I blinked back the tears that sprang to my eyes. She was such a caring woman, and I would be lucky to have her as a mother-in-law.
“This wedding is going to be so beautiful, sweetheart,” my mother said from my other side.
Isobel nodded. “I couldn’t agree more. There were days I wasn’t sure I would see either of my boys get married. I couldn’t have chosen a better bride.”
My stomach clenched, this time not from the cramps still ravaging my body but from the thought of the conversation I knew I needed to have with Oliver.
My eyes followed the gold trim on the edge of the carpet runner that adorned the palace’s grand staircase. I made it to the landing and turned, heading toward Oliver’s office to look for him.
I didn’t have to go far, as he came barreling around the corner and right into me.
“Shit! Adelaide, I’m so sorry,” he apologized, wrapping his hand around my waist and catching me before I could topple over. His touch lingered longer than was necessary, even after I was steady on my feet again. “I was just coming to look for you, actually.”
“I was looking for you, too.”
He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “Hmm, I wonder if we had the same thing in mind,” he murmured, pulling back and winking.
“Doubtful,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
He pulled back, searching my face. “What’s wrong? Did something happen with the wedding planning today?”
“No, no. That went fine.”
Before I could say more, athunkfollowed by an “Oh no!” sounded from down the hallway. Oliver and I shot a glance at each other before moving toward the noise, stopping in front of the open nursery door.
Peeking inside, we found Rosie kneeling on the floor, reaching under the dresser and muttering to herself.
“Hey, Rosie,” I greeted as we stepped into the room. “Everything all right?”
She spun around, her eyes widening when she saw Oliver and me behind her. “Ugh, no!” She turned back toward the dresser, reaching one slender arm further underneath the heavy piece of furniture while she clutched something tightly in her other fist. “I was trying to do something and then everything went to shit—I mean, crap.”
Oliver and I both huffed a laugh at her self-correction.
Oliver took a step toward her. “Would you like my help?”
I watched as her shoulders sank and she put her forehead against the polished wood floor in defeat, one arm still under the dresser.
“I don’t mean this to be rude,” she said, her voice distorted since she still had her face pressed against the floor, “but I really wish anyone other than the two of you had found me here.”
Rosie lifted her head and must have seen the way my brows furrowed slightly at her words. She swiped atwhatever was under the dresser and sat back onto her knees, both fists now closed.
“I’m sorry, Adelaide! I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. It’s just…” Her words trailed off. She sighed deeply. “I guess I might as well tell you. I was in here setting up the wooden figurines that Knox made me. I wanted to give them to you so that someday your kids could play with them.” She opened her hands and revealed two hand-carved animals, a bear and a frog. Following her gaze to the top of the dresser, I spotted at least a dozen other carefully arranged figures.
I inhaled sharply, willing myself not to cry. Knox had carved wooden animal figurines for Rosie every year since she was born. He had told me how she would play with them for hours, inventing elaborate stories for them as she arranged them in her dollhouse. Once, when she was five, she had accompanied Leroy and Isobel on a trip to Tanzania, where she became enamored with giraffes. Knox stayed up all night carving her a family of the animals so they’d be ready when she got home. Isobel found her sleeping with them on her pillow that next night.
I knew what those figurines meant to her.
Oliver reached down, helping Rosie to her feet. “That is such a thoughtful gift, but are you sure? Those are so special to you; maybe you should keep them for your future family?”
Rosie shrugged. “I did think about that. But then I realized that if I ever do decide to have kids, yours will be long grown and I can always ask for them back. I saved one for Xavier’s baby, but I want your kids to have the rest.”
“I suppose there’s more than one way to call us old.” Oliver grinned at his sister. “But you’re not wrong. As long as Adelaide and I don’t have any surprises likesomeonehere”—he tugged on the end of her braid—“we should be done by the time it’s your turn.”
My stomach churned. I kept my mouth shut tight, afraid that if I opened it, I might be sick all over the floor.
Rosie smiled at Oliver as he pulled her into a side hug. “Well,” she said, “since we’re all here, you might as well go ahead and open the present I have for you, Adelaide. I was going to save it for your birthday next week, but…”
She reached forward, grabbed a box from the dresser, and handed it to me. The pale pink gift box was tied with a gold ribbon and adorned with a gift tag addressed to me. I untied the perfectly knotted bow and slid off the lid. Inside, wrapped in a velvet cloth, was a wooden dolphin.
