Lone Prince (Royally Unexpected #7) - Lilian Monroe Page 0,61
might win this fight, after all.
When Grandma sits down across from me, she stares at me until I meet her gaze. Leaning back, she dips her chin. “Now, Rowan. Are you going to tell me what this is about?”
My dear, sweet, no-nonsense grandmother. She must have had this exact conversation with my mother, except the man who impregnated her wasn’t literal royalty.
I gulp a mouthful of coffee past a lump in my throat, burning the roof of my mouth in the process. It’s bitter and hot and disgusting, but I swallow another sip down anyway. When I finally put my mug down, I glance at my grandmother and let out a sigh. “I’m pregnant with the Prince’s baby, and dozens of reporters are outside trying to ask me about it.” There. That was easy. Sort of.
Grandma’s eyebrows twitch upward ever so slightly, but otherwise, her face doesn’t move. That tiny movement of her brow nudges me toward a full-on breakdown, but I resist.
My hands grip the edge of the kitchen counter and I don’t trust myself to pick up the coffee cup. Taking a deep breath, I try to sort through the mess in my mind. “I… I want to keep it, but I can’t subject the baby to all that.” I wave a hand toward the door. “And the Prince… He hasn’t talked about making our relationship public. It’s always been secret. I’m not sure he wants…” I squeeze my eyes shut, cheeks burning. I’m embarrassed. Ashamed, even. Why would I allow myself to be in this position?
Everything is confusing. Shame tastes bitter at the back of my throat, and there’s an oily coating over my skin. I don’t even know what I’m ashamed of. Not the baby. Not Wolfe. So…what?
“Have you told him?”
I shake my head. “I only found out last night.”
“Will you tell him?”
I nod. “Today.”
“Good. Will you keep it?”
“Of course.” My voice is strong. I grip the edge of the counter so hard I’m afraid it’ll crumble in my palms.
Grandma makes a soft noise. “Okay, honey. You have to tell him.”
The heady, euphoric feeling from last night turns black inside me. Reality isn’t rose-colored. Reality is dark, and I stare at the hallway leading to the front door. “What then, Grandma? What are my options? If he wants to be with me, it means I have to give up my whole life. My business. My independence. I basically choose this”—I jerk my head to the door—“as my new reality. What kind of way is that to raise a child? I’m not sure I even want that for myself. I saw the headlines—they’re all just comparing me to his dead fiancée. I’m the other woman, just like Mom was, except in my case, the first woman isn’t even alive.”
Grandma tilts her head.
“Say it, Grandma.”
“Say what?” Her voice is neutral.
“Something, something, apple, tree…” I turn to the counter and stare at the black coffee in my mug, cheeks burning. “This is exactly what happened to Mom, wasn’t it?”
Grandma chuckles, patting my hand. “It’s slightly different, Rowan. For one, I think the Prince cares about you, and I know for a fact he doesn’t have a secret family hidden away in another kingdom.”
I let out a long sigh. “Right. But he’s still a prince. If Wolfe doesn’t want to be involved, do I raise this kid without ever telling them who their father is?”
“Let’s just deal with one problem at a time, Rowan.”
“I can’t stay here.” I meet my grandmother’s eyes. “If I stay, I either get wrapped up in this whole media machine and become part of the royal family, or I’m an outcast. My child is a pariah. I can’t let that happen. I need to go back to Farcliff. I need to just do this on my own—that’s the best chance I have at giving this kid a normal, healthy upbringing.”
“You need to tell the Prince.”
I chew my lip, tears welling up in my eyes for the first time since I found out about the baby. Nodding, I push myself up to my feet. Then, an even scarier thought. “What if he wants it? What if he wants me to stay? What if I have to give everything up…” My eyes widen. If he doesn’t want it, fine. I can leave with my tail between my legs. I can show this baby love and devotion. But if Wolfe does want me the way I thought I wanted him…