Chapter Ten
The next morning at the hospital, Rachelle walked into the children’s wing flanked by Magnus and Eric. Her stomach did a nervous flip. So far, the day had all the elements of a first day at school. Eric was defiantly refusing to wear his costume, stating that football players did not visit in their gear. Magnus had had his men bring the costume and was doing a poor job of concealing his disgust with Eric’s decision. The two were in a pissing contest of royal proportion. Rachelle was ready to tell them both to grow up and remember that the visit was for actual children.
“Your Royal Highness, we are so pleased to have you with us again,” the hospital administrator said—tall, thin, and stern-looking until she smiled. “I heard you have brought a stuffed animal for every child. Would you like us to distribute them, or will you be doing so?”
“We will, right, Magnus?” Rachelle asked.
The administrator’s mouth rounded in surprise before she composed herself like lightning.
Magnus smiled at the flustered woman and spoke as if Rachelle hadn’t. “Since Mr. Westerly is not encumbered by his costume, I’m sure he would like to do the honors himself.”
Eric growled.
“It’s a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Westerly. The children have talked about little else since we made the announcement this morning.” With a bow of her head, the administrator added, “Please consider accompanying Mr. Westerly, Your Royal Highness. There will be a great number of children who will be disappointed if you don’t. Tinsley in room five plans to propose to you.”
“Propose?” Magnus’s head snapped back.
“She’s three,” the administrator said with a smile. “And she believes you also have a palace at Disney. It’s where she dreams of going when she feels better.”
Magnus’s expression sobered. “Will that be soon?”
“She’s very ill, but we see miracles here every day.” The woman looked at Eric. “Your presence is surely one of those. I did not think even our prince could convince you.” As if realizing what she’d said, she quickly added, “No offense, Your Royal Highness.”
“None taken,” Magnus said. “It was not an easy feat.”
The woman turned and greeted Rachelle. “And you are?”
Rachelle opened her mouth to answer and then didn’t know how best to refer to herself. Eric’s sister? Or simply Rachelle, the woman who had almost had sex with a prince in his garden last night? I could probably leave that last part off.
Magnus stepped forward and placed his hand possessively on Rachelle’s back. “Miss Westerly is Eric’s sister and a friend of mine.”
“It’s a pleasure to have you, Miss Westerly.” She looked as if she wanted to ask about Rachelle, but didn’t. “Why don’t we stop in and see Finn first? I’ve never seen him so excited.”
She led the way into the room of a young boy. Though thin and frail-looking, he was smiling. His smile faded somewhat when his gaze settled on Eric. “You’re Water Bear Man?”
“I am,” Eric said as he approached the boy’s bed.
“Where’s your suit?” Finn asked.
His mother instantly jumped in to explain how excited Finn was to meet his hero regardless of what he wore. It broke Rachelle’s heart that her brother had disappointed the boy.
“No,” Magnus said, “let Finn speak his mind. I have asked myself the same question.”
“I heard you wanted to meet me, Finn. I didn’t think you really wanted to have a conversation with a man in a spandex costume.” Rachelle wanted to strangle Eric when he added, “You do know that Water Bear Man isn’t real.”
The room fell silent as everyone waited for Finn’s response. His young chin rose. “I know he’s not real, but I like him. He’s strong and brave and he makes me laugh. I don’t care if he’s a lie. I tell my mother medicine tastes good even when it doesn’t, so she won’t cry. Maybe you could lie just a little to make me feel better.”
Tears filled Rachelle’s eyes, and she didn’t know what she would do if Eric refused that brave little boy. She felt Magnus’s hand tense on her back and glanced up at him. His expression was tightly controlled, but fury lurked in his eyes.
With all the charm of the star he was, Eric smiled at the boy. “So if I put my costume on and come back in, we can pretend this didn’t happen?”
Finn reminded Rachelle of a young Magnus when he looked directly at Eric and said, “Only if you visit the other kids, too. I don’t want to be the only one who meets him.”
“You represent Vandorra well, Finn,” Magnus said, and a huge smile spread across Finn’s face.
“Did you hear that, Dad?” Finn turned to speak to the burly man beside his bed.
“I did.” He leaned forward and ruffled his son’s hair.
“Dad, tell Prince Magnus what you said about him.”
The man looked uncomfortable before his prince.
