STAMP OF APPROVAL - a selection story

tough choices lie ahead

C H A R L O T T E

written by animationchic/aOK706

round fourteen ||

June 19th

7:24 am

"Why did you get in so late last night? You were only coming in from Calgary?" Helena asks as she sinks onto my bed, sighing as she rubs her stomach. Her enormous stomach. I mentally do the math. At this point she's probably about eight months along which means before too much longer, little one is going to be here. Then it hits me.

I should throw her a baby shower.

We never got to do anything like that for her. We never got to throw her a bridal shower or a wedding or a baby shower or anything like that. We missed all of it. But here's our second chance, staring us in the face. Literally, staring us in the face.

"Hello, are you going to answer me?" Hellie chuckles and hits me in the face with a pillow.

"Yeah, sorry," I laugh and throw the pillow back. I clear my throat. "Dad had me stop in Belcourt and Fennely on my way back and Ambassador Sanchez is a real talker when you get red wine in her."

"Ah yes, red wine, the friend maker," Helena says as she rubs her stomach. She grins down at it and chuckles. "And a baby maker."

"Eww," I cry, laughing as I throw another pillow at her. "Keep that to yourself."

Helena just laughs. "Hey, you'll be singing a different tune soon enough."

"If she's not already," Madeleine says from my closet as she walks out from unpacking my bags. There's a knowing look on her face and something tells me there's trouble ahead for me. I squint at her, confused when she holds something up against her chest. She looks at me. "Hey, Charlotte, where did this come from?"

Hellie sits up, a grin lighting up her face. "Oooh, yes Charlotte, where did that come from?"

I scramble off my bed and stumble towards her, snatching Levi's sweatshirt from her. I can feel my face flush as Hellie chuckles at my reaction. She and Madeleine share a knowing look and I can feel my face burn hotter.

"It's nothing," I mumble as I hold the sweatshirt to my chest, trying not to smell it in front of them. "I don't know how it got in my bags."

Lie. I had debated a lot about whether or not to pack it. It's not mine, it doesn't belong to me. But it feels like mine. Well, it feels like a hug everytime I wear it and it's made even better when Levi actually hugs me when I wear it.

Okay, I stole it. I stole it from Levi and honestly, I'm not sorry. I love that sweatshirt. I wanted to keep a little part of my Calgary visit forever, so I lept the sweatshirt.

"Yeah, okay, it's nothing." Hellie chuckles as she leans back against the pillows I've thrown at her. She gives me a look. "You know Charlotte, you don't have to hide your feelings."

I look up at her, a feeling of fear and dread settling in me. "You know I do."

"I know," she whispers, rubbing at her stomach, a sadness settling into her own expression. "I know."

—

"Princessa, I don't think I can get it out fully," Anri, my hairdresser, sighs as he lifts my hair, taking in the red dye. He clucks and tilts his head. "It's well done, I'll say that, but I do not think it is coming out properly."

"Will it be too short if you cut it out?" I ask Anri as he circles me.

"For it to look good, I would need to cut it to about here," Anri says as he places his hands at the top of my shoulder. "It would look good, yes. But I don't know if you would like it."

"You're right." I shake my head. "Mom says I can't have hair that short until I'm married."

"Which should be soon, yes?" Anri looks at me in the mirror, an expecting look in his eye. He gives me his signature grin as I squirm.

"Ah, I- it's still too early to tell," I hedge, color painting my cheeks red.

Anri's smile only widens. "Ah, come on princessa, you can tell me. It's the hairdresser's code. What's said in the chair, stays in the chair."

"Still." I shake my head, insistent. "It's too early. I can't say anything for certain."

"Okay, okay." Anri holds up his hands, dropping the topic for now. He sighs and meets my eyes in the mirror. "Now, what exactly are we going to do with your hair then?"

Go brunette apparently. Dark brunette. I marvel at myself in the mirror. Suddenly, my complexion is lightened and somehow my eyes look bigger. It's a change. A big one for me. I love it and hate it all at once.

Just one more thing to adjust to.

June 20th

2:46 pm

"You changed your hair," Ambrose comments when I greet him at the door. My face falls a bit and he must sense it because he adds. "It's nice. Just different. You look... different."

"Thank you?" I ask him, tilting my head. I can't tell if his words are a compliment or not. I know that my parents weren't happy with the change. But in the face of brunette or red tips, then they too chose brunette. So here we are. Now I just have to wait and see what the guy's think.

So far, I'm not sure it's going all that well.

Ambrose smiles lightly. "It looks nice, don't get me wrong. I was just used to the blonde."

"Well, the blonde isn't exactly my natural hair color either," I tell him as I walk with him towards his suite. Now that there's only three men left, they each have their own suites. They're still in the same area, but it only makes sense that they would have more room.

"Fair enough." Ambrose gives me a small smile but says nothing else, so I clear my throat.

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd like to help me with something," I hedge and he looks down at me, lifting an eyebrow. I flush slightly and continue, "My sister is about eight months along. I want to throw her a baby shower since we didn't get to do it with Auggie. Would you mind going to planner's to help me pick out the decor?"

"Don't you have an in house planner for that sort of thing? Or Audrey to help you with that sort of thing?" Ambrose asks me, frowning slightly. I furrow my brow and he shifts, clearing his throat. "I mean, I'm just not that knowledgeable with how to decorate a baby shower."

"I mean, yeah she can help, but I thought it would be fun to go out for a little while," I fidget with my fingers and shift, feeling bashful for some reason.

"That would be nice," he agrees. Ambrose stops walking and turns to me, taking me in. He reaches out and takes my hand, squeezing it once. Then his grin turns a bit calculated. "Okay, I'll go with you, if—" his grin widens as my eyes snap to him as he finishes his sentence, "If we can go out to lunch after and have dinner together, alone, soon."

"Why do I feel like you're getting the better end of this deal?" I ask him, not able to resist the teasing lilt in my voice after I've agreed to his terms.

"Oh, I definitely am," Ambrose admits, smiling lightly as he pulls me by the hand, leading me to his room.

—

With no one else coming in today, and Ambrose settling in quickly, I ask him if he wouldn't mind going out for decor today. It's already after lunch though, so I've promised him dinner after and that he gets to drive. One of the things I discovered during my visit to Hansport, was how much Ambrose likes to be in charge.

Anywhere we went, he preferred to drive rather than letting someone else do it, even one of my guards. He also preferred picking the restaurant for me and anytime we were out alone, ordering for me. On the whole, he always made sure to order something that I would like, and I didn't completely dislike the attention he'd give me and the little ways he'd care for me. In fact, most of the time I really appreciated not having to worry about those small things and he was always sure to allow me to speak for myself when it counted most.

Whenever we're together, I'm always very much struck by the sense that Ambrose will take care of me but in a completely different way as the others. Even now, as we drive into town, there's not as much small talk as I would expect. We just spent four weeks apart. I'm sure there's plenty to catch up on but when I ask, he tells me all he did while I was away was work. He also doesn't care what music we listen to, if I'm too warm in the still car and I think worst of all, he doesn't hold my hand.

I can't help but think of the few times Levi and I would drive anywhere. Abri always made sure I was up front, next to him, and inevitably, despite us not really wanting her to see, somehow we would end up holding hands, if only for a few moments. Not to mention the motorcycle ride of death where I literally clung to him for dear life.

I flush at the memory and shake my head. No, that's not fair. I can't compare Ambrose, Quentin and Levi. They're all so different and honestly our relationships are all at such different stages. The only thing I can really compare between the three men is how I feel about each of them.

"Okay, where am I going again?" Ambrose asks as we approach the city proper. I turn to look at him and can't miss the eye roll from Chatham in the back. He'd tried to insist on driving, using the fact that Ambrose has no idea where to go as one of his several reasons. Another being that Ambrose doesn't know defensive driving tactics to which Ambrose asked if there really was a need for those on a baby shower decor shopping trip. In the end Ambrose won and Chatham is not thrilled.

I direct Ambrose to the best of my abilities, only telling him a wrong turn once. To his credit, he doesn't lose patience with me, only gets us back on the right path efficiently and parks, very safely, in front of the office space. Once the engine is off, Ambrose does the chivalrous thing and jogs in front of the car, reaching my door in time to help me out of the car. I smile softly at him and together, we go into the party planner's office.

I don't usually use a separate party planner. I usually allow Audrey to determine who she wants to work with if she's not planning everything herself, but she's off for the next three weeks, a vacation I'm really going to miss her for. At least she answered my texts and told me who would be best to work with along with a list of vendors for food and cake.

"Princess Charlotte, what a pleasure to meet you!" A chipper blonde rushes forward to shake my hand. I get the feeling she's been waiting by the door to greet me and I instantly feel a little guilty that we're five minutes late. Her smile doesn't falter as I smile kindly at her. "I'm Caroline Parsons."

"Hi, Caroline, I'm very excited to see some of your ideas," I tell her as we follow her to her office. I notice she's in the back corner, allowing us to pass by several other offices with "junior" on the name plates and inspiration photos in between. I motion to Ambrose behind us. "This is Ambrose Russi, by the way."

"A pleasure to meet you as well." Her eyes sparkle as she turns to him, holding her hand out to him. She glances between us and I can feel the question coming before she even asks it. "Now you didn't really say on the phone what sort of occasion you were needing my services for. Tell me, is it something the entire nation might celebrate?"

She asked in the most diplomatic way she could, I'll give her that.

"You could say that." Ambrose gives her a genuine smile and her eyes light up completely as she turns to me.

I can't help but share in Ambrose's amused smile as I explain, "Yes, I think everyone will be wanting to celebrate this. You see, I'd like to throw my sister a baby shower."

"Oh, how wonderful!" Caroline gasps barely after the words have left my mouth and to her credit, she doesn't even break face. She just blinks quickly and rushes to sit behind her computer. "That is such a lovely idea, let me just pull up my file of past baby showers we have helped with."

