Chapter Three
Kleya watched Jamesthe entire night.Standing next to him, she listened to everything he had to say, as well as everything he didn’t say.Her father was of the mind that only the people that mattered were the those who had bank accounts as large as his.Every time he mentioned something, James used a lot of non-committal answers.She quickly came to realize her fiancé didn’t like her father, and she was okay with that.She didn’t much like him either.
A few hours later, the small engagement party began to wind down.The whole night had left her on edge, and all she wanted to do was go home and bury her head in her pillows.She glanced down at the beautiful ring James had placed upon her finger.She had never envisioned that she would be the wife of the man hoping to ascend to the throne, but maybe she could use this for the greater good.At least, for what was important to her.As the wife of the Coalition leader, she would have resources to help Lark and the kitchen.James said he didn’t mind her continuing her community help, so she hoped he would be okay with her developing idea.
When it got late enough that she could leave without her parents throwing a hissy fit, she headed to James’s grandfather, David, and smiled.
“I wanted to say thank you and good night,” she said.“I’m exhausted.”
He took her hand and kissed her knuckles.“I’m so happy you’ll be joining the family.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.“I will strive to be the type of wife James needs.”
“I believe you already are,” he replied.“There was a reason why he chose you.”
“So he said.”She smiled.“I’ll make sure the wedding will be ready as soon as possible.”
“Excellent.”
Just then James walked over her and held out his elbow.“May I escort you to your car?”
“I’d like that.”She curled her hand around his bicep and nodded at David.“Good night, Mr.Roarke.”
“Please, call me David.”
“David, then.Enjoy the rest of this ...ah, party.”
She caught the sardonic look he threw at her parents, and she completely agreed with him.Arnold and Ellen Dane were the perfect Coalition family, and that even included her brother.Wealthy and clueless, their entire identity revolved around their sycophantic dependence on the Coalition.She’d had her fill of her parents’ company, and she got the impression that the Roarkes never kissed anyone’s ass.
James walked out with her and she headed to where Richard waited next to the family car.She didn’t own a car.Saw no reason to when the city had all the transportation she needed.
“Would you have dinner with me tomorrow?”he asked.
“I’d like that.”
“Good.”He moved a piece of hair off her cheek.“I think we’re going to have a good life together.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes,” he affirmed.
“I was thinking, since you don’t mind if I work at the youth home and kitchen, that I could use our position to help people who need help the most.LGBT plus youths as well as gender affirming people, minorities who are marginalized, the elderly.Well, I’m sure you get the idea.”
“This is what you’re passionate about, correct?”
She nodded.“If you look past the high-rises and skyscrapers, to the people living hand to mouth and paycheck to paycheck, you see a whole different point of desperation.Mothers trying to make a dollar stretch into three.Parents working two, three, and even four jobs.Shelters full every night.The soup kitchen feeds about two hundred people a day.Do you know how many children come in because they’re hungry?You.Me.Our parents.Our friends.We’re all privileged.We don’t have to wonder where the next meal is coming from.Or worry if we’ll even get a chance to eat tonight.Not like them.”
“Your kindness is what drew me to you,” he murmured.“You believe we can make a difference.”
“I do,” she said emphatically.“When you become the next Coalition leader, you can help the less fortunate, whose only crime was not being born with silver spoons in their mouths.”
