Chapter 0461
I blinked, staring at Julian. Go on vacation with them? Was he talking about the reward for the theater event? That would explain Veronica’s presence.
I stepped back and welcomed them into the room. Then I reminded them, “I’m not one of the high ranking candidates.”
Julian shrugged. “Who cares?” He had a devil–may–care kind of blasé behavior about this. One of those, I’m a prince and can do whatever I want, sort of attitudes.
“Surely, Veronica…?” I looked to her. This was her chance for personal one on one time with Julian. I knew she had said she was okay with losing the competition if it was to me, but there was no way she would just actively hand me her chances.
Veronica shrugged. “I’m more than okay with it. It was my idea.”
I stared at her in shock.
“It’s true,” Julian added. “Actually, she came to me this afternoon and told me all about it. Neither of us want you to be excluded.”
I still had trouble fathoming it. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful for such a clearly generous gift, but… “Why?”
Veronica looked at me flatly. “Why wouldn’t we want you there?”
“If we leave you here, you’ll just sit around and be miserable the whole time you are here,” Julian said. “Wouldn’t it be better to see what those two are up too, rather than imagine it?”
Those two. He was talking about Nicholas and Bridget. And honestly, I wasn’t sure that would be the case. Would I truly rather witness their coupledom myself?
Though maybe he did have a point. Maybe it would be worse to imagine it. So far, despite what Bridget has said about her and Nicholas being official, I haven’t seen any affection from Nicholas to indicate that was actually true.
If I left them alone on a beach though… in front of romantic sunsets…
the way of their courtship. This was how things were always meant to be. Nicholas was always
needed to respect that. I needed to stay
be such a worrywart. We won’t be with them every minute. We could have some
to be beautiful there,” Veronica
is,” Julian replied. “White sandy beaches. Blue–green waters. Bonfires in the evening.
kind of tropical paradise or resort. As
conversation, Elva had been playing near the corner of the room. She perked up
she called. “Are
know, honey,” I said, wondering just how much she overheard. “Probably not…” She left her stuffed animal tea party and skipped over to us. “Mommy, I want to go to the
everything. “I don’t know, honey.
just invited you,”
Veronica added.
then turned her doe eyes onto me.
so busy working, and her illness was such a consideration, we never ventured far from a doctor. Thusly, Elva had never seen the ocean. She never stepped on the sand. She’d seen it on television, sure, but never experienced
anything on my best days. Now, when I was
to Julian and told him. “Elva will need a doctor on site, just in case.”
“Does that mean you two are going
went impossibly bigger.
I sighed. “Yes.”
began to jump. Julian took her hands and together they danced around in a circle. “You are making the correct choice,” Veronica said. “You need to relax.”
asked honestly, “You
would be better
“Veronica…”
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