CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Glen
It’s over.
Max and I stand in line at the gate. Max flicks his gaze mournfully around the airport.
Max’s Nintendo Switch beeps. He removes it, then he swallows hard. He glances at the line. It’s getting shorter.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” Max says.
Max hasn’t asked me to go to the bathroom suddenly in years. I frown. “You just went to the bathroom.”
“I need to go, Dad. It’s an emergency!” Max jumps up and down. Around him, the passengers’ eyes widen.
“There’s a bathroom on the plane, kiddo. We’re almost there.”
Max frowns. “I want to use the big one.”
With that, Max jogs away.
I hurry after him. “Max! Max! Stop right this moment.”
Max stops on the landing.
Huh. That worked.
Max points. “Look, Dad.”
I join Max. “You know, that’s not where the bathroom is.”
I pick Max up.
“But Dad! Look!” Max points, and I realize that the energy of the airport has changed.
King Erik and Anders are hauling a Christmas tree through the airport. People record them on their phones.
I stare, stunned.
Erik is in the airport. Erik is in the airport with a tree.
I grin.
“We’re here!” Max shouts, waving his arms. “Look!”
Erik looks up, and for a moment I wonder whether he’s carrying a tree through the airport for a reason entirely unrelated to me, and he’ll wonder why I’m not on the plane yet.
But then he sees me, and so much joy moves over his face, that I know, I know that he’s here for me.
Erik and Anders wave.
My eyes burn. I sniffle.
The security line parts for him, and he shoves the tree through the machine. It beeps wildly. No wonder. It has tons of metal ornaments on it. Needles fly everywhere, and Erik bounds up the escalator. Ornaments drop and bounce over the airport.
Finally, he stands before me.
“You’re here,” I say.
“Glen Garland,” Erik says. “Please don’t get on that plane.”
“You brought a Christmas tree.”
He grins. “And mistletoe.”
Erik places some sprigs in my hand, then closes his hand over mine. “Every great romance needs a grand gesture.”
“So we’re...?”
“We’re a great romance, Glen. I love you.”
My knees have become colt-like, and all I can see is Erik.
Erik squeezes my hands. “I love you, Glen Garland. I want to spend a life with you. I know you might not feel the same. We just met, and well...” He looks down. I think of all the things separating us. He squares his shoulders. “But I do love you.”
Erik inches closer to me. “I want to woo you. I want to do my best to court you. I want to tell you that I love you every day.”
“Erik...” My voice is rough, and sort of hoarse, but Erik doesn’t seem to mind.
Tears prickle my eyes.
“I didn’t plan to fall for you, Glen,” Erik says. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I should have listened to my heart, not protocols. Can you forgive me?”
My throat squeezes. I open my mouth, then close it. Erik stiffens, and his eyes suddenly sparkle less.
“Yes!” I blurt out, and relief moves over Erik’s face. “I already have. I already love you something fierce.”
Erik lets go of the tree, and Anders rushes to catch it.
“Is it a yes?”
“It’s absolutely a yes,” I tell him.
Erik takes me in his arms, and suddenly we’re kissing, and I’m aware of Erik’s warm body holding onto me, and all my cells relax and ease, and life is amazing.
Cheers erupt across the airport.
Erik halts the kiss but leans his forehead against mine. “Let’s return to the castle and have a proper Christmas celebration.”
“No more plane?” Max asks.
“No more plane,” Erik says. His eyes dart to me. “Maybe Nevada can be a place you visit in the future.”
“We all visit,” I say.
He beams. “We all visit.”
A commotion sounds, and I spot Sven and the bodyguards bounding up the steps.
“Your Majesty!” Sven shouts.
Erik turns. “It’s okay, Sven. We’re ready to return to the palace.” He links fingers with me. “All of us.”
Sven blinks, then smiles. “Very well, Your Majesty. What should we do about the tree?”
“We should keep it in the airport, so everyone traveling can enjoy it. I’m afraid some ornaments fell from it.”
“Nothing a little redecoration won’t fix,” I say.
Erik and the bodyguards arrange the tree on the landing. Everyone coming up the escalator can see it, and everyone on this floor can see it.
Max and Anders and I rehang the bulbs that have fallen from the tree.
Finally, it looks wonderful.
“Let’s go live the rest of our lives,” Erik tells me, taking my hand.
“I would like nothing more.”
“Did you see how I pretended I needed to go to the bathroom?” Max asks, bouncing around.
“I did,” I tell him.
“I’m a great actor.” Max shrugs his shoulders in a manner that would come off as humbler if he weren’t also jutting out his chin and chest, as if a master painter might be behind one of the chairs making a portrait of him.
“You are,” I tell him.
Anders grins, and I notice he’s also clutching a Nintendo Switch.
“Did you communicate with Max?” I ask.
Anders nods.
“You didn’t tell me you were doing that, Anders!” Erik exclaims.
“I wasn’t certain if Max would sign on to the airport WiFi. I didn’t want to get your hopes up. Besides, I wanted you to have the grand gesture.” Anders winks at Max. “People like gestures.”
For some reason, Max giggles.
“I would have said yes regardless,” I tell Erik.
“So the ride with the paparazzi was unnecessary?” Erik asks.
“You rode with the paparazzi?!” Sven interrupts us.
“They were quite pleasant,” Erik assures Sven. “Astonished, but pleasant.”
Sven takes out his phone, and his eyes goggle. “It’s all over the internet!”
Erik shrugs. “Engagement photos.”
Bubbles explode in my heart, and I stare at Erik.
Erik, my future husband.
“Too soon?” Erik whispers.
I shake my head.
Maybe technically, people would say it’s too soon.
But there was something between us from the moment I saw him. Erik has been calling me his fiancé all week, and the only thing that felt wrong about it was that the words were a lie.
Erik and I both know that life can be short sometimes. When you see something good, you need to celebrate it.
Sven paces in front of us mournfully, his shoulders at a precarious angle. “You traveled with the paparazzi! I do apologize, Your Majesty. I take such pride in your security. I have failed you.”
Erik nudges Sven’s shoulder. “You’re an excellent bodyguard. The very best. All the other kings are jealous.”
“But my perfect record...”
“You’ve still never let anyone into the castle before.”
Sven puffs out his chest. “I’ve never done that. I am an excellent bodyguard.” He turns to me. “Congratulations.” Then he fist bumps Max.
We leave the airport as the Solbergian people cheer and congratulate us.
Sven opens the door of the security car, and Erik and I sit beside each other. The security drives us to the castle.
We exit the car, and I stare up at the imposing pink stone building that will be my home forever and always.
“Merry Christmas, Glen,” Erik tells me.
“Merry Christmas, Erik. Shall we go in and not pretend?”
Erik grins. “For the rest of our lives.”