CHAPTER 11 #2
Ava laughed. “Because it was a pony at a fair.”
“Okay, fine, maybe it was…small. I don’t remember because I was just a kid, and I was too traumatized after getting bit.”
Ava waited him for to continue.
He didn’t.
They stared at each other.
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” He sighed.
She shook her head. “No. I want to know.”
“Okay, fine,” he relented. “I was picking out what pony I wanted to ride, and this white one looked good, so I tried to make friends by feeding it an apple—”
“And it accidentally nipped you,” Ava finished for him. “That can happen. It’s not the pony’s fault. You didn’t know how to do it right—”
“Well, it got me good,” Justin said as he held out his hand and showed Ava a faint scar.
When Ava touched the scar and traced it with her finger, their eyes met. A jolt of electricity shot through her, and a shiver ran down her spine that wasn’t from the cold. She swiftly pulled her hand back, confused by the unexpected spark between them.
“So, now you believe me?” Justin asked.
“Yes,” Ava said, not meeting his stare. She started walking. “But it still wasn’t the pony’s fault.”
A chuckle escaped Justin as he caught up with her. Without a word, they matched each other’s pace.
Finally, Ava spoke first. “How can a vet be scared of horses?”
“Not all vets work with them, you know,” Justin answered. “I never have, and I never will.”
“Ever?” Ava asked, surprised.
“Ever,” Justin responded with conviction.
Ava glanced at him. “Did you always know you wanted to be a vet?”
Justin hesitated before answering. “My dad is a veterinarian. He’s always expected me to go into the family business with him. My grandpa was also a vet. So, they say this is my legacy.”
Ava nodded. “I understand that very well. Following in your family’s footsteps. But you don’t sound too excited about it.”
Justin’s jaw clenched as he stared straight ahead.
“You don’t want to do it,” Ava said. It was a statement, not a question.
When Justin looked over at her, she could see the guilt in his eyes.
“No,” he answered. “I don’t. I love my dad, but I don’t want to be a full-time vet right now.”
“What do you want to do?”
Justin’s face lit up. “Exactly what I’m doing right now—travel around the world saving and training shelter dogs and matching them with families. There’s nothing more rewarding than finding these dogs a new home and seeing how much love they bring to people who want to add a pet to their family.”
“I’ve heard that a lot of people adopt the wrong pets and then end up returning them to shelters,” Ava said. “Like at Easter, I’ve read about hundreds of bunnies that are adopted and then returned the next day.”
Justin nodded sadly. “Just like puppies and kittens at Christmas. It’s an impulse purchase. People don’t do the research and understand how important it is to have the right match so a pet can fit into their lifestyles.”
“And that’s where you come in, matching dogs to their owners?” Ava asked.
“Exactly,” Justin said. “It’s a lot harder than you might think, especially when someone falls in love with a pet that has a lot of behavioral problems. It’s my job to train them to make sure they can be part of the family forever, not just a quick purchase to be returned like a purse someone doesn’t want. ”
Ava couldn’t help but be impressed. “You’re clearly very passionate about what you do. My mother says you’re the best of the best.”
“Your mother is very kind,” Justin said. “But this job for her, with Stormy, is my last job before I have to head home and start working for my dad.”
“Can’t you just tell him how you feel?” Ava asked.
Justin shook his head. “It would break his heart. I’m sure there are things you’d like to tell your mom but can’t.”
Ava nodded. “You feel it is your duty to work with your father.”
“Exactly,” Justin said. “Your legacy is to be the queen someday. My legacy is to take over my dad’s business someday. We might come from two very different worlds, but our paths aren’t that different when you really think about it.”
“We’re both doing what we were raised to do,” Ava agreed. “But my situation is a lot different from yours.”
“Because I’m not royal—”
Ava shook her head. “No, because you don’t want to take over your family business.”
“And you do,” Justin said.
