marveled at
how well my sister had adjusted to life as a royal. Not that I was surprised. She had always been charming and
bubbly, and almost as soon as she and my family moved to Angeles, May had become a media darling. While
plenty of pictures of me would be printed tomorrow, there would be twice as many of May.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked.
“Just a little distracted. You go have fun. I need to make sure everything’s running smoothly.”
“Have fun? I’m on it!” She dashed off, waving to people I was positive she didn’t even know, sparkling all
over. The party was in full swing by now, and it looked as though the guests was enjoying themselves. The
decor was simple, the lighting was lovely, and the musicians were doing an excellent job. I hoped Maxon was
pleased.
I made my way across the floor, sampling some hors d’oeuvres on my way. None of the food seemed terribly
appealing, though. Maxon’s favorites weren’t necessarily mine, I just had to trust that everyone else would
enjoy the selection.
I stretched up to my tiptoes, scanning the room. If Maxon had listened to me, he ought to be around here
somewhere by now. I didn’t find him, but I did see Marlee. She rushed over as soon as she saw me, leaving
Carter talking with some of the guards.
“The party is amazing, America,” she gushed, kissing my cheek.
“Thanks. I’m trying to find Maxon. Have you seen him?”
She turned to look with me. “I did see him come in, but I have no idea where he is now.”
“Hmm. I’ll have to do a lap. How’s Kile?”
She smiled anxiously. “Good. I’m trying to get used to letting a nanny put him down.”
Kile was just over a year old, and Marlee absolutely adored him—as did I. He was the only male who regularly
spent time in the Women’s Room without expressly asking for permission.
“I’m sure he’s doing fine, Marlee. And it’ll do you good to spend some time with Carter alone.”
She nodded. “You’re right. We’re both having so much fun. But just you wait and see. It’s hard to let them go,
even for a little while.”
I smiled. “I can only imagine. Go, enjoy some of the food. I’ll see you later.”
“All right.” She gave me another kiss and made her way back to Carter.
I looped around the room, searching for my husband. When I finally saw him, my heart lit up. Not simply
because I was happy to find him, but because he was talking to Aspen.
Aspen’s cane was gone now, but there were times when he still limped, especially if he was tired. We all
considered it a miracle that he had healed so well, but if anyone could have recovered through sheer
determination, it was Aspen.
They looked deep in conversation, and I moved closer, coming up behind them.
“Was your first year hard? Lots of people say it is, but you two seemed to do so well,” Aspen said.
He and Lucy had planned to get married not too long after Maxon and I did, but when her dad got sick,
everything was put on hold. He eventually recovered, but even after that Aspen dragged his feet more than he
needed to. I suspected he was afraid Lucy would change her mind, and I blamed that fear on me. They were so
right for each other, he never needed to doubt. And when they finally did tie the knot, I was as happy as I’d
been on my own wedding day.
Maxon sighed. “Hard to say. I don’t think it was the marriage part that was so hard as much as the duties. It
was a lot to ask her to step into the role of a queen when she’d barely gotten used to the idea of being a
princess.”
“Did you fight?”
“Are you kidding? That’s what we’re best at!” He and Aspen shared a laugh. I wanted to be offended, but it
was true—we were good at arguing. Still, that had died down a lot.
“I don’t know why it feels like such a big deal,” Aspen said, his laughter fading. “We wanted to get married
for so long. Why does it feel so overwhelming now that we are?”
“It’s the title.”
how well my sister had adjusted to life as a royal. Not that I was surprised. She had always been charming and
bubbly, and almost as soon as she and my family moved to Angeles, May had become a media darling. While
plenty of pictures of me would be printed tomorrow, there would be twice as many of May.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked.
“Just a little distracted. You go have fun. I need to make sure everything’s running smoothly.”
“Have fun? I’m on it!” She dashed off, waving to people I was positive she didn’t even know, sparkling all
over. The party was in full swing by now, and it looked as though the guests was enjoying themselves. The
decor was simple, the lighting was lovely, and the musicians were doing an excellent job. I hoped Maxon was
pleased.
I made my way across the floor, sampling some hors d’oeuvres on my way. None of the food seemed terribly
appealing, though. Maxon’s favorites weren’t necessarily mine, I just had to trust that everyone else would
enjoy the selection.
I stretched up to my tiptoes, scanning the room. If Maxon had listened to me, he ought to be around here
somewhere by now. I didn’t find him, but I did see Marlee. She rushed over as soon as she saw me, leaving
Carter talking with some of the guards.
“The party is amazing, America,” she gushed, kissing my cheek.
“Thanks. I’m trying to find Maxon. Have you seen him?”
She turned to look with me. “I did see him come in, but I have no idea where he is now.”
“Hmm. I’ll have to do a lap. How’s Kile?”
She smiled anxiously. “Good. I’m trying to get used to letting a nanny put him down.”
Kile was just over a year old, and Marlee absolutely adored him—as did I. He was the only male who regularly
spent time in the Women’s Room without expressly asking for permission.
“I’m sure he’s doing fine, Marlee. And it’ll do you good to spend some time with Carter alone.”
She nodded. “You’re right. We’re both having so much fun. But just you wait and see. It’s hard to let them go,
even for a little while.”
I smiled. “I can only imagine. Go, enjoy some of the food. I’ll see you later.”
“All right.” She gave me another kiss and made her way back to Carter.
I looped around the room, searching for my husband. When I finally saw him, my heart lit up. Not simply
because I was happy to find him, but because he was talking to Aspen.
Aspen’s cane was gone now, but there were times when he still limped, especially if he was tired. We all
considered it a miracle that he had healed so well, but if anyone could have recovered through sheer
determination, it was Aspen.
They looked deep in conversation, and I moved closer, coming up behind them.
“Was your first year hard? Lots of people say it is, but you two seemed to do so well,” Aspen said.
He and Lucy had planned to get married not too long after Maxon and I did, but when her dad got sick,
everything was put on hold. He eventually recovered, but even after that Aspen dragged his feet more than he
needed to. I suspected he was afraid Lucy would change her mind, and I blamed that fear on me. They were so
right for each other, he never needed to doubt. And when they finally did tie the knot, I was as happy as I’d
been on my own wedding day.
Maxon sighed. “Hard to say. I don’t think it was the marriage part that was so hard as much as the duties. It
was a lot to ask her to step into the role of a queen when she’d barely gotten used to the idea of being a
princess.”
“Did you fight?”
“Are you kidding? That’s what we’re best at!” He and Aspen shared a laugh. I wanted to be offended, but it
was true—we were good at arguing. Still, that had died down a lot.
“I don’t know why it feels like such a big deal,” Aspen said, his laughter fading. “We wanted to get married
for so long. Why does it feel so overwhelming now that we are?”
“It’s the title.”
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