Yours Royally: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides Book 3)

by Krista Lakes

  "I can't live this lifestyle anymore, Owen. I love you, but I can't do this." The words trickled out with my tears. I didn't want to say them, but they needed to be said.

  "There are other places in the world we can go," Owen replied halfheartedly. His dark blue eyes held an ocean of sadness. This wasn't how either of us wanted our relationship to end.

  "No, Owen. No matter where we go, I would just end up resenting you, or you resenting me. I let myself get drawn into something I didn't want with my last boyfriend, and it nearly broke me. We have to be equals. We can compromise, but sometimes a person can compromise too much. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, but I have to stay true to myself. I'm sorry." I felt a hot tear leak out, burning as it slipped down my cheek.

  Owen nodded slowly. "I understand." He reached out and wiped the tear from my face with his thumb, cradling my jaw in his hand. His eyes shone with tears as he leaned forward and kissed me softly. I closed my eyes and tried to put every detail of it into my memory. The way his lips were soft against mine, the taste of his skin, the warmth of his hand, the smell of his cologne. I mentally cataloged it, trying to secure it in my mind so I would forever remember it.

  "I have to take care of some business, but I promise I'll be back." Owen's hand stayed on my cheek, even as he pulled away. I appreciated the lie. It made leaving the car easier. The driver had returned, shaking raindrops off his hat.

  "Goodbye, Owen." I said it so softly I wasn't sure if he heard me. A single tear ran out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't move to brush it away.

  "Goodbye, Kaylee," he whispered. I barely heard it as I bolted from the car. Thunder rolled in the distance as the car drove away, but all I could see was the rain.

  Chapter 20

  The next morning I woke to the soft sound of more rain on the roof. I lay in bed, staring at the dark ceiling, trying to fall back asleep but not having any success. My alarm clock told me it was only four in the morning. I groaned and tried to close my eyes one last time, but my body was convinced it was lunchtime and that I needed to get up. I realized that I hated jet lag with a passion.

  I got up and walked into the kitchen, ready to start a pot of coffee and get something to eat. Halfway through the living room, I tripped on a laundry basket in the middle of the floor. After shouting swear words at the plastic hamper and threatening to melt it into sporks, I turned on a light and successfully navigated to my coffee pot. As I waited for the coffee to brew, I glanced around the small room. Even in the dim, pre-dawn light, it was a disaster area. Much like my life, I thought.

  "I'm fixing this," I said aloud to no one. I started by putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher until the coffee pot sputtered to silence. It felt good to organize and put things away, trying to tame the mess that was my life. Mug in hand, I started to clean up my living room.

  Three loads of laundry later, my house was spic-and-span again. I glanced around the room, smiling at how it felt more like home. I glanced at my phone on the now clean coffee table. I hadn't heard it buzz or chirp, and no light was flashing on it to indicate a new message. Before I could stop myself, I picked it up and looked just to make sure I hadn't missed one.

  Empty. No new messages. I set it down, wondering if I should send Owen the first message. The blank screen stared up at me. I wasn't sure what part of the world he was in. He never said whether he was going back to Dubai or back to New York. My fingers itched to text him, but I was the one who said I couldn't live his executive lifestyle. I was the one who had asked to go home. I didn't want to get his hopes up for something I couldn't give.

  I regarded the silent phone for a moment, willing it to ring. It simply sat there like the piece of plastic it was. I felt like screaming. I needed something to do. If I sat here much longer, I was going to burst into tears and I didn't want to cry anymore. The tears, anger, and hurt were all welling up in my chest, and I wasn't ready to deal with any of it. I wanted the illusion that things were the way they were supposed to be.

  I went to the kitchen and started pulling out pots and pans, turning on the oven and pulling out my cookbooks. If I couldn't sit still, at least I could be productive. Flour covered my kitchen in no time as I went to work kneading bread, baking cookies, and using up all the baking supplies in my pantry. I only had a few things in my fridge, so I couldn't do much more than the basics.

