Page 17 of Royally Drawn (Resplendent Royals #3)

Here We Go Again

KEIR

L ars was in his feelings after I assumed he and Ingrid discussed his affection for her. Leah glared at me as if I caused his dreadful mood. I didn’t, of course. I slept with Ingrid, but it wasn’t like I could force her to be nice to Lars. I didn’t ask her to be mean to him. And, by all rights, she hadn’t been.

We had dinner on the ship. It was laid back—a nice wrap-up to the weekend. I couldn’t stop finding reasons to check in with Ingrid. I knew we couldn’t be overly lovey-dovey, but I wanted her to know I cared. I did. And not just because I wanted her ankles around my neck later. No, because I did like her. I adored her. There was this instant pull towards her I couldn’t fight. I’d always poo-pooed magnetic attraction, but with Ingrid, I understood it. There was a reason we’d all fought over her.

“Okay, okay, before we go,” Isak said. “I just wanted to thank you all for attending our little gathering. A special thanks to Lars and Edina for organising it. You all did a great job.”

“Oh, my brother thanks me for something for once,” Edina said.

“I said thank you. Is that not enough?” Isak scoffed .

“No, it’s just nice, is all.” Edina was delighted with herself—even for Edina.

“To Cici, though, I just want to say I cannot wait to marry you. We’ve been on this journey together for several years. We’ve had a lot of distance, stress, and life lessons to overcome,” Isak said. “But I love you. And I always will. I’m glad we got to spend a few days in paradise before the chaos of this next month kicks in.”

Cici was unexpectedly emotional. She rarely cried but was tearing up. True love made you lose your mind a little—even stubborn Scandinavians who always played tough. Cici’s mother cried at the drop of a hat, and her father was the world’s biggest sap for the two women in his life, but you’d never know it by his public persona. Cici herself never showed emotions in public. Isak usually brought out her best. Right now, she couldn’t have loved him more. It hit me in the feels to see her so happy.

She’d be the first of our generation to take the plunge, much to her father’s relief. Marriages led to babies—a precious commodity in royal families. At thirty, time ran thin to pop out a few. I never really shook that feeling, either. I had more time than she did, but it might be incumbent on me to save the line of succession someday. Duncan might never find a woman to put up with him long enough.

“You’ll make me puke, Cici, but I’m so happy for you,” Leah said. “I adore you both, but my God, please stop being so downright adorable.”

“I promise we’ll have a big row soon enough. Would that please you?” Cici laughed.

“Not on my account. I personally hope you have many beautiful years together,” Leah said. “May you always have one another.”

“Leah, are you crying?” Duncan teased.

“She’s not even been drinking!” Ollie snickered.

“I have to fly home, so I cannot,” Leah said. “I also must sleep tonight, as must Keir. We’re boring.”

Leah and I had our aircraft to manage in the morning. The good thing about having a family of pilots was that there was always a way to catch a ride. Leah was a confident pilot in her own right. Our Aunt Natalie and Leah’s father, Uncle George, taught us to fly.

“Yes, we must be responsible.”

“I didn’t get the okay to fly myself,” Duncan sighed. “So, I must behave. Anyway, I’m off to bloody Spain for a summit.”

“Oh, dreadful,” Ingrid teased. There’s beautiful weather in Spain, and you’re whining. Do you live for dreariness?”

“Do you just live to torture me?” Duncan asked.

“No, she saves her cruelty for others,” Lars said under his breath in Norsk.

“Lars,” Betty said, annoyed. “What is your problem?”

“You’re going to have to ask her,” Lars said, annoyed.

“Anyone want to explain to me what this disturbance in the force is about?” Cici asked. “Because you’ve been in a mood this whole day, Lars.”

“It’s nothing,” he said.

“Nothing? Nothing? You have acted like a kicked puppy,” Isak joked. “What is your problem with Ingrid?”

I fought the urge to toss Lars’s lanky ass overboard. Ingrid didn’t deserve that comment. If I interjected, it would make things worse. He would have come for me if he thought we were together. Since he didn’t, I couldn’t engage. If I did, I’d have to answer that question. I was trapped as Ingrid melted down.

“I’m allowed to have opinions, Lars,” Ingrid said. “I told you the truth.”

“You certainly waited long enough to!”

“Lars, let it go,” I said.

“Oh, this opens the door for you, doesn’t it?” Lars shot me an angry barb.

“You’re being an asshole to her,” I clapped back. “Leave her alone. She’s a nice girl, Lars.”

“One you’d like to have to yourself,” Lars said.

Leah looked at me, then Ingrid. Tears welled in Ingrid’s blue eyes. I wanted to punch my stepbrother for acting like a petulant child.

“He’s drunk,” Duncan sighed.

“Fuck you!” Ingrid shouted. “I’m not an object to be won. All of you—every last one of you beside Cici and Betty—have been placing wagers on who would win this contest. It’s terrible. The lot of you should be ashamed! I’m not a goddamn piece of meat!”

She stormed off.

“Good job, fuckwad!” Nate said, slapping Lars upside the head.

“Why did you do that?” Betty asked, hopping up to chase after her friend. “She’s never going to revisit Oslo after that.”

I glared at Lars.

“Oh, don’t give me that look, mate. You wanted her just as much,” Lars said.

I still do . Even more.