As I got closer, I noticed that she had her eyes closed. The way the low-hanging sun hit her porcelain skin made it look like she was glowing. My fingers twitched with the desire to capture this on camera. Seeing her like that, so peaceful and serene, had to have been the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid my eyes on.
“How’s your best life looking?” My voice cracked with emotion.
Moira flinched and recoiled, her eyes flashing open and landing on me in fear. Then she clutched her chest, dropped her shoulders forward, and sighed. “You scared me.” She peered over her shoulder and asked, “How did you get back here?”
I swung my gaze toward the house, noticing that we were alone. Libby must’ve left us to talk. “Uh, your cousin came and got me. She told me that I had some things I needed to clear up with you.”
“You really don’t, Ryan. Whatever it is, it’s your business. Not mine.”
There was a sadness in her tone that made my chest tighten. “But I do, because I think you might be under a somewhat wrong impression.” I was married, just not to who she thought.
“Answer me this…are you married?”
My chest tightened even more. “That’s what I want to explain. It’s not as simple as a yes or no answer.”
“But it is.”
I scanned the beach, hoping to find somewhere a little more private than out in the wide open for anyone to see. The last thing I wanted was for her security to notice that she wasn’t alone and interrupt another conversation. There were things I needed to say, and I wouldn’t get the chance if anyone saw us.
“Is there somewhere we can go to talk? Privately, I mean.”
Moira pulled in a deep breath, and with a faint roll of her eyes, she said, “Follow me.”
So I did.
The property in which the mansion—castle, whatever it was called—sat on was like a peninsula. Standing on the beach, there was water all around. It truly was breathtakingly gorgeous, but unfortunately, I couldn’t pay any attention to the views that surrounded me. I had to focus on Moira and where she was taking me.
Finally, we came to a stop toward the back corner of the property. We were still on the beach, but now, we had rocks and trees to offer more protection from her security. Oddly enough, she didn’t appear too bothered at the possibility of them showing up.
I shook off that thought and got started with what I’d come to say. “First of all, I want you to know that if we would’ve had more than a couple of interrupted conversations, you’d already know everything I’m about to tell you.”
“That’s just it, Ryan. There shouldn’t even be anything that you need to tell me.” She stood with impeccable stature and spoke with a commanding confidence no one could deny. “Maybe I imagined it, but I really thought there was a spark or something between us last night—even yesterday morning on the balcony. A married man should never allow there to be a spark with anyone other than his wife.”
I’d spent all night wondering if I had imagined the connection I felt, so I was beyond elated to hear that she’d felt it, too. “Will you let me explain?” When she nodded, I followed up that question with another. “And will you promise to hear me out?”
“Yes, if you hurry. The sun will be going down shortly, and if I’m not inside, they’ll come looking for me. And trust me…you don’t want them finding me out here with you.” It’d be a lie if I said her attitude wasn’t sexy as hell.
“The woman I’m with isn’t my wife. She’s my sister-in-law.”
Moira studied me for a second, likely trying to figure out if I was telling the truth.
“Think about it…would I have been able to come here tonight if she was my wife? Your cousin made no secret of who I was coming to see and why.”
“Then why is your reservation under Mr. and Mrs. Ryan something-or-another.”
“Astor. My last name’s Astor. But anyway, that’s because I had made the reservation with the intention of bringing my wife.” And if she’d let me explain everything without interrupting me, then she’d understand.
She took a step back and released a long and aggravated exhale. “You told me yesterday that you planned this trip after that night at the coffee house. So you were with her then, and somehow, over the last month and a half, you’ve split up?”
“My wife left me almost a year ago.” I held her stare, hoping she could see the truth in my eyes, even if she was deaf to it in my voice. “She withdrew every last penny we had in our savings and split town. No one had any idea where she was or when she planned to come back—if she planned to come back. About once a month, she’d call her parents; which, to be honest with you, was probably the only thing that kept me from being suspected of pulling a Scott Peterson.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
I forgot I wasn’t talking to an American. “He was convicted of killing his wife.”
She nodded, even though she appeared horrified.
“Anyway, she actually showed back up the night after you and I met—the night we were supposed to meet on the pier. She claimed she’d left because she was dealing with depression and needed to get help, which was why she said she took the money.”
“But you don’t believe her?”
I knew how ridiculous this might’ve sounded to someone on the outside—not believing my wife who said she was depressed. It made me sound cold-hearted, even though I was anything but. However, I couldn’t focus on that right now. I had to get it all out and hope it’d be enough to change her current opinion of me.
“It took a little bit of time and a lot of arguing, but I finally believed her. That’s when I booked this trip. My hope was that a week away on a beautiful island would bring us closer together after everything we’d been through. But two weeks ago, she split again, after taking every penny I’d saved since the first time she left us.”
She blinked frantically, as if having a hard time believing what I was telling her. I couldn’t blame her, though. It was a little out there. But at least she didn’t appear to doubt it, just struggled with it a little.
