Chapter 31 #2
“Er…I probably should have.” Why didn’t I think to do so? Edwin always caught me off guard with his questions. “But no. Right now, I have a few spies doing things for me, specifically watching both Gillespie and Victor, as I trust neither.”
“Ah. Yes, wise decision. I’ll mark questions in your notebook as I read through it today and see if there’s anything else we should track. Also, on that topic, meet me for dinner in town tonight.”
“Can I stay over too?” I asked eagerly.
“My house is still torn up,” he reminded me. “I’ll stay the night with you.”
“Either way’s fine.” I just wanted to be with him. Always.
“But I want a safe place to ask questions, and if we’re in town, away from the many prying eyes and ears of the palace, it’ll be safer.”
“You’re not wrong. Um…” Part of me felt it foolish to poke this with a stick, but I couldn’t seem to help myself and asked anyway. “What made you change your mind? You were so resistant to my advances before.”
With a soft smile, he picked up my hand in his, thumb smoothing in a gentle circle over the skin. “Well, at first, you came on so strongly, I feared I’d be yet another brokenhearted victim in the wake of royalty.”
Ah. Come to think of it, that had been a bad move on my part. Of course he’d be leery, having seen the fallout of those relationships.
“Then I realized you were sincere, and you truly do see me as your equal. I was attracted to you from the first moment I saw you, but after getting to know you better, I realized you’re very much the type of man I want to have as a lover.
I still battled with myself, though. Did I dare walk this path with you?
It took me a moment to gather the courage.
Like you, I’m tired of denying myself when I want something. ”
I gripped his fingers in mine a little firmer. “Yes, I’m very tired of that. Thank you for gathering the courage.”
“Saying you’re welcome sounds strange.” His smile stretched from ear to ear, eyes crinkling in the corners. “On that note, shall we get to work?”
“We should. It’s rather late in the morning.”
I had to change clothes, as I was back in the clothes I’d worn yesterday, so a stop by my room was necessary anyway.
While walking to my rooms, I dearly wanted someone to walk past us so they could see me and Edwin holding hands and I could start showing him off.
Sadly, we didn’t encounter a soul, which was crushing.
I changed clothes, fetched the notebook, and gave Edwin another lingering kiss before sending him on his way. I wished I could stop working and be there for him as he put his house together. Sadly, too much rode on me getting work done in his absence. Damn reality. So inconvenient.
My staff were already at work in my office, no one thinking much of my later start, as I did occasionally step out and handle other matters before coming in.
I sat and did my work, trying to focus and plow through it.
Difficult, since my mind wanted to focus on Edwin and the incredible night we’d spent together.
I’d only fantasized about having him as a lover.
Reality had shown me I had a very lacking imagination.
Warm tingles spread all over my body just from the memory.
I couldn’t wait until the two of us lived together.
I could already anticipate my impatience at not sharing a bed with him every night.
The overwhelming emotion living inside me, though?
Euphoria. Bone-melting, soul-lifting euphoria.
I finally, finally had a romantic relationship with Edwin.
It had taken a lifetime, death, and bargaining with angels to manage it—but I finally had.
I couldn’t have been happier if I was handed Paradise again on a silver platter.
Probably just as well Edwin wasn’t in the office this morning, as I wouldn’t have been able to do anything but stare at him.
He’d left looking casual instead of all formal in his suit, his hair once again not waxed back.
Something about his glasses, too, had always gotten to me.
Like a sign of his intellect, which I’d admittedly fallen for.
I liked him without glasses as well, though it was rare to see, as he had glasses for a reason.
But I thought I preferred him with them on?
What a difficult debate. Which was better, glasses on or off?
Oops, I should be working. Dammit, Edwin was truly distracting for my brain. It was running in circles over here.
Midafternoon, Helena burst into my office, appearing a little wide around the eyes. I paused with pen halfway to paper, alarmed at the look of rage on her face. All my staff glanced up as well and, from their expressions, were trying to gauge if they should duck for cover. I wondered the same.
“What?” I demanded sharply.
“Our mother just informed me I was to stop helping you with any repair efforts. She said, and I quote, ‘Leave that to the men, you’re just getting in the way.’ I’m… James, talk me down, I’m on the ledge. I can’t kill my own mother.”
