“THE BABY AND I are fine... Please give the rest of the apartment some space... No, it is not true that I am returning to Seattle.” That insidious rumor had popped up as soon as she’d left the palace.
There was nothing in Seattle for her. Her parents were gone, and the clinic had filled her position almost as soon as she’d put in her two-week notice. She’d already let the travel nursing agency know she wouldn’t be accepting any more assignments. The island of Palaío was her child’s place. And she’d find her path here.
Hopefully, one that didn’t involve as much of a spotlight after she had the baby. She smiled through the pain as she nodded to the crowd that had gathered after the reports she’d moved back to her apartment had emerged. She swore some of them were camping out at her home.
Home...
The apartment wasn’t home. She’d didn’t even have all the furniture back. Though Ioannis had ensured the dishes were returned, the living room furniture was in Dr. Bandi’s temporary apartment. A delivery was scheduled at the end of the week, but until then, this was just a sparse shell.
Calla hugged her waist as she stood in the empty living room. She’d managed the last three days by keeping one foot in front of the other. And ensuring she only worked during the new doctor’s shift.
Kostas hadn’t sought her out.
After making sure he knew where she was and that everything was safe for weeks, he’d simply dropped it. She bit the inside of her cheek, but it didn’t stop the tears from falling.
She’d meant what she’d said. She didn’t want to live under his microscope. Didn’t want to be perfect for the cameras. Calla wanted to be herself, wanted that to be enough. But she wished he’d stopped her. Wished he’d said something...
But what was there to say?
Liam had wanted to mold her into the society wife. It hadn’t worked. Kostas had wanted her to be the perfect princess. Above any kind of reproach. Never mind that the island wouldn’t see her that way...at least not right away.
After a few years, when the baby was older, when she and Kostas were still a happy couple. Maybe then the narrative might change.
The narrative, the one she claimed not to care about, seemed to encompass her now. The questions, the shouts, the sideways glances, the rumors. They took a toll.
One that would have been worth it...if she and Kostas were a real team.
That was the hurt that cut the deepest. That he hadn’t talked to her. Told her the game plan. He’d acted like the prince, taking control and shaping the world to his liking.
Today she’d taken back a piece of the narrative, though. She’d sent half of her paycheck to the palace. At least this way no one could say she’d taken more from Kostas than she was owed.
A knock sounded on her door, followed by a raised voice claiming to be from some blog site. She closed her eyes as she slid down the wall of her apartment. She would not answer...but they’d effectively trapped her.
Her finger itched to call Kostas...but pride stilled it. She was fine; she was fine...
If you say it long enough, will it be true?
“What do you mean she sent part of her paycheck here?” Kostas pushed a hand through his hair. He’d started letting it grow back out after Calla’s statements in The Grotto a few weeks ago. There’d been a few comments from people on the island and more than one cruel statement on social media calling it unprofessional. But he felt more like himself.
And Ioannis hadn’t cared. He’d changed himself because of his own perception of expectations rather than what they actually were.
Natalia looked at the tablet in her hands and stated the sum before adding, “Based on my calculations, she’ll have paid you back in full in the next six months.”
“I don’t need to be paid back.”
Don’t want it.
“Perhaps not, but if anyone asks, it will be good to show the record of her repaying it now that you two aren’t together.”
Natalia’s crisp words struck Kostas. “What?”
She opened her mouth but Kostas stopped her. “No need to repeat, that was rhetorical.”
Natalia nodded as she looked at her tablet again and started listing the day’s events. He was scheduled at the clinic until four, which meant that Calla wouldn’t be there.
He closed his eyes as that pain washed over him. In the three days since she’d walked out, she’d successfully avoided him in the one place they hadn’t been able to escape each other for months. He’d pushed through his regular schedule, his body aching with hurt and need that he made sure not to show.
“There is a concert this weekend, benefiting...” Natalia frowned as she tapped a few things onto the tablet. “I just had it here.”
Kostas waved a hand. “I’m not interested in attending a concert right now.” He was stunned she’d even suggest it. He was barely managing to do the things he had to do. If he could’ve gotten away with calling off at the clinic for a week, he would. But duty and responsibility...
Duty and responsibility. The words tasted bitter, even though they remained unspoken.
“Oh.” Natalia pursed her lips and dragged her finger up on the electronic planner. “Eleni mentioned you might not be interested in things for a while, but you seem so fine.”
Fine? He looked at his assistant. She was serious. How could she be serious? Surely, he wasn’t that good of an actor...his mask wasn’t that secure. Was it?
“Where is Eleni this morning?”
“It’s breakfast time, so probably with the children in their rooms. They like to do a relaxed—”
“Thanks, Natalia,” Kostas called as he hustled to his brother and sister-in-law’s suite. A hard bubble of truth was settling under his skin, and he wanted to confirm it with someone he could trust.
“Good morning, Kostas.” Eleni’s voice was warm as she looked up from nursing Zelia.
“Do people not realize I’m heartbroken?” The question was awkward, but he couldn’t pull it back or ask it better.