  After a run of cookies, a loaf of banana bread, and a failed experiment at egg-free brownies, I could go no further with my meager supply of groceries. I knew I wasn't going to eat all the things I had just baked, but at least it was now closer to lunch than to breakfast.

  I picked up my phone, fully intent on calling Marissa, and if I happened to check my messages as a result of said phone call, I wasn't going to beat myself up about it. No messages.

  I wanted to pout, but instead I did what I had intended, and called Marissa. I knew Allie was working today, but Tuesdays were usually Marissa's day off. All I got was a cheery sounding voice-mail recording.

  "Hey, so, I'm back in town. Give me a call when you get this." I tried not to sound as dejected as I felt, but I knew she would see through me in an instant. Getting a call from a friend who is supposed to be on vacation saying they're back in town is a pretty sure way to know something happened.

  The urge to do something, anything, was growing stronger. I needed to get out of the house. There wasn't anything for me here; no reason for me to stay indoors. I hopped in the shower, rinsed the flour out of my hair, and changed into jeans and a comfy shirt. I didn't need to impress anyone today.

  A piece of paper fluttered from the door jam as I opened the it. My heart caught for a second as I thought of Owen leaving me a note, but I quickly recognized the apartment building's logo.

  Dear Resident,

  We are sorry to inform you that the intercom and door lock system for your building is currently broken. Please note that visitors will be able to use the intercom to notify residents of arrival, but the two-way communication and door unlock features are currently unavailable. The resident will have to manually open the door to allow visitors into the building.

  We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to have this fixed as soon as possible.

  Sincerely,

  The Management

  I crumpled the paper and tossed it into the trash bin before closing the door. Just my luck that the system would break, I thought. Then, I realized that I didn't have anyone to visit me anymore. My annoyance disappeared into a fog of self-pity as I stepped out to my car.

  I headed into downtown Des Moines, looking for something to do. After driving aimlessly through the city, I decided I should at least get groceries. I turned to head toward the highway when I saw the dome for the botanical gardens.

  We were in front of the Des Moines Botanical Gardens, the big glass dome glowing slightly from an inner light. Owen stepped out of the car and immediately shrugged out of his jacket and draped it across my shoulders without even asking. It was warm and smelled like his cologne. I took a deep breath, my insides going tingly at being wrapped in the scent. He grabbed my hand in his, his body heat seeping into my palm, and pulled me inside.

  The memory hit me, and I turned into the parking lot unsure of what I was expecting to accomplish. Owen wouldn't be here with me this time. But I wanted so desperately to feel a connection, to feel that glow of happiness. I was going to just look inside, remember the good times, and then leave. Maybe it would help me find some closure.

  Inside the dome, the air was hot, humid, and sticky to the point of being uncomfortable. Children in matching T-shirts shrieked through the exhibits, weary looking guardians chasing slowly after them. Some sort of children's tour was going on, filling the room with screaming kids.

  I tried to work my way over to the waterfall where Owen and I had eaten our picnic dinner. It looked different in the daylight, the soft glow replaced by the harsh glare of the sun. I could barely hear the musical song of the water falling over the loud scree
ching of sugar filled kids. I stared at the waterfall for a moment, trying to recall exactly how it had felt the last time I was in this room, but instead of romantic kisses on my lips, strangers kept bumping into me. Everywhere I went, the crowd managed to jostle me.

  I remembered the sweet scent of plumeria, and went to find one of the strange-looking trees. I walked around the room, but couldn't find a single one. When I saw a tour guide pointing out various species of edible plants to several interested adults, I headed over and asked where a plumeria tree might be.

  "I'm afraid we don't have any plumeria here. I saw one once in Hawaii, though, and they sure are beautiful. Sorry about that," the young woman told me. I sighed, thanked her and headed back to my car.

  I was drained. I didn't want to be out anymore. My throat hurt from holding back tears, and I felt shaky and sick. I just wanted to go back to bed. So I hopped in my car, went home, and did exactly that.

