Royal's Wedding Secret Read Online Free Page A
Author: Sophia Lynn
…"
Cassie blinked at Marnie's desperation, but she didn't agree right away.
"Does this have something to do with His Royal Highness that we saw yesterday?"
Victoria, whose ears were far sharper than Marnie cared to think about, perked up at Cassie's words. "Royal Highness? Like a prince?"
Marnie winced a little, but nodded. "Exactly like a prince, smart girl. Mama just has some things she needs to see to, that's all …"
Cassie nodded.
"Yeah, I can take her just fine tonight, though I really do need you to show up to take her by midnight. I'm doing the early shift tomorrow."
Marnie nodded with relief. "Thank you so much, I totally owe you."
"Whatever. Just make sure that you tell me what happens tonight."
Marnie turned to Victoria, who was gazing up at her with suspicious eyes. The transition to kindergarten hadn't been an easy one for her, and she had responded by being even more clingy when she wasn't at school. She had gotten a little better, but there were still days when she responded to any deviation in her routine with a meltdown.
"Honey, I know I said we would go home after the bookstore, but there's just a few things I need to do. Cassie's going to take you to her place, and then I'll come pick you up after you are asleep, okay? You'll wake up in your own bed in the morning, just like you like."
Victoria's dark brows knitted together, and Marnie was afraid a real tantrum was on the way when Cassie, blessed Cassie, interjected.
"Come on back with me, kiddo. I'll get out some of my clay and we can make animals."
Victoria brightened at that. Cassie's apartment was a mélange of art supplies, and getting to play with some of them was always a treat.
"What do you say to Cassie, Victoria?"
"Thank you, Cassie," she said dutifully, and then she hugged her mother fiercely.
"But come get me soon, okay, Mama?"
As always, Marnie could feel her heart melt. Ever since her daughter was born, she had always had that effect on her.
"I will, I promise, sweetie. Go on, you and Cassie should head out."
Once she was alone, Marnie was left to deal with her spinning thoughts, which was hardly much better. If she was being honest with herself, she had always suspected that this day would come, though she had never known exactly how it was going to go. She told herself that she had nothing to be ashamed about, squared her shoulders, and walked out.
DiMartino's was a pleasant all-night coffee shop that was fairly peaceful, given that it had not been swamped by the after-bar crowd yet. She managed to locate Philip sitting in a tucked away alcove near the rear, and taking a deep breath, she went over to sit across the table from him.
For the first time, she looked at him and she wasn't overwhelmed with the past that they shared. Instead, when she looked at him, Marnie saw a man with cold black eyes who was unpredictable and who might bring some very real harm to her small family.
"Is she mine ?" The question was uttered flatly, and she supposed that that was fair. If they were there for any other reason, they might have started some other way, but at the moment, that was the only important thing.
She took a deep breath and told him the truth.
"Yes. She is."
For a moment, the silence between them was as thick as a winter fog. She waited to see if he would shout, if he would simply walk straight out of the restaurant. Marnie had no idea how Philip would react, and she finally admitted to herself that daydreams all aside, this was now a full-grown man that she could not predict.
"When did you find out?"
"It took me a month after you left before I even began to suspect," Marnie said. "After that, I was in denial for two weeks, and then Cassie made me take a test. It was positive."
For a moment, she saw a series of emotions flit across Philip's face, too fast for her to see. Then he looked at her, his expression stern. Something in her balked at that. He wasn't her father or her boss. He was not someone who had any
Cassie blinked at Marnie's desperation, but she didn't agree right away.
"Does this have something to do with His Royal Highness that we saw yesterday?"
Victoria, whose ears were far sharper than Marnie cared to think about, perked up at Cassie's words. "Royal Highness? Like a prince?"
Marnie winced a little, but nodded. "Exactly like a prince, smart girl. Mama just has some things she needs to see to, that's all …"
Cassie nodded.
"Yeah, I can take her just fine tonight, though I really do need you to show up to take her by midnight. I'm doing the early shift tomorrow."
Marnie nodded with relief. "Thank you so much, I totally owe you."
"Whatever. Just make sure that you tell me what happens tonight."
Marnie turned to Victoria, who was gazing up at her with suspicious eyes. The transition to kindergarten hadn't been an easy one for her, and she had responded by being even more clingy when she wasn't at school. She had gotten a little better, but there were still days when she responded to any deviation in her routine with a meltdown.
"Honey, I know I said we would go home after the bookstore, but there's just a few things I need to do. Cassie's going to take you to her place, and then I'll come pick you up after you are asleep, okay? You'll wake up in your own bed in the morning, just like you like."
Victoria's dark brows knitted together, and Marnie was afraid a real tantrum was on the way when Cassie, blessed Cassie, interjected.
"Come on back with me, kiddo. I'll get out some of my clay and we can make animals."
Victoria brightened at that. Cassie's apartment was a mélange of art supplies, and getting to play with some of them was always a treat.
"What do you say to Cassie, Victoria?"
"Thank you, Cassie," she said dutifully, and then she hugged her mother fiercely.
"But come get me soon, okay, Mama?"
As always, Marnie could feel her heart melt. Ever since her daughter was born, she had always had that effect on her.
"I will, I promise, sweetie. Go on, you and Cassie should head out."
Once she was alone, Marnie was left to deal with her spinning thoughts, which was hardly much better. If she was being honest with herself, she had always suspected that this day would come, though she had never known exactly how it was going to go. She told herself that she had nothing to be ashamed about, squared her shoulders, and walked out.
DiMartino's was a pleasant all-night coffee shop that was fairly peaceful, given that it had not been swamped by the after-bar crowd yet. She managed to locate Philip sitting in a tucked away alcove near the rear, and taking a deep breath, she went over to sit across the table from him.
For the first time, she looked at him and she wasn't overwhelmed with the past that they shared. Instead, when she looked at him, Marnie saw a man with cold black eyes who was unpredictable and who might bring some very real harm to her small family.
"Is she mine ?" The question was uttered flatly, and she supposed that that was fair. If they were there for any other reason, they might have started some other way, but at the moment, that was the only important thing.
She took a deep breath and told him the truth.
"Yes. She is."
For a moment, the silence between them was as thick as a winter fog. She waited to see if he would shout, if he would simply walk straight out of the restaurant. Marnie had no idea how Philip would react, and she finally admitted to herself that daydreams all aside, this was now a full-grown man that she could not predict.
"When did you find out?"
"It took me a month after you left before I even began to suspect," Marnie said. "After that, I was in denial for two weeks, and then Cassie made me take a test. It was positive."
For a moment, she saw a series of emotions flit across Philip's face, too fast for her to see. Then he looked at her, his expression stern. Something in her balked at that. He wasn't her father or her boss. He was not someone who had any
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