Born To Be

22| Enough

Chapter 22: Enough (Archer's POV)

I watched as her mother whispered something in her ear while we were getting ready to leave. We spent at least thirty minutes here, maybe even more and it was actually her mother that suggested we head back to the palace. 

"I love you, love you, bye," Evelyn sang, giving both her parents a quick hug. 

"Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Harrington," I smiled. 

"Oh, dearie come here." Her mother stood up quickly and gave me a hug. 

Her dad then did the same, whispering in my ear, "Take care of her for me." 

"I'll be back in a few weeks, dad, love you," she chuckled, grabbing my hand and taking me outside. 

I unlocked the car and got the door for her before climbing in myself and starting the car, driving us back to the palace. "Do you think your parents like me?" I questioned, glancing at her. 

"I think the whole kingdom likes you, Archer. My parents included," she chuckled, letting her hair down and running her fingers through it a few times. 

"I'm glad," I said more to myself. 

"I don't think your mother likes me though," she mumbled. 

"That doesn't matter. It's almost tradition in the Grimaldi's for mother-in-laws to dislike their daughter-in-laws. My grandmother hates my mother, my great grandmother hated my grandmother, it's an endless cycle, trust me," I scoffed, letting both our windows down with the button on my side. 

"What about the father-in-laws?" she questioned. 

"They don't hate their daughter-in-laws. Just how my father doesn't hate you. In fact, you're his favorite," I glanced at her. 

She smiled, looking out the window, letting the breeze blow across her face. "It's weird hearing that because I think I've had maybe one conversation with him. But he seems very nice. I think you're a lot like him," she said, turning to me.

"Me? You think I'm like my father?" 

"Aren't you?" 

I thought for a moment. "I suppose in some ways I am," I shrugged. 

"I reckon it's in more ways than you think," she chortled. 

"Maybe," I mumbled. 

"It's nice though. I mean, everyone talks about the mother-son duo and the father-daughter duo. You get the father-son thing. You seem close to your dad, are you?" 

"Yeah, quite a bit. A lot more than my mother, that's for sure," I scoffed. 

She laughed lightly while I pulled the car to our main gates. Two guards who took the night shift opened the main gates and I stopped the car inside, handing one of them the keys. 

I took her hand, helping her out of the car and then taking her inside. I opened the front door with the code and then locked it shut behind me. Clearly, everyone was already in their rooms and all the staff has been dismissed for the day. 

We quietly made our way upstairs and she kept a tight hold on my hand while we climbed the stairs. It was basically pitch black and we were just using the light seeping in from the small windows and the dim chandelier light which would flick off automatically at midnight. 

I brought her upstairs and stopped at our rooms, opening my door and turning the light on so we could see. I turned to her while she opened her bedroom door and flicked the lights on like I had done. "I hope you had fun tonight," I said, watching her as she turned to face me.