“Then why are you calling?”
It was a fair question, and one I’d been asking myself for two days. “Because you’re my father, and despite everything, I love you. Because I made you a promise. And because I hope that someday, you might understand why I had to do this.”
The silence this time was different—less angry, more thoughtful.
“Are you happy?” he asked finally, and the question caught me completely off guard.
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “For the first time in my life, I’m genuinely, completely happy.”
“And this situation with Special Agent Puller. You’re certain it’s not simply rebellion or confusion? After all, you’re not exactly experienced.”
That was one word for it. “I’m in love with him, Father. Deeply, completely, permanently in love with him. This isn’t rebellion or confusion or a phase I’ll grow out of. This is who I am, and this is what I want for my life.”
Another long pause.
When my father spoke again, his voice was quieter, more personal than it had been since the call began. “Your mother would have wanted you to be happy. She always said that about you and Charlotte, that your happiness mattered more than anything else, including duty.”
The mention of my mother made my throat tight. “She would have understood.”
“Yes, she would have. Then again, she wasn’t a princess by birth, only through marriage. She never looked at duty the same way I did.”
That was his polite way of saying she’d been a bit of a rebel, as much as she could have been while still remaining part of the royal family. Would they have divorced down the line? We would never know, but I believed in my heart she would have walked away from it all. “She was different.”
“She certainly was… and maybe you take more after her than I had realized.” Then his voice became more businesslike again. “Gregory, if you’re truly committed to this path, we need to discuss practicalities.”
“What sort of practicalities?”
“Your position in the family, your titles, your future. Uncle Henry is extremely displeased. He’s talking about complete disownment, stripping you of all titles and privileges.”
My stomach clenched, though I’d expected as much. “And what’s your position?”
“My position is that you’re my son, regardless of the choices you make. But I also understand that there must be consequences for those choices.” He paused, as if organizing his thoughts. “I’ve been thinking about a compromise.”
“What kind of compromise?”
“You keep your titles and all the hereditary ranks that are yours by birth, but you step back from all official royal duties. No public appearances, no ceremonial obligations, no representation of the Crown. You become, essentially, a private citizen who happens to hold noble titles.”
I sat up straighter, hardly daring to believe what I was hearing. “That… That could work.”
“It preserves the family’s dignity while acknowledging your choice to live a different kind of life. You remain my son and a member of the royal family, but you’re free to build whatever life you want without the constraints of royal duty. In exchange, you would keep the news of your… relationship with Special Agent Puller out of the news for now so we can decide how and when best to come forward with this.”
I had no problem with that. “And Uncle Henry would agree to this?”
“Uncle Henry will do whatever is best for the stability of the monarchy. If the alternative is a public family feud and ongoing scandal, he’ll accept a quiet compromise.” My father’s voice carried the confidence of someone who understood the institution’s priorities. “I’ll speak with him.”
Relief flooded through me so suddenly, I felt dizzy. “Father, I… Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. There are conditions.”
“What conditions?”
“First, you’ll need to support yourself financially. Royal allowances come with royal duties. If you’re stepping back from those duties, you’re stepping back from that support as well.”
“I understand. I want to support myself anyway.”
“Good. What are your plans for that?”
I glanced at Bash, who was listening intently to my side of the conversation. “I want to go back to Cascade Bay University and finish my degree. After that, we’ll have to figure out what comes next.”
