Maybe I will go back to France. Or England, I guess.
There's no way that I can stay in Copenhagen and not see Lars every single place that we've ever been, or at least the memory of him.
I shiver and pull the edges of my coat closer around me. I have no job. I have no boyfriend or fiancé. My best friends are both entangled with the royal family.
There's nothing left here for me.
Inhaling a shaky breath, I blow it out in a long stream. It clouds in the air, hanging for a moment. I hear the crunch of gravel.
Whirling, I watched as a huge black SUV comes climbing up the snowy driveway. My heart starts racing. Could it be that Lars has tracked me down?
I push down the hope that rises in my chest. Even if he does get out of the car, even if I do see his face, even if I want him so badly I don't know what to do with myself…
That doesn't fix or solve anything at all. It would only prolong our mutual sadness.
The car comes to a stop. I head across the porch to watch as the back doors open on both sides of the car. And then I see Margot's face.
The Queen of Denmark is here to see me. My eyes fill with tears. I cover my mouth with my hands, almost missing that little blonde Nika follows Margot up the last few feet of the driveway. They both look chilled to the bone despite wearing layers and layers of clothing.
Margot locks eyes with me and sees that I am crying. She burst into a run, trotting up the steps to where I am standing. She doesn't ask questions, she doesn't say anything. She just barrels into me, wrapping her arms around me.
A ragged sob leaves my lips, unable to be controlled the longer. I've been so miserable these past four days and seeing her is bittersweet. After all, she essentially is the royal palace personified.
But mostly, I look at her and see the same girl that I met when I was a freshman in college, figuring out my roommate situation. She looks almost the same as she did then, only now she pulls back, brushes back my hair, and looks at me sternly.
“Where have you been?” she lectures. “Do you know that I had to pull all kinds of strings and track your credit card to find you? I'm not even sure what I did was technically legal.”
Nika comes to stand next to me, throwing an arm around me. She smiles brightly at me. “You got her all riled up. You should've heard her talking about you in the car. She was pissed.”
I wipe my eyes, apologetic. “I'm so sorry, Margot. Both of you. I just… I don't have a good reason. I'm just pathetic right now.”
Nika shivers. “Let's go inside. We can talk about how wrong you are until we're blue in the face but I personally do not want to be out here for a second longer.”
I huff out a watery laugh. “Of course. I lead the way into the house, holding the door open for Margot and Nika. I feel like a fool as I usher them in, taking their coats and telling them to make themselves welcome. I rush to take off my coat and am a little bit self-conscious because my normally carefully chosen outfits are still in Lars's closet. I'm wearing what I could pick up from the ski lodge's store: a long sleeve T-shirt and a pair of ski pants. I see Nika look at my outfit was some surprise but luckily she is a good friend that she doesn't say anything.
I flush as I hurry into the kitchen. “Do you want tea?” I call. “You guys like tea, right?”
Nika settles in on the couch, her expression disapproving. “We want answers. That’s what we want.” Margot turns to her and gives her a look. She stands up, putting her hand over her belly. I realize that she has actually started to show.
For some reason, that actually makes me cry all over again. I have a mini breakdown over the sink, crying as I fill the kettle. Margot comes up behind me and hugs me, slipping her arms around my rib cage. She rests her cheek against my back.
I can't help but love her. It seems so unfair that among all the things that I am about to miss, I'm going to miss out on Margot