CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 28

“Palmer, can you–”

“Yeah, I got it,” Palmer said.

“How do you even know what she was going to say?” Lillian asked.

“Marriage,” Palmer and Elizabeth said at the same time.

“God, I want that one day,” Mari sighed wistfully.

“Since when?” Lillian asked, looking at her sister in confusion.

“Since Erik.”

“Oh, gross. Don’t become one of those women that needs a man, Mari.”

“I’m not. I love him, but I don’t need him.”

“No offense to Mari, but I’m a little more interested in learning about our newest Queen,” Alex spoke. “I had no idea.”

“Sorry, I didn’t tell anyone until recently,” Elin said.

“So, my parents aren’t aware?” Alex asked.

“What? No. Why?”

“Because you were meeting with them. It’s why you’re all here. And once they know you’re gay…”

“Oh,” Lillian said and laughed. “You think they’re going to try to hook the two of you up?”

“My dad did tell me that your father had been calling him more than usual,” Alex said.

“He just doesn’t stop, does he?” Elin asked, laughing.

“Elin is taken anyway,” Mari revealed.

“She is?” Palmer asked, sitting back down next to her wife on the sofa.

“She is,” Mari confirmed.

“I am not,” Elin replied, blushing a little. “We haven’t had that talk yet. We’ve only been on one date.”

“I thought you were in love with Ingrid?” Elizabeth remarked.

“She is in love with Ingrid,” Lillian replied.

“Are you dating to try to move on?” Palmer asked.

“No, I’m dating Ingrid,” Elin said, smiling.

“You are?” Elizabeth asked, smiling back.

“Really?” Palmer asked.

“Well, we’ve been on exactly one date, but we’re going on a second one when I get back.”

“Ingrid is gay?” Alex asked.

“Apparently,” Lillian said.

“Damn. I thought about asking her out when she was here, but I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to make things awkward.”

“You what?” Elin asked, glaring at her.

Alex laughed wildly and added, “I’m kidding. I knew you had a crush on her. I just wasn’t sure you were ready to admit it to yourself that you might be into a woman. You never told me you were gay, so I just assumed it was a crush or that you… Well, didn’t know yourself yet, I suppose.”

“Well, I am into her,” Elin said. “A lot.”

“Yeah, you love her,” Palmer added.

“Why do I associate with you, people?” Elin asked, only half-joking.

“So, it went well, then? Your date?” Elizabeth asked, taking Palmer’s hand in her own.

“It did.”

“Did you two…” Mari didn’t finish her sentence.

“Mari!” Lillian said. “No, wait… I want to know, too. Did you?”

“No, it was the first date.”

“Did you at least kiss her?” Palmer asked.

“Yes,” Elin said.

“And?”

“Fireworks,” Elin replied wistfully.

“Damn,” Alex said. “That good?”

Elin nodded and replied, “The best.”

“So, where are you going on your next date?”

“I don’t know,” she said honestly.

“You don’t know?” Lillian asked. “Just do something at home or at her place.”

“I’ve never had a date at the palace, and not everyone there knows yet.”

“What about her place?”

“She lives with her sister. And she’s very nice and might be gone – she’s a chef, so we’d have a few hours of privacy, I guess.”

“Privacy?” Alex asked with a quirked eyebrow. “Whatever for?”

“Oh, shut up,” Elin said.

◆◆◆

Later that night, Alex retired to her bedroom to get some reading done, Mari went to her room to talk to Erik, Lillian went to text some of her friends, and Palmer left to go tuck the kids in. That left Elizabeth and Elin sitting in the room with the still-roaring fireplace.

“She loves saying goodnight to them. I think it’s one of her favorite things,” Elizabeth shared. “It’s one of mine, too, but she’s reading a book to them tonight, so I’m letting her have this one.”

“I’m glad you were able to bring them. I love those two,” Elin said of Sophia and Leif.

“Soph has asked to start joining me in meetings when she’s not in school,” Elizabeth said.

“What?” Elin laughed.

“She’s taking this heir-to-the-throne thing very seriously. It’s very cute.”

“She’s not even eight years old,” Elin noted.

“She’s a little Palmer.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “My wife has always been ambitious and driven. It’s one of the reasons we got together in the first place. She didn’t give up on getting her story, and she ended up getting the girl.”

“And the happily ever after,” Elin added.

“And what about you?” Elizabeth asked.

“What about me?”

“Happily ever after?”

“Oh, I don’t know. We’ve had one date.”

“But you’ve known her for years.”

“I know. And I know how I feel about her. I know she’s interested in me. I’m just not going to confess my undying love on the first date.”