"Now I hope I'm not overstepping, but I do already have a list of caterers and bakers that we work with quite often, but what I really need help with is the other stuff," I tell Caroline, sinking into one of the armchairs she has in front of her desk. I have to admire her style choices. Armchairs instead of uncomfortable office chairs, a damask accent wall accented with plants and photos of her at different events that she's obviously worked at. It's a chic and fun office and it makes me wonder who her interior decorator was. My own office could use an update.

"Oh, of course not." Caroline waves off my worries as she navigates her computer. I have to hide a chuckle though. I think she forgot she'd already turned on the larger monitor behind her, mirroring her computer monitor, obviously a set up that allows her to work and show her prospective clients her ideas at the same time. Only this time, I can see as she navigates from engagement and wedding folders to baby folders. Poor girl, she obviously thought this appointment was to celebrate an entirely different type of big event.

I glance at Ambrose and he gives me another amused smile, obviously happy at her assumptions.

"Now the biggest question is, boy or girl?" Caroline asks me, finally finding the folders she's looking for. She must sense my hesitation because she adds, "Oh don't worry. I've already signed a confidentiality contract with the palace ahead of your visit. The secret is safe with me and any of my staff I need to use to get this party done."

"Well, that's the thing, she's not telling anyone," I tell her with a huff. "Even though she promised me she would."

"Oh that's no problem!" She giggles at my comment and switches into an entirely new folder altogether. "Gender neutral is all the rage. There's some really great ideas out there. Now, is there a specific vibe you're looking for?"

"Um, excited for baby?" I tell her, not really understanding.

"No," Caroline chuckles. "I meant like, elegant, fun, classic. Do you want to bring Brazil here? We could do everything in bright colors and have parrots. Well, whatever is traditional for Brazil."

"It is still a royal engagement," Ambrose reminds her and we both turn to him. "I think a certain level of elegance is still called for."

"Oh, we could make it bright and elegant," Caroline assures him. "Let me show you what I'm thinking."

She proceeds to show us photo after photo of events with flamingos and greenery. It's all very pretty but it feels so done. Same with the teddy bear theme and even the donut wall doesn't get me excited. I love the idea of hot air balloons and playing on the phrase "all the place you will go" but that felt a little too on the nose since Hellie literally ran away from us.

I can tell Caroline is getting frustrated with me though she's doing a good job of not showing it when she quickly scrolls by a photo that catches my eye.

"Wait, go back," I tell her and she frowns, going back to the photo I indicated. It's a close up of a map from the one book that all three of us could ever agree on. Winnie the Pooh. We even used to tease Wynnie that she was named after a teddy bear and called her Pooh all the time. I'd forgotten all about that book. I huff out an exhale. "We used to love that book."

"Do you want a 100 Acres Wood theme? It can be really elegant when done right," Caroline assures me. She starts showing us different slides of things she's done for other similarly themed parties. "It's definitely a classic for a reason."

"Charlotte," Ambrose says softly, threading his fingers in mine. "Do you want to go with that?"

I look at him, trying to decipher if he thinks it's cheesy or if he thinks it's a good idea. His face is clear of all judgment. The only emotion I'm reading from him is support, something I really need right now.

"Yeah, let's go with that." I nod. "If you'd like, you can come to the palace tomorrow, scope out the locations I have in mind. There's a couple of different rooms we can host this gathering in."

"That would be lovely." Caroline grins. "Don't worry, Your Majesty, we will make this a really great shower."

"I have no doubt," I tell her as Ambrose helps me to my feet. We say our goodbyes and soon we're back in the car. I can't help but notice that now we're back in private, he's dropped my hand once more. Forcing back a frown, I turn to Ambrose. "Where to? I'm starving."

"I know just the place." He grins, shifting the car into drive and merging seamlessly into traffic. Once again, I let him take control as I get lost in my phone, already searching for shower ideas and sending them to Audrey first to see what she thinks and then when I get the thumbs up, to Caroline.

I'm determined to make this shower a great one. I have to make up for lost time somehow. Starting with this.

—

Ambrose surprises me when he parks outside a gastropub. He pulls the same maneuver, jogging around the front of the car to open my door once more and help me out. As he does he murmurs in my ear, "I thought somewhere a bit more private might be nice."

I melt a little into him as he places his hand on the small of my back, leading me through the front door. I nod up at him. "Quiet is nice."

We're seated right away and I raise my brows as Ambrose orders a beer for himself and a red wine for me. In all the time we've been together, I've never seen him drink beer. In fact, I've never seen him in a place so low-key except the small lunch spot on the boardwalk. I glance up at him and he raises his eyebrows.

"What's on your mind?" he asks me, glancing over the menu.

"Just surprised that you chose this place," I tell him honestly. "Even more surprised that you ordered a beer."

"I can relax," Ambrose assures me and I chuckle.

"I think the most relaxed I've ever seen you is that day on the boardwalk, other than that," I trail off.

He chuckles, a slight blush creeping on his cheeks. "Yeah, I realized that while we were home I might have laid it on a bit thick. I mean, that is my life for the most part. I'm not very good at... relaxing."

"How can you not be good at relaxing?" I tease. "Everyone needs to relax from time to time."

But Ambrose shakes his head. "Most of my life has been about work, about bettering my life. So I've always worked and presented myself in a way that shows what my ultimate goals are. That leaves very little time for relaxing."

"Yes, I suppose it does," I murmur as the waitress comes back to take our order. Ambrose surprises me by ordering an array of appetizers for us to share, so we can try a little of everything, he says. As we sit, he keeps the conversation going, finally telling me a bit more about what's been going on back in Hansport. One of his coworkers got a new position at a different firm, another is now expecting a baby as well and yet another is leaving his wife, apparently for his secretary.

I watch him as he relaxes back into his seat. This is a whole new Ambrose and I have to wonder at the change. It's not a bad change. Not at all. I like it in fact. It's just... strange. It's like I had gotten used to one side of Ambrose. Now here's this whole other side to him.

I hate thinking about it, but I have to wonder which Ambrose is the true Ambrose and it makes me a bit worried for our potential future together.

June 21st

3:24 pm

"Ooomph," I grumble as I take a step back, having just run into a brick wall of muscle. I glance up and can't hide the smile that spreads through my face. "Levi! When did you get back?"

He beams down at me. "About an hour ago."

"And you didn't come find me?" I ask him as I hug him tightly. When I first wrap my arms around him, he tenses, but eventually he relaxes into me, wrapping his arms around me in turn.

"I've been trying too," he tells me with a chuckle. I open my mouth to apologize for not meeting him on his return when a slight clearing of the throat distracts me.

I spin and find Caroline smiling like a Cheshire cat at the both of us. I can feel my cheeks heat as I take a step back from Levi and motion between the two of them.

"Levi Hernandez, this is Caroline Parsons." I force a smile as Caroline giggles and blushes slightly as she shakes Levi's hand. I turn back to Levi and inform him, "Caroline is helping me plan a baby shower for Helena."

"That's a great idea." Levi beams at me. A thrill courses through me as I can't help but notice how even though there's another woman here, his gaze keeps coming back to mine. He frowns slightly then and briefly turns back to Caroline. "No offense, but where's Audrey? Doesn't she usually help you with these kinds of things?"

"Yes." My smile softens at how he remembers some of the smallest details. "Audrey is off for the month, she went back home to Paloma to visit family but Caroline here came highly recommended."

"That's great." Levi's gaze softens just a bit as he adds, "How can I help?"

And my heart softens just a bit more too.

—

"Quentin, I didn't know you were getting in today too," I tell my third suitor, a slight frown on my face as I stand in his doorway.

Quentin looks up from his book and his smile is the largest I've ever seen it as he lopes across the room to greet me. He shrugs as he stops just before me. "You've been busy, I understand."

"Yes, but I still would have liked to know that you were here." I shake my head at myself. "Figures. Audrey's been gone three days and I'm a complete mess."

"Hey," Quentin softly chides as he nudges my chin up to meet his gaze. As he looks down at me, his eyes twinkle teasingly. "Maybe I was trying to surprise you at dinner."

"Well, if that was your goal, Natalia spoiled your surprise the moment she saw me in the hall." I give him the small smile he's looking for.

He grins. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted the biggest blabbermouth in the castle."

"No, you really shouldn't have." I shake my head and then the conversation kind of comes to a halt. Quentin is still smiling at me and I'm happy he's back, but I just don't know what to say right now. It's borderline awkward.

"I missed you," Quentin supplies, pulling me into a hug.

"Oh," I murmur softly and then quickly correct myself. "I missed you too." Based on how he squeezes me slightly and continues the hug, I gave the right response, but I frown into his shoulder. Why is it that the one man I missed the most I just saw a few days ago? I shake my head lightly as I pull out of his hug, choosing to ignore that for now.

"So were all of your travels good?" Quentin asks and I can tell by the squint in his eye that he knows. He knows I eliminated two of my guys but he's gracious enough to allow me to tell him on my own terms. He's giving me that gift.

So I choose to be as honest as I can be, "The travels were fine, the home visits, not so much."

"Oh?" He looks at me, pure concern in his face and I can tell it's genuine. He's not just asking for his curiosity, he's asking so he can check in with me. Make sure I'm okay. And I appreciate that. A lot.

I sigh and take Quentin's hand. "Well, we'd better sit. It's a long story."

By the time I finish telling Quentin everything, and have answered all of his questions and allowed him to console me, it's dinner time and I'm exhausted. I really don't want to sit through a formal dinner with my family and my three remaining Selected. Instead, I just want to take a bowl of cereal up to my room, wrap myself in my comfiest of robes and watch some trash tv.

But I know that's not fair. That's not fair to Quentin or Levi who've just come back. It's not fair to my family since I've barely been back and I need to fill Wynnie and my mother in on all the progress I've made planning Helena's baby shower. I need to check bases with my father and see what major meetings are happening this week that I need to attend. And I haven't seen Ambrose all day, I've been so busy.

If I'm honest though, there's only one reason I'm forcing myself to go. Only one smile in that room I want to see, no matter how tired it is.

It hits me then. I may have three men left, but in reality, I think there's only one I actually want. I bite my lip.

I think I'm in trouble.

