11. 11
11
Hettie
A bigail’s parents live on the hill on the way to the castle so it’s not that long of a drive.
I wish it was longer.
The trees on either side of the road are still white with snow. Thanks to the proximity to the Arctic Circle, winter is cold in Laandia and lasts long into April.
There were already flowers breaking through the ground in Victoria when we left.
I sit on my hands to warm them. It also helps with the shaking.
Abigail talked to her parents and told them we had been invited to stay at the castle. I know she hasn’t ever told them who Tema’s father is, but it wouldn’t be difficult to do the math and figure out it was Bo. The Lockes’ have kept so many secrets for me over the years.
I need to tell them everything. They deserve it.
When Bo and I first got together in high school, we would hang out at Abigail’s, usually with Spencer. Her brothers were younger, and always at hockey practice or tournaments, so we would have the place to ourselves.
Bo loved how the Lockes’ treated him like just another friend of their daughters, not like he was part of the royal family. Mrs. Locke made his favourite cookies, Mr. Locke always wanted to know what time he would bring us home—I stayed there most weekends—and there was always an open invitation for Taco Tuesday dinners.
The world has seen how some royal families are treated, and I’m glad it was never like that for Bo’s family, but even a little extra attention was too much for him.
Bo might have felt like a Rapuzel-like character, but he was like Pinocchio to me—all he wanted was to be a regular boy.
But how can you be a regular boy when you grow up in a castle with a father—however cool and laid-back as he may be—as the king?
The only voices in the car during the drive to the castle are from Tema and Abigail in the backseat, and that’s only because Tema comments on everything she sees, like usual.
Abigail is so good with her. Sometimes I think she’s done a better job at mothering Tema, and then my little girl holds up her arms to me, and I then I know I’m her mother and my heart gets all warm.
I can’t believe Bo knows about her. He knows, and the world didn’t end like I always thought it would.
What did I think would happen? That Bo—quiet, solemn Bo—would overreact and try to snatch my baby away from me?
The thought actually did pop into my mind more than a few times over the years.
He’s smart. Methodical. He thinks before he speaks.
He would call Spencer and get him to figure out how to get Tema away from me rather than do it himself.
It’s not fair to Spencer for me to be afraid of him .
He was at the wedding, the only one of the family to be there. Bo had Spencer and I had Abigail as we stood under the trees and told the forest how much we loved each other. Spencer held the ring that Bo put on my finger before the justice of the peace proclaimed us husband and wife.
Spencer opened the champagne after it was over and hugged me and told me I was good for Bo. And then he and Abigail flew back to Battle Harbour and neither of them ever told a soul what they had witnessed.
Spencer might not be of royal blood, but the way he kept our secret made him as much of a brother to Bo as Kalle, Odin, and Gunnar are.
“Mrs. Theissen is making up rooms for you,” Bo tells me. “I’ll see that you’re settled, but then I have to run back into town for a bit. Will you be okay? I’ll be back for dinner.”
“Can we have pizza?” Tema chirps from the backseat.
Bo glances at her in the rearview mirror. “I can do pizza.”
“Your father…”
“Will be back tomorrow morning. I’ll talk to him then.”
“Okay.”
He glances at me. “Really? Just okay?”
“I’d rather not say how freaked out I am in front of the backseat,” I say under my breath.
Tema bounces on the seat. “Can I meet the king?”
“Tomorrow,” Bo promises, like it’s no big deal.
I met King Magnus at the queen’s funeral and I doubt he remembers me. He had just lost his wife and had five children plus a country to comfort. Bo introduced me as Hettie—no last name, no explanation. I wonder what would have happened if he had told the king I was his wife?
“What will he say?” I ask under my breath.
Bo shakes his head. “No clue. But it’ll be okay.”
“How can you know that?” I demand a little too loudly.
“He might be the king, but he’s just my dad. And she’s his…” Bo raises his eyebrows and mouths granddaughter. “Right?”
And that is the only hesitation Bo has shown about Tema. “Her birthday is July 8,” I tell him. I can tell he’s trying to do the math. “Wedding night,” I mutter.
“Ah.”
I shut down the memories of that night before they can explode and make this even messier than it already is.
I can only hope Bo is doing the same thing.
But it’s so difficult when he pulls up in front of the castle, which looms above us, snow-covered and intimidating.
“You’re really bringing me here,” I say in a quiet voice, staring out the window.
“You’re really letting me,” Bo corrects.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice with me, Hettie. About everything.”
Bo and I dated from when I was seventeen to when we married when I was twenty .
During those four years, we broke up six times. During the four years we were together, I only visited Bo’s home a handful of times, and never to meet his parents.
The breakups were the reason for that, and since breaking up with Bo had been my decision every time, I only have myself to blame.
I loved Bo Erickson, the man, but I never thought I was good enough for Bowden Erickson, the prince of Laandia. Being the daughter of one of the most notorious families in Battle Harbour, if not all of Laandia will do that to you. But Bo is still a prince, so I wonder how I would have felt if my family hadn’t been an issue. Would I have felt worthy then?