Ava nodded. “Of course. I’m ready to step in as queen whenever I’m needed.
I was born to do this. I love what I do—at least, most of it.
It’s an honor and a privilege to serve our people.
I’ve always taken this role very seriously.
Every choice I’ve made in my life up to this point has been to protect my family’s legacy, our people, and the monarchy. ”
Justin raised an eyebrow. “Wow, that’s not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
“I thought all royal children secretly wished they could escape their blue bloodlines and be regular people,” Justin said. “I thought you might want to break free from all the royal rules and obligations and escape all the pomp and circumstance.”
Ava shook her head. “All those things make up who I am. The royal rules, traditions, and obligations are my identity. I wouldn’t be anything without them.”
“I know some of the royal protocol, but your mother…When I’ve seen her, she seems to break some of those rules. She’s more…modern.”
Ava frowned.
“And you see this as a problem?”
“I believe if you bend one rule, then you bend another,” Ava said. “Then pretty soon, you’re not following any rules and things are just…”
“Natural.”
“Chaotic,” Ava said, correcting him.
“You know, I’ve met your mother multiple times and—”
“You think she’s chaotic?”
Justin laughed. “What? No. I think she acts like she’s in touch with what is happening in the world. She’s relatable and approachable. She doesn’t seem to put herself on any high pedestal above anyone else. She’s just…real.”
Ava’s eyes flew to his face. “Are you saying I’m…fake?”
“No,” Justin replied. “You two are just…different.”
Ava continued walking in silence for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “My mother is not your typical royal. She has a very exuberant personality. My father used to call her a ‘free spirit.’ It was his job to keep her feet on the ground and on the right track.”
“And what did your mother think about that?”
Ava thought about it for a minute. “I don’t really know, but I imagine she was grateful.
My parents balanced each other out perfectly.
Now that my father is gone…” Ava’s voice trailed off.
It was still so hard to say those words out loud.
She shook herself mentally, squared her shoulders, and lifted her chin higher.
“Now that he’s gone, it’s my job to take over where my father left off. ”
“Helping to run your country,” Justin said.
“Helping to manage my mother,” Ava corrected him.
“If you ask me, the queen doesn’t strike me as the kind of woman who would like to be managed —”
“Did I ask you?” Ava asked.
Their eyes met.
“No, you didn’t,” Justin said. “I’m sorry. What do I know? It’s none of my business.”
Ava felt a sudden rush of apprehension. She didn’t know what had come over her.
She never talked about her family like this and especially not with a stranger.
She knew more than anyone how careful she had to be, because she couldn’t afford for anything she was saying to end up online in the tabloids.
She anxiously twisted her watch around her wrist. “I shouldn’t have said any of this about my family. My mother had you sign an NDA, correct? Because everything I’ve said is off-the-record and confidential—”
“Of course,” Justin reassured her. “You don’t have to worry about me saying anything to anyone.”
Ava breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. Thank you. Because if any of this ends up in the press, you’ll be hearing from our legal team—and trust me, you don’t want that to happen.”
Justin blinked several times, surprised. “Wow, that was an easy jump for you.”
“What jump ?” Ava asked.
“From us talking about our families to you threatening me with legal action.”
“I wasn’t threatening you,” Ava said.
Justin’s worried expression softened a little.
“I was promising you,” Ava said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family.”
Justin held up both hands like he was surrendering. “And the shots just keep coming. Don’t shoot. I’m innocent.”
Ava frowned. “You think this is funny?”
“No, it’s not funny,” Justin answered. “It’s sad that you think you can’t trust anyone.”
Before she could answer, Justin walked ahead of her.
“Stormy! Stormy! Where are you?” he called out. He turned back to her. “Are you coming?”
“Where are we going?” Ava asked.
“You tell me,” Justin said. “You know Stormy loves people. He’ll go where they are. Any ideas?”
Ava suddenly smiled as an idea hit her. “Yes! I know where he might be!”