Page 179 of Royally Not Ready
“I don’t know what’s in the note.”
“But you knew he would give this to me?”
She looks away and says, “How about you don’t ask me questions about Keller, that way I don’t feel the need to break anyone’s trust?”
“Okay, yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put you in the middle.”
“It’s quite all right. I’d be the same if it were Brimar and me. That is, if Brimar didn’t commit treason or cheat on me.” She smiles. “At least Keller didn’t do that.”
“Very true,” I say softly. “I’m so sorry that you’re going through this. It’s never okay to cheat.”
“No, it’s not. It hurts, but I’m more angry than heartbroken, if I’m honest.”
“I can understand that.” And then, because I can’t help myself, I ask, “Do you think I’m being ridiculous?”
“Not in the slightest. He hurt you and probably in one of the worst ways. Your feelings are completely justified. Now, read that note.”
“Okay.” I unfold it and focus on his familiar handwriting. I scroll over it briefly and say, “I think it’s a poem.”
Lara smiles. “Ah, that seems right.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, there’s some Viking in that man, if you haven’t noticed.”
“I have,” I say, my mind going to his large frame and blond hair, his protective instincts.
“One of the ways a Viking would express their love to someone was through simple poetry. There’s no structure, no format, just a declaration of their feelings. This makes sense to me.”
“Oh.” And then I remember something he said to me at Harrogate. If he ever tried to woo me, he’d write poetry. Is that what he’s trying to do? Only one way to find out. I focus on the poem and read it quietly to myself.
There is no way to explain,
This burning, merciless feeling,
Biting through my bones.
It eclipses my thoughts,
It burrows into my veins,
A cataclysmic force so strong,
I can’t breathe.
I need you.
I broke us.
It’s broken me.
My teeth run over my bottom lip as I read the poem a few more times, his words hitting me like a tornado, swirling around, confusing yet comforting.
I look up and stare at the road ahead.
Quietly, Lara asks, “Was it good?”
I nod, my tongue peeking out to wet my lips. “It was good.”