June 24th

2:44 pm

"Hey Charlotte," Quentin greets me in the foyer, jogging down the last few steps to meet me.

"Hey Quentin," I greet him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek as he leans down to hug me. It feels natural doing it, like second nature, but it doesn't send a thrill through me when I'm in his arms. And I feel bad. Especially when I pull away and notice the slight blush to his cheeks.

"So what's the plan for today?" Quentin asks me as he holds the front door open for me.

"Well, I thought we could go and look at the decor Caroline has planned for the baby shower," I tell Quentin, glancing up at him to check that it's okay.

"Sounds good." Quentin nods, as we walk down the walkway. As he opens my car door for me he pauses. "Do we get to come to the baby shower?"

"Do you want to come to my sister's baby shower?" I ask him, pausing before I get into the sedan.

"I mean, I like your sister, I like Auggie, and I like babies." Quentin shrugs but I can tell that he's being sincere as he adds, "And I like parties."

I smile gently. "Well then, you are more than welcome."

"Oh, now I need to find a gift," Quentin worries at his lower lip as he helps me down into the car.

"We can go shopping, I need one too," I tell him, just now realizing that, duh, I need a gift too. That's the whole point of a baby shower. To shower the mom to be, and baby, with gifts. Something tells me though, that's easier said than done.

"Are you sure we have time?" Quentin asks me once he's settled in the car beside me.

"We'll make time." I shrug as I pull out my phone, ready to look up appropriate gifts for a second child, only to find out it's not customary to even have a shower for a second child. I set my phone down next to me, suddenly feeling very dejected.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Quentin asks, taking hand and turning to me, obviously picking up on my shift in moods. When I explain to him my issue he smiles kindly. "So what? Who cares if it's not customary? Firstly, you are a family, celebrating a new life coming into it. That alone is cause for a party, especially since you weren't able to be there for the first kid. But add in that you're the royal family, about to welcome a new member, well that's an even greater cause. Plus she's your sister, you can do whatever you want."

"I guess." I sigh, shrugging my shoulders and with the way that Quentin is looking at me, I can tell he's trying to help.

"Charlotte, this is a kind, beautiful thing you're doing for your sister, don't second guess yourself," Quentin says softly as he slides into the middle seat and pulls me into his shoulder, wrapping me in a one armed hug.

"Thanks." I give him a weak smile even though he can't see it and just rest there, grateful to have his comfort even as it makes my future choice so much harder.

—

"So princess, what do you think?" Caroline asks as she beams at me from under the balloon arch. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't a huge fan of the thought of balloons at first, I thought they'd be tacky, but now that I'm seeing everything together. They bring a level of childlike wonder to the whole affair that I can't help but really appreciate.

"I think if we do balloons, I like the garland better," I tell her, moving to the "gift table" where the garland ends and just spills out across the floor. "Is there danger of these coming loose though?"

"Even if they do, it'll be something for August to occupy himself with," Quentin interrupts, kicking at one that's already come loose. He looks at Caroline. "Do you have ones that are a bit tougher that you can have loose for him to play with? You know ones that won't pop super easily if he's a little rough on them?"

"Oh, yes of course, I can get those in on time." Caroline's eyes light up as she types eagerly on her phone.

I turn to Quentin. "Any other ideas on what we could incorporate to amuse August?"

"Tons," Quentin beams at me and I can't help but smile back. I love that he thought of my nephew in this moment, because as much as the shower is for this new baby, it's also for Augusto, and the moments I didn't get to have with him. Quentin, wanting to make sure that he has a good time, tells me he gets it. And it's nice to be understood.

—

"So where do I buy a royal baby, a baby shower gift?" Quentin asks me as we leave Caroline's office hand in hand. It's still weird to be showing so much PDA with someone, but with Quentin, it's kind of nice. Reassuring. He seems to thrive with it.

"Where else?" I ask him, a huge grin on my face as I shrug. "Target!"

I'm rewarded with a round of booming laughter.

—

"Remind me never to come shopping with you again," Quentin complains when we collapse into the seats at the nearest Starbucks.

"Why?" I pout, even though I know his answer.

"Because we went in there for baby shower gifts and somehow ended up walking through every department in that store!" Quentin complains even louder, taking a sip of his hot tea. I frown at his offensive drink. He said he wanted caffeine and got tea? I sip my coffee as he grins, seeming to have read my mind.

"I like tea," he reminds me, clearly amused.

"You're wrong," I remind him and he chuckles. I shrug in response to his earlier statement. "But seriously, were you expecting anything else? Please tell me you know how amazing Target is."

"Sure, I know how crazy girls go for it," he starts and I huff in outrage. He chuckles and his eyes twinkle. "I never got it, and I certainly never expected a princess to get it either."

"Okay, Target is like... coffee," I tell him trying to figure out the best way to explain. "It can be bright and fun and it has a huge variety. Something for everyone. And there's something so... pleasing about going in there. I'm not explaining it very well, but seriously, how do you not get it after our trip?"

"I may not like shopping in general, but I know I enjoyed shopping with you," Quentin's voice lowers and I watch as his blush matches my own.

Quentin's not usually like this. He doesn't usually talk so much, though I guess that's not entirely true. Now that I think about all of our solo times together, he is a bit talkative. And complimentary, and has always liked holding my hand. It's just when we were around the others, he tended to take a back seat, becoming a wallflower. Ever since my home visit, that's less true. Even around Levi and Ambrose, he still talks to me, gets a bit louder and is more ready to join in. I like this Quentin and I'm really glad I chose to keep him.

"Okay, now that we're properly caffeinated, I'm hungry," I announce, taking the last sip of my coffee.

"All that shopping worked up an appetite?" Quentin teases me.

"I didn't even buy that much." I roll my eyes at him.

"Maybe not, but you walked a lot," Quentin reminds me.

"Anyways, what do you want to eat?" I roll my eyes again as I ask the question, ready to get on the road already.

Quentin just chuckles and shakes his head. "Nuh-uh, I learned better while at home. You are a pickier eater than me. You choose."

"I'm not picky, you just have weird taste." I nudge his shoulder as we walk side by side back to the car.

"It was one dish at one restaurant!" Quentin laughs loudly.

"It was cow tongue, Q, cow tongue!" I tell him, loudly, laughing at myself.

"I wasn't asking you to eat it," Quentin tells me as he opens the door once more for me.

"It was their specialty," I remind him. Quentin just shakes his head as he closes my door and rounds the car to sit in the back seat with me. Once he's settled I turn to him and reiterate. "Their specialty."

"You win." Quentin holds his hands up in defeat as he laughs lightly. Then he looks up at the front seat, meeting Bard's eyes in the rearview mirror. "Where do you want to eat, Bard?"

"I could go for some chinese." Bard shrugs his shoulders, amusement playing on his lips.

"Then it's settled." Quentin leans back in his seat, turning to me. "We're getting chinese."

"Fair enough." I chuckle, shrugging to Bard in the front seat. He nods and starts the car, already knowing where I would choose to go. I turn back to Quentin and take his hand. "Fair enough."

June 25th

11:45 am

Luckily the trip to the beach took little to no time at all. I'm fine in the car for extended periods of time. I've even taught myself to get over the bit of motion sickness I get whenever I try to read in the car. But being in the car with five grown men, two coolers full of food and drinks and the endless amounts of chairs, canopies and blankets we brought, is a whole other challenge. A challenge that planted me in the very back, cramped in between a stack of coolers and blankets and Ambrose.

It was a rougher ride than I'm used to.

But we made it and when I stepped into the sun and sand, it was all worth it.

We set up our canopy and blankets quickly, each of us excited to get down the beach and into the clear water. Soon, Quentin is pulling me down the beach, sand flying around our feet and then I feel it. The water. Something about it grounds me as it washes over my feet. I don't have long to take it in though as Quentin pulls me along after him, Ambrose rushing behind me to catch up to us. I smile at both men as all together, we go under the waves, letting the first wave welcome us. I come up smiling and then squint back up the beach, searching for the one that's missing.

"Wait, Charlotte." Ambrose almost pouts, reaching out for me as I make my way back to the beach.

I smile back at him. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to get Levi."

I don't wait for his response, jogging back out of the watch and up the beach to our canopy.Once I get there, I don't stop in front of Levi. Now that I'm here I almost feel awkward. Clearly if he wanted to be in the water, he would be. I try to play it off like the real reason I came up here was for a drink, but I can tell by the amused tilt to his lips that Levi knows better.

"You coming in?" I try to play it cool, popping the tab to the soda and almost choking as the carbonation fizzles in my throat. It's refreshing and too sweet all at once and I'm relieved when Levi distracts me.

"Yeah." He nods. "I'll be right in."

I glance him over, taking in the t-shirt he's still wearing and the sunglasses perched on his nose. I think summer Levi might be one of my favorites so far. He's so relaxed, so comfortable in his own skin. Meanwhile, I feel exposed in my bathing suit, even though Nat complained about it being too modest. I take another sip of my pop before placing it in a cupholder in one of our chairs and shrugging. "Okay, I'll see you out there then."

"Hey, Charlotte?" I had turned to head back down the beach when his voice stops me. I turn to face him, and I can feel the weight of his gaze on me.

"Yeah?" I ask him, confused and waiting still. I can feel my breathing get heavier as he continues to look at me and it feels like there's a connection here, like there's something to be said.

Levi opens his mouth to say something but it's not his voice that breaks the silence.

"Charlotte!" Ambrose's voice cuts down the beach, clear and needy and I can't help the streak of irritation that streaks through me as I turn to see him waving me back into the water.

"I'm coming!" I yell back at him. I can feel the slight frown on my face as I turn back to Levi, unhappy at having been interrupted. Trying to forget about the two others waiting on me in the water, I take a few steps towards Levi, trying to get him to pick up on whatever train of thought was just going through his head. "Yes, Levi?"

I watch his throat bob as he swallows and then this grin crosses his face. A grin that tells me he's in a good mood.

"Did I tell you how much I like your new hair?" he asks me, reaching out to gently touch the end of a wet strand.

I flush but I try to match his tone, "I don't know, have you?"

