35. 35

35

Edie

A fter I drop off Odin and Camille at the hospital, I head home to crash for a few hours. Then it's time to open the bar.

I don't expect to see Kalle much today. From what they talked about last night, he'll be doing royal duties for the next few days while King Magnus recovers.

And he will recover.

When I unlock the door at one o'clock, I have a feeling that the rush of the last few days will ease off as people will take advantage of the post-storm summer day.

Days like this are why I told Kalle we need to have a patio.

But it will be nice to have a few minutes by myself. I'll be able to send out the beer and food orders, give Tyler a lesson on bookkeeping, and listen to Bethie tell me about the new guy she's dating.

But when I switch on one of the televisions, all of that is forgotten.

Kalle is on TV.

"…the family would like to thank all the doctors, and especially the nurses who watched over Dad, checked in with him hourly, and had to endure his attempts at humour while coming out of anesthesia," Kalle says.

I give a surprised laugh. Kalle—looking very good in a dark-coloured suit and purple tie—stands outside Battle Harbour General Hospital facing down a scrum of reporters.

This must be his worst nightmare but he's making a joke? Kalle is smiling , standing tall without gripping the podium. His beard has been freshly trimmed and something has been done with his hair. Styled with product, perhaps, done by someone who knows what they're doing, so not Kalle.

He looks… hot. So attractive that my knees weaken enough for me to need to climb onto a stool while I watch, mouth hanging open. Sexy. The reporters are eating up this onslaught of charm Kalle is eking out.

But it's more than that. Kalle looks…

"Like a king," I whisper.

A bubble of pride bursts and I can't stop smiling. Laughing. He can do this.

He takes questions, and it's not as smooth and polished as King Magnus, but Spencer is right beside him to bolster with information or the right word when Kalle stumbles. But it's the smile he wears that will win the country over, the ease at which he stands taking leadership.

Kalle is showing the world that he's going to be king one day, and he'll be okay in the role.

I always knew he had it in him. And now everyone will too.