Sins of Mine - Mary E. Twomey Page 0,68
on them daily. Make sure they are handling the many changes with as much of your help as possible. I want them to know that they have a friend in you they can turn to.”
Her gaze locks in on mine, and then darts back to the crowd, who are doing exactly as she instructs. “I have been fortunate enough to have people by my side who gave me the courage to stand when all I wanted to do was crawl into my father’s coffin and never get out. It didn’t take a sea of support. It took one person holding my right hand, and another holding my left.”
Some coo with a swoon of sweetness, but they don’t know my queen like I do.
Her lips purse and her face is nothing short of fierce. “If you do not leave with two people in your care today, then you are not doing your part for the kingdom. Therefore, you forfeit any right to complain about the way the world turns. If you are not doing what you can for your two people, then no one will listen to you whine when you don’t get your way.” Her finger jabs the flat top of the podium. “Things are going to change. Best brace yourself, and then prop up your two people while you’re at it.”
I cannot help myself. There’s no part of me that can hold back from running across the stage to her to scoop her hand in mine.
Apparently, I’m not the only one with that idea. Gray and I rush to her sides, both of us grabbing on to the woman who is bold enough to lead the world from the darkness of its own making, and pave the way towards the light.
23
Epilogue
Arlanna
My brooch keeps tilting. No matter how many times I resituate the sun-shaped crystal, it keeps turning crooked.
Sloan’s signature knock breaks me from the full-length mirror. When I let him in, he’s carrying Everly Ann with a surly look on his face. “Your rat dug a hole near the flower beds out front. I say we ban her from the palace grounds. A life sentence seems fair.”
When I take my puppy from Sloan’s grip, his unhappiness doesn’t melt. “Everything okay?” Everly Ann snuggles her maw into my cheek and then licks me a good dozen times to taste my makeup. “Good call, baby. I was wearing too much blush.”
Sloan comes further into my dressing room. Since Gray, Paxton and I share the master bedroom, there’s no need for me to have a separate space. But need and fun are two different things, so the room I would have taken has been turned into a dressing room, so I have a space all my own in this massive place.
Sloan sniffs the vase of pink roses by the floor-to-ceiling window. “The ribbon-cutting ceremony is all going according to plan. Though, as you mapped it all out, that’s not entirely surprising.”
I mimic his frown. “Then what’s your grump face for?”
“Jennifer found the ring. It fell out of my pocket when I was putting on my jacket this morning and she picked up the box. She didn’t open it, but it’s clear she knows. I should’ve had you plan my proposal.”
“Oh, no! It’s okay, Sloan. It’s not ruined. She still doesn’t know when you’re going to ask her to marry you, or how.”
Sloan glowers at me, which makes him look like a teenager filled with sass. “I’m getting down on one knee. I don’t think she’ll be bowled over by that.”
“Jen doesn’t need surprises. She’s a planner, like you, who likes all the facts up front. Remember how well your surprise went over when you had her car outfitted with bulletproof glass?”
His neck shrinks. “Fair point.” Sloan slumps on my white velvet couch, clutching the blush pillow. He looks like a little boy with his pout. “I wanted the proposal to be perfect, but it’s going to be regular now.”
“Nothing about you is boring or regular.” I set Everly Ann down and move over to the couch, fanning the floor-length silk train of my charcoal suit jacket out before I sit beside him. “It’ll be the happiest day of her life, because you are the man she chose to be impressed by. You don’t have to be anyone but you, and she’ll be happy.”
Sloan is still sullen, even as I’ve reached the end of my pep talk. “You won’t feel the same way when Paxton proposes. You’ll want it to be special.”
My face