Royal 3 (Book three in my Selection Series)

Chapter 58

"For the first time, welcome Prince North Bridget and Princess Rosalyn Bridget!" An announcer declares as the guards pull the doors open and we enter, a newly wedded couple.

The reception was in a beautiful ballroom, probably the fanciest in the entire palace. We head down the long staircase, our arms locked together, my head leaning into him.

At the bottom of the staircase waits Emily and Aaron, both clapping along with the crowd. I smile at them as we walk out to the dance floor and when I look behind me I see Aaron ask her to dance, her eyes lighting up.

"I think they like each other." I say quietly to North as we make our way to the center of the open area.

"You think so?" North asks, looking at them, but not sounding surprised. As the music begins, we begin to dance as other couples gather around us on the dance floor.

"Emily told me he asked her to move in with him permanently." I shrug. "I'm not sure if that was his way of telling her how he feels about her or just a polite offer."

"Well, let me show you something tonight that will clear up any doubt." North smiles down at me as we dance. I watch him, confused.

"What do you mean?" I ask, quietly.

"In fact, Aaron needs your help with something tonight. Since we leave for our honeymoon tomorrow morning, we have something really important we need to do first." North says with a smile.

"What aren't you telling me?" I ask softly.

"You'll see." North says, still smiling as he kisses me softly. I couldn't suppress my love for him, for this moment, so I ignored my suspicions about what I'd learn tonight and I melt into him as we dance. "I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have you."

"Why do you say that?" I ask.

"Out of every girl in Illéa, the chances that one of them would be you was close to none. Only thirty five girls, and I was lucky enough for one of them to be you." He says softly and runs his thumb along my cheek gently. "I can't stop thinking about the fact that if you'd only had a couple more years added to your sentence or if they wouldn't have let you enter the Selection because of your history then we would never be here."

I sigh and lean my head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart.

"There's one thing I've learned, is never think of what could or might have happened, because in the end it doesn't matter. All that matters is what did happen." I tell him. "I wouldn't change anything for the world."

"Me neither." North says, thinking for a moment and smiling.

"North?" I look up and see Aaron, panic drowning his other features. "He's here, now. He said something happened and he won't be able to come later, so he brought everything now."

I look from Aaron to North and begin to feel even more panicked.

"What's going on?" I ask, holding on tightly to North's hand.

"He's overreacting." North rolls his eyes. "Would you care to step out a minute?" He asks me quietly.

"Of course I wouldn't care, but I really just want to know what's going on." I say slowly.

"Just come see." North says, holding my hand as he leads me through the crowds and out a door behind the staircase. Aaron follows and finally we get out into the hallway alone. "Where is he at?"

"In your study." Aaron tells him. I follow them up silently and when I walk into the room, I finally understand.

Beside of one of the round coffee tables sits a middle aged man with a small case of rings.

"Wait." I begin, freezing in my tracks as I see them. "You're proposing?" I look at Aaron who just smiles nervously.

"Do you think it's too soon?" He asks me, looking worried. I was surprised because they hadn't even dated.

"Does it feel too soon?" I ask him.

"No. Not for me at least." He sighs. "I just don't want her thinking I'm being impulsive."

"After you get engaged, you can wait to get married. You don't have to get married right away." I tell him, offering a smile.

"There's another reason why I want to ask her to marry me instead of just dating." Aaron hesitates. "She doesn't have insurance. She has a job, but it's minimum wage and doesn't have insurance. If something were to happen, even just a broken bone, she'd be drowning in medical bills. I heard her on the phone a few weeks ago with her boss, crying because she'd called in sick for a week but she was too scared to go to the doctor because of the bill. If we get married I can add her to my insurance and if anything happens, she'll be fine."

"I think you need to talk to her about that before. You don't want her getting the wrong idea." I say, sitting at the table while North stays standing

"I still love her. I don't want her getting hurt when I can protect her." Aaron tells me.

"Then I think you should propose." I say, smiling.

"That's what I need your help with." He sighs and looks at the case of rings. "These are all the ones I selected from the magazine I was sent, I just wanted to be able to look at them all in person. And I don't want to get something she won't like, so can you help?"

"I'd love to." I say happily and look up at North. He mouths his thank you and I just smile.

I almost couldn't believe that after everything, Emily and I both would get our happy ending. We'd both been through so much and now we would finally get what we wanted, what we'd waited so long for.