“Comes with treason charges,” I admitted, getting up to give her a much-needed hug. “And execution. Don’t do it.”
“We ended up in a screaming match, and I said things I probably shouldn’t have, but I don’t regret the words. She said things to me she’s definitely going to regret.”
I gave her a squeeze around the shoulders and chaffed one arm.
“We all know her opinion is wrong. You’ve done a great deal of work to help put the lower city back together, and people are acknowledging what you’ve accomplished.
I think what this really boils down to? Is you’re gaining popularity and respect from the citizens and nobility, to the point it’s taking away support from Victor.
Your mother’s viewing you now as an obstacle, so she’s doing her best to get you to stop. ”
Helena blew out a breath. “I realize you’re likely right, but for her to say all that to me just to make Victor look better? Pisses me off.”
“Understandably. She shouldn’t be taking his side over yours.”
“No. She should not. I think she’s going to make it an official command, though, if I don’t do her bidding. I don’t want to be stopped by her, but I don’t know how to maneuver around her. Father’s likely to take her side because he thinks I’m useless as well. Not as much as she does, but still.”
She was not wrong to worry; her analysis of the situation was likely right. Blowing out a breath, I tried not to regret sending Edwin to fix his house this morning.
“Your garden,” I said. “Let’s sit and talk there. We need cookies to fortify us.”
“Cookies sound great.” Helena gnawed on her bottom lip and asked uncertainly, “You’re sure about thwarting her? Mother’s so, so determined.”
“No, she’s being needlessly stubborn. There’s a difference.
Also, Helena, I want you to remember, this is your life.
Your mother can threaten and manipulate, but in the end, it’s your choice.
You can say no. Hell, I’ll back you on the no.
If you want to walk away from the royal family completely and strike out on your own, I’ll financially support you until you get your feet under you.
You are not locked into behaving as they wish. ”
The stress and dread drained from her expression, and tears burned in her eyes. “You’d really do that for me?”
“Of course. You’re my sister, aren’t you?”
Helena threw both arms around my waist and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, recognizing that until this moment, she hadn’t truly felt she had someone in her corner. I meant every word I’d said. I’d abscond her out of the damn palace if I had to.
“You are the best decision my parents have ever made,” she whispered against my shoulder, sounding choked up. “Thank you, James. I promise, I’ll return the favor.”
“I’m counting on it.” I truly was. Helena, once she formed her own power base, would be a force to reckon with. I’d need her in the future. Right now, though, she was the priority. “Come, let’s form a battle plan.”
Her head lifted and she nodded, still looking a bit emotional and overwhelmed. “Yes, let’s.”
I gave her my arm and we quickly left the office, heading for her rooms and garden. My staff was probably just as glad the emotional bomb had left, and I couldn’t blame them. The second we were in the hallway, however, Helena objected.
“Wait, where’s Edwin?”
“He has this week off,” I explained. “He’s overseeing the renovations on his house right now.”
“Oh! I’m glad he got a construction crew in so quickly.” Then her eyes narrowed on me. “You hired a crew for him, didn’t you?”
“I may have.” I winked at her.
“Figures. Well, I won’t pull him away, even though I want him for this meeting. Perhaps we can pull him in later on.”
“You trust him that much, do you?”
“I do. I know you do as well.”
For some reason, my chest puffed up with pride. I loved how Helena had rightfully already gotten Edwin’s measure. If she trusted in him the way I did, nothing in her life could truly go wrong. Edwin was that reliable.
Helena’s eyes narrowed on my neck for some reason. “You have a hickey.”
“That’s entirely possible,” I admitted, not at all shy about it. “Also, Edwin may have put it there.”
Helena gasped and then lightly smacked my arm. “You did not finally seduce him!”
“I did.” I quite relished the fact. Well, he’d rather seduced me, but to-mae-toes, to-mah-toes.
“Oh dammit.” She groaned. “I was going to flirt with him—”
“Helena!” I objected in true horror.
She let out a peal of laughter. “I jest. I’m happy for you, James. Envious you’ve found such a good man as a boyfriend, but happy for you regardless. I will tease Edwin later.”
I didn’t fully trust her. Edwin was quite the prize, after all. “I’ll introduce you to a good man later. Let’s get you free of Gillespie first.”
Helena groaned. “Yes, please and thank you.”