Magnus graciously said, “I’m sure it was good.”
Finn sat up straighter. “He said you’re his hero because you fight for what we need. He used other words, but I can’t say them because my mom’s here.”
Magnus laughed. “That’s a smart choice.”
Rachelle loved the admiration she saw in Finn’s eyes as he spoke to Magnus. Eric excused himself from the room, taking a bag from one of the royal guards as he went.
“Is she your girlfriend?” Finn motioned toward Rachelle.
“Yes,” Magnus said, then winked down at Rachelle. Even though Rachelle knew it was all a show for Finn, her heart was thudding wildly in her chest.
“She’s pretty,” Finn said.
“I think so.” Magnus took a seat beside the boy’s bed. He leaned in and spoke in a conspiratorial voice. “But I have to be careful with her, because when she gets riled up, she puts me in my place.”
Finn’s eyes widened. “How does she do that?”
Magnus wagged a finger and mimicked a woman’s voice. “Magnus, don’t you know better than that?” His voice returned to normal. “She calls me Magnus even though I’ll probably have to throw her in jail for not showing proper respect.”
“Would you really do that?” Finn asked with a gasp.
Magnus turned and gave Rachelle a long look, as if he was seriously considering the possibility. “It would be very difficult to date her if she were in jail, so I probably won’t.”
“What a relief,” Rachelle joked as she fanned her face with one hand.
“Is there someone in here who wanted to meet me?” Water Bear Man, a.k.a. Eric, in a gray spandex suit and cape, boomed from the doorway. The room vibrated with energy, as if an actual superhero had entered.
Finn waved to him. “I did.”
As Eric approached, he took up more of the room, and his acting was so convincing that it was easy to forget that just moments ago he hadn’t wanted to do this. He really is talented. Eric made Finn laugh with a story of being late because he’d overshot Vandorra and accidentally ended up in Italy. With his chest puffed up and his voice dramatically deep, Eric announced that it’s a crime to visit Italy without having a meatball. And no one could have a meatball without pasta. And who could have pasta without a loaf of bread? He gave his flat abs a pat, claiming that he’d had to fly around the planet three times to burn off all those calories.
Magnus gave up his seat to Eric and returned to Rachelle’s side. Finn laughed at everything his hero said.
Finn’s father and mother came over and thanked Magnus. Both had tears in their eyes. The father said, “Your Royal Highness, you don’t know how much this means to my family. Finn has been strong for so long, but he was losing his fight. You gave him someone to believe in again.”
“Water Bear Man,” Magnus said.
Finn’s mother touched her husband’s arm. “No, you. We’ve always told him that your father feels like our father. He watches over us. We told him that one day you will do the same. To children, something like that can be difficult to imagine, but you’ve shown him that he’s important to you. He’ll carry that gift with him for the rest of his life. As will we.”
Magnus shook both of their hands as if they were friends of his, and Rachelle fell a little in love with him as he did. Here was the strong boy in the painting, the man who’d offered to save her when he’d thought she was trapped in an immoral profession. This man would one day be an amazing king.
Eric looked over at Rachelle, and there was an expression of humility in his eyes. It was as if he hadn’t understood until just then that only he saw himself as a pathetic joke. Spandex, cape, and all, he was bringing real joy to a sick child. He handed Finn a stuffed water bear, placed his hands on his hips, and said, “Finn of Vandorra, I want very much to meet the children of this place, but I require a guide. Are you up to the task?”
Finn looked to his parents for permission, who looked to the nurse beside them. She nodded and said he could wheel his IV with him.
“This is going to be great,” Finn announced, “but I should put on some pants.”
Eric raised a stuffed water bear in the air and boomed, “Yes, Finn of Vandorra, put on some pants, and we shall tour this place and leave mini-mes all over this land.”
Finn waved for the nurses to pull his IV, then scrambled off the bed, gathered his clothing, and headed into the bathroom of his room. While he was in there, Rachelle took the opportunity to speak to Eric. “His family is so happy you’re here. You’ve touched their lives.”
Eric gave her a playful slug to the arm. “I wouldn’t be here at all if it weren’t for you. Thank you.”
Magnus joined them. “The suit does make a difference.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed, but the anger from earlier was gone. When Finn entered the room again, Eric said, “Prince Magnus, that is hilarious. You should tell jokes to all the children. Finn, ask your prince to tell you a joke. He’s so funny.”
