Chapter 33

Tamara

Nine Months Later...

I tracked Jo as she paced the room, clenching and unclenching her perfectly manicured hands. “This is more stressful than university,” she said, stopping to look at me with wide eyes. “And I’m not even the one getting married.”

Victoria’s laugh tinkled over my shoulder and she stuck another pin in my hair. “You Americans are amusing.”

“Aren’t they?” Svetlana arrived at my side with a tall flute of champagne and passed it down to me. “How are you feeling?”

“A lot better than her,” I commented.

Mom stepped over to stop Jo, running her hands down my sister’s arms. “Relax,” she whispered.

Jo shook her head vehemently. “Relax? There are thousands of people out there.”

“It’s almost like you’ve never done this kind of thing before,” Victoria said.

Jo laughed and rolled her eyes. “Alright, Princess. Make your jokes. It’s not going to be funny when I face-plant halfway down the aisle.”

“On the contrary.” Victoria stepped over to Jo and placed a calming hand on her arm. “That would be the highlight of my year.”

“I would hope the highlight of your year would be your beloved brother tying the knot,” I chimed.

She winked at me. “Come on. Like that wouldn’t be funny.”

We all laughed, though Jo’s nervous giggle was loudest by far. I looked between the women surrounding me and smiled, knowing that without a doubt, today would be the highlight of my life.

A royal wedding. My royal wedding. I would have preferred a quiet ceremony at a country chapel somewhere, but if we had to do the whole song and dance in this gigantic abbey, that was fine too. All that mattered was that at the end of the day, I would be Mrs. Rainhall, proud wife of the most wonderful man in the world.

“You seem utterly serene, Tamara,” said Svetlana.

“Yeah,” Jo said. “What’s your secret?”

“No secret.” I shrugged. “I’m just ready.”

“That you are.” Mom came to stand in front of me, smiling with tears in her eyes. “You look so beautiful, baby. Like a princess.”

I twirled, my long skirt whispering over the aged oak floor. I’d chosen a gown fitted around the bodice with a high neck, long lace sleeves, and a full skirt that twinkled with pearls and tiny diamonds. I didn’t even want to think about how much the thing cost, but none of the dresses the wedding planner showed me would have been cheap.

Someone knocked on the door. “We’re ready to start.”

Jo’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head but Svetlana soothed her with a few words. My maid of honor and bridesmaids looked back at me expectantly.

“Go on,” I said. “Shoo. I want to get married now.”

Jo nodded and left, followed by Svetlana and Victoria. My mother lingered a second longer.

“I’m so proud of you.” She took my hands and squeezed them. “So, so proud.”

“Because I’m marrying a prince?”

She chuckled. “No. Because you’ve shed all the fear and insecurity that used to hold you back, baby. You can do anything now.”

I felt like I could, too. The world was at my fingertips, and all I needed to change it was a little courage. Courage that, because of Alexander, I now had in spades.

“You better get out there,” I said, holding back happy tears.

Mom nodded and then she was gone. I took a moment in the dressing room alone, realizing this was one of my last few moments of being ordinary. Today I became royalty.

Then again, with Alex I already felt like royalty every single day.

I grabbed my bouquet and stepped out of the room, where organizers waited to hustle me over to the bottom of the aisle. Organ music swelled the second I stepped onto the long red carpet, and everyone rose and looked back at me.

Damn, there really were a lot of people. Hundreds of faces on either side of the aisle stared back at me, smiling. But the only face that mattered was his. The only smile I saw was the one I fell in love with before I ever saw the face it belonged to.

I began to walk.

Sure, the abbey was stuffed with strangers and even more waited outside in the streets, but the second my eyes locked on Alex’s, it felt just the same as it would have in a quiet, intimate ceremony. I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t panicked. I was, as Svetlana said, serene.

And then, in the blink of an eye, I was married.

Jo and Tristan danced like lanky teenagers learning their first steps, which I suspected had more to do with Jo’s inexperience than any fault on Tristan’s part. Still, nobody else in the room looked happier. Well, except the bride and groom of course.

My mom sidled up beside me and leaned down. “Not nervous anymore, is she?”