His world had fallen apart when Calla walked out. She’d let the press see her tears. He’d run his hand over the images, hating the pain, but uncertain what he should do.
He’d kept up the regal face. The images captured showed a doctor in control, a man exiting the clinic on time. Going about his day, as always. But he was still devastated.
“No. You hide behind your mask well, Kostas. I wasn’t sure until now.”
If the mask could fool his sister-in-law, what about Calla?
She softened her tone as she looked at him. “You control so much that the world doesn’t see you. They see Prince Kostas.”
Control.
He’d tried to control everything since returning to the island. He’d promised himself that no one would find fault with him. And that if they made something up, he’d rebut it.
But it wasn’t real. Who he was with Calla was the real Kostas. And he’d let that go for—what?—an image he didn’t even want.
His father had failed to listen to his mother. To hear what she wanted. And he’d done the same. Unintentionally and with much better motives. But that didn’t change the fact that he’d hurt the woman he loved.
“I need to see Calla.” He turned without waiting for a response.
Just before he heard the door close, Kostas caught Eleni’s whispered, “About time.”
“Prince Kostas, what are you doing here?”
“Seeing the woman I love and begging forgiveness.” He saw a few heads pop up at that statement and hated that it was surprise coating them. It was oddly freeing to say exactly what he wanted rather than couch it.
They shouted a few more questions at him as he hit the top of the stairs. He knocked on Calla’s door and his heart broke as she called through, “No comment.”
A few cameras followed, and he knew they were capturing this moment. But for the first time in his life, he didn’t care. He loved Calla. He wanted everyone to know it, full stop.
“It’s me, Calla.”
He waited, the silence stretching as he leaned his head against her door, aware of the additional eyes watching him.
“No comment,” Calla called again, but there was a hiccup of a sob behind it.
“Fine. I’ll sit outside this apartment until we talk. We can even talk through the door, sweetheart. But I’m not giving up.” He slid down the door.
He waved to the camera as he leaned back. He was a man in love, and he was determined that no one was going to doubt that. Most especially the woman on the other side of the door.
“That will make quite the story.” Her voice was soft, but he could still hear her. She must be sitting right by the door.
“Maybe.” He responded. “But I don’t care what the story is. I love you, and that is the only story that matters. And if the only people that ever know it are the two of us, then that is enough. I’m done caring what the headline or narrative is.” He didn’t shout the words, but he didn’t whisper them, either.
Let the world know the truth. All he cared was that Calla heard him. That she knew he loved her.
The lock clicked and he couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face. Standing, he opened the door, sliding inside. His breath caught as he saw her sitting on the floor next to the door, tears streaming down her face.
“Calla.” He bent next to her.
“I’m fine, Kostas. Or I will be. Don’t worry, I won’t let them see me break. At least not like this, promise.”
He brushed away a tear, his heart shattering at the sight of the woman he loved hurting. Worried about how it looked to someone else. He’d done this. His quest for perfection, even though he’d said he didn’t care about the narrative anymore...part of her still wasn’t sure.
“Calla, I am so sorry. I don’t need perfection, honey. I just need you.” He reached for her hands, grateful when she let him hold them. It was more than he deserved.
“I love you. I should have said that when we fought. Hell, I should have said it the moment I realized it. Should have told you then shouted it to the world. I don’t have a good excuse for why I didn’t. Fear. The need to protect myself. A lifetime of keeping things inside.”
Calla’s bright eyes lit up as she looked at him. “You love me, not who I could be or because I’m carrying your child?” She hiccupped as she looked at him.
“Just you.” He placed a hand over where their child slept. “I love this little guy or gal too. But it’s their mother that I’m here for. I want to be a team, Calla. A real one.”
Calla threw her hands around Kostas’s shoulders. “I love you too.” She kissed him before pulling back.
Pursing her lips, she stood, looking at the door and then back at him. “But I also owe you an apology. That is a lot!” She gestured to the door. “I’ve done my best to handle it, but...”
“Your best was pretty great.” He dropped a kiss to her nose.
“Maybe for a day or so. Over the long term...” Calla glared at the door. “I am not saying we have to refute everything, but I also understand your desire to.
“I let the trauma of my past cloud my present. I was so worried that you’d find fault with me eventually. That the narrative was meant for me, not them. That I wasn’t enough. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, Calla. You will always be enough.” He brushed his lips against hers.
“I have something for you.” Kostas grinned as he slid to one knee. “Calla Lewis, will you marry me?” He flipped open a ring box, watching carefully how Calla’s eyes brightened.
“It’s a different ring.” She beamed as her eyes looked at the ring. “Oh, it’s beautiful. Yes, Kostas. Yes, I will marry you.”
He took the ring from the box and slid it on her finger. The diamond was smaller, and it had two sapphires on either side. It was gorgeous, reminding him so much of Calla the moment he’d seen it.
Maybe it wasn’t large, and it wouldn’t be easily identifiable in pictures like the other, but it was meant for her. And that was all that mattered.
Dropping his lips to hers, he relaxed as she slid into him. The world was simply right when she was in his arms.