He takes a step even closer. Very little space separates us as he looks down at me, always down, and I curse the fact that he's still wearing his sunglasses in this moment.

"I really like your hair," he tells me, his voice almost a whisper and again, I wish I could see his eyes.

"Thanks, you hadn't said." I grin up at him, trying to tease him as I flip my hair and turn back and jog back into the ocean.

I just hope he actually follows.

—

"Charlotte, are you even looking?" Ambrose asks me and I can't tell if he's actually annoyed or just teasing me. Either way, I startle a bit and almost drop my tiny shovel as I jerk my attention back to him. He grins at me, only teasing then, and nods to the hole now at my knees. "I don't think sand dollars are usually that deep."

I glance down and realize I've dug a hole up to my wrist. I frown down at it. "Are you sure we're supposed to be digging for sand dollars?"

"No, I'm not." Ambrose sighs, leaning back on his heels and collapsing into the sand. He wipes at the sweat that's gathered on his brow. Then he looks a bit sheepishly at me. "I might have sand dollars mixed up with regular shells." Then he shrugs/ "Oh well, want to help me build a sand castle?"

"Uh, sure," I tell him and let him help me stand. I glance up at him/ "First though, would you mind grabbing me water from the coolers?"

"Oh yeah, sure," he says, frowning just slightly before taking off for the canopy once more.

I sigh as I look back out to the others in the water. Levi and Quentin are tossing a football around in the shallow waves and I can't help but feel a bit jealous of the fun they're having. I watch as Levi dives, trying to catch a short throw from Quentin, falling into the water in the process and watch again as he comes up, laughing and shaking the water from his hair. Quentin laughs with him, shoving him just slightly before taking off, running to catch the throw Levi tosses him moments later. I don't know why Ambrose keeps pulling me to the side, but I feel like he's been trying to isolate me from the others all day. It's annoying and I just wish I knew the cause of it all.

"Here you go," Ambrose beams down at me, rivaling only the sun in his cheeriness. He seems happy and I have no doubt it's because he's had most of my attention for the day so far. But then he softens as I thank him and his look and his tone becomes gentle as he helps me to sit in the sand once more. I can't help but soften towards him as well.

I know my father and uncle were having sit downs with each of my Selected this week. Quentin already talked to me about his meeting with them and from the sounds of it, they were trying to check in with each of my men. Quentin didn't tell me much about what was said, but he did say that it went well. Maybe that was just Quentin though. Maybe they were harder on Ambrose and that's where this is all coming from, though I can't see that being the case. Ambrose has always been my father's favorite. Everyone knows that.

But I can't see any other reason why he would be acting like this.

And if it's my father's fault, then maybe I need to be a little more gracious with Ambrose today. If anyone can understand the weight of my father's expectations or disappointments, it's me.

So, determined to make it up to him, I rip my attention away from the men playing in the waves and back to Ambrose, committed for now at least, to give him a little more of my attention. It's the least I can do.

—

Unfortunately, that's where the good day ends. After lunch, Quentin had wanted to play beach volleyball and me, being determined to take part in an activity that we all can enjoy, jumped on the chance to join in. I wasn't at all surprised when Ambrose insisted on being on the same team, relying on the net to separate me from both of the others.

I don't know why Ambrose insisted on being teammates. Well, I do, but in his rush to claim me for the day, he seems to have forgotten just how utterly awful I am at all sports. He certainly doesn't remember how the last time we played volleyball I was a complete wreck. But he doubles down on his choice, even as through the warm up, it becomes apparent that I am still just as bad.

I don't miss Ambrose's look of annoyance as after a pass to me fails, my contribution sending the ball flying away from us and out of bounds. I apologize to Ambrose as he jogs off to retrieve the ball but it seems to land on deaf ears.

"Hey, it was a hard pass," Levi says nonchalantly from the other side of the net, sending me an easy grin. He doesn't look at Ambrose as he waves off the other man's attitude and adds, "Don't worry about it."

My cheeks flush and I have to swallow once before I can nod and turn back to watch as my teammate rejoins me on our side of the net.

The game only goes worse from there. Several times I blunder a pass or a set up for Ambrose and he only gets more and more aggravated with each mistake. Eventually, it gets to the point where it feels like he can't hold himself back anymore, snapping at me almost before I've even touched the ball. I can't meet anyone's eyes as finally I can't take it anymore and call an end to the game.

The guys head into the ocean, using the cool water to cool off from the time in the sun, but I'm slow to follow. Instead I head back up the beach to the canopy and grab another bottle of water, drinking half of it in one gulp.

"Charlotte?"

I flinch at the sound of his voice, my body remembering how for the last hour he did nothing but made me feel small and useless. I force myself to quickly recover when I turn and find Ambrose standing there.

It's hard to read Ambrose. Or rather, this is a side of Ambrose I've never seen. Somehow he looks smaller too and he won't meet my eyes. Then I realize that he's ashamed, that emotion glistening in his own eyes is something like shame and regret.

"Charlotte, I—"

"Not right now," I tell him with a shake of my head. I screw the cap back on my bottle of water, putting it back in the cooler. When I stand up, facing him once more I feel taller, though only just when I add, "I'm not ready to hear your apology right now. Later."

Seeing the determination on my face he just nods and the relief I feel is immense. I don't want his apology right now. I don't want it to be okay and to put it aside. I don't want it to happen again. What I want is to enjoy myself. To go into the ocean and wash that game off of me. Maybe after I'll be ready to deal with it all. Maybe, maybe not. But for now, I need to relax.

So, I head out deeper.

—

It's a different knee that nudges mine in the back seat of the van. I glance up from my phone, from the budget review I've been trying to get through for the past ten minutes to meet Bard's eyes.

'What?' I mouth at him, taking in his intense expression. I don't know exactly what he wants to talk about right now, but I have my guesses. He's wearing an expression similar to the one he wore at Xander's house, similar to the one he wore at Levi's when we'd been fighting. I sigh and shake my head at him. No, I don't want to talk about it. Not right now and certainly not here, trapped in a van with the person I am sure put that expression on Bard's face. He gives me another look and I nod once. Yes, later I will talk to him. But again, not right now.

He shifts and glances around, suddenly looking a bit sheepish. I narrow my eyes at him. Bard never looks sheepish. In fact, he's usually so in control of his emotions, the only time he has ever looked like this around me was when he was posing as one of my Selected.

"What's going on?" I ask him, my voice low.

"Have you talked to Wynnie lately?" he asks me, just as low. Answering my question with a question. Never a good sign.

"No," I say slowly, narrowing my eyes at him. "Why?"

"You should talk to Wynnie," Bard says, shifting slightly away from me.

I straighten up. "Why? Is something wrong with her?"

Bard shushes me but I don't care. I open my mouth to ask him another question when he leans forward and whispers in my ear, "We kissed."

"What?" I say, accidentally breaking from the whisper level we were speaking. We both freeze like two kids that have been caught and check the rest of the van. No one except Chatham seems to have noticed, his eyes meeting ours in the rearview, but we just shrug. Everyone else is either sleeping or completely zoned out and listening to something on their own.

I turn back to Bard and lower my voice more, "You kissed?! When?!"

"The night we got back," Bard whispers back, his cheeks turning redder by the moment.

"A week! You waited a week to tell me? Either of you?" I gape at him, offended and in awe. I can't believe either of them were able to keep it from me for that long.

"That's bad, right, that she hasn't told you?" Bard seems to deflate and I take him in then. All this week I had thought something was a bit off about him but I thought he'd just been readjusting to palace life. But now I look at the bags under his eyes and have to wonder; maybe it was this.

"I don't know, did you guys agree not to tell anyone?" I shrug as I ask him. I'm trying not to worry him but deep down I can't help but worry he's right. Normally Wynnie would have told me something like this by now. I worry what it might mean that she hasn't.

"No." He shrugs again. "I mean we haven't really talked since the kiss. Like at all."

"You haven't?" I ask him, surprised. He shakes his head and my heart breaks a bit. That's definitely not a good sign. But I can't tell him that. Not yet at least. I take a deep breath. "Wynnie has been through a lot. She might have just needed time to process. I'll talk to her."

"I don't know, Charlotte," Bard somehow deflates even more. When he looks up at me it's with the saddest, most hurt expression I've ever seen him wear. "Maybe it's for the best... that we just let it go."

"Let it go before it even starts?" I ask him, surprised. "Bard, how could you—"

"She's a princess, Charlotte," he pleads with me, his eyes dancing up to the front of the van to be sure that Chatham isn't overhearing this conversation. He definitely is, the man has the hearing of a hawk, but Bard doesn't need to know that. When his eyes meet mine his voice is small as he adds, "I'm just... me."

"So?" I ask him, trying so hard not to laugh at his words. Not in a mean way, but how thick can he be? When he looks up at me, unsure, do I snort. "Bard. I'm a princess."

"Yeah, but you're you." He shrugs. "And me entering the Selection was fake. And it was the Selection."

"So?" I ask him again and sigh. "Bard, we're no better than anyone else. We all have flaws and mishaps. I mean, how many times have I locked myself out of my office? And how many times have you climbed in through the window so I didn't have to tell anyone? A lot. I know it was a lot, you can stop counting in your head," I snap at him and finally he chuckles. "My point is, just because we're princesses definitely doesn't mean we're better than anyone else. Ask Levi how many times I fell skating, or Ambrose how pathetically low my bowling score was. Or ask Quentin how many times I've asked him how to spell something simple. Wynnie is the same way. We're just people and you are definitely good enough to be with her."

"I don't know." Bard leans back into his seat with a sigh but I narrow my eyes at him.

"Well I do," I tell him, poking him in the shoulder. "And I'm telling you, you need to talk to her." He nods and I settle back into my seat, satisfied that I've won.

A moment passes when I turn to him and add, "But not tonight because she has some explaining to do!"

This time the whole van focuses on me. Oops, I forgot to whisper.

—

As soon as we get back to the palace, I separate from the group and go on the hunt. I know she stayed in tonight. She and Henley were texting me earlier about it, but now the question is where is she? I head in the direction of her rooms first and am relieved when I run right into her, a cup of tea in her hands.

