Royally Benevolent (Resplendent Royals #4)

47. You Should Go

47

YOU SHOULD GO

ODETTE

Wyatt

You got a minute?

I panicked as his text rolled in, wanting to avoid any awkwardness. We’d only texted briefly since his mother and sister found us snogging desperately in the foyer. I couldn’t forget how much I wanted him before things were broken up, but now I was in a complete guilt spiral. I’d told no one my dirty little secret—only that we’d gotten a drink, and then I’d come home. Thankfully, no one caught our PDA on camera, so I could leave my family and advisors blissfully unaware of things.

Beating down my fears, I responded and let him ring me.

“Hey,” I said, nervous.

“Hey. Are you freaking out?”

He read me too well already.

“Yeah. A bit. Phone calls—no one does them unless someone has, like… died… or they are about to break up with you, so?—”

“Oh, shit. Uh, well, in my world, it’s just easier to make plans on the phone or in person. And, given that I’m in Brussels, the latter is off-limits. ”

“You promise it’s nothing bad?”

“No, baby. It’s nothing bad.”

Baby . No man had ever given me a pet name. My heart soared.

“Okay, so. I have a compound down here in Wallonia. My brother-in-law was already coming in on a beer-scouting mission, and my sister is keen to spend a winter weekend away. Did you want to join us?”

“Um… uh… I couldn’t,” I shut down.

“Oh, you’re busy?”

“No,” I said. “I am not busy.”

“Uh… okay.” Wyatt’s voice deflated like a sad balloon.

“I just… I couldn’t because… what happened… and being around them… it feels so wrong.”

“Did they offend you somehow? I swear they are both so sweet. They like you. It was Becca’s suggestion since she’d like to get to know you more. I promise she and her husband are great.”

They liked me? I felt like a marked woman around them! How could they want to invite me? The only explanation was they were out to get me and hated me.

“They aren’t angry?”

Wyatt chuckled. “No. Why would they be?”

“Wasn’t it like… awkward?”

“Well, for a minute, but we’re all grown-ups.”

“And Theo? You’re cool with me being around him? Are we hiding things or?—”

“Theo already knows you. I am sure we can both act like adults. He is four. He doesn’t understand much. And no matter what, at this point, he can recognise any media coverage of you from a mile away. He’s your fanboy, Odie.”

I giggled. “Oh, that’s too sweet.”

“Bring Grieg. And drive on down if you want. Or… whatever. I don’t know how any of this works.”

I can’t drive . I was too embarrassed to admit that glaring fault.

“Let me discuss it and see if I can go out of the country for a pleasure trip,” I said. “I have to get approval.”

“Oh… sure. Just text me. I’d love to see you. ”

“Okay,” I agreed. “I will.”

I hung up and paced until Astrid appeared in the sitting room doorway.

“What are you doing?”

“Thinking,” I answered.

Panicking .

“Oh, there you are!” Alexandra reported. “Why do you look upset? I swear to God if it has to do with that man. Or, oh God! Tell me this is not Guy doing this to you!”

“No,” I assured. “It’s not Guy, and I am not hurt. Wyatt did nothing wrong.”

“Then what, sweetheart?” Alexandra dropped to the couch and put her feet up.

“It was Wyatt. He wants to know if I can go to Wallonia this weekend. They have a place there.”

“You should go,” Alexandra and Astrid said in unison.

“What? Why?”

“Because he adores you and wants to spoil you,” Astrid said. “In my experience, you should let a man do that. It leads to the best sort of fun. Parker got a hotel room once—a suite—just because. It was magical .”

“It’s not like that,” I answered, arms crossed. “He’s going to be there with his whole family. His sister and brother-in-law are visiting, and Theo will be there.”

“So, is this about the kid?” Astrid asked.

“No. I think he’s such a sweetheart. I am sure that will be fine. Wyatt isn’t worried about that. We’ve blown through that gate—for better or worse. No. It’s that…”

I wasn’t ready to say it, but if I didn’t drop this bomb, my trepidation would seem nonsensical.

