Alex turned the computer screen around so James could see the resort photos. “What do you think of this one?”

On the other side of Alex’s desk, James typed on his phone. He gave the computer monitor the briefest glance. “It’s nice.”

“You barely looked.”

James put his phone away and smirked. “Because this resort is exactly the same as the last two you showed me. Paul was right.”

“About?”

“You got it bad for this girl,” James said. “First you took her to Belmonte. Now Hawaii.”

Alex leaned back in his desk chair and looked out the window at the office building across the way. “A getaway from it all will do us both good.”

“Have you talked at all about the… situation in Belmonte?”

Alex rubbed his jaw. “No, and we do not need to.”

James’s silence caused him to look over at his friend.

“Why not?” James asked, raising a skeptical brow. Alex had already given him a quick overview of the graduation party’s events.

Alex spread his hands. “When I met Paisley…Correction. Even before I met Paisley, she had declared she would never date a famous man.” He paused for effect. “Clearly, she has changed her mind on that matter.”

James nodded. “And you think she’ll change her mind about dating a king?”

Alex hesitated. “A king would need to do more than date.”

“You mean marry?”

He swallowed. “Precisely.”

More silence. James surveyed Alex. “You clearly don’t want to take the throne.”

Alex looked away. “It will take some adjusting, but when the time comes, I will be ready. I must be. It is not all negative. As king, I will be able to do much good in the world.”

“That’s putting a positive spin on it.”

“What else can I do?” Alex asked.

James steepled his hands on top of his crossed legs. “Going back to Paisley: you do know that ignoring issues in a relationship is unhealthy, right?”

Alex rubbed his brow. “I am not ignoring the matter. I am… waiting until it improves.”

“Hawaii might help with that.”

“Precisely.” Alex grinned. He knew that bringing up the crown issue would be the mature thing to do, but whenever he thought of doing so, his stomach twisted into knots.

Surely, Paisley had considered what a future with him would look like. And she still stayed by his side. Remembering this strengthened what Alex had already wanted to believe: worrying was for nothing.

“I will go with the first resort,” Alex decided out loud. That one had the best location, with the beach on its doorstep and multiple guided tours around the island.

James started to say something, but Alex’s ringing phone interrupted him.

Alex glanced at the screen and frowned. “It is my mother.”

“Get it.”

Alex did not move. He had only been home from Belmonte for a few days, and he had not gotten over the way his parents treated Paisley. He already suspected his mother called only as a follow-up to that conversation. As if Alex did not already understand what a severe disappointment he had turned into.

“I will make this quick.” Alex swiped the answer button and steeled himself. “Hello, Mother.”

“Alex.” There was a pause. Something different in her voice.

He sat up straighter. “Mother?”

Sensing the alarm in Alex’s voice, James looked over, his eyes widening.

“Mother, is everything all right?” Alex asked.

She sniffled. “Your father has had a stroke.”

Alex’s heart constricted. “What? Is he… is he--”

“He is alive.”

Alex exhaled, not knowing he had held his breath. “Good.” He looked at the floor between his shoes as he spoke. “When did this happen? What do the doctors expect next? Is he speaking?”

He had many more questions, but he held his tongue. His heart raced, and he was suddenly ashamed at the anger he’d held against his parents. Only once had he seen his mother cry, and that was when her mother died. Judging from the raspiness in her voice, she had already spent a good amount of time that day in tears.

“It happened this morning,” Camila said. “And he is speaking, but not very well. He asked for you.”

The last statement hit Alex’s heart with a ping. “Of course. I will come today.”

Odd. Only a few minutes before, he had been angry with his father, and now he was prepared to drop everything at a moment’s notice and fly to Belmonte.

“Alex, they do not know what will happen.” Her voice was stiff, and he knew she was using all of her will to remain strong. “The best doctors in Belmonte are with him, but that does not mean—”

He did not need for her to finish. “Of course, Mother. I am on my way. I love you, and I will see you soon.”

“Yes,” she sniffled. “Good, good.”

Alex hung up, his heart heavy.

“What’s wrong?” James leaned forward in his seat.

“My father has had a stroke, and the outcome is uncertain.”

James exhaled through tight teeth. “I’m sorry, man.”

Alex nodded. “Thank you.” Without any further ado, he made a quick call to his secretary and updated her. He would be leaving immediately, he told her, and there was no telling when he would return.

Hanging up the office phone, Alex stood, and James quickly followed suit.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” James said. He clapped Alex on the shoulder as they walked for the door.

At a loss for words, Alex nodded. His head was muddled with thoughts, and he was trying desperately to not get carried away by them.

Would his father live? What if he did not? Suppose he died before Alex made it to Belmonte? Alex would spend the rest of his life regretting the way they had left things. Their last conversation had been short, a brief goodbye at the graduation party, and the tension over Alex’s life choices had still been there.

No. He could not think that way. His father would live. He had to.