"Just the person I was looking for." I link my arm through hers and give her a knowing look.

"Oh?" she asks me, a tad bewildered, then her expression changes. "Why is that? Do you have some news to share with me?"

"No, but I hear you do," I tell her and the way her jaw drops tells me she never expected Bard to tell me anything. "Wynnie, you need to tell me everything. Now."

"Okay, I will, just not here." She glances around the hallway like she's expecting someone to be standing there, a glass to their ear, ready to overhear everything. I just nod and soon she's pulling me all the way back to her rooms, locking us in and telling me everything.

When she finally stops talking, and pacing, I pounce, "How could you not tell me?!"

"It's... awkward," she admits, finally ending her pacing and looking at me, a slight coloring her cheeks.

"Why?" I ask my cousin, completely baffled. Then a thought occurs to me and up straight. "Wait, you don't regret it do you?"

"No!" Wynnie's quick to respond and a relieved sigh escapes my lips. "No, it's just you were dating him and I know—"

"We're just friends!" I practically shout, exasperated by the direction this conversation is going.

"I know, I know," Wynnie pleads. "But the public doesn't know that. And my mother doesn't know that. Plus it wasn't that long ago that I lost Adrian."

I roll off the bed then and go to my cousin. I should have thought of that. I should have remembered that it's only been a year and half since she lost Adrian, the love of her life. As happy as I am that she, and Bard, might have found happiness together, she's still hurting from her loss. And that's not something you just get over.

I pull her into a hug. "Oh, Wynn, I'm so sorry. I should have thought of that."

"It's fine," her voice is low but I can still hear the sniffle she tries to silence. "It's just... I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know if I'm ready."

"Well, the good news is none of us know what we are doing," I tell her softly, breaking the hug and pulling her to the couch. She gives me a skeptical look. "No seriously! I have no idea what I'm doing with any of the Selected. And trust me, Bard has no idea what to do next. I think that's why he told me."

"What do you mean?" she asks me, wiping at her eyes.

"Well, he said you haven't talked to him since it happened," I tell her, watching for her reaction. "I think he thinks you regret it."

She sighs. "I didn't mean to make him feel like that, I— I just got so caught up in my head that I didn't know how to talk to him anymore."

"I think you need to talk to him," I tell her sternly, for once able to act like I'm the wiser of the cousins.

"I know." Wynnie slouches against the couch, staring up at the ceiling, probably trying to figure out what to say to Bard. I let her be for a minute, but only for a minute. Finally my curiosity gets the better of me.

"So when did this whole thing start?" I ask her, hungry for all the details.

Wynnie howls in laughter, hitting me with a throw pillow. "You're as bad as the trash columns!"

I just grin at her. "I know."

June 26th

10:36 am

"Charlotte, can I speak with you?"

I glance up from the budget reports I finally got around to printing to find Ambrose standing in front of the library table I've been posted at. I nod and he takes the seat across from me. For the first time, Ambrose seems to not know what to say. I watch him as he hesitates, seems to think about what to say and then changes his mind at the last second. It would be amusing to watch if I wasn't so annoyed with him. I refuse to speak first.

Finally after what seems like forever he speaks, "I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday on the beach."

"You already said you were sorry." I shake my head, looking back down to my reports but he stops me.

"I know, but I never actually talked to you," Ambrose says and I can see his throat work. He almost sounds desperate, and he proves it when he continues, "I never explained to you why I behaved like a jerk or even why I am so competitive. But I want you to know if you'll listen."

He pauses, waiting for me and I have to admit, I want to know. I want to know what he's thinking. Ambrose almost never opens up like this and when he does, I always feel like I've won something, unlocking a new achievement in the game of getting to know him.

Ambrose sighs. "All my life things were just handed to me. My parents did well in life, which you saw and my mother always worked hard to be sure that I was well cared for. But that didn't mean that I didn't work hard. Charlotte, you know me, I'm a hard worker and I take pride in my job. In school, I was picked on, cast aside because I was different from the others. No one ever took me seriously, they always assumed that I hadn't earned what I had. And I resented them for it. I just wanted them to recognize that I worked hard too.

"But that's not the reason for my behavior yesterday." Ambrose shifts and I can tell he's uncomfortable. "Well, not really." He sighs and when he looks up I can tell he's sharing a part of himself with me that he wouldn't trust to anyone else. "This week, when I sat down with your father and uncle, I— well, it didn't go how I was expecting. I've always known the reality of what the Selection was and if I by some miracle made it to the end, that I would be expected to take on a whole new life. When your father went over all of that with me, it was no problem. I was expecting that. But then your uncle started asking me deeper questions, and I didn't know how to answer them. That's never happened to me before. I'm not used to not having the answers. It shook me."

"What kind of deeper questions?" I ask him, not sure where he is going with this.

"He kept asking me if I loved you, or if I could see myself loving you," Ambrose tells me. He takes a deep breath like he's steadying himself and continues, "And to be honest, it scared me. It scared me to think that in just six months that I could have deep feelings for someone and that it could mean the rest of my life with you. It scared me that I was willing to set aside everything I had worked so hard to achieve. And then I realized something else." I take a deep breath and hold it, surprised at how honest and vulnerable he's being. He leans towards me. "I realized that this must be how you're feeling too. For all of us, otherwise you wouldn't have any of us here. And that simultaneously excited me and scared me. Excited me that you could feel the same way about me, and scared that you might feel more strongly for someone else.

"Charlotte." Ambrose takes my hands. "You have to know I would work so hard for you, to be everything you need me to be. Your husband, as your friend, I would stand by you and support you in every way I could. I know my fear is no excuse for how I behaved and I don't want to promise it will never happen again. But I can promise to work on it, just as hard as I would work on our relationship, for you. If you will have me."

"I- I don't—" I stammer, slack jawed at the amount of honesty he just laid on me.

Ambrose shakes his head. "I don't need you to say anything. I don't need you to do anything other than hear me and believe me right now. I just— I wanted to be open and honest with you, in case you were having any doubts about me."

"Ambrose," I say his name, intending to reassure him but I stop myself. I was having doubts, just briefly, but his words, everything makes sense. I get him on a level I was never expecting to. So instead of platitudes and false promises, I squeeze his hand and smile gently, and give him the absolution he came in here looking for. "I understand. Completely."

The smile he gives me in return is probably the most honest one he's ever worn. And I'm honored it was for me.

—

"So little sister, there's a rumor floating around the palace," Hellie says as she ambushes me after dinner. She grins at me as she links our arms and I roll my eyes.

"There's always a rumor floating around the palace," I remind her and give her a look.

She snorts in amusement. "True. But this time it has to do with you and me."

"Oh yeah? What now? Are they betting about who gets less sleep now that you're pregnant? Because I'm pretty sure it's still me," I tell her, knowing full well what the rumors are. There's very little that happens in the palace that doesn't spread like wildfire, so I'm not surprised she might have found out.

"Little sister, everyone knows that you get the least amount of sleep of anyone," she sighs and pulls me towards my office. "That's something you really should get control over, you know. You can't survive on coffee forever."

"Blasphemy." I roll my eyes once more at her and she copies me. Once we reach my office, we collapse on either end of the couch. Hellie huffs as she sinks into the piece of furniture and immediately puts her feet up on the coffee table. She's lucky she's pregnant, I can't stand it when people put their shoes on my coffee table. Instead I steer us back to what she really wants to know, "So I take it you heard about the thing?"

"The baby shower? Yes, I did." Hellie leans her head back so she's staring at the ceiling. She frowns. "You should get a more interesting ceiling.

"You know, I haven't spent much time staring at my ceiling, haven't had much need to," I mumble and wish she'd get on with her point. "Okay, so you know, what about it?"

"Nothing." She shrugs and then she rolls her head towards me and grins. "I just wanted you to know your secret was out."

"It's hard to keep secrets in a palace," I complain and pull the party planning binder Caroline sent over today into my lap. Then I side-eye her. "You know, unless you're you."

"Oh, people knew, but they were on my side," Hellie tells me and I feel a pang of hurt in my chest. She shifts and sighs. "Charlotte, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that—"

"I would have been on your side," I interrupt her. "If you had told me your plan, I could have helped you."

"I know," Helena reassures, reaching to take my hand. When I meet her eyes I can see all the hurt and honesty pouring through, "Charlie, I know you would have helped me. I know you would have done anything I asked. I didn't tell you because I was trying to protect you. So that when mom and dad asked you if you knew, you wouldn't have to lie, or be on the outs with them. So they would still trust you."

"They still didn't," I inform her, thinking back on those early days after she'd eloped.

It had been awful. Mom and Dad were furious with everyone, I think even themselves. How did no one know? How had none of us seen this coming? Time and again, they asked me if I had known and no matter how many times I had sworn that I had no clue, I could still see the seed of doubt in their eyes.

The nation and the media were no better. Interviews kept popping up left and right of different opinions of why my sister would have left. Some theorized she was already pregnant with Enzo's child. Others went as far as to suggest that she ran away from an abusive home. It caused rifts in the nation and it took years for the common people to trust us again. It took even longer for my parents to trust me.

Even though I immediately doubled my course work, preparing to become the next queen, it had taken years for my father to finally dub me the next head of country. I think in the back of his mind, there was no way I couldn't have known. I think he always thought of me as a bit of a traitor, that after all this time, I was still covering for Helena. Which also explains why he hasn't spoken to me in a couple of weeks, not privately at least.

Since Helena's re-arrival, he's suspended all of my formal duties. He has no longer been requiring me to attend meetings or to meet him on Sunday's to go over the weekly updates throughout the country. And with Audrey gone, I haven't been able to have someone go in my stead to the meetings. All I have are the emailed reports. He's been telling the others that it's because he wants me to focus on the Selection, on this massive choice I have to make. I think it's because doubt has once again entered his mind of where my loyalties lie.

The Selection was the first big move I made. The first time I was really putting myself out there to prove to him that I could do it, that I am not like Helena. The proof that I would put my country ahead of even myself.

