He laughed, but his throat closed. “Oh, my God.”
She whispered, “I know.”
The desire to take her into his arms overwhelmed him and he pulled her close, squeezing his eyes shut. “Thank you.”
She leaned back so she could catch his gaze. “For showing you the best way to feel the baby or for actually having the baby?”
Her eyes warmed with humor. The tension that had seized his back and shoulders for the past six weeks eased and he laughed. “It’s a big deal to have a baby.”
“Millions of women do it every day.”
He sobered. “But not under such ridiculous conditions.”
She took his hand, pressed it to her stomach again. “The conditions aren’t that bad.”
“You’re not going to have a life.”
She shrugged. “I know. I already figured out it’ll take some hellaciously special guy to ask out a woman who’s divorced from a king and mother to a child who’s about to become king.” She met his gaze. “Very few guys will want to get on the bad side of a man who can answer the question ‘you and what army?’”
With the baby wiggling under his fingers, he said, “I’m so sorry.”
She waited until he looked at her again, then she whispered, “I’m not.”
“Then you haven’t fully absorbed the ramifications of this mess yet.”
“First, I don’t think it’s a mess. I told you. I didn’t think I’d ever become a mom. This baby is a great gift to me.” She shrugged. “So I have to give up dating permanently?” She put her hands on top of his. “This is worth it.”
“It is.”
He didn’t mean to say the words out loud. He now hated doing anything that gave her false hope. But she smiled and lay down.
“I’m sorry. Are you tired? Do you want to go to sleep?”
“Sleep?” She laughed and pointed at her stomach, which still rippled with movement. “You think I’m going to sleep with the Blue Man Group rolling around?”
He laughed, too, and settled on his pillow again. “Have you thought of names?”
“I pretty much figured your country would name her.”
He sat up again and looked down into her eyes. “The country?”
She shrugged. “Parliament.” She shrugged again. “Maybe your dad. Maybe tradition.”
“Tradition plays a role but essentially we get to name the baby.”
Her eyes lit. “Really? So if I want to call her Regina Rose, I can?”
He winced. “Sure.”
“You don’t like Regina?”
“I’d rather she just be Rose. It’s a good solid name.”
“It is.” She paused a second before she said, “And if it’s a boy?”
“I’ve always been fond of James Tiberius Kirk.”
“Star Trek! You’d name our baby after someone in Star Trek?”
“Not just any old someone. The captain. Plus Tiberius is an honorable name.” He met her gaze. “So is James.”
“I might not mind it if we dropped the Kirk.”
“I think that goes without saying.”
He lay down again. She snuggled into his side.
“You know the sheikh still asks about you.”
She laughed.
“He wanted to know if you got your three weeks on the yacht.”
“Did you tell him I didn’t?”
“No.”
“Did you explain that we had a fight?”
He sat up again. “This isn’t a fight. It’s the way things have to be.”
She said, “Yes, Your Majesty.” Not smartly. No hint of sarcasm and he knew she understood.
It should have made him feel better. It didn’t.
He lay back down again. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do in two years?” He couldn’t bring himself to say after we divorce. He knew that would hurt her too much.
“I’m still debating something Sally said about using my notoriety to bring attention to my causes.”
“Education?”
He felt her nod.
“You know, you can still live in the palace.”
“I know.”
That would be hard for her, but having just felt his baby move for the first time, strange emotions coursed through him. He couldn’t imagine Ginny gone. Couldn’t quite figure out how two people raised a child when they lived in separate houses. He’d been so cool about this in the beginning. So detached. But now that he’d felt his child, was getting to know Ginny, he saw all those decisions that were made so glibly had sad, lonely consequences.
“I just think it would be easier if I lived on the other side of the island. I’d be close, but not too close.”