“Look at your son,” King Alexander stood next to Constantine in the doorway of the palace nursery.
Five-year-old Leo sat enraptured as his favorite nanny read out loud to him.
“He’s fine. He’s happy. What about him?” Constantine had no idea why his father had brought him to the nursery in the middle of a workday, but he enjoyed watching his son play. He especially enjoyed hearing him laugh.
It had taken time, but the lad had recovered from the loss of his mother. As much as could be expected anyway. He was close to his father and his grandparents. He liked all of his nannies but especially the raven-haired beauty laughing with him as they read together.
“He loves her,” Alexander noted.
“Okay…” Constantine replied warily. He knew when his father was angling for something.
The king pulled his son into the hallway, out of earshot as he continued, “She’s going to leave.”
Constantine blinked, “What?”
“She’s going back home to Auvernall. She’s been offered a position with-“
“Well stop her!”
“How do you propose I do that, Son?”
“Offer her more money!”
“It’s not about the money. The position she’s accepted allows her to be near her family. It would take more than a mere raise to convince her to stay.”
“Well, whatever it is, give it to her!” Constantine could not deny the way his son lit up in Eleanor’s presence. She had been a fixture in his life since birth, spending more time caring for him as an infant than his own mother had. The bond between the two was obvious and had been instrumental in her promotion to head nanny.
“I don’t think there’s anything that I could offer her to get her to stay,” Alexander grasped him by the shoulder.
Constantine felt his heart sink, “What are you suggesting, Father?”
“I’m suggesting that you’ve put off remarrying long enough.”
“You can’t seriously be implying that I should-“
“Marrying her will secure her continued presence in Leo’s life, give Cordonia the queen that she needs and present you with the opportunity to give your son siblings. It’s a win/win/win my boy.”
“What makes you think she wants to marry me?”
His father chuckled, “Are you really so blind? Have you not seen the way she looks at you? Leo loves her and she loves him. She’s at least enamored of you. It’s the perfect solution!”
Confusion swept through him. He would do anything for his son. But the thought of betraying Jackson was unbearable. “But Father-“
“You’ve had three years to get it out of your system, son. It’s time to get serious about your family.”
Constantine’s stomach dropped. Get it out of his system? Did his father know about him and Jackson?
“She put in her two weeks’ notice this morning. Time is of the essence! You need to woo her and woo her quickly.”
His voice barely above a whisper, he protested, “But I don’t love her…”
Alexander heaved a deep sigh, “You and your notions of love! Look at her, Son! She’s beautiful, kind, and smart. Love will come in time. Meanwhile, you’ll be giving Leo a mother, something he desperately needs! Or are you willing to watch that boy get his heart ripped out again?”
“I…”
“Think about it. But do it quickly because time is running out.”
Alexander strode away leaving Constantine alone with his thoughts. He crept silently closer to the nursery room door again, peeking in to watch as Leo snuggled into Eleanor’s lap. He mumbled something and she looked down at him, “What is it, little one?”
Leo’s blond head lifted, and his ocean-blue eyes peered into her onyx ones, “I love you. Can you be my mama?”
Constantine’s head fell back as tears filled his eyes. He knew what he had to do.