I can't tell if Helena coming back has done more good or more harm, but I'm happy she's back all the same.

"And I'm sorry about that." Hellie takes my hand, bringing me back to the present conversation. "It was never my intention to hurt you, or them, or anyone. I just needed to follow my heart. I hope... I hope that maybe now, you might understand a bit more?"

"Now that I'm almost through the Selection you mean?" I ask her, raising my brow at her. When she nods, I sigh. "Hellie, I always understood. You're my sister, I know the kind of person you are."

"I know, but maybe now you understand a bit... more, eh?" She raises her own brows at me and gah, if I didn't already know we were sisters, I would know at this moment.

"What are you getting at?" I ask her, pulling my feet up and under me, sitting sideways on the couch now, fully facing her.

"Oh you know, a certain mechanic being in your top three," Hellie teases even as I roll my eyes. "Even though you and I both know he would be the last man dad would approve of."

"Not the last." I tilt my head but I can't help but think of the truth in her words. Levi is one of the last men dad would approve of. But ever since the home visits, he's completely backed off. I narrow my eyes at her. "Wait, now that you mention it, Dad hasn't said anything in a long time about Levi."

"Oh, no? Hmm." Hellie won't look at me, suddenly finding her nails more interesting. "Weird."

"Yeah, it is weird," I say to her and lean closer. When she still won't look at me I know. "Helena, what did you do?"

She gasps in fake outrage at my accusation but when she finally looks at me, she drops the act. "Fine," she says with a shrug. "I may have suggested to our father that if he were to stand in the way of being able to follow your heart and choose whoever you want, there's a very real possibility that he might lose a second daughter."

"You didn't!" I gasp, covering my mouth. Immediately my mind flies with all of the implications and connects all the dots. Why my father hasn't been speaking to me, why he's suddenly backed off, why he wanted to sit down with all three of my remaining Selected. It all makes sense now. He's trying to scare them away, since he no longer feels like he can scare me into doing what he asks.

But all three of them are still here.

All three of them are still here...

Even as my heart soars at that new piece of news, my sister continues.

"I did, and I'm not sorry for it," Hellie explains. "I could see it, Charlotte. Even if you don't want to admit, even if you weren't fully aware of it, he was influencing you. And this, this huge decision, this is not something that he should have the right to meddle in!"

"Oh and you should be able to meddle?" I ask her accusingly.

"No, none of us should be allowed to meddle. This is your heart, we're talking about here!" Helena almost shouts. She huffs and I can tell she's frustrated she doesn't have the energy to get up and pace. "This is your future! This should be something you and only you decide! None of us should be meddling or taking bets or partaking on any discussions that you don't explicitly invite us into. Now do you see why I eloped? I wanted that control and I want you to want that control!"

"I do want that control," I tell her calmly and I think my calmness almost makes her more upset. "But Hellie, this was the most control I was going to get. And believe it or not, I put certain things in place before I started this Selection."

"Oh? Like what?" She doesn't believe me.

"How about a contract that I made dad sign, before I would even consider starting the process of a Selection?" I grin at her, proud of myself.

"A contract?" she asks, disbelieving.

"Yes, a contract," I reiterate. "One that protects me from his opinion of my future betrothed. One that explicitly laid out that no matter the results of the Selection, that no matter who I do or do not marry, guarantees that he cannot back out on the oath he swore naming me crown princess. A contract that holds him to the birth order of his children and that unless I choose to hand over the crown to Luke, he cannot mandate that of me."

"What about the ambassadors?" she asks but I can tell she's impressed, at least a little. "What about the ambassadors volleying for your removal?"

"They still can, I can't strip them of that choice of their power," I wave my hand. "But no one related to me by blood can campaign for that to occur either. That's in the bylaws of the country."

"Wow," Helena says, finally fully impressed.

I look at her. "I'm not the same little sister you left behind."

"Obviously," she murmurs.

"And Audrey is really good at manipulating the law," I tell her with a shrug, getting up to make her some tea and myself some coffee.

"Why do you say that like this isn't the first time she's backed someone into a corner with legalities?" Hellie narrows her eyes at me.

I just grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

June 28th

7:45 pm

"I was wondering if you'd like to go on a s'mores date with me?" I ask Levi, holding the tray up in front of me as I grin up at him.

He quirks his brow and the small grin finally crosses his features. "Sure princess. Sounds fun."

Something in me warms as he uses my title in that teasing way. He's always called me by my title but somewhere along the way it transformed from my title, to almost a term of endearment. I like it when he says it.

"Well, let's go then," I say, turning to head outside, but he stops me. I look up at him, a ouch confused but he says nothing. Instead, he takes the tray from my hands and the bag from my shoulder.

"I can carry it, you know," I tell him, now feeling a touch useless.

"I know you can," Levi tells me softly. "That doesn't mean you should have to."

I don't respond and instead think about his words as I lead him out to the back patio area, around a few corners and finally finding the already lit fire area Luke insisted on a few years ago. I don't why my younger brother wanted a fire pit, but in true Luke fashion, he got what he wanted. When we finally get there, Levi and I work together to rearrange the furniture so it works best for us. Finally, it's time for some s'mores.

"Okay, I have no idea why the chef put so much on this tray," I admit to Levi, picking up a marshmallow and shoving it onto the nearest roaster. I glance back at him. "I mean—" I trail off as Levi lifts a butter knife and spreads peanut butter on his base graham cracker, layering it with chocolate before joining me in roasting a marshmallow.

"What are you doing?" I ask him, retreating from the fire to quickly build the only s'more I know, the traditional.

"What?" he asks me as he lights his treat on fire over and over, roasting it to the extreme.

"Peanut butter?" I ask him, taking the first bite of mine and jerking to be sure that I don't cause the rest of the thing to fall apart. Okay s'more are yummy but not exactly a neat treat.

"You're telling me you've never put peanut butter on your s'more before?" Levi questions me as he takes his time, completing his build. I shake my head as I concentrate on eating the rest of mine before it ends up on the ground and Levi chuckles. "You've never truly lived then, princess."

There it is again. My title but also a term of endearment coming from Levi. It makes me melt a little, like the chocolate bar now layered between the peanut butter and roasted marshmallow of Levi's sandwich.

"Well," I practically choke and cover my mouth. Okay, I'm going to kill Henley. She'd thought that s'mores by the fire would be a cute date, but really it's a mess. I feel like a complete mess. I finally swallow the last of the lingering graham cracker and finally finish my sentence. "I haven't eaten very many s'mores before, so you are in the presence of an amateur."

"Clearly." He raises his eyebrows at me. He is obviously amused by my struggles and I glare at him, silently daring him to show it. He sits next to me on the bench we'd pulled closer to the fire and even though there's space between us and a fire in front of us, I can still feel the warmth coming from him. I want to lean towards that warmth, but I wait. I know Levi, he doesn't always want that contact, especially now that we've come back to the palace.

Since we've been back I've noticed a change in how things are between us. It's warmer. There's obviously something between us and I know at least on my side, I can't stop thinking about our kiss. Well, kisses actually. And how much I want to kiss him again.

But unlike at his place, Levi has maintained a distance from me since we've come back home. He's less ready to grab my hand or even demand my attention. It's like a flip was switched and now he's hesitant again. It's one of the reasons I wanted to get him outside of the actual palace and just relax with him. I'm hoping it can get us back to the place we were in when we were in Calgary.

"You practically inhaled your s'more, you're supposed to savor each bite," Levi teases me, breaking me from my thoughts of kissing him. And reminding me more of how much I want to kiss him. I bet if I did it right now, it would taste like burnt peanut butter and chocolate. My line of thought isn't helped when he shoves his entire s'more into his mouth. Wait a minute... his words finally catch up with me.

"You ate yours in one bite!" I gasp and lightly whack at his arm. He chuckles and leans into me. Once again, I can feel his heat.

"I'm a professional," he tells me, a sly smile on his face. "I've had way too many to eat in more than one bite. You on the other hand." He wags his finger at me, lightly tapping at my nose. "You have to take your time."

"Okay." I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at him. "And where is the handbook? I want to see the page that says when I can and cannot eat a s'more in one bite."

"It's only for the professionals," he tells me with a shake of his head. I love this side of him. The one that can carry on a joke, keep it going solely for the amusement of it all. He wags his finger at me, all mock professionalism. "Take your time on the next one. Then maybe I'll show you the prologue."

I just look at him, fake offense written all over my face. "Fine then," I huff, standing from my seat and taking a step from the bench. "I guess amateurs should find somewhere else to sit then."

I barely make it another step before I feel Levi's arm circle my waist and pull me backwards to him. I don't have time to process what's really happening when I realize that I'm now in his lap, his arm still wrapped around me. I glance over my shoulder at him, hoping but still wanting to be sure that this was his intention. Levi just smiles in return and I relax, happy that he's comfortable doing this with me, holding me this close, letting me be this close. His warmth soothes me as I lean into his chest and instantly I'm addicted to this feeling.

I feel safe and secure. I also feel cared for, especially as the sun sets and Levi pulls a blanket over me. I glance back at him, still smiling but instead of letting it be, I shift, turning so I'm still in his lap. Now I'm facing sideways. I want to look at him, and it helps to share the blanket. The blanket is fine, but I prefer Levi's warmth. Judging by the approving look in Levi's eye, he agrees.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask Levi, my voice low as I lean against him, staring into the fire. There's something about watching the fire dance that's mesmerizing, that makes me feel like I can say anything, ask anything, in this moment.

"Something cheesy," comes his reply and I can feel his words at my back as well as I can hear them in my ear.

I look up at him, surprised. When he just looks down at me, his dang eyebrow quirks once more, I grin. "Tell me?"

"Just about..." Levi hesitates and I swear I can feel him thinking. He seems to weigh his words and when he speaks again, I can tell that the cute quip isn't what he'd originally wanted to say. He clears his throat, "Just about you and your s'more. And how superior my delicious peanut butter one was."

