Perfection.
In the middle of my night time daydreams about the woman I pray and hope to woo, my phone buzzes with a video chat request from Astrid.
“Haalaa.”She waves, her bright blue eyes and shiny blonde hair reflecting the daylight. From the roses and peonies behind her, I gather she’s in the Royal Gardens. “You’re up late.”
I grin an admittedly tired but hopeful smile as I talk in my native tongue. “You won’t believe what happened…” I spill everything to Astrid. About how the twins switched, how I fell for Lorelei, how I have plans to win the heart of the woman who’s never been in love.
“So, she threw up when you told her who you were, and then she almost fainted when you presented her with a handmade gift and knelt down to propose dating with marriage intentions in mind.”
I brush off her words. “First off, she vomited because I was presenting the information to her as if I wanted Lucy. Secondly, her blood sugar was low tonight. And she has no idea about our customs and how we kneel and present a handmade gift to proposea serious relationship. I never got the chance to explain due to the almost fainting thing.”
Astrid rolls her eyes. “I support you,broor, but I don’t think this woman is going to go for you. She sounds like she doesn’t match who you are. You’re an outgoing, sociable man. You two might be too different for each other.”
“That’s why I like her,systeer.She balances me. You know, you and I—or even Father and I—get into trouble when we are together, but when I’m with Johan or Mamma, I’m balanced.” I think about how grounded I feel when I’m with Lorelei. How she makes me feel like I can rest, relax, and breathe. “She’s mymysaa.”
Astrid stares at me through the screen, her eyes growing round before a smile creeps up her face, causing little wrinkles in the outside corners of her eyes. “I absolutely cannot wait to meet this woman. When are you bringing her to Korsa?”
“Whenever she actually agrees to date me. Did you forget the little fact that she hasn’t yet?”
“Call me a hopeless romantic.” She flips her luscious blonde hair. If Astrid were a male, she’d look like me. And if I were a female, well, you get the point. “I never thought there would be a woman who was able to captivate you and intrigue you long enough for you to actually consider marriage. Which means…” She frowns as she trails off, then she looks off in the distance. The sun shines brightly, and I find myself wishing it was morning already here. “Which means I need to ask… Are you pursuing this woman because you have to have a wife to take the throne, or do you truly love her? Or at least, think you can love her? Because if you’re trying to protect the crown from passing to me…”
I cut her off. “I know you are perfectly capable of marrying any man. You have a long list of suitors who would love to tie you down and rule side by side with you. But I know you don’t want that, Astrid. And you have so much life ahead of you. I’ve lived enough, and I’m ready to accept this responsibility.”
She stares into my soul, her mouth twisting. “You didn’t answer my original question.”
I breathe, admitting to myself—and now to my sister. “I love her, Astrid. Don’t ask me to explain it. I’ve rarely said those words to any woman I’ve dated, and usually when I did, it was because they said it first and I felt obligated. But with Lorelei,” I can’t help the smile that captures my expression, “I mean it. She’s it for me. I feel it in my soul, in my bones. And she is the woman Korsa needs. More importantly, the woman I need.”
My sister slowly smiles, hearts practically pounding out of her eyes. Then sternly, she says, “If you don’t bring her here within a month, I’m coming to you. At that point, your usual charms haven’t worked, and I need to step in.”
We both laugh, but I fear she might have to. I have a habit of coming on too strong, and most ladies eat it up, but Lorelei? That is going to push her far, far away from me.
And that’s not the kingdom I’m hoping she’ll rule.
I continue to tell Astrid about how the stalker struck again. “It’s frustrating because this feels personal. They aren’t leaking photos to the press. They aren’t giving the press my location. They are only sending photos to Mamma, apparently. We must know this person.”
Astrid hums in agreement. “I’ve thought about it, and I have suspicions that Karin may have hired someone to interrupt your dates…”
I grimace and run a hand through my hair. “Yeah, that’s what I was beginning to suspect, too. Father spoke with Anders, Gabriel, and me tonight. We told him that we thought Karin might be involved. He will speak with her father.”
“I hope they don’t get deadly like that one time Johan was stalked as a teenager,” Astrid whispers, and I nod.
“Regardless, we are safe. Anders and Gabriel are great at what they do. We will get the guy.”
My finger hovers over the send button.
I read the text over one more time, looking for any spelling errors, grammatical errors, or utter nonsense. While Lucy wouldn’t have minded, Lorelei will. I have to present my best, smartest, most composed self moving forward.
Good morning, Lorelei. I pray you received plenty of rest last night and are feeling better. I would like to speak with you about my dating proposal last night. I meant every word of it, and I’m sure your sister has filled you in on everything by this point. Whenyou’re ready, please reach out and let’s set up a time to talk in person. No rush.
It sounds good to me, but then again, am I being too formal for a man who is wishing to pursue a woman? I begin to delete the message.
“Are you requesting her presence at a state dinner or whatever it is you royals attend frequently?” Mason’s deep timber startles me, and I do the unthinkable…
My finger hits the send button.
I had deleted all the way up to the “I meant every word of it, and” and apparently prior to the accidental send, autotext had typed the words “I want kids.”
I stare at the screen with a dropped jaw and seething thoughts towards Mason Kane.