“I understand,” Elizabeth said.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“You had to come out as Queen; your country accepted it.”

“Yes, I was very lucky.”

“I think mine will, too, but I can’t seem to figure out the right way to do it.”

“Well, a speech is likely the best option.”

“But I’m dating Ingrid now. If I come out, all eyes will be on me and whomever I date. I don’t want that for us at the beginning of whatever this might be. I just kissed her for the first time.”

“And if you don’t come out?”

“I will. I’m not marrying a man, and I know I want a wife someday. I just worry that if I don’t say anything now, and Ingrid and I end up…Well, then people might be upset that I didn’t say something sooner. Plus, there’s the risk that they’ll find out about us before I say anything.”

“I thought it was just one date,” Elizabeth teased.

“It was the best date.” Elin sighed happily, recalling that kiss.

“You’re all starry-eyed over there,” Elizabeth noted, laughing at her.

“I always am when I talk about her.”

“Elin, ultimately, it’s your choice what you do. I’d suggest you and Ingrid have a talk, though, about what you both think. It sounds like what you two have will likely go beyond that second date, which means her opinion matters as well.”

“How did you talk about it with Palmer?”

“Palmer was honestly easy.”

“Hey,” Palmer said when she walked back into the room. “I was not.”

“Not what I meant, my love.” Elizabeth chuckled. “How are they?”

“Knocked out,” Palmer said. “The flight always makes them fall asleep easily. Speaking of easy…” Palmer looked at her wife.

“I was talking to Elin about how you and I decided to tell the country about us.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, I guess I was pretty easy.”

“You weren’t worried?” Elin asked.

“About what? I loved Elizabeth; I just wanted to be with her. Her job is unique and challenging at times, yes, but it’s a part of her, and I love her. So, nothing else really mattered to me.”

“You’re all starry-eyed over there,” Elin teased Elizabeth right back.

“Can you blame me?” Elizabeth asked without looking away from her wife.

“Are you worried about Ingrid?” Palmer checked.

“Not yet,” Elin said. “I’m more worried about when and how to tell the world about me. And if it continues with Ingrid – about us.”

“I don’t think there’s a wrong way to do it.”

“I guess I’ll just talk to her first and get her ideas. I mean, she was my secretary. She’s brilliant and great with this stuff. It’s one of the things I love about her.”

“I will say that coming out gave me the biggest feeling of relief,” Elizabeth shared. “Granted, my situation is a little different than yours, but just not having to worry about hiding that part of me anymore made things so much better.”

Elin knew at least some parts of Elizabeth’s story. She’d had a best friend named Teagan, and it had turned into something more; something Elizabeth thought would last forever. But her father, the former King of St. Rais, wasn’t exactly tolerant or accepting. He had two gay children, including Elizabeth’s brother, and neither of them felt comfortable coming out while the man was alive. Teagan had even married Elizabeth’s brother because it was the best way for Elizabeth and Teagan to be together and allow Elizabeth’s brother to have his own life.

Unfortunately, Teagan hadn’t liked the arrangement for long, and after some time, she told Elizabeth that she wanted to explore. Then, there was the horrible bombing at the hospital that had taken Elizabeth’s entire family, with the exception of her sister. Teagan was among the ones lost that day. The woman had dealt with so much bad; Elin thought in that moment that someone out there – maybe God or fate – thought Elizabeth deserved something good, too.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to bring you breakfast in bed so that you can sleep in,” Palmer said to Elizabeth.

“Why?” Elizabeth asked.

“Because you had a long day of meetings today.”

Elizabeth gave her a soft glare before saying, “And because you want to do something fun with Alex after breakfast, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Palmer admitted. “The NFL is here this week. Alex is letting me watch the game from the royal box. I would invite you, but…”

“I don’t care for American football,” Elizabeth finished the sentence for her. “Have fun.”

“Thank you,” Palmer replied.

Then, they both seemed to realize Elin was still in the room.

“So, what are you thinking for your second date with Ingrid?” Palmer asked.

“I have no idea. Where can Queens go on dates?”

“Anywhere you want, I think,” Palmer said.

“No, she means where can Queens go on dates with their secret possible future girlfriends,” Elizabeth clarified.

“Ah…”

“You know, we had a few pretty great dates involving the Northern Lights,” Elizabeth shared.

“We live in Norway; we’ve both seen them a million times,” Elin replied. “I want something special, you know?”

“Well, you could consider making it special,” Palmer suggested. “The lights without Elizabeth aren’t the same to me.”

“You can go to all of the American football games,” Elizabeth teased.

“Can I bring Leif and Soph so that they can get introduced?”

“Too far, baby,” Elizabeth joked.