appearances for some of the charities he’d wanted to stay involved with on one level or another.

They were giving him a rundown of the options for the next two weeks or so, but Josiah couldn’t focus. “Can you send this to me in a document of some sort? I’m sorry I’m not able to give this the full attention it deserves right this minute.”

“Of course, sir. There is one that we need to know now if you’d like to attend.”

Of course they did. “What’s that?”

“The grand opening of the Tiny Town Development Center.”

Josiah searched his memory banks. “Can you refresh me on that one?”

“It’s the childcare center for victims of domestic violence. You were a part of the fundraising a few years ago.”

He nodded. “I remember.” He’d had a friend - albeit not a close one - who found herself in an emotionally abusive relationship. It led him to supporting this particular organization.

Last he’d heard, the friend was healthy and happy with a husband who adored her.