The Prince's Bride (Part 1) - J.J. McAvoy Page 0,37
you have siblings, Gale?”
“An elder brother named Arthur, but we just call him Arty, and a younger sister named Elizarosa, who goes by Eliza.”
“How would you feel if Arty and Eliza got married and didn’t tell you? And on top of that, they were hoping you didn’t get married so they could take all the inheritance.”
“I have never had to think about that before because it would be impossible for them to do that.”
“Think about it now then,” she demanded.
“Okay, I guess I would be upset and worried.”
“Thank you. So, I’m right to be mad. Now reason three—my mom.” Her voice softened as she spoke of her mother. “She spent her whole life catering to and sacrificing for me. I feel like if she wants me to do this, then it is the least I can do.”
“Giving up your nationality, your home, and privacy in order to make your mom happy is a bit much. I do not know what to say for that one,” I replied, only joking.
“Giving up my nationality?” she asked.
“Nobles and royals can only have allegiance to one country. Ersovia.”
“Well, you’re starting to help me think of cons, thank you.”
“Let me not help too much,” I replied, shifting more on the bed as she relaxed. “What did your mom do that made you change your mind? You were very upset at her earlier, no?”
“I was,” she stated, pouring more wine for the both of us. “Then I went to the fundraiser and watched as my stepmother embarrassed her while everyone else ignored her.”
“So, you figure if you were married to a prince, no one would dare it.”
“Yep.”
“It is a very good reason.”
“You’re just saying that because you want me to marry you.”
“Not at all. Upholding your mother’s honor is very noble. I’m impressed.” I bowed my head to her, and she just rolled her eyes.
“It’s not just that. My mom has always wanted me to be something great. It’s like something she has to prove to herself. Augusta’s mom is smart. Her mom is a member of the board for my father’s company. My mom barely finished high school.”
“So, if her daughter were the one that ended up married to a prince, she would feel better about what she failed to accomplish.” I sobered at that. I could tell her mother cared about her daughter by the way she spoke about her in the car. However, I could also sense she truly wanted to climb further up in society. Meanwhile, her daughter did not seem to care—the irony.
“I’d hoped I would be able to live up to being some great, world-famous singer, but that isn’t really working out, either.”
“You have been nominated for awards, though.”
“Never won any.”
“Still, my sister is a huge fan of yours.”
“Really?”
“She almost broke down in tears when my parents wouldn’t let her go to a concert of yours in New York. Apparently, you don’t do them often?”
“Yeah.” She brushed the curls from her face. “I get stage fright when I’m asked to sing live and on stage.”
I was shocked by that. “Really?” I thought musicians and actors lived for the limelight.
“New subject,” she stated, suddenly changing the subject. The look she gave was if it were my fault. “This is far too deep of a conversation for people who just met.”
“Deep conversations are made for wine at midnight in bedrooms.”
“Are you an expert?”
“You came to me, remember? So, are you the expert?”
“And if I were?” She held up her head.
“Teach me your ways.” I bowed my head.
She pushed my head away. “Can you believe this? That we’re strangers—”
“At this point, we are, at the very least, acquaintances.”
She thought about it. “Acquaintances who just say, ‘Oh, yeah, I’ll get married because I’m told to by my family or because I need money.’”
“Yes, that seems correct.” I chuckled, finishing off the wine. It was very sweet. “The higher you are in the world, the more strings you have attached to make sure you do not fly off, or so my father says.”
“You can’t just say father like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because your father is a king.”
I shrugged. “He is still my father, though.”
“Yeah, but I feel like when you talk about kings, you have to say it with...I don’t know, more gravitas in your voice or something.”
“For commoners maybe—”
“Oh, the commoners,” she teased.
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up.”
“I was expecting you to say something like, Be silent!” Her voice dropped as she teased me again.
“You are starting to make me self-conscious over how I speak.”