Favored Prince: A contemporary royal romance by Abby Knox

Author:Abby Knox [Knox, Abby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Author Abby Knox, LLC
Published: 2023-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

19

Torben

If my siblings could see me now — shoveling goat shit, being pecked by chickens — they would laugh their asses off and post photos on social media.

Hailey is patient with me, and I’m having fun.

She teaches me how to use an electric weed eater. I proudly collect half a dozen eggs from the strangest spots around her grandmother’s yard, including from the back of a broken-down pickup truck. She shows me how to clean out the goat pen, which is quite rank, considering they’re relatively small creatures.

The goats are the most amusing when they butt in, demanding to be included when we play fetch with the dogs. It’s strange; I don’t know whose dogs belong to whom. A gang of half a dozen mixed breeds wander from house to house up and down the lane, angling for rub-downs and snacks. Even the goats seem to have the run of the land up here.

I enjoy watching Hailey pet the animals and care for the outdoorsy things. It feels good to help and contribute something to this little family that will soon be my family.

Watching her watch me, I can tell she doesn’t quite believe my intentions.

This will take time.

Hailey should have some place to garden on the palace grounds. Vegetables, flowers, whatever she wishes.

It hurts my heart to see how much she’s giving up. She says again and again that this place isn’t much. While it’s not the royal palace, and there is no staff to keep things tidy and well-run, there’s something freeing about doing it ourselves.

The feeling of freedom is compounded every time I recollect that I’m doing all this outside of the watchful eyes of bodyguards, security guards, police, the paparazzi, and my father.

I could stay here.

That dose of reality washes over me.

Would I stay here? In the middle of nowhere, without my family? Etienne could not care less if I moved away. Sig would not love any extra royal engagements hefted onto his shoulders in my absence. I would miss Flora the most. She’s such an innocent soul; who would protect her?

I turn from my work and see Hailey throwing a frisbee for the dogs. She looks serene and happy here. I would regret taking her away from that.

I can call her “mine” all I want, but ultimately, she has to decide if she wants her life turned upside down. I won’t force it on her.

Loving her means wanting her to be happy.

“Are you sure you want to leave all this…for just me?” I ask when she looks up at me, breathless and laughing, the sun bringing out the freckles across her nose and cheeks.

Hailey scratches Clarice behind the ears. She looks over at me with a smile. “What do you mean, for just you?”

“I mean exactly what I asked.”

“All this,” she repeats, shaking her head. “A house with plumbing that needs repair that we can’t afford to fix. Neighbors who won’t stay out of my business. Why? Are you having second thoughts?” Hailey bites her bottom lip.

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