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“I’d like to go,” he told them.

“A car will be here for you and the princess at four.” They started to pack their things.

“That seems early,” he said with a frown.

“It is, but there’s young children involved. They have bedtimes.” The head of PR raised an eyebrow at him.

“Right.” He should have thought of that before saying something. “I’ll let Bekah know. She wasn’t feeling a hundred percent earlier. I’ll let you know if she’s not up for attending.”

He really didn’t know how she was feeling, but it gave her an out if she needed it.

When he returned to their apartment she was nowhere to be found.

And when had he started thinking of it as belonging to both of them?

When she took sole ownership of the recliner he would have picked for himself?

He had one coming in a complementary color, but it wasn’t in yet.

Pulling his phone out, he found a text that she’d gone shopping with Angie, but they wouldn’t be gone long.

He was glad she was getting to know his siblings, and that they were accepting of her. He pulled up the app that showed him where anyone was at any given moment. Not everyone was always on there, but often.

It showed his sister moving in a vehicle nearing the palace. Josiah decided to head down to the garrison to meet them. By taking the tunnels, he was able to cut a couple of minutes off his time, but he had to exit in a location where there could be someone watching. Once again, he used his phone to tap into the security cameras and make sure there wasn’t anyone in the hall. When it was safe, he slipped out from behind the tapestry and hurried the rest of the way.

Their car glided to a stop as he reached it. Josiah waved the attendant off and opened the door himself.

Angie climbed out, thanking him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, big brother.”

Bekah followed her out of the car. Josiah held out a hand to help her, though he knew she didn’t need it.

“See you lovebirds later,” Angie called over her shoulder in a sing-song voice.

“What are you doing down here?” Bekah asked as they walked toward the door.

He rested his hand on her lower back as he reached for the door. “There’s an event I’m going to tonight. The PR team thinks you should go with me and that you’d enjoy it.” He explained what it was as he understood it.

Bekah nodded as they stood waiting for the elevator. “I would like that.”

“Good. Did you have a nice time with my sister?”

The elevator let them out on the right floor, but they had a bit of a walk to get to the apartment.

“I did. She’s a lovely girl.”

Josiah chuckled. “Don’t let her hear you say that. She’s almost twenty-one, you know, and quite grown-up. She’s almost old enough to drink in the States if she wanted. There will be a big party before long.”

Bekah grinned. “I see. I remember feeling that way when I was her age. I know I’m not that much older, but I feel like I’ve lived a lot of life since I was twenty-one.”

“You’ve lived more life than she has,” he said slowly. “You’ve loved and lost. That has to age anyone, at least mentally and emotionally, if not physically as well.”

She didn’t reply as they finally reached the apartment. “What do I need to wear?”

He hadn’t thought about that. “I’m not sure. There will be kids there so it’s probably not too fancy.”

“That’s good.”

Josiah watched her back as she walked to the bedroom then went into the closet and closed the door behind her.