“I went back to his place with him.”

“Ooooooh,” Astrid said.

Alexandra glared at her. “Stop it.”

“You owe me 500 Francs!” Astrid rubbed her hands together. “I bet Alex 500 Francs you slept with him before returning.”

“I didn’t sleep with him!” I refuted. “We haven’t… not all the way. ”

I wanted to, though .

“See!” Arms crossed, Alexandra sat satisfied.

“I… we… well, his mother and sister just appeared. We were in the foyer kissing.”

“Adults kiss. It’s nothing,” Astrid said.

“Yes, but the way we were kissing was the problem. He had my hands held up above my head. I think if I could have… you know… right there, I would have. And he was… aroused.”

“So, he popped a boner while pressing you to the wall, and you wanted to fuck him? Okay, this is getting good. Way to go, Odie!”

“Astrid, this isn’t a joke. I care for him.”

“I didn’t say it was. I want the two of you to shag so we can get past this shamefest you’re putting yourself through.”

“Not everyone so easily shakes years of guilt, Astrid. Not everyone is like you,” Alexandra said.

She was right. I hadn’t.

“Come here,” Alexandra patted the couch.

I allowed my older sister to relish me with maternal attention I didn’t know I needed. I clung to her, burying my head in her chest and smelling her perfume.

“You don’t have to feel bad to feel something,” Alexandra said. “You can just feel amorous and let it go, sweetheart. Promise.”

“I feel so guilty for letting them see us like that.”

“He’s a hot billionaire with a cute accent. He could have any model he wanted,” Astrid sighed.

“Exactly! Why does he want me?”

“Because he likes you. He finds you sweet. And he’s cute,” Alexandra said. “Why do you feel guilt?”

“Because I shouldn’t sleep with someone. He’s a dad, and we’re not… together.”

“He’s a dad? More like a daddy !” Astrid couldn’t be serious.

Alexandra glared. “Not fucking helping.”

“Okay, fair. He can have kids and a sex life with his charming, cute, sweet younger girlfriend, Odette.”

“People will think we’re ridiculous together. ”

“No, they won’t,” Alexandra said. “If his sister and mother want to invite you for the weekend, they must think you are good for him—just like we told you to invite him to dinner, right?”

I shrugged.

“But what if I fall for him—really fall for him—after we, you know? But he doesn’t see it that way, and then I’m like this sad little puppy who chases him around?”

“Holy run-on, batman! Slow down, Odie. It’s not like a book where someone falls instantly in love with someone just because they have sex,” Astrid said. “Promise. I mean, did it help me stop hating Parker? Yes. Did it make me crave him? A little. However, it wasn’t fucking magic—just like I’ve told you. It will feel good. You might like him more. You’ll probably feel closer to him, but what does it matter if you two have already nearly done the deed? He wants you.”

“And you might worry about nothing since you’ll be around a four-year-old all weekend. So, it could be a nice time to bond and get to know his family.”

“Don’t pull a face!” Astrid giggled. “She wants to do it. She wants him to shag her. Odette, admit it!”

“I do, okay? But I feel bad about that.”

“Why?”

“Because Guy and I were waiting until the right time .”

“All while you were being very good to him and getting nothing back,” Astrid said. “No. The two of you were giving over to his religious nonsense, and then he just disregarded you when he did a 180 and decided he didn’t believe in any of that anymore. Wyatt doesn’t care about that, and neither should you. The Pope doesn’t need to condone your intimate moments. No one is going to bear witness to your supposed deflowering on your wedding night. Stop feeling guilty because Celeste said so.”

“What if his mother and sister hate me and are baiting a trap?”

“Wyatt is a genuine sort of man,” Alexandra insisted. “Friday night, he looked at you like you were the only person in the room. He likes you a lot. I bet his sister and mother are nice people who want to see him happy. They are probably excited to see him take an interest in someone—anyone. ”

“Anyone?” I winced.

“Anyone as lovely as you, sweetheart.” She held me tight again. “Go. Enjoy the time with his family. Please get to know him better. You deserve that. You both do!”