I try not to be disappointed but I roll my eyes anyway. Apparently Levi can read me better than I thought because he continues, "No, I'm kidding. I'm just thinking about how it's a nice night. And that I'm glad to be out here with you." He shrugs against my shoulder. "That's all."

Something tells me that's not all though. As he says the words, his eyes grow darker, whatever thoughts swirling in his mind a mile a minute. I wait patiently, waiting for him to come back to me, but it doesn't seem to happen. Instead, the arm still around my waist pulls me even closer. I can tell by the look in his eye that whatever corner his mind took, it wasn't a good one.

"Levi?" I say his name out loud, hoping to break him out of whatever fog he's put himself into, hoping to show him the way to the surface.

His eyes snap to mine and I almost breathe a sigh of relief.

"Yeah?" he asks me and it's a hollow voice that sounds. He's not completely back yet. When I ask him if he's alright he just swallows and nods. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," I tell him, my brow furrowed in concern. I lay a hand against his chest, over his heart. It's beating so fast I'm surprised he hasn't been running. I can't help but frown. "What's wrong?"

I watch as Levi shakes his head and mumbles under his breath that nothings wrong. My frown deepens. I feel like this is one of the last hurdles I need to jump when it comes to Levi. He's so quick to keep me at arms length emotionally, that sometimes I worry he will never truly open up. And if I want to be partners with him, choose him in the end, then it can't be like this forever.

"You can talk to me you know," I tell him, sitting up straighter, my hand traveling from his chest up to cup his cheek. I can't stop myself from lightly running my finger down his jaw, relishing in the tickle of the slight stubble just starting to come in from the long day. I force myself to smile. "That's what I'm here for, you know."

I mean it, too. I don't think there's anything Levi can tell me at this point that would send me running away. I think that is why I want him to open up so much. He's already told me so many dark corners of his mind, and I'm still here. I've proven time and again that I will still be here when he resurfaces from his darkest moments. I want him to trust that, to trust me.

"I know." He shifts under me, his eyes flicking from me to the fire over and over again, like he can't quite meet my eye. He nods stiffly and finally admits, "It's just... hard."

I sigh deeply, understanding completely. It is hard. It's so hard to fully open up to someone and trust them completely. And I know it's even more difficult for Levi. I lean back against his chest, thinking and wondering. Have I fully opened myself up to Levi? Have I fully trusted him? I want him so badly to trust me, but have I shown him that I have that faith in him?

"I can share first," I say, breaking myself out of my spiral. I can't look at him when I speak, instead telling the fire my next secret. "This is almost the end of the Selection... It's so close which means... which means that soon, soon I will have to decide. And that's terrifying. It is a terrifying feeling that something that just got started, that I just got comfortable with, will come to an end soon. But that end is going to come whether I want it to or not."

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Levi nods and I shift as he sits up. It doesn't bring him closer and I lean towards him, searching for his warmth once more. He glances at me out of the corner of his eye. "I don't technically have any words of wisdom, but if it helps, you'll make the right decision. You'll do what's best for you... and the country."

The pause in his sentence puts me on edge. It makes me wonder if he worries that the two might be at odds but he's waiting for me so I force and smile and thank him.

My mind works overtime, trying to work out his tone. Does Levi think that what's best for me might not be what's best for the country? Is he talking about himself? Is that how he sees himself? Does that mean that he can see a future with me and he's already counting himself out? So many questions but I can see that there is still a lot going on in his own mind.

"Okay, now let me help you." I turn to him, hoping that he'll let me in. "It's your turn."

He hesitates, "It's a little more complicated than that."

"I'm a good listener," I counter, hoping I'm not pushing too much.

"I know." He gives a dry chuckle. He doesn't meet my eyes for a moment. Instead, he stares into the fire and I can practically see him weighing his options. I just hope in the end he'll choose to let me in. He looks me over, and something in my expression must make his decision for him. He shifts, slightly awkwardly and when he speaks, his voice is raw like he's nervous. "I've just been thinking about the interview I had with your father and Prince Phillip. They seemed to say everything they needed to, and I thought I did too, but I just keep thinking about it."

My stomach drops. Of course I knew that my uncle and my father had sat down with all three of my Selected, but Levi is the first to actually call it an interview. The word is so appropriate for what they were trying to do, but still it hurts. And now it seems that they've said something to upset Levi, to make him doubt something. To make him doubt us. I worry at my lower lip for a moment but then I remember the agreement, the one that started all of this. That in the end this will be my decision, because in the end it will be my life. My father can play favorites all he wants, but that doesn't mean that he can just control my feelings for my future.

I look up at Levi, a new annoyance coursing through me. "And what exactly did they say?"

"Your uncle actually asked me more about you," he tells me with a shrug and I bristle just slightly at that. That can't be all. If that was all, it wouldn't be something he was still thinking about days later. Then he continues, "While your father wanted me to be sure of what exactly I would be giving up... Should you choose me. And as hard as I may try to forget it, I can't."

"It was about becoming king's consort, wasn't it?" I ask him bluntly and when he nods I huff, exasperated. When he nods it takes all of my willpower not to groan in frustration. Instead I try to stand, so I can pace but Levi's arm holds me in place. I turn back to him. "Levi, he knows it's up to me, he knows that—"

"No, no, it's okay," he cuts me off, his tone soft and consoling. When I look at him, he almost looks amused with me, though I can't tell why. I mean, my father and uncle harassed him this week, harassed all of them, about me. About our futures. Our futures. Levi cups my cheek gently and explains, "He wants me to be aware. He wanted all of us to know what exactly we'd be getting into. I can't blame him."

I can. Like any of them don't already know, didn't know from the time they filled out their applications. I mean it was all outlined in the application packet and as far as I know has been repeatedly reviewed in their lessons. But I guess at the same time, I kind of see their point. These men couldn't have had any idea that we would make a connection. So maybe until now, it wasn't real. Now that we're three away from the end it actually is.

And they would be giving up a lot.

Quentin would have to quit his job as a teacher to be here full time. Ambrose would have to leave the corporate position he holds so dear and Levi, well Levi built himself from the ground up. All so he could provide a better life for his sister. And now, because of me, any one of them is going to be asked to give it all up. To let everything that they have ever built and planned for themselves go... all for me. Little old me.

It hardly seems fair.

I hardly seem worth it.

I relax slightly against Levi and suddenly I feel a little shy as I ask, "And... What exactly did you think of it all? What you'd be giving up?"

I hold my breath as he looks at me for a long moment. I hadn't thought to ask any of my Selected this before, and maybe I should have. This is basically what Ambrose confided in me the other day, when he told me he had serious, deep feelings for me. I hadn't known what to say then, in response. Now though, the way that Levi's looking at me, my stomach flips again and it's in excited anticipation. I hadn't been expecting Ambrose's declaration, but I find now I'm hoping for Levi's.

Maybe this is it. Maybe this is the moment and I will know. I will know how everything else from here on out will play out. Because I- I want Levi. I really do, but I don't know that I can ask him to give everything up for me. Not without knowing that he wants it too.

Because if I ask it of him, without being sure, he might make the wrong call. He might put everything on the line. He might walk away from whatever life he actually wants to help me or simply because it's what I want or need. He's done it before; sacrificed everything of himself up for Abri. I know it's different, that she really needed him, but somehow in this moment, it feels the same.

"I thought..." He trails off and my heart skips. Maybe this is it. He clears his throat and I can feel myself tense, waiting for the rest of his response. "I thought that it was good to have the interview. Give me time to think through it all."

I have to swallow my hurt. He still has to think about it. I shouldn't be surprised, not really. It is a lot to give up and in the end, he has to decide if it would be worth it. If I would be worth it.

"Then I'm glad," I tell him, forcing the words out. I command myself to sound cheery, to sound okay with his answer, because it's a fair answer. Truly. Still, the smile almost hurts as I turn and meet his eyes once more and tell him, "I think it will do a lot of us good to think for a while."

"Yeah." He nods, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, I think so too."

At least we're finally on the same page, it's just not the page I was expecting.

June 30th

1:30 pm

"Charlotte!" My sister's voice commands my attention as she pounds on my door.

"What?" I ask her, exasperated as I throw open my door, my hair only half curled.

Her lips quirk at the sight of the hot rollers still in my hair but she recovers quickly. She looks down at her son who I just noticed she had with him and holds a bag out to me. "I need you to watch Auggie for me."

"What? I can't, I have plans," I tell her, shaking my head at her even as I take the bag from her hands.

"Come on, please? Enzo's parents are arriving today, and Enzo and I have to mediate their first time seeing our parents since before our elopement." She looks at me with wide eyes. I had asked her when she'd confronted me about her baby shower if she wanted me to invite any of Enzo's family. In the end she had said that first, all of the parents would need to be in a room together before she could ever make that decision. So, a trial visit is apparently happening today. She huffs, "Please Charlotte, he can't be there. I don't know how ugly this might get."

"OoOoOoh, I want the chocolate one!" Auggie declares, his eyes wide as he takes in the table full of pieces of cake. I'm about to hand him a small fork when he dives right in, his fingers going straight into the icing.

"Auggie!" I cry, standing, reaching for a napkin when Levi stops me. I look at him, a little surprised to find he's smiling and the look on Auggie's, so proud, and our waiter's, completely frozen in panic, gives me a dose of the giggles.

"Thank you," Levi tells the waiter calmly, reaching up to take the last of the plates of cake from him and setting it in front of me, the last available open space. The waiter continues to watch Auggie as my nephew continues to dip his fingers straight into the icing and when he finally disappears I finally let out my laughter.

I knew bringing a four year old to a cake tasting would be interesting, but I didn't have much of a choice, and really the horror on the waiter's face was worth every moment.

Levi laughs next to me and I relax a little. Auggie looks as happy as pie as he continues to eat his slice of cake and really this is going on too long. I should make him use a fork. My sister would want me to make him use a fork. But as I stand up to give him one, Levi cuts me off, dipping a finger straight into the chocolate cake, tasting it for himself. I gape at him as he grins at me and does it again.