  I woke up early again the next day and immediately got groceries and then hid in my house before the rest of the world could wake up and bother me. I still felt grouchy, and crowds were the last thing I wanted to deal with. I was giving very strong consideration to simply becoming a shut-in and never having to deal with human beings again when Marissa called.

  "Hey you! Allie and I are coming to get you at five-thirty to go to Zoo Brew with us, so you'd better be ready," she said into the phone. She had been texting me nonstop from the moment she thought I was awake until well after lunch when she decided to finally just call. There was no doubt in her voice that I was going to go whether I wanted to or not.

  "Marissa, I don't know... I mean I'm still jet lagged, and.." I said, trying to get out of it.

  "And there is beer and wine at the zoo. Allie and I already bought your ticket. We had such a great time last year when we went, remember? Come on, animals and alcohol? What could be more fun?" I could tell she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Remembering the good time we had dancing to live music and getting free wine samples at the adults only event last year made me smile.

  "All right. I'll get dressed and we can go."

  "Sweet! We'll come pick you up!" I could hear her grin through the phone. It was hard not to smile back when I thought of how big her smile could be. When I set down the phone, I felt optimistic for the first time all day.

  The zoo grounds were hot and humid. It had rained early in the morning, but the sun came out around noon and instead of drying up the water, had just turned the outdoors into a sauna. It wasn't quite to summer levels of heat, but it bordered on uncomfortable. Even the animals looked just a little too warm as we wandered around the zoo, sipping on our plastic cups of wine from the local winery.

  I told my two best friends the sterile version of what happened. I had practiced it in the mirror, so I could say it without crying. I had left Dubai because the sheik's son had tried to assault me. Owen and I were broken up. It just wasn't working out. Both women nodded sympathetically, keeping quiet until I changed the subject.

  We wandered aimlessly, following the crowd, until we came to an animal enclosure. Adults were playing with the child-sized plastic peep hole, popping their heads up into a bubble in the middle of a prairie dog town.

  "I still can't believe you Iowa folks think this counts as a zoo exhibit," Marissa said shaking her head as she peered into the prairie dog exhibit. "Seriously, back home, those things are freaking everywhere."

  "Yeah, yeah, Ms. New Mexico, but they aren't here. At least I've never seen them," Allie replied. It was a zoo tradition for the three of us to stand here and say these lines. It was comforting to hear them sound exactly the same, like nothing had ever changed.

  "It would be like having an exhibit on geese. I'm just tickled pink that you Iowans put them in a zoo." Marissa leaned against the glass as we watched the little rodents scamper in and out of their holes, their high-pitched chirps almost making a song.

  "I think I'd like an exhibit of geese," I said as I drank my wine.

  "You would," Allie said, shaking her head. I grinned at her. She knew how much I loved walking the river in the spring and looking for baby goslings. It was something I looked forward to every year.

  "Let's go look at the tiger. That's at least a real animal." Marissa shooed us away from the exhibit, pretending not to glance behind her as we left. Marissa had moved out to Iowa five years ago from New Mexico after a bad breakup, but she still considered New Mexico her home. I knew the prairie dogs were actually her favorite animals here, but that she would never admit it in public.

  We dutifully walked toward the tiger enclosure, laughing as we joined a couple watching the tiger. In the big cat's pool, someone had placed what looked like an empty beer keg. The tiger was having the time of his life playing with the giant floating toy. I could see puncture marks through the metal and was glad he was on the other side of the glass.

  The tiger crawled out of the water, then turned around and pounced on the floating keg. The keg, of course, bobbed and dunked him into the water with a delightful splash. The tiger popped to the surface a moment later with a look of surprise on his face.

  "Aw look, the big kitty made Kaylee smile," Marissa said in a baby voice before she laughed and put her arm around me. I almost punched her, but I knew she was only trying to help me have a good time. The tiger had gotten a hold of the rim of the barrel and was pulling it out of the water, playing with the steel drum like a kitten with a new toy.

