Page 66 of Royal Trouble

Talk about awkward.

“I know this won’t be easy and there will probably be a million uncomfortable moments as we get to know one another,” Kate said, meeting her eye, “but I’d like to try. If you’re up for it?”

Emotion clogged her throat as she considered the question. Kate was right. It wouldn’t be easy to turn off all the old hurt and resentment, and it would be awkward as hell initially. But what she was offering? It was something Everly had always wanted—a real sister.

“I’d like that,” she said, finding her voice. Xander was right. She had everything to gain and nothing to lose, if only she could let go of the past and look to the future. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined taking advice from Valeria’s errant prince, but maybe that was the beauty of it all.

She couldn’t wait to see him again so she could tell him he’d been right. Of course, she’d never hear the end of his gloating, but she’d gladly pay the price if it meant keeping him in her life.

They talked for hours, and she learned Kate worked in marketing and that her fiancé, Mark, was a solicitor. The couple was planning a fall wedding, and she was relieved Kate didn’t invite her on the spot. She’d need time to work up to such things, but who knew, maybe by fall she’d be brave enough to see her father face-to-face.

Or not.

Before they said goodbye, they made plans to have dinner before Everly returned home. Kate had even suggested inviting their brother, Robert, who Everly barely remembered. He’d graduated Elmhurst the same year she started at Westbury, but according to Kate, he was happily married, and he and his partner were in the process of adopting their first child.

By the time she finally returned to the apartment, Everly felt lighter than she had in ages. All the talk of forgiveness and fresh starts had her thinking about her career and her agent’s advice to consider going in a new direction. She’d always known it was sound advice, but she hadn’t been open to the feedback before. She hadn’t been ready. But now, with so many other fresh starts in her life, it felt right, and feeling inspired, she pulled out her laptop and began to write.

…

Xander sauntered into his father’s office with his portfolio tucked under his arm. As usual, he was the last to arrive, and at first blush, it felt a hell of a lot like the intervention that had set him on this path. The king, queen, and heir turned in unison as the door clicked shut behind Xander, but this time he was prepared—for their scrutiny and the meeting.

He was stone-cold sober, and he’d been up for hours, preparing. After the stag night debacle, he was determined not to fuck this up. He only had one shot to convince his father he could handle the job, so he’d taken additional precautions, having his personal secretary proof all printed documents to ensure there were no errors.

“Good morning,” he said, greeting his family with a self-assured smile. It was the same way he used to greet his soldiers. Never show fear, always project confidence. He’d learned that lesson early on.

Xander took the seat next to Liam, sitting opposite the king, who was entrenched behind his desk, looking as stern and imposing as ever. Their mother stood at the window, suggesting she didn’t think this meeting would last long. Fine by him. The sooner they could get this over with, the better.

King George issued a curt greeting, but he wasn’t one for small talk and immediately dove into the business at hand. “You’ve prepared an update on the Blue and Gold Foundation?”

“Yes, Sir,” Xander said, opening his portfolio and distributing the reports. To his relief, his hands remained steady, despite the roiling in his gut. “In addition to researching the programs our allies offer to their soldiers, I’ve also personally conducted extensive interviews with the families of Valeria’s own fallen soldiers to better understand their needs.”

His father’s brows shot up to his hairline. Probably surprised he’d done the legwork himself. Oh, sure, he’d delegated some of the research, but he’d always done better with the hands-on approach. Why read reports and websites when you could speak directly with a person? Thanks to his persuasive nature—and title—he’d been able to speak with high-ranking officials in some of the most developed nations in the world as part of his fact-finding mission.

“If you’ll turn to page two,” Xander said, flipping open his own copy of the report, which had notes written in the margins, “I can walk you through my findings.”

His mother finally deigned to sit, perching lightly on the end of her chair as he offered her a copy of the report.

He spent the next hour explaining his vision for the Blue and Gold Foundation, and to his own surprise, there weren’t a lot of questions. That had to be a good sign. It meant they found no fault with his logic or his proposals. He wasn’t big on council meetings, but it was no secret that around the palace, tearing down the proposals of one’s peer group was practically an Olympic sport.

Bloody vultures.

“I’m impressed,” his father said, when he finally wrapped up with a detailed summary of the resources he’d need—both human and monetary—to get the foundation off the ground. “You’ve put a great deal of effort into this project. I’ll admit I had concerns,” the king continued, closing the report he held and placing it on the blotter, “but this report is thorough. Of course, I’d like to have one of my advisors look it over, but I don’t foresee any issues moving forward.”

“Of course.” Xander fought a grin. It was high praise by his father’s standards, and he couldn’t wait to tell Everly. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Nice work,” Liam said, holding up his copy of the report. “From the sounds of it, we should be able to accelerate the public announcement. I’d like to share the good news ahead of the wedding, unless you have concerns?”

Xander waited for their father to answer, but when no reply came, he realized Liam was talking to him. When had his family ever looked to him for direction? He couldn’t think of a single instance. This was a first, and it felt pretty damn good.

Pride surged through him, and he sat up straighter, clearing his throat. “No concerns. In fact, it’s a brilliant idea. It’s good press, and it’ll give the people another reason to celebrate.”

Not that the people needed anything else to celebrate. Between Liam convincing Spartan to build HQ2 in Valeria—bringing the jobs, technology, and money that came with it—and marrying a common American artist, the people were as supportive of the monarchy as they’d ever been.

“Exactly,” Liam said, nodding in agreement. “We may have a long road ahead to get the foundation up and running, but you’ve provided a solid framework, and I’ve no doubt that once the appropriate resources are in place, you’ll be up and running in no time.”

“By the end of the year,” he said, not bothering to hide a smug grin when both his father and Liam did a double take.

“Bloody brilliant.” The king rose to his feet and crossed to the well-stocked bar on the far wall. Pride—the kind that was usually reserved for Liam—shone in his eyes. “This calls for a drink.”