18. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Finley
Humming the lyrics of “She’s Got It All” by Kenny Chesney, I shut the door of the Mustang and walk down the little dirt path from the parking area and onto the dimly lit porch. My PPOs are still in the black sedan on a phone call with my father. I’m reaching for the door when laughter sounds from the side of the porch.
“Someone had a good night,” Mason comments, Karoline snuggled up beside him on the wide porch swing. I didn’t even see her car when I pulled in.
“I love that song,” Karoline coos. “And your humming is quite melodic.”
“Hey, now.” Mason cuts a look at his fiance. “I’ll get jealous. Don’t go complimenting the crown prince’s singing voice.”
Karoline lifts her head so that her chin is resting on his chest. “Nobody sings better than my Peppermint.” She kisses his cheek after using his strange nickname, and Mason beams with pride.
“I love you, Vroom.”
Yeah, her nickname is even stranger.
“I love you.” Mason cups her face for a kiss.
“Okay,” I say, wrapping my hand around the door knob. “While you two snog, I’ll be grabbing a late night snack.”
“Bye, Finley!” Karoline waves.
I close the door behind me and continue my humming. Maybe one day that’ll be me and Lorelei. I will have a swing installed by the chrysanthemum flower display that I will plant in the Royal Garden. Every morning or every evening, we can cuddle on the swing amidst her favorite flowers and kiss.
Kiss…
When Lorelei tripped and I caught her, those pink, plump lips were too close for comfort. It took every ounce of restraint I had to not carve a trail of kisses across her lips and neck. Images of kissing her rooted in my brain, and I had to spend the rest of the night trying to disregard them.
I grab a cup from the cupboard and fill it up with water from the spout on the refrigerator. It’s cool going down my throat, and I guzzle the entire cup in one go.
After filling it up again, my thoughts return to the date.
Amazing. It was utterly amazing. Lorelei was herself, I restrained my desire to touch her, and we had so much fun learning about each other.
“Thank you, Jesus,” I whisper with a slight victory fist pump. Then in Korsan, I continue. “Please continue to work on her heart and mind. We were created for each other; I know this in my bones. You have led me to her. Let me be patient while her feelings catch up to mine. Thank you for this lovely, captivating woman You have brought into my life.”
“Talking to your people?” Mason’s voice echoes through the house as he walks inside.
“No, just praying.”
“Oops, sorry.”
“You’re good.” I make my way into the living room where Mason has switched on the corner lamp. “I was just finishing.”
Mason sits on the chair and I take the couch. Gabriel and Anders finally come inside with twisted looks on their faces. Gabriel says, “We were still in the car, Mason. Next time, make out with your girl behind closed doors.”
“Agreed,” Anders says with pursed lips as Mason roars with laughter. I can’t help but smile. I want to be in a place where my girl and I are so in love that we freely make out on a porch swing.
But with Lorelei’s autism, I know I have to take the physical things slow. Which is extremely hard for me because physical touch just so happens to be my top love language. The Lord is truly making me practice patience and restraint, which are both wonderful qualities for a husband and a king. Heck, for a man in general.
“Your Highness, please give His Royal Majesty the King a call before you go to sleep tonight,” Anders says in Korsan, a perfect mask of blankness covering his face. “It’s about the stalker.”
I nod swiftly as the two men walk into their room down the hall and shut the door.
“Was he saying how much he hates me?” Mason asks, a trace of laughter still lingering in his voice.
“No, not at all,” I vaguely reply. I cross one leg over the other as half my brain begins wondering what Gabriel and Anders spoke with my father about. The stalker didn’t make an appearance tonight, at least, not that I’m aware of. Was he caught? Did Father find out who it was? “I hate to deprive you of the information you are surely chomping at the bit to know, but I have to call my father it seems. Lorelei and I had a wonderful night, and I am in love with her.”
I stand as Mason does. He clasps my back in a tight hug. “Finley, I—I’m happy for you, man. That’s great news. Are you two a thing now?”
“Not yet,” I sigh. But then I smile as I recall the night we had. She was buoyant, happy, and open. She seemed to be completely herself, and I fell hard. “But hopefully soon.”
Mason releases me. “I’m praying for you two.”
“Thanks, brother. I should really call my father now.”
Concern flickers across his dark brown eyes, so I place a hand on his shoulder. “Everything is okay. Just some important business to attend to.”
He nods and walks into the kitchen as I disappear into my small, logged room.
Sitting on my wooden chair by the cheap fold-out desk I bought for work purposes (seriously, nothing bigger would fit into this room), I search for my father’s personal contact and hit the call button.
Father picks up after two rings, his tone breathy. “Finley, haalaa. Thanks for calling promptly.”
“Of course. What’s going on? Anders and Gabriel said you needed to speak with me regarding the stalker. I don’t believe he made an appearance tonight during my date with Lorelei.”
“Ah.” Father’s voice lightens. “How is the young woman? Have you won her over to you yet?”
I chuckle, “Not quite, but tonight felt like I took massive leaps in the right direction. You’re going to love her, Father. She’s smart, organized, thoughtful, kind, and beautiful. She’s going to make a lovely queen.”
“I’m happy to hear that, Finley. You deserve someone capable of ruling by your side, especially since your kingship is coming out of the blue. Thank you, again, for stepping up. You will never understand how much it means to me, son. Our country will be in capable, honest hands.”
I beam with pride; Father always knows the right things to say to encourage me. An ache spreads across my chest as I think of his old state, my brother’s condition, my little sister in the palace without me, and my mother’s overwhelming fear that I will not secure a wife in time. Maybe I should plan a visit soon? Would Lorelei go with me…?
Father is silent on the other end as I ponder within my mind, his heavy breaths the only noise. Then, he says, “I found out who hired the stalker. You were never in any danger, my son. I am taking necessary action as a husband, a king, and as your father to correct the matter, so please do not hold this against her. I am handling everything.”
My stomach drops and my heart pounds wildly against my chest. My head spins with questions that come unbidden from my lips. “No… you can’t be serious? Mamma hired the stalker? Why? For what purpose? How did she think that was a good idea? What was she thinking?”
“No! Goodness, no. It was Karin Nilsson of Vespen, not your mother. Though I think your mother may have given her the idea on accident. I’m still getting to the bottom of everything, but you should be okay moving forward. You were never in danger, but I know the thought of someone following you and snapping pictures, sending them back to your mother, is not a way to feel safe.”
I regain composure knowing my mamma isn’t at fault. That would have been detrimental to me. My mother isn’t the kindest, most motherly woman, but she loves our family. Why did my brain jump to that conclusion? Maybe because Father said he was handling the situation as a husband.
Is Karin that desperate for my attention? Did she truly think this was the best route to take to win me over to her? The more I think about it, the stalker’s actions were not merely observational. They were intentional, meant to interrupt and impede. Finally, I state, “I’m going to give her a call tomorrow. I trust you are handling everything, but she needs to hear from me, too.”
“Of course, son. Be gentle. Be understanding. Be firm. Be cautious in your decisions. You will be king in under a year, and we do not need to burn our bridge with Vespen. I trust you. This is part of kingship—humbling yourself and attempting to understand things that do not add up or make sense. And when you do make a decision, stick with it and dole out corrections in a gentle but firm manner.”
“Thanks, Father.” Even in the wake of this news, which to be honest, I saw coming, I’m in awe of my father. He has been an excellent king, and he is going to leave me with some mighty large shoes to try and fill. If I can be half the king that he has been, then I think I will be okay.
After we say goodbye, I begin to write out what I plan to say to Karin. She’s not getting off the hook for this.