An older woman—somber in dress and appearance—greets us at the door. “Mrs. Theissen,” Bo says to her, standing between her and me like he’s offering himself as a shield. “These are my friends Hettie Crow and Abigail Locke, who are in town for a few days. I’ve invited them to stay here.”
I don’t miss the slight flaring of nostrils at the mention of my last name. “You are most welcome,” Mrs. Theissen tells us, dark eyes taking in everything. “It’s always nice to have friends of the prince to stay with us.”
“I’m Tema,” my daughter pipes up, as she often does when she thinks she’s not getting enough attention.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Miss Tema.” That dark gaze flicks from Tema to me and over to Bo. “I’m Mrs. Theissen. You come and find me if you have any problems. Let me show you to your rooms. ”
As we climb the stairs, I blank out on the snippets of history Mrs. Theissen throws over her shoulder. Thankfully, Tema and Abigail are right behind her to take it all in.
“Do you often have friends stay here?” I ask Bo in a low voice. Yes, it’s borderline petty; yes, I had a flare of jealousy at any female “friends” Bo might have invited here, but I blame the surge of exhaustion that washes over me. It’s been a very long day, and it’s still not over yet.
I’m going to have to talk to Bo about many things.
Bo studies me, his face expressionless. He was always very stoic when he was younger, but his face is like a blank canvas now. “No,” he finally admits. “I have no idea what she’s talking about.”
A relieved giggle escapes and Bo gives me a lopsided smile.
We reach our rooms—Abigail gets the room across from ours—and Mrs. Theissen bustles through, pointing out things that we should be able to figure out for ourselves. “Please let me know if you have any concerns,” she finishes. “I still use the castle intercom system, so let me know if you need anything. Dinner will be—”
“We’re having pizza,” Tema interrupts. “Bo said so.”
“Well.” The older woman sniffs. “I’ll let His Royal Highness make those arrangements.”
And then she’s gone.
And I’m here. In the castle of the royal family of Laandia.
With Bo.
Abigail takes Tema with her to explore her room across the hall, leaving me alone with Bo. There’s so much I want to say, so much I need to talk to him about.
“I have to go back into town,” is the first thing that comes out of his mouth.
“Right now?” I hate that I sound nervous. Terrified, actually.
“I’m sorry.” Bo reaches out to touch my arm, but pulls back with a grimace before contact. “It won’t be for long. I’ll be back—with pizza.”
“You’re leaving to get pizza? I’m sure they deliver anything you want here.”
“It’s not just that.” He hunches those big shoulders and I take pity on him. I know this is a lot, and if he needs a bit of space, giving it to him is the least I can do. “I’m sorry, Hettie. I have to go.”
And then he leaves. And I let him. At least he gives me an apologetic glance as he walks away, leaving me standing in my room.
My room in the castle. It actually can be called a suite, with a sitting room complete with couch and table by the window. There’s a massive fireplace, already ablaze, and I can see into the bedroom through the fire.
There are shelves of books and a television, but nothing else for kids.
Not like there has been a lot of children running around the castle.
Tema is the first grandchild. She’s the third in line to the throne, after Kalle and Bo. I knew all of this, but it sinks in that much more actually standing here in the castle of the king of Laandia.
I knew I married a prince, but I never expected Bo to be king. The thought of Tema being so close to so much power is terrifying.
And laughable. I’m a Crow . Tema’s great-uncle publicly insults King Magnus every chance he gets. Two of my brothers are in jail. I haven’t heard from my mother in over twenty years, and my father…
Has no idea I’m back in town. It’s not any family one would want to be associated with, let alone the royal family.
“What am I supposed to do now?” I ask out loud.
“Want a tour of the place?” a voice in the doorway asks.
I whirl around. “Kate?” I ask with surprise.
There, in front of me, stands Kate McKibbon—yeah, one of those McKibbons, who might have a shot at second place in the worst families of Battle Harbour.
At least she has a brother in the police force now, according to Abigail’s mother.
I remember Kate as one of Princess Lyra’s friends, and a former love of Prince Gunnar. Gone is the gangly teenager; instead Kate is tall and poised, professional in her black pants and white shirt.
“Hey, Hettie.” Kate gives me a welcoming smile. “Welcome home.”
“It’s not my home,” I tell her.
“No, but—Bo asked if I would show you around.”
“He did?”
“Well, he did through Spencer.” Kate bows from the waist. “Personal secretary of the princes. They share me. I was brought in for Odin before he got married, but I didn’t want to go with him and Lady Camille when they moved to Saint Pierre, so I stayed.”
“Bo needs a secretary?” I blurt out.
“I help out when certain circumstances arise.” She shrugs, and I take that to mean times when a wife no one knew about shows up with a child.
“So you know…”
“Spencer filled me in,” she explain. “I need to know since I’ll probably be the one making the announcement.”
Announcement. I never thought—
It’s everything Bo never wanted. “So you know about—”
Kate smiles. “I’d love to meet your daughter.”