“Us…” she muttered and then looked me in my eyes. “You said she left us. That’s your daughter, right? The little girl I saw you with is your daughter?”
“I’m her dad.” I paused and took a quick breath, hating the words I had to say next. “But I’m not her father. She was a year old when I met her mother, and I’ve raised her as my own ever since. Her biological father isn’t in her life, but I never legally adopted her. We wanted to wait until Amara was old enough to understand and make that decision herself.”
Sadness crept into Moira’s eyes.
“That’s why I had to bring my sister-in-law along on the trip. Legally speaking, I can’t take Amara out of the country. But since Mandy—my wife’s sister—has legal guardianship over her, she could bring her.”
“Why does Mandy have guardianship over your daughter if you’re the one who has been raising her in her mother’s absence?” It was nice to know nothing got past Moira. It made her even stronger in my eyes.
“When Carly came back, she made such a big deal about Mandy helping me with Amara while she was gone. And because of that, she wanted to officially make her sister the legal guardian to have something set in place in the event anything happened to her.”
“And that didn’t raise any red flags? Sound any alarm bells?”
As if I hadn’t already felt like a big enough fool.
“Truth be told…yes. But we were all walking on eggshells around her at the time. She’d just told us all how she’d spent ten months battling depression and how fragile she still felt at times. The last thing any of us wanted to do was send her back down that rabbit hole.”
“Is that why she left again?” That was the million-dollar question.
“A few months after she ran off the first time, one of her old friends from work told Mandy that Carly had left me for another man. But since they weren’t close anymore, we weren’t sure if she was telling the t
ruth or perpetuating a rumor. There wasn’t any evidence or proof of it, so we kind of kept that on the back burner.” I sighed, recalling the last several weeks. “The question was raised when she skipped town this last time. But again, we don’t know for sure. Call it a hunch. Whatever her reason—and I know I’m going to make myself sound like an asshole for saying this, but—I highly doubt it’s depression.”
Moira quietly contemplated things for a moment. And when she was ready to know more, she held my stare and asked, “What does this all mean for you? Like, where do you go from here? Do you plan to file for divorce, or are you waiting for her to return again?”
This was the grey area that could potentially mean I’d never see her after this. “I can’t file for divorce. If I do, I’ll lose Amara, and I can’t do that. I’ve been the only dad she’s known, and as of right now, I’m the only parent she has. I can’t risk losing her.”
“So you’re waiting for your wife to come back?”
“No, I’m not doing that, either. After this last time, I’m done. I refuse to let her steal anything from me again—including my daughter.” I realized how worked up I’d gotten, and how harsh my voice was. But that just proved how serious I was about everything I said.
She turned away, and my heart sank. But then she took a seat on the edge of a boulder, that looked as if it had grown out of the sand, and set her gaze on me. With a slight curve at the corners of her lips, she patted the space next to her, gesturing for me to join her.
“Last night, you said that you didn’t tell me who you were when we first met because you just wanted to be normal. That’s exactly why I didn’t say anything that night about my situation. I wasn’t the poor guy whose wife ran out on him and her own daughter. I wasn’t the victim. Obviously, I never expected to run into you again. And when I did, it wasn’t like I had the opportunity to share any of this with you.”
“Would you have, though? If we’d had more time to talk last night, would you have told me that you’re married? Would you have said anything about your daughter?” It was evident in her eyes that she was looking for a specific answer.
Except I wasn’t sure I could give it to her. “I can’t answer that. There are too many variables. More than likely, I would’ve made plans to see you again, and then I would’ve used that opportunity to tell you everything. I don’t think last night was the time nor place to get into this with you—or anyone.”
She was so difficult to read; I couldn’t tell if my response satisfied her or not.
“Listen, Moira, I never intended to keep any of this from you—just like I didn’t have any intention of telling you.” I turned toward her and took her hand in mine. Aside from the brief handshake on the pier while exchanging names, this was the first time I’d physically touched her, and I couldn’t explain the warmth it filled me with. “We were two strangers who happened to run into each other a second time. To me, that would be like going to the grocery store, and then a month later, running into the cashier somewhere else. I wouldn’t have told her my life story, either. It’s nothing personal.”
“You don’t have to explain,” she said with a small smile. “I understand. That’s why I told you that you don’t owe me anything. It’s your business, not mine. You are absolutely right, Ryan…we don’t know each other. We are nothing more than strangers.”
“Well, I hate to point this out, but I think we’re a little more than that now. I know that you’re a princess, and at some point, you’ll take over the world.” I loved the sound of her giggle. “And now you know that I’m a single father doing the best he can.”
“Speaking of your daughter…do you have to get back to her right now?”
“No, she’s with my sister-in-law. They went to get something to eat and then head back to the chateau for the night. Why?” I nearly held my breath, hoping she’d say what I thought she would.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she pulled her phone from a pocket in her dress and tapped out a message. I didn’t see who it was to or what it said, considering that would’ve been an invasion of her privacy. And I assumed this country took a member of the royal family’s privacy very seriously.
