“I’d guess she’s pregnant.”
Silence filled the line and Luc’s heart sank. They hadn’t said a word to anybody, and the pain in his mother’s tone came through loud and clear.
“We haven’t told anyone,” Luc stated in a low voice, suddenly feeling like a kid again for lying to his mother. “She just found out before the wedding, and we had a bit of a fight. Is she okay?”
“A fight?” Of course his mom honed in on that and not his question. “Lucas, the woman is carrying your child and you argue with her? No wonder she looks exhausted. She’s been working like a dog since she got back. That’s why I wanted to know why you left the palace so suddenly.”
Luc gripped the phone. “It’s best if I’m not there right now.”
“I think you two need to talk. If you’re worried about the no-fraternizing rule, I think we can make an exception for Kate. Maybe she’s the answer to—”
“I’ve already thought of that,” he interrupted, cutting her off. “Kate doesn’t want to marry me.”
“Why don’t you come home,” his mother stated. “We can’t solve any problems with you brooding alone.”
He glanced at the mess he’d made. It wasn’t as if he knew what to do next, but the contractors had done an amazing job of renovating the bathroom he and Kate had torn into. They’d come to finish the kitchen once Luc gave the go-ahead after this wall was gone.
“I’m leaving now,” he told his mother. “Tell Kate I want to see her.”
“I’ll see what I can do, but she may have left for the day.”
If she’d left, he’d go to her place. She didn’t live too far from the palace, and if he had any say, she’d be inside that palace by the time their baby came.
Anything else was unacceptable.
Having her that last time had changed something in him, and nearly changed his marriage plan. That’s why he’d been up all night, second-guessing his motives. He’d thought he could check out emotionally, but he felt too much—guilt, desire...more.
He’d hurt her in ways he’d never, ever imagined he could. Yet she still did her job. She’d still come with him to the wedding. She still supported him.
And he loved her. His feelings were as simple and as complicated as that. He loved Kate with everything he had and he’d messed up—man, had he messed up.
Luc needed to tell her how he felt. More important, he needed to show her. Saying the words was easy; proving to Kate how much she meant to him would be the hurdle. But he hadn’t gone through all of this to give up now. Kate was his and he damn well wasn’t going to let her go.
Seventeen
It had been nearly a week since he’d last talked to Kate, and he was going out of his mind.
He’d come back to his office and found a letter of resignation on his desk. She’d left a message through her mother that she was fine and the baby was fine, but she wanted to be on her own for a bit.
A bit was longer than he could stand.
He’d lived without this woman for too long and refused to live that way another second.
His birthday was fast approaching, but even the looming date hadn’t entered his mind. For the past few days all that had played over and over was how stupid he’d been, how heartless and crass he’d been with his words, his actions. No wonder Kate wanted to leave, to steer clear of him. She loved him and he’d proposed to her with the pretense that he was doing so only to climb higher on the royal ladder.
He hadn’t needed much time after their last night together to realize walking away had been a mistake. Letting her believe he wanted her only for the crown was wrong.
Luc wanted Kate because she made him whole.
It had taken him some time to get the information on her whereabouts from her parents, and to have the construction crew finish some of the renovations on his beach home. He’d pulled some strings to get her here, but he wanted this to be perfect when he finally revealed the house and his true feelings. Nothing but the best for Kate from here on out.
He’d taken that extra time to find out more about the woman he loved. And he hoped the surprise he’d planned would help her understand just how much he wanted her in his life.
Luc stood in the living room watching the water, waiting for that familiar boat to dock. He’d recruited the help of Kate’s parents. Of course, in order to do that, he’d had to pull out all the stops and really grovel to them. If everything worked out the way he’d hoped, every ego-bursting, pride-crushing moment would be worth it.
When the boat finally came into view, Luc’s nerves really kicked into gear. He might have planned every bit of this evening, but Kate ultimately held all the power and control.
Her father helped her up onto the dock, leaned forward for a hug and watched as Kate mounted the steps. Luc moved to the doorway and waved as the man began to pull the boat away from the berth.