  "I think he's adorable. You know I've always liked cats," I said nonchalantly. Allie grinned at me. I finished the last of my wine, glad for a moment to feel normal. This was how my life was supposed to be. I loved spending time with my friends, visiting the zoo, and having a good time. For a short minute, I was able to forget that my heart was broken and for that, I loved my friends even more.

  "Well, I'm out of wine," I stated, staring into my empty cup. Marissa raised her eyebrows, and Allie shook her head when I didn't move to do anything about it.

  "So, go get more. That's the beauty of Zoo Brew. I don't think they've run out of alcohol yet." Marissa pretended to check her watch, making me laugh a little.

  "Alright, you two want seconds?"

  Allie and Marissa both held out their empty glasses, their eyes back on the tiger.

  "Hey! I am not your waitress! This is a self-serve kind of a place ladies," I chastised. They both fell over in a fit of giggles at their supposed cleverness. I shook my head at them, glad to have them in my life. This day was actually becoming enjoyable because of them.

  Marissa hooked her arm around mine, and Allie repeated the motion on the other side. "We're off to see the Wizard..." Marissa began to sing, her voice horribly off key.

  "Tiger here can be the Cowardly Lion," Allie said, blowing the tiger a kiss as we began walking back toward the wine tent. "I want to be Dorothy. Marissa, you're the Scarecrow."

  "Why am I the Scarecrow?" Marissa pouted.

  "Because you got no brain, sweetie," Allie said matter-of-factly. I snickered as we turned the bend, walking directly toward the penguin enclosure. My heart stopped as one of the little birds waddled out and dove into the cool water.

  "What about Kaylee?" Marissa asked, oblivious to the fact that I had stopped walking and was staring at the black and white birds.

  "She's the Tin Man," Allie said softly, following my gaze and understanding immediately, "because she's lost her heart."

  Owen tossed a small sardine to one of the penguins, the little bird catching it in it's mouth. Two more hurried up to him, all begging and splashing for the fishy treats. Owen chuckled and handed me the bucket of stinky fish. His eyes were bright with amusement as he watched as the penguins waddle over like I was their new king. He laughed, one of the black and white birds deciding my boot looked like a tasty treat and pecking at it voraciously. They piled on top of one another, their funny bodies wiggling as they asked for more. Owen smiled at me like this was the best day of his life.

  My lower lip started to tremble,
and tears gathered at the back of my eyes. I could practically see him there, laughing in delight at the funny, flightless birds. They were his favorite animal. A single tear broke through the dam, and suddenly I had buckets of tears pouring down my face. The crack in my heart had finally broken wide, and there was no pretending it was fine now.

  Allie and Marissa exchanged a quick glance before practically dragging me off to a park bench hidden behind some trees where we wouldn't be bothered. I couldn't see the penguins anymore, but it didn't matter. The damage was done.

  "What have I done? I've lost him," I sobbed into Allie's shoulder. She tucked her chin against my head, holding me to her like a small child as she smoothed my hair. "I should have stayed. I could have stayed and been okay."

  "No, honey, you couldn't have." Marissa removed me from Allie's shoulder long enough to make me look at her. "You did the right thing. You couldn't have stayed there."

  "But...but.." I couldn't find the words. My nose was running, and I couldn't breathe for crying. Marissa waited until I was calmer before she continued being my voice of reason.

  "Kaylee, you did the right thing. You weren't meant to be a part of that desert world. And that's okay. You belong here." She handed me a napkin so I could blow my nose.

  "But I love him. I really do."

  "I know. Sometimes a fish and a bird fall in love, but that doesn't mean they are going to build a nest and have little fish-bird babies," Marissa said softly. Allie snorted at Marissa's bad analogy, and Marissa gave her a dirty look. "You know what I mean."

  A strand of hair fell across my face and Marissa gently tucked it behind my ear with a soft smile. "What's important is that you were happy. I know the 'tis better to have loved and lost' thing is cliché, but it's still true. I know it hurts right now, but it's going to be okay."