“Okay, come on.” She stood, slipped her phone back into her pocket, and held out her hand for me to take. “Let’s go for a walk.”
“Won’t they come after you when they realize you’re not here?”
Moira shrugged, and I thought I saw a flash of rebellion in her eyes. “Libby’s taking care of that for us. Don’t worry, we should have enough privacy to walk on the beach for at least thirty minutes.”
I kicked off my shoes, took her hand, and followed her to where the water met the sand. The bottoms of my pants, as well as the bottom of her dress, grew wet with each wave that crashed over our feet, but that didn’t deter us. It also didn’t stop me from continuing to hold her hand as we strolled along the shore.
“The sunset is absolutely beautiful,” I noted while watching the sun grow closer and closer to the completely unobstructed horizon.
“Ilunabarra actually means land of the sunset.” There was a hint of pride when she spoke of the island. “Here’s a little fun fact for you: this is the only place on the entire island where you can see the sun both rise and set on the horizon.”
I took in the views and instantly wished I’d packed my camera for this trip.
“It’s why the family house was built on this stretch of the beach. It made it easier to see a threat coming, as well as offered a fast exit in the event the family had to flee. That was obviously back in the day when every country around us wanted to claim our land. Now, it just offers the best views on the entire island.”
“So this is where you live?”
With a wide grin, she watched the waves come in and nodded. “Yes, it’s my home. The royal family has always lived here. We have the more formal palace in the center of the island, but as far as I know, no one’s ever lived in it. It’s more for the business aspect than anything else.”
I paused for a moment and regarded the area around us. “Everything’s so wide open here. I’d imagine that this would be the worst place for a king. There’s no defense against an invasion.”
“You have to remember that the king always fought alongside his men. He didn’t run from invaders, so if you think about it, this would be the best place for him. If ships come from the south, he’ll see them first. If they come from the north, his family could get away unharmed—in essence, saving his heir.”
Well, that made sense. But then I thought of something else, something that didn’t leave me feeling very settled. “So what does that mean for you once you take over? Will you have to go to battle?”
“That’s the big issue with passing down the crown to a female. We haven’t seen war in more than a hundred years, so the probability of that happening while I’m on the throne isn’t very high. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. So the proposed agreement is that my father will not only be a member of the Privy Council—every male in the royal family is active in the council—but he will also be my lead advisor for at least two years. That way, if any major decision has to be made regarding national security, I won’t be making it alone.”
That seemed like so much to take in.
Then she added, “And I’m assuming I’ll be forced to marry someone in the forces. That way, if we do find ourselves in battle, the sitting king would be able to lead the men.”
My chest ached at the sadness in her voice. It was obvious she wasn’t keen on this idea, though it didn’t sound like she had much of an option. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know everything. “When will all this take place?”
“I’ll assume the throne immediately following my father’s renouncement.”
“Do you have any idea when that might be? Possibly not for fifty more years?”
She laughed, though it wasn’t filled with humor. “That would be nice, but no. He’s already fifty-seven years old, so at the most, we’re
looking at getting another thirty years from him. Except…” It was as though she wasn’t sure if she should divulge something, yet with a full inhale, she did so anyway. “He’s ill, and from the sounds of it, he’ll just continue to get worse. He’s looking at the transition taking place within the next year.”
“That soon?” My head practically spun. “How in the world are you supposed to be ready to run an entire country in a year? That hardly seems fair.”
She shrugged and watched the waves wash over her feet while we continued our walk along the shore. “There is absolutely nothing fair about royalty. I guess they all believe that with the help of the council and elders, I’ll be all right.”
“You’ve mentioned the council, but then you said something about an advisor. What does all that mean? And what’s an elder? I thought that was someone in a church.”
At least that made her laugh a little. It was a nice change for our heavy conversation. “There’s the Privy Council, which is mostly made up of members of the royal family, such as my uncle. It also consists of previous advisors to the royal family. Then you have the active advisors, which is a group of people specifically selected by the King—or Queen, in my case. They are people I will choose to help guide me through making the best decisions possible for the country.”
It was amazing how drastically different things were in other parts of the world.
“And lastly, you have the Cabinet of Elders. While elders are prominent in the Church, that doesn’t make it a religious-only position. They are selected members of our country who have shown exemplary displays of leadership and guidance. So basically, this is how it would go…”
I could’ve listened to her for hours.
“My advisors are on a more personal basis. It’s off the record, in private, and can range from advice on national security to what gown I should wear for dinner. If I wanted to pass a law or raise taxes, then I’d bring it to the council members. They’d offer their opinions—all on record, of course. And from there, I’d make my decision, to which I’d inform the elders of. They have the right to object, and if so, there would be a hearing in which all sides of the issue are presented.”
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