Chapter 26Ethan
Chapter 26
Ethan
“Sir, please hear me out. Then I will leave, if that's what you want,” I say, nerves jangling in my stomach.
I can feel Ami’s father’s cold fury, filling the palace, but he surprises me by agreeing with a short nod of his head.
A quiet hush falls across the room.
“The first thing I want you to know, sir, is that I love your daughter with all my heart.” I shift my gaze briefly to Ami, to see her watching me closely, her eyes bright, her face lit up in her beautiful smile.
The moment I saw her across the room she took my breath away. She’s always beautiful, no matter whether she’s in one of her goth outfits, hugging the branch of a tree she can't get down from, or wearing her Francine’s apron, surrounded with all things pink.
But tonight? Tonight she looks like the princess she is, almost intimidatingly beautiful, the red of her dress telling the world that she’s of royal Ledonian birth.
Yeah, I did my homework. I figured it would be handy armor tonight.
“The time we spent together in Montelac has been the best time of my life because of your daughter. I went there to escape, to take a break from my life. I thought I would spend my time contemplating my choices. Instead, I spent it working in a café with your daughter, teaching her how to operate an espresso machine and slice bread.”
There's a rumble of surprise in the room and I'm sure some of the assembled guests are shocked to learn that the rumor is true: Princess Amelia did work in a café. Shock! Horror!
“It's also true that when we first met, I pretended I was someone else.”
This time the rumble is louder, people in shock that I lied to their princess.
A woman bearing a striking resemblance to Ami appears at the King’s side, and I can only assume she’s the Queen.
I swallow, my mouth dry. “I did so because I was running from my own fame, not for any other reason. I’d had enough of being Ethan Roberts, famous TV star. I wanted to be anonymous once more, like I was before fame found me. But what I didn't bank on was falling for Ami, and then I knew I had to tell her who I really was.
“It was at that point, once we shared our true identities, that we really let one another in, and I fell hard, and I fell fast.” I turn to look at Amelia. “I fell harder than I've ever fallen for anyone in my life.”
She smiles at me, that beautiful smile that lights up her whole face, the smile I've missed since like a part of me is gone. The smile I know I want to see every single day of my life.
“Sir, I was able to be my authentic self with your daughter in a way I haven't been in a very long time. She may be a princess, but she's as real as anyone can get. Real and funny and kind and clever and full of the joys of life. In the short time I've known her, I have grown to not only love her, but admire her, too. Sir, your daughter is nothing short of incredible.”
The people around us burst into chatter, silenced only when the King lifts a hand.
“And what of the filming? My sources tell me it's a reality television production,” he asks, spitting out the words as though their taste is bitter.
I reach into the top pocket of my rented tux jacket and pull out a folded document. Passing it to the King, I say, “This is a document drafted by my lawyer this morning. I am suing the production company and my agent for filming me and your daughter without our consent.”
The King’s eyes scan the paper briefly before he lifts them once more to mine. “You didn't know about this?”
“I swear on my life that I did not, sir.”
The room erupts into chatter once more, and instinctively Ami and I move closer to one another. She slips her hand into mine, and I relish the softness of her skin. As our gazes meet, we communicate our love for one another without the need for words. We simply stand, looking into one another’s eyes as the room swirls around us.
Ami takes a deep breath, and I nod at her, knowing she wants to say her piece.
“Father,” she begins. “I know you have forbidden me to see Ethan again. But I'm a grown woman with choices of my own. I choose Ethan.”
My heart swells to twice its size, as the room bursts into loud chatter. Thanks to my lawyers, it’s unlikely they’ll get our reality show, but they sure are getting a show tonight.
The King calls for quiet by lifting a single hand once more.
“Mr. Roberts. I cannot accept the way with which you met my daughter, nor the way in which your relationship developed in secrecy regardless of this lawsuit.”
Amelia's hand tightens in mine.
A figure catches my eye, and I see Max shift to our side. He’s followed in silence by what I can only assume are other members of Ami’s family: her sister, Sofia, who I recognize by the way she holds herself; her husband, Marco, a guy who looks as out of place in the opulence of the ballroom as I feel; her older brother, Alex, who shares Max’s good looks but with a maturity in his features Max has yet to grow into; and his wife, Maddie, the Queen of the country where I just spent the last month of my life, who throws me a wink and a smile as she stands beside Ami, giving her arm a squeeze.
The King’s eyes widen as he takes in the scene. All his offspring and their spouses, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ami.
“Father, you sent Marco and I on a wild goose chase to give us every chance to fall in love. Can't you accept that Amelia is doing this on her own terms as well?” Sofia says.
The King glares at her as the Queen whispers something in his ear.
He clears his throat. “Tell me something, Mr. Roberts. What are your intentions towards my daughter?”
That old line?
I've got this.
“To love her and respect her as the woman she is. To let her be whoever she wants to be, and to support her in that.” I smile at Ami.
“That's all very well, but do you intend to make her your wife?” he asks.
His words hit me in the solar plexus.
I swallow as I square my shoulders. “With your permission, yes,” I reply.
People gasp while others cheer and shout their approval. A man who looks a lot like a weasel scoffs and walks away.
But I'm not paying attention to any of them. Instead, I'm looking at the woman I love, seeing the emotion written across her face.
“Really?” she breathes.
“Really,” I reply, never having been more certain of anything in my life.
We share a smile.
“Do you understand what it means to be a part of this family? Amelia is a princess. She has certain royal duties and expectations,” the King says.
“Which of course I will support her in meeting, as long as it's what she wants to do,” I reply.
He levels me with his stare, but I stand tall, confident in the strength of my love. “You’ve already won Amelia over, and the rest of my family, by the looks of things,” he says, giving his grudging but genuine acceptance.
My belly clenches, my heart beating out of my chest.
“Does that mean what I think it means, Father?” Ami asks, and to my surprise, the King’s face lifts in a smile.
He reaches for her hand. “Your happiness is more important to me than anything, as it is with all my children. If you have chosen this man, he must be worthy.”
“He is, Father,” Ami says, and she turns to me. “I promise you that.”
“In that case, what are we all doing standing around? The show is over. Let the music begin and let us dance!” He gestures with his arms dramatically, and in an instant the music begins, and people begin to dance around us.
“May I have this dance?” Ami asks me.
“It would be weird if I said no, right?”
“Weird and a touch humiliating.”
“In that case, it's a good thing I had all that experience dancing with the mop.”
She laughs and it ends in a snort. “Just don't dip my hair in a bucket and I think you'll have this.”
“I'll try to remember that part,” I say as I pull her softly against me.
We begin to move around the room, following the steps Ami taught me that night in the café.
“Who would have thought back then when I caught you dancing, we would be here tonight, dancing together with your father's blessing?”
“You know, that was the night it hit me that I had feelings for you.”
“In that case, I win.”
“What do you win?”
“I had feelings for you long before then.”
“Since when?”
“Since that time I rescued you from the tree.”
She grins, and I take the opportunity to spin her around, capturing her once again and holding her close in my arms. “I’m so glad I broke the no climbing a tree rule.”
“Less so for me.”
“Why?”
“I was worried I might drop you, that’s why,” I say on a laugh.
“But you didn’t. You held me in those big, strong arms of yours.”
I smile at the memory. “I remember.”
“Do you know what?” she asks.
“What?”
“You saw me for who I was even before I was brave enough to find the words to tell you.”
“I could say the exact same thing about you.”
“There's a certain synchronicity to that, don't you think, Maverick?”
“Oh, I do, Amy. The most wonderful synchronicity of all.”
And then I kiss her, right there in the palace ballroom.