10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Bren

The next morning, I opened the door early to find Calvin—err, Kalwin, there.

I had been pacing around my apartment since five this morning. It wasn't particularly late in the day, but time had slowed to a crawl. Sleep had been fitful, every little sound had woken me, in addition to my son actually waking me at least twice, possibly three times. I could no longer keep track.

When he had first been born, I kept track of nearly everything with an app on my phone. Now I didn't bother.

"Sorry," he said. "I know it's early, but I couldn't wait any longer." He was dressed down compared to how I saw him yesterday. He looked more like the man I knew a year ago with his facial hair longer and wearing a pair of faded jeans.

"That's fine. I understand." I opened the door wider, allowing him to come in. "No entourage today?"

He shook his head. "I have a bodyguard stationed downstairs. My people know where I am, but no one else does. Well, except for my brothers. We won't be interrupted by the press or anything crazy, as long as we don't leave."

"That's okay," I said. "This is all sort of crazy, and I'm so sorry that I never told you. Kalwin, um. Can I call you Kalwin? Or—" Goodness gracious, did I have to use his formal title in regular conversation? That would be maddening.

He grinned and squeezed my hand. "Kalwin is fine."

I led Kalwin into my home. It was not dissimilar from the apartment I had lived in before. He settled on the couch.

"Neale is still asleep. He should wake up in about twenty minutes. Would you like some coffee or something?"

Kalwin shook his head. "Can you tell me about him?"

"Of course," I said, sitting down next to him. "I realized I was pregnant shortly after coming home, and I had no way to let you know. And I had no family where I was because my sister was here. So that's when we started the application for me to move here permanently. My pregnancy was pretty easy, just very lonely. I worked all throughout and saved as much money as I could. Neale came a little bit early, but I just think he was ready to be out. He was six pounds and fourteen ounces, perfectly healthy."

"Who was there with you?"

I bit my lip. "No one."

Kalwin grimaced. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. Both of us cut ties. It is what it is. We're moving on." We had to. If I thought too much about what could have been I would spiral. I needed to keep a level head for my son. I had a feeling our life was about to get a thousand times more hectic.

"Exactly."

"About a month after he was born, I moved here. That plane ride wasn't the most enjoyable experience, but we settled in just fine. I returned to work."

"So soon after giving birth?"

It was my turn to grimace. "I didn't have a choice. Everything costs money."

"Right." His hands tightened into fists and his jaw tensed.

"It's not your fault," I said.

"If I had been there… You would have been taken care of, Bren. I swear it. I'll make this right."

I shrugged and kept going. "He's a great baby. He sleeps well. He eats well. Some days he refuses to be put down. Other days he refuses to be held. He's starting to smile. He recognizes my voice, which I think is amazing."

The baby monitor I had in the room crackled with Neale's little cry.

"Do you want to meet him properly?" I asked Kalwin.

He leapt to his feet as if he couldn't wait any longer. He followed me down the hall to the bedroom. Neale slept in a bassinet next to my bed since there was only one bedroom. It barely fit the double bed and bassinet.

"Good morning, buddy," I said as I walked into the room. "I have someone for you to meet." My nose wrinkled as I got closer. "And of course, you peed through your diaper. I'll get him changed and then you can hold him."

"I can do it," Kalwin said.

I raised an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. "I may be a prince, but I can change a diaper. I handle my nieces and nephews. As long as you think I won't scare him?"

"No, he's used to people. And I'm right here. Go ahead, pick him up."

Kalwin lifted his son in his arms and did not even flinch when he put his arms around the little boy who had peed through his diaper and into his pajamas. I quickly grabbed the sheet and tossed it in the hamper, then waited while Kalwin expertly took off Neale's sleeper and put on a fresh diaper and a new set of clothes. It was odd to watch another person take care of my child.

The three of us returned to the living room.

"What happens next?" I said. "I'm not keeping you from your son at all, but I know nothing of your world, and I just worry. What will—how will this all work?"

"I am sure it was a bit of a shock to find out I was not entirely truthful—"

"Kalwin. That's an understatement. I mean, I understand why you did it, but… "

"I know. And I'm sorry, Bren. I truly am. I'm not taking Neale from you at all. I would never do that. I'd like for you to move into the palace and be with me. So you and Neale can both be there."

Move? Into the palace? I had only ever walked by the place one time while I was on a guided tour of the city, and now I was expected to live there?

"Kalwin, I need to work. I don't think a commute from the castle to the coffee shop is going to work. Goodness gracious, moving? That's… that's a lot."

Neale settled easily into Kalwin's arms, watching intently while we talked. "You don't need to work. I can take care of you. I can pay for everything."

My stomach twisted. On one hand, that sounded amazing. I'd love not to worry about money. On the other… I'd love to be loved, and this didn't sound like love. "Let's table that idea."

"At least come stay for a little while? A week, maybe two? You can still work at the coffee shop. We'll arrange for a car to take you. I just… I want the two of you close by, so I can get to know Neale and you. Once Neale is recognized as one of the royal family, he will need to be kept safe and have his own set of guards."

"Guards?"

"It's protocol."

"Of course," I said as if that was a totally normal thing. He was a four-month-old child and he was going to have guards?

"You'll have guards as well."

"Oh, I'm not part of—"

"You will be. I don't know how my parents are going to take this, but I have already spoken with my brothers. They're very excited to meet you and Neale both. Please say you'll come."

"Okay," I said. Because I wanted more time with Kalwin and Neale needed to know his family.

The smile that lit up Kalwin's face told me I'd made the right choice. And when he leaned over and kissed me lightly, going slow to give me a chance to back away, I knew for sure… I was desperately in love with a prince, and I had no idea what the future held.