"It's good, huh?" Auggie asks us, slipping into his native Spanish. I love that he speaks fluent Spanish, that he's so comfortable in both languages that he frequently switches between the two. And there's something just so adorable about a toddler speaking Spanish.

Levi pulls another plate in front of me, this one the black forest, six layers deep and topped with a cherry. "You want a taste?"

I nod and pick up my fork, ready to take a bite when Levi suddenly pulls the plate away from me. Unable to stop myself, my fork lands on the table. I gasp and look up at Levi, confused but Auggie on his other side lets out a peal of laughter. Levi's grin only grows as he takes the fork out of my hand and motions to the plate.

"Now you can eat it," Levi tells me. In a move I don't expect, Auggie crawls into Levi's lap, the leftover icing on his fingers leaving their marks on his shirt. Levi either doesn't notice or care as both he and Auggie watch me, waiting for my decision.

"Eat, Aunt Charlie!" Auggie crows and I exhale. Of course Helena would teach him to call me that. It doesn't matter. He must know I would do anything for him because he pushes the cake closer to me. I look into his eyes and I can see all the delight and mischievousness there.

With a final glance up into Levi's eyes, I take a deep breath and do it. I stick my finger into the cake, scooping and ignoring the icing digging under my fingernail. I plop it in my mouth and grin at the two cheering boys. I'm relieved for a moment that the restaurant is empty, only me, Auggie and Levi sitting at any table. I've been trying to convince the chef at La Sola to extend his hours for years, that he'd make more money but he's always insisted that he does just fine. Today I am grateful for that. It gives me a chance to just relax and be myself. And that is just what I needed.

Giggling, it takes the three of us no time at all to finish all the slices that were sent out. Auggie has scooted off of Levi's lap, landing himself between us, happy to have dipped into each of our cakes a time or two, as well as his own. Levi and I both pretended not to notice, sharing knowing glances over his head all the while.

"I do hope you realize we'll probably never be allowed here again," I tease Levi, murmuring above Auggie's head as he lifts his last plate, scraping every last crumb he can up. I am not surprised to see it was the tres leches cake. La Sola has the best tres leches cake this side of Paloma.

"We can disguise ourselves next time," Levi suggests and I melt a little at the responding twinkle in his eye.

"I suppose I should expect nothing less from the two of you," I try not to smile as I ruffle Auggie's hair but I'm sure I failed. I lower my voice and look up to Levi. "Auggie seems to really like you."

And he does. As soon as I told Auggie that we were going to the cake shop he'd cheered, and when he found out Levi was coming too, he'd cheered again. It had been adorable but when I saw them together, I was reminded just how well they got along. It's been a perfect outing and I owe a large part of that to Levi.

"And cake," Levi adds, looking down at my nephew. "He loves cake too."

I can't help but laugh. "And cake, yes, I can't forget that."

Suddenly Auggie tunes back in, looking up at us, holding two empty plates. "Is more cake coming? They're all gone."

He sounds so sad it almost breaks my heart. He looks up at me with his wide brown eyes and I already know I'm going to get him more cake. Hellie might kill me for it later... but what else are aunts for but to hype a kid up on sugar and dump him on his unsuspecting parents later? But he doesn't have to know that just yet.

"We'll have to see," I tell him, adopting a fake sad tone. Then I lean forward, grinning. "Which was your favorite Auggie? Which cake was best?"

Auggie's face turns serious as he looks at every empty plate on the table. I lean on the table, my face in my hand as he contemplates his choice. I obviously plan on having several different types of cake, all in cupcake form but I want Auggie's favorite to be there.

He brightens as he turns to me and cheers, "The chocolate one!"

"Which chocolate one, Auggie?" I bite back my laugh and nudge Levi into controlling him. Auggie looked so proud with his decision but then again, we'd easily had about four different types of chocolate cake. I decide to narrow it down to my top two chocolates. "The one with the chocolate swirls on top? Or the one with the chocolate cake?"

He panics briefly, "Ummmm, can I try them again?"

"I think he wants more cake," Levi whispers in my ear and goose bumps erupt along my arms. I glance up at him briefly, not expecting him to be so close and my breath catches momentarily. This close I can see how clear his eyes are and I want nothing more than to kiss him at this moment. But then I remember what we're talking about and the fact that my nephew is here with us, so I play it off.

"Would that help you choose?" I ask Auggie, grinning. "Would it help if I got some little slices of those cakes?"

Auggie grins manically, hopping slightly in his seat as he nods. I'm not surprised at all by his response so I slip out of the booth and head up to the main counter where a waitress has been waiting, trying not to watch us the entire time. She's mostly failed, but I can't blame her. Not really. It's not everyday that you're asked to come in early to serve cake to three people.

"Hey," I approach her and instantly she straightens, her eyes wide. I smile kindly and read her name tag. "Kaylee, can you get the chef for me? I'd like to discuss what I want to order."

"O-of course Your Majesty," she stammers with a curtsy and as she turns, heading into the back I call after her, "Charlotte's just fine."

I can tell she's going to ignore me even before she disappears into the back. I sigh and lean against the counter, waiting. I glance over at my table and grin seeing Auggie beaming up at Levi, asking him something I can't hear from this distance. I really like how much Auggie likes Levi. They always say that kids have the best judge of character and if nothing else, it reassures me that I've made the right decision to keep Levi around.

"Ah, Princess," Lucah, the chef, smiles broadly. As he approaches he stops and gives a small bow. A squeak emanates from behind him and suddenly Kaylee takes off running, heading back into the kitchen. Lucah smiles at me, chuckling and I join in. "I love teasing her."

"It's kind of mean, don't you think?" I ask him, tilting my head. "She is your daughter after all."

"Eh, she'll get over it," he waves his hand dismissively and looks towards the booth still occupied by Auggie and Levi. "Nice of you to bring company this time. I was beginning to worry you had no friends."

"If I told all my friends about La Sola, I would never be able to keep the tres leches to myself," I tell him but he knows I'm only joking. I've told everyone about La Sola.

"Ah, you can't fool me, I know you talk up the place," he chides me and I smile. Lucah used to be the pastry chef in the palace. I practically grew up at the end of his table. It's his biggest failure in life that I still can't bake, but one of his greatest achievements is that I have had some of the best desserts in the nation. Lucah's familiar eyes smile at me as he turns back to me. "You've just never brought any here before."

"They're special." I shrug and Lucah's grin widens. I can feel my cheeks heat as I rush to cover myself, "I mean, I needed to be sure my nephew would experience Lucah Solar's baking. Taste the cakes that made his mother into such a brat."

He tsks at me but grins all the same. "He has her smile, and her dimples."

"He does," I agree, looking back at the booth and at the smiling toddler as he yammers on with Levi. I bite my lip watching them. The way Levi pays attention to him, like he's a whole person and not just a kid. Like he matters... It means everything to me.

"And the boy isn't bad looking either," Lucah comments and I almost choke. He chuckles at my wide eyes. "I may be old, but my eyes work just fine."

"You're not old," I tell him but he cuts me off.

"I am, but it's okay. With age I have gained some of the best gifts I could have ever asked for," he tells me, his arms wide. "I have my own restaurant, a great career, and great friends. I have been fortunate enough to watch the next leader of our nation grow but most of all I have my family. That is my greatest achievement."

"I'm sure it is." I nod along. My brother has always found it annoying, but I love it when Lucah goes all dad and tries to impart wisdom. It feels like such a fatherly thing to do, in comparison to my own father, it's gentle and somehow means more.

"Your job," he tells me, going all serious for a moment. He wags a finger at me, looking me square in the eye. "Your job now is to find that person that you can build your greatest achievement around."

I let that sink in.

He's not wrong. If my family is to be my greatest achievement, if that is what I choose to make my highest priority in life, then I need to make sure it's the right person in the end. That's what Helena did. She chose what her future family would be, that one person that would make everything worth it. All the mornings and nights, the frustrations and laughter, the fighting and the comfortable silence, she knew that Enzo would make it all worth it. She knew that he would make the life she was choosing for herself worth every hardship she put herself through. Now I need to decide if that is my fate too, and who would make every tough moment worth it all in the end.

"But enough about all of that." Lucah claps his hands, seeing that he got through to me. "I hear you're here to talk to me about some cupcakes?"

"Yes, but first," I tell him, returning to the task at hand. "Can we get a couple of smaller slices of your marble and your triple chocolate? I have a toddler to hype up on sugar and dump on unsuspecting parents later."

Lucah's laughter fills the restaurant.

—

"You know it's really not fair to wage toddler warfare against a pregnant woman," Helena sighs, rolling her head over to look at me.

"You ran! And left poor Enzo to deal with his sugar rush all by himself." I laugh at my sister.

"Eh." She shrugs. "That's what he gets for wanting a second child."

"You love it," I accuse.

"I do," she agrees, nodding even as her eyes close.

"How did it go?" I ask her quietly.

"Well, no one is going to war," Helena groans, running a hand over her face. "Yet."

"Well, that's good," I tell her, frowning just slightly. "Was that really a possibility?"

"Dad tried to get all high and mighty and accuse Arnaldo and Clarice of kidnapping," she informs me and I gasp. She takes a deep breath, "I know. But Enzo and I were able to talk them all down and by the end of it, we all drank cold tea. So, progress."

"Was it worth it?" I ask her, pulling my knees up to my chest. "Coming back?"

She opens her eyes and looks at me, all tiredness washed from her face. "Charlotte, I don't regret coming back, not for one moment. You needed me and honestly we let it go unresolved for too long. I'm glad I'm here."

"Me too," I admit and I crawl to her, hugging her tightly. We stay like that for a while, quiet and content when suddenly I feel a kick from her swollen belly. We both chuckle and I lay a hand over the spot. "You can't blame me for this one's energy."

She smiles as she rubs at her swollen belly. "No, no this one is going to be a handful. I can already tell."

"Are you going to stay here for the birth?" I ask her, worried about the idea of her flying back this late into her pregnancy.

"I want to," she tells me. "I want my second born to be born an Illean citizen. I want them to be born as your citizen."

I can't stop the tears welling in my eyes at her words. That much faith, in me.

It means everything.