Finn stepped up and looked back and forth between his two heroes. “Do you know any jokes?”
Magnus looked stumped, then uncomfortable. Rachelle leaned toward Magnus and said, “Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?” Magnus asked.
“Orange.”
“Orange who?”
“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?” Magnus asked again.
“Orange.”
“Orange who?”
“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Orange.”
“Orange who?”
“Orange you glad we’re off to meet another child instead of telling knock-knock jokes all day?”
Everyone laughed—even Eric and Magnus. For a moment they were on the same side.
Finn led the way, organizing the support staff, who were carrying boxes of stuffed animals. He shared his visitation route with the intensity of a child who had spent considerable time dreaming of exactly how the day would go. Eric walked at his side, waving to all the children while staying true to his superhero character.
Magnus remained at Rachelle’s side, leaving her only to greet each child. They were as excited to meet him as they were Water Bear Man, and Rachelle loved watching Magnus become more and more comfortable with them. His humor was dry, but the children laughed, and their parents gushed their gratitude.
One mother said she traveled several hours each day because she could not afford to stay in the nearby hotels anymore. Magnus called the hospital’s administrator over and asked if she knew of a successful program for providing short-term housing at hospitals. She said she did, but so far, she had not made headway getting the funds to maintain it. Magnus merely nodded, but that seemed promising enough for the administrator to look pleased. His people trust him to care about them. Where do you see that in leaders anymore?
The last room they visited held Tinsley, still bald from treatments, who left her bed as soon as Magnus entered the room and took his hand. Despite the dark circles beneath her sparkling blue eyes, she turned her eyes adoringly up at Magnus. “I have waited my whole life for you,” she said so seriously that Rachelle swallowed the laugh she’d almost let out.
Magnus sat in the chair so he was at her eye level. “That’s an awfully long time.”
“Three years,” Tinsley said.
The girl’s parents stood off to one side, smiling. It was impossible not to. The little girl was absolutely adorable.
“I have good news and bad news for you,” Magnus said in a serious tone.
The little girl’s bottom lip jutted out in a pout. “No bad news.”
“Okay, then I have good news and better news.”
Tinsley smiled and clapped. “Good news.”
“There are castles at Disney, but none that are mine, so there is no need to marry me.”
The little girl’s smile faded; then she looked at him with hope in her eyes. “Better news?”
“If it’s okay with your parents, I will send you to the Disney park of your choice as soon as you are healthy enough to go. So you’d better get healthy soon. Mickey Mouse is waiting to meet you.”
“Disney!” Tinsley cried out, and threw her arms around Magnus. Her parents came over to thank him. He looked up, and the smile he gave Rachelle stole another piece of her heart.
Eric chuckled from the doorway. “Nothing I could say will top that.”
Magnus said goodbye to Tinsley one last time and walked out of her room with Rachelle and Eric. He caught his reflection in a glass window and realized he was smiling. How had something that had been such a miserable experience just a few days ago become enjoyable?
Rachelle.
He could easily picture her by his side at other events. Her simple light-blue slacks and cream blouse would not gain the front page of a fashion magazine, but his people didn’t need a fashion role model. They needed someone who would care about them, someone who would raise the next generation of his family with the same moral integrity his mother had.
For the first time in his life, Magnus had met a woman he could imagine as queen of Vandorra. She would be a pleasure to bed, she liked children, and she’d said she was at a crossroads in her life. It was at least worth further consideration.
“What are you thinking?” Rachelle asked softly, and Magnus realized he’d been staring at her with a big smile on his face.
Neither of them was ready for where his thoughts had wandered, so he shared a passing idea from earlier. “I was imagining you in a nurse’s uniform, and then in half the uniform, and then in nothing.”
She blushed, then swatted his arm. “Not here. Not with kids around.”
Her words brought a fleeting image of her saying that to him because their own children were in a nearby room. He’d enjoy quietly convincing her that pleasure was worth the risk of waking them.
The ease with which he could picture Rachelle in his life was disconcerting. With his father’s failing health, it was time to start thinking about continuing the royal line. Finding the proper wife and bearing heirs was a fundamental responsibility that could no longer be brushed aside. Despite the public image bashing Rachelle had taken, he was confident his people would embrace her—as long as he introduced her to them properly. The visit to the hospital, even though it was not covered by the press, would be spoken about and would go a long way in winning their approval.
