“Will you tell me a little more about your children?” I lift my chin, studying him from under my lashes. Bruce has never talked much about his family. I know he has two sons, but until now, I’ve never given themmuch thought. I was so young and in my own world when Bruce started with me. Now that I’m older, my perspective on everything has changed.
His eyes widen. He hesitates before slowly answering, “My two boys are both around Edmund’s age. One of them has followed in my footsteps and joined the police force. The other is working toward his Masters in Business.”
“You must be so proud.” I do the mental calculations. Eddie is twenty-five, which means that his sons would also be in their early to mid-twenties. My shoulders hunch. My body suddenly feels heavy. I swallow hard, feeling guiltier than ever. “I’m sorry if I’ve kept you from them.”
“Kept me from them?” Bruce’s eyes widen and he blinks a few times in confusion.
“How many birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, family vacations, and other special occasions have you missed out on because of me?” My voice comes out weak.
“A few, but none of those were ever your fault. My family understands that my being a protection officer is an honor and a privilege. And that that equates to long hours, travel, and other extra duties.” He places a hand on top of mine and squeezes it, sending a renewed surge of energy through my exhausted body. The jet lag is finally beginning to catch up with me. “Believe me when I say, I wouldn’t be doing this without my wife’s support. We’ve always made all our decisions together, as a team. If I’ve missed out on an important occasion, it was with her blessing.”
“She sounds like a lovely woman.”
“She is. A real diamond. I was lucky the day she accepted me.” Bruce’s eyes sparkle in a way that shows he’s thinking about her.
“I’d love to meet her someday.”
“You already have.” Bruce grins. “My Abigail works for your aunt.”
I inhale sharply. There’s only one person I know by that name. “Abigail... as in Abigail Martins? My aunt’s private secretary?”
“The one and only.”
I shouldn’t be shocked, but I am. I can picture the bright green eyes and light-brown hair of Bruce’s wife clearly. She may be in her mid-fifties, but she has one of those ageless faces that makes her appear much younger than she actually is. Whenever I’ve interacted with her, she’s been kind, and has always offered me a toffee. Hearing that both Bruce and his wife work for my family make it much easier to understand how they’d be able to put up with his demanding job.
“Now it’s my turn to ask you, ma’am. Why the sudden interest?”
“Earlier, you caught me by surprise with your big news. It’s taken me a few hours to process it all. All these memories of our time together have been floating through my mind. You’ve been such a huge part of my life, and I’d like to think we were friends.” I squeeze Bruce’s hand and look away. “But it’s hit me that I haven’t been a very decent one to you. I’ve never asked if you’d like more time with your family.” A new wave of guilt hits me.
“Princess, youaremy friend. And I have taken time away when I’ve needed it. Until now, my work and private lives needed to stay separate to remain professional. It’s why even though youhaveasked me questions about my family, I’ve deflected them.”
“Bruce, what do you mean by ‘until now’? What’s changed?”
“There’s no easy way to say this, but in two short weeks, you’ll no longer be under my charge.”
“So soon?” I gasp. “I thought we’d have a few more months together.” Ugh. The news keeps getting worse.
“Unfortunately, it’s better to rip the plaster off now. That way you and your new agents will have enough time settle into a comfortable routine before the school term begins.”
I want to shout and complain to him about how unfair it is, but throwing a tantrum won’t do any good. I’m supposed to be an adult. I’m twenty, not a child. I need to handle this with maturity. Even if I’m feeling sick to my stomach over the situation, it’s beyond my control. There is no arguing with the security office. I’ll just have to do what a good princess is trained to do—keep calm and carry on. “Will you stay in touch with me?” I ask softly.
“Of course. You can count on it.”
My neck and ears warm, and I release his hand. In many ways, Bruce is like my second father.
The corners of his eyes crinkle as he takes a sip of his tea. A fainttwinge of pink appears on his own cheeks. I’ve never seen him so flustered.
I pour myself my own cuppa with shaky hands and change the subject. “What comes next for you? Will you still be based out of the palace?”
“That would be my first choice.” He sets his teacup down. “The details still haven’t been fully worked out, but I’d very much like to become a part of the committee that selects and trains future protection officers.”
That sounds perfect for him. I make a mental note to write a statement of support and have Papa put in a good word for Bruce. It’s the least I can do considering all his years of service to me. “Have you had a hand in choosing the officers we’re expecting today?”
“No, but your father has.” He adds a cranberry-orange scone to his plate. “And from what I’ve heard, he’s picked the best available candidates for you. They’ve both graduated at the top of their training course.”
“So you haven’t met either of them?”
“No, but odds are, they’ll both be as charming as me.” He winks, puffing out his chest.
