Enticing Liam (Big Sky Royal 2)

“I have it,” Father says. Suddenly, both of my parents are in the frame.

“That’s better. Hello to both of you.”

“How are things in Montana?” Mum asks.

“Oh, it’s beautiful here. Summer is lovely.”

“Now that the pleasantries are out of the way,” Father says, his brows lowering in a frown. “Why in the world did you sneak out of here without a word to anyone?”

“I had my security with me,” I say in my defense. “I wasn’t completely irresponsible.”

“That didn’t answer my question,” he replies, and both of them wait silently for me to answer.

It won’t do any good to lie. They’ll find out eventually.

“Beau proposed to me,” I admit, nausea at the very thought of it taking up residence in my belly. “Last week, the evening I left London.”

“Oh, darling, that’s wonderful,” Mum says, but I shake my head.

“It’s not wonderful. I don’t love Beauregard. I don’t even like him. He’s pompous and rude. There’s not a kind bone in that man’s body.”

“Well, then a simple no would have sufficed,” Father says. “There was no need to flee the continent.”

“Yes. There was.” I swallow hard. “I know you love me very much, but I’m so tired of you trying to find me a suitable match. The men you try to set me up with are awful. They may have the right pedigree, but that doesn’t make them good people.”

“Britain is full of eligible men,” Mum says. “You’ll find one that suits.”

“And sooner rather than later,” Father says.

“I’m not an old maid.”

“And you won’t turn into one either,” Father says. “I’ll give you thirty days in Montana, but you’ll come back in time for the state dinner next month. There will be plenty of eligible men there, and you have responsibilities.”

Always with the responsibilities.

Everyone thinks that being a member of the royal household means dripping in jewelry and wearing pretty clothes and having the world served on a silver platter.

That is true, but it’s much more than that.

“Yes, sir.”

“Enjoy your time with Sebastian and Nina,” Mum says. “And please send them our love.”

“I will.” I offer them a cheerful smile. “And I’ll be home in time for the dinner.”

“Goodbye, daughter,” Father says.

“Goodbye.”

I hang up the phone and let out a deep sigh, then toss my cell on the bed and roll onto my back, staring at the ceiling. My parents don’t understand. They met when my mother was in her early twenties and have been inseparable since.

It’s rather difficult to find the man you’re supposed to spend the next seventy years with when you’re under this kind of pressure.

Fortunately, I don’t have to think about that right now. I have thirty days to relax. And thankfully, Sebastian and Nina haven’t tried to pry into why I came here so abruptly. They’ve given me space to sleep, read, and daydream.

This lake house is perfect for all of those things. At more than ten-thousand square feet, there is plenty of room to be alone. But I know that if and when I want their company, I’m always welcome to join them.

I walk into the closet and choose a sundress for the day, slip my feet into Hermes slides, and walk down to the main living area where we usually congregate. Nina’s spreading something on a bagel. Nick is outside on the deck, close enough to see Nina but out of earshot.

Sebastian and the other security members are nowhere to be seen.

“Where is everyone?” I ask as I reach for a banana and sit at the island. I love how open the kitchen is to the rest of the living space, and how from anywhere in the room, a person can look out the floor-to-ceiling windows to the lake beyond.

“They’re in a meeting,” Nina says with a smile. “Would you like a bagel and cream cheese?”

“I’ll share it with you,” I offer, and Nina happily slides half of her breakfast over to me. “Thank you. What kind of meeting?”

“Well, since you’ve been here for a week and we don’t know how long you’re staying, the security team is trying to decide if Phillip should stay or go, and what to do if he goes.”

“Where are they?” I set the bagel down and stand from the chair.

“In the guest house,” she replies and frowns. “Tell Nick if you’re planning to go down there.”

“It’s twenty yards away.”

She narrows her eyes. “Ellie, you’re my sister-in-law, and I love you, but you know what happened when we rebelled against the rules.”

“I almost died,” I murmur. “Fine, I’ll tell him.”

I walk to the glass door and crack it open. “Nick? I’m going to head down to the guest house.”

“I’ll let them know,” he says and speaks into a device on his wrist. “The sparrow is headed to HQ.”

I close the door and smile at Nina. “See? I follow the rules.”

Nina laughs and takes a bite of her bagel. “Want me to come with you?”