“It’s never-ending,” agreed Adira. “Are you prepared for your speech?”
Catelyn’s stomach flip-flopped. She’d nearly forgotten about the speech she was set to make after dinner—her first statement as a member of the royal family. “Yes and no,” answered Catelyn.
Adira’s eyes went wide. “Surely you have the language prepared…”
“Yes, the speech is all set.” Catelyn looked out over the groups of people coming together and pulling apart. She watched as Rami made his way toward the table. He stopped to talk to people three times. Catelyn could see that whatever he was saying, it wasn’t the right thing. One woman, once his back was turned, raised her eyebrows at the woman standing next to her, she shrugged.
At the head table, Rami sat down directly across from Catelyn. In his eyes she saw only a flicker of the lust that had consumed him not long ago. He held her gaze for a long heartbeat before Zafir appeared next to him, putting his hand on his shoulder.
Rami’s father didn’t seem to notice that anything was amiss, and he certainly didn’t encourage Rami to sit with Catelyn.
The dinner service began, and Catelyn could hardly enjoy it. The food was as rich and sumptuous as ever, but to her it was tasteless. Rami spent the entire meal talking with his father in hushed voices.
She was starting to sweat beneath her dress. Catelyn had spent hours the night before practicing a few remarks in Rami’s language, and then her plan was to deliver the rest of her speech in English. After that, Rami was going to offer up a toast.
She put down her fork with a sharp ting against her plate.
“Are you all right?” asked Adira, her voice low.
“Completely,” Catelyn lied. Her heart pounded. She didn’t want this version of Rami, who ignored her, who rattled off too many statements in every conversation, who had retreated so fully into his royal persona tha
t she hardly recognized the man who had pounced on her in his dressing room.
Maybe this was how it always was.
Maybe, in fact, it was a blessing that they would only have to spend a year together.
And in that case—
“Rami.” Her voice was sharper than she’d intended, and he looked at her, startled. “I need to speak with you for a moment.”
Her husband stood up immediately, and they walked on opposite sides of the table to a more secluded alcove at the side of the ballroom.
“What is it?” She could practically see the wheels in his head turning.
“I don’t feel comfortable making the speech,” she said bluntly. “I think you should be the one to do it.”
“What?” Lightning flashed in his eyes. “Catelyn, we agreed on this—it’s already been planned. It’s part of your royal duties while we’re married.”
The mention stabbed at her heart, and the sharp pain of it rendered her speechless. She turned her head, throat going tight, and swallowed hard. Then she faced him again. “I’m not making the speech. You’ll have to do it on your own.”
Rami gave her a long look. “What’s this about?”
“I don’t—I don’t want to get up in front of this crowd.” She fought to keep her voice even. “I don’t know anyone here, other than your family, and I—I just think you should do this.” She lifted her chin.
Rami’s face softened. “I’ve been awful, haven’t I?”
The gentle tone of his voice made her own heart melt. “Yes. You’ve been—I don’t recognize you, like this.” Heat rose to her cheeks. “I miss you. The you that did…all those things in the bedroom.”
He cracked a grin. “It makes perfect sense.” Rami stepped forward and put a hand on her waist, drawing her close. He leaned down to press a kiss to her cheekbone. “This isn’t your country. It’s mine. I shouldn’t have tried to force you into a public role when you weren’t ready for it.”
Despite herself, Catelyn lost herself in the scent of him. It took everything she had to stand back instead of wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him until they had no choice but to go back to bed.
Zafir stepped up on the stage then, and Rami nodded toward him. “I’m up next,” he said, and Catelyn allowed him to guide her back to the table.
Zafir’s introduction was short, and then Rami approached the microphone. This time, he sought Catelyn’s face at the head table and gave her a smile that took her breath away.
“Thank you all for coming,” he said smoothly. “This foundation would be nothing without all your support. And before we begin recounting all this year’s victories, I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your tireless confidence.” He looked right at Catelyn when he said it.