I sat at a long table, elegantly laid out with flowers and crystal centerpieces. The rest of the tables had been moved aside to make room for the dance floor, though many of the guests had moved to one of the sitting rooms to drink and gossip. Everyone I loved was in this room, though, and the atmosphere was electric.

“I should’ve had Tristan come calm her down sooner,” I replied.

Beside me, Alex chuckled. “Do you think we’ll be attending their wedding anytime soon?”

“I hope so,” said Mom. “I don’t remember the last time I saw Jo this happy. And have you seen her grades?”

Jo had just finished her first semester at a local university and had no plans to go back to America anytime soon. I was glad since it meant I was never far away from my sister. I think Mom and Dad were just happy she’d found something over here that she’d never found at home.

Edward sauntered over to our table with the help of Clarissa. The public had gotten the grand ceremony they desired, and my only wish had been for a more intimate reception, held somewhere private. Apparently, the idea of holding it in the palace also suited Edward, since he’d let loose at dinner and was now officially drunk. I’d never seen him so undone and I was enjoying it.

“Hello, happy couple,” Edward greeted, leaning toward us. “I have some excellent news.”

Alex shook Ed’s hand. “Go on, then.”

“First of all, you two are married. That’s excellent news.” Edward bobbed his head. “Second, we just got a whole heap of donations, with more coming in every minute!”

“What?” Alexander looked at me and grinned, then put his arm around my shoulder. “That’s wonderful, Ed.”

Edward pointed at his brother, finger swaying. “It’s bloody brilliant is what it is, Alex. Bloody brilliant.” He gave a clumsy bow and he and Clarissa meandered toward the dance floor.

My heart could barely contain my happiness. I leaned my head against Alex’s shoulder and sighed.

“Your mother would have been proud, you know.”

He looked down at me. “You think?”

I nodded. “I know. You’re a great man, Alex. And you’re going to be a great husband.”

He smiled and leaned down to kiss me, but a shadow fell over us and we paused.

King Henry stood before the table, straight-backed and elegant in his finery. He cleared his throat. “Tamara, my dear, might I borrow you for a dance?”

I sat up straight and managed a nod. “Yeah,” I said. “Sure. That’d be great.”

Alex squeezed my hand under the table as I stood up, but the king didn’t seem to notice my discomfort. We still hadn’t spent much time together, though at least he and Alexander had gotten closer since the engagement. I just never knew what to say to the guy. He was a larger than life figure, even more so today with his blood-red sash and glinting medals.

Henry took my hand and led me to the dance floor, which cleared around us. The music changed to a regal waltz and he began to guide me across the floor.

“You look beautiful,” he commented. “Alexander is lucky.”

“Thank you.” I forced a smile, even though it wasn’t the best compliment he could’ve given me.

Henry looked over my shoulder as he spoke, eyes distant. “Your gifts extend much beyond beauty though, don’t they? You’re kind. You’re clever. You have a knack for guiding my son that thirty years of practice did not afford me.” He met my gaze and smiled. “You remind me a lot of my wife, Tamara, and for that reason I know you’re going to be very happy together.”

The depth of his words hollowed a space in my chest and I had to hold back tears. In one swift move, King Henry had officially carted away all feelings of me not belonging.

“Thank you,” was all I managed to say.

He nodded. The king was not a man of many words, though he was an excellent dancer.

I danced with many people that night, and soon enough all my thoughts turned to getting my husband to bed. We were staying in his old apartment in the palace, which was where we stayed when we needed a place to sleep in the city. Alexander had wanted to book us a fancy suite somewhere, but I wanted to stay close to home. Plus, how could one get fancier than a genuine palace?

I found Alex chatting to Edward by the bar and rested my hand on his arm. “Hey.”

He turned to me instantly and pulled me close. “Hey.”

“Ready to go soon?” I glanced at Edward, who suddenly found the wall very interesting. “I’m ready to start the honeymoon.”

Alex chuckled and finished his drink. “Absolutely.” He leaned down to the shell of my ear. “Meet me in the parking garage.”

Before I could question him, Alex swept Edward off into the other room. I watched him go with a frown.

The parking garage? What about our bed in the palace? I thought I told him I didn’t want a hotel?

I sighed and turned to find my family and say goodnight.