Although there was still a lot to learn about Rachelle, he trusted his instincts in business, and a royal marriage was part business. Anyone who made a vow to him also made a vow to his people. She would have to love them as he did. Not every woman was capable of such devotion.
Rachelle’s unwavering support of her brother demonstrated loyalty and commitment. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of exploring this possibility more intimately.
While Rachelle was temporarily occupied by one of the hospital’s staff, Eric walked over to speak to Magnus. He was still dressed in his formfitting suit. “Finn said that was the last one. I’d hire that kid when he’s older. He’s more organized than half the people I employ.”
From across the hall, Finn waved before disappearing into his room. He’d looked tired but happy. “You gave the children a memory they will treasure for a long time, and for that I am in your debt.” Magnus took out a card and handed it to Eric. “Now do something for yourself. The clinic is attached to this hospital. Go down to the service elevator, and take a left. Dr. Jonas Welsh is waiting to meet you. He will ensure everything is handled discreetly. If a cover story is required for your time there, we can say you are starting a children’s foundation that was inspired by your visit today.”
Eric pocketed the card. “He’s there now?” He glanced over at Rachelle.
Magnus could have avoided the awkward truth, but he always had been a charge-forward-into-battle kind of man. “She knows.”
Anger flared in Eric’s eyes.
In explanation rather than justification, Magnus added, “She deserved the truth. Your sister’s loyalty to you is a gift, not a burden.”
Eric rubbed his hands over his face. “I didn’t want her to worry.”
“She was already worried, now let her be there for you.”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this. Nobody does something for nothing. What did you say yesterday? You want to help me so Finn and Rachelle won’t be hurt. Well, Finn has met me now, so all that’s left is Rachelle. Are you hoping that she’ll stay here if I do?”
“She will stay, regardless.”
“You are one cocky bastard.”
“Let’s not start slinging insults—I am in a good mood.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve gotten to a place where I don’t care about much, but I care about Rachelle. If you hurt her—”
“I know—you’ll kill me. You want to scare me? Go get your shit together; then come for me. Right now you’re too easy a target.”
“Fuck you.”
“You disappoint me, Eric.” Magnus straightened to his full height. “Life is full of allies and enemies. Learn to recognize the difference.”
“You’re my ally?”
“I’m not your enemy.” Magnus sighed. “And right now you’re more at risk of hurting your sister than I am. She’s here because she loves you. You can piss on that or you can be grateful that you have someone like her in your life. It’s your choice.”
Eric frowned and folded his arms across his chest. He still looked conflicted when Rachelle rejoined them.
Unaware of the conversation’s direction, Rachelle was all smiles. “I don’t know about the two of you, but I’m ready to call today a success. Now we’re off to meet King Tadeas. What a day, huh, Eric?” When neither Magnus nor Eric smiled, she cocked her head to one side, and her forehead furrowed. “What did I miss?”
“I’m not going with you to meet the king,” Eric said.
“Why not?” Rachelle asked, her voice rising with concern.
The awkwardness of his movements looked out of place for a man in a superhero suit. “I have an appointment to keep.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
He smiled. “No, but I do want you in my life. I need to sort a few things out, but I’m glad you’re here.”
Tears filled Rachelle’s eyes. “Me too.”
Eric started to walk away.
Magnus called out, “Eric.”
He stopped and turned.
Magnus waved for one of his men to bring him the bag containing his regular clothing. “You may want those.”
Eric looked down, as if realizing only then that he was still in his spandex costume. He took the bag from the royal guard. “Good thinking, Your Imperial Highness.”
Magnus shook his head, but a smile pulled at his lips.
Once he and Rachelle were alone again, she laid her hand on his arm. “You told him.”
“I did.”
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”
His heart started a wild dance in his chest. Magnus had done many things during his lifetime he was proud of, but it had never felt this good. He chided himself for caring so much about one woman’s opinion of him.
She’d called the day a success. Yesterday, his agreement would have hinged on whether it ended with him in her bed or not. There was still a very good chance that it would, but for now, having her by his side was enough. “Come, my father is waiting to meet us.”