I’d been calling Daniel since last night. His phone was going right to voicemail, and my texts were unread.
I was exhausted. I’d barely slept. My meeting with the hospital board went until almost midnight, and then I’d spent two hours on a satellite phone call with my brother and his wife. I had to rewrite my speech, get Daniel a ticket to the gala, and put a tux on hold for him at a shop in Minneapolis. Then I left him a message, begging him to come. When he didn’t call me back or return my texts, I called the VFW looking for him. Hannah said he hadn’t been there in weeks, so I called Doug.
Doug told me Daniel said he was moving out of Wakan. That he couldn’t be there anymore. That he was probably already gone.
Because of me.
I’d broken his heart.
I’d thought letting him go was the most humane thing. The most humane thing would have been to let him stay.
Daniel had been ready to give up his whole world for me once. He’d always known what came first. He was willing to trade Wakan, the Grant House, his legacy—all to join me in this shallow, hostile place, because being without me was unacceptable to him.
And I hadn’t felt the same when it mattered.
I had allowed him to think I was embarrassed by him, that he wasn’t worth any sacrifice, no matter how big. That he wasn’t everything to me
that I was to him. I’d had one foot out the door since the very beginning, I’d never given him everything, I’d denied him, hid him. And then I abandoned him.
I betrayed him.
So if he never wanted to speak to me again, could I even blame him?
I had to push it down. It wasn’t going to help get me through what I had to do. And I was doing it whether he showed up or not.
It was six o’clock and I was at the quasquicentennial. I couldn’t shake hands and hold a phone. My gown didn’t have pockets, so my cell was back at the table in a clutch where I couldn’t check it. I’d given Daniel’s number to Bri and asked her to keep trying to get in touch with him. I didn’t know how that was going, because she’d disappeared forty-five minutes ago, and I hadn’t seen her since.
The event was well under way. More than five hundred were in attendance, a carefully cultivated invite-only list. A red carpet welcomed guests into a Midsummer Night’s Dream–themed venue.
The ceiling had been transformed into a night sky complete with twinkling stars. Flowers dripped from the walls, and candles flickered on the linen-covered tables under towering floral centerpieces with bejeweled dragonflies in them. They’d even brought in trees. Servers in white gloves carried trays of appetizers and champagne around. Ice sculptures sat at every bar. There was a live band. Style magazines were here with other media. They were calling it the party of the century. I’d already posed for dozens of photos and done half a dozen interviews while Mom looked on, pleased.
My parents looked like the king and queen in a room full of their subjects. Everyone was shiny and glittery. Jessica and Gabby were standing
in their gowns with their distinguished husbands over by the bar with Neil and Dad.
This was the first time in more than forty years that one of my parents wasn’t the speaker for a big Royaume event. My doing it was a ceremonious passing of the torch, something Derek would have been doing without question if he hadn’t left.
I could still picture how it would have gone if this gala had taken place a year ago. This alternate reality. My brother, handsome and charismatic, making everyone laugh during his speech that no doubt would have been equal parts charming and inspiring. I would have been here, but I would have been largely ignored. Insecure arm candy to Neil, who was a bigger deal than I was. Only halfheartedly introduced by my legendary father— and only when I was standing close enough that it was absolutely necessary.
So much had changed.
And it was going to change more still.
As people arrived, they had to make their way down an enormous marble staircase to the ballroom floor where the tables were. It made every entrance a grand one, and part of the fun was watching everyone. Mom and I stood at the base of the stairs, greeting people as they came in.
Mom knew everyone’s name. She’d whisper it to me before they got to the bottom of the steps. Foreign princes and dignitaries, real estate moguls and politicians, actors. There was even a famous vlogger here, a big donor for the ALS clinical trials Royaume was doing.
There were billions of dollars in this room. Bottomless pockets. And for the first time, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with that money. I knew who I’d be to the Montgomery legacy, how Royaume would remember me, what the history books would write, and how I’d spend the rest of my life.
In the last twenty-four hours, I’d achieved a kind of clarity that I’d never thought possible.
My whole life I’d always felt a little fractured and scattered. Probably because it was always someone else trying to decide what I needed to be. I was a mosaic of someone else’s design where none of the fragments were put in the right place. And now I had finally put myself together and I recognized myself for the very first time.
I’d made my arrangements with the board. I’d coordinated with my brother and his wife. Everything was in place. I just hoped Daniel showed up for it.
As the steady stream of arriving guests turned into a trickle, Mom leaned in. “I am so impressed, Alexis. I know this isn’t usually what you’re comfortable with, but you’re doing so well.”
I kept my eyes trained on the top of the steps, hoping that the next person to appear there would be Daniel.
“I think you’d be surprised at how motivated I am,” I said.
Gabby and Jessica left their husbands at the bar with Neil and came over. Mom saw them coming and excused herself to chat with an old colleague and left me with them. This was the first time I’d spoken to either of them since the day Daniel came into the ER.
As soon as I was in earshot, Jessica sighed loudly. “How long are they going to make us wait for dinner? At five hundred dollars a seat you’d think they’d at least feed us at a reasonable hour.”
Gabby stopped in front of me, poking at the ice in her mojito with a straw. “Your dress is pretty.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, glancing at the top of the steps.
She put her straw to her mouth. “So Philip says Neil asked him to help him look for an apartment.”
When I didn’t answer she went on. “That’s good, right?” “It is,” I said flatly.
“So, like, that’s it then?” she asked, talking around her straw. “You guys are over?”
“We’ve been over,” I reminded her.
“I know. It’s just kind of romantic that he tried so hard to get you back. I was kind of rooting for him at the end.”
I scoffed internally. Which part was romantic? Him holding me hostage in my own home? Or him finally getting the help he needed so he could be a halfway decent human being worth dating?
I didn’t bother to reply.
She just wanted gossip. And she’d have plenty of it by the end of the night—but none of it would be about Neil.
Gabby shifted her feet like my silence was making her impatient. “So have you talked to that guy?” she asked.
I looked at her now and cocked my head. “You mean the squirrel guy?” She blinked at me. “I—”
“You met him. You spent three days living in his home. You know his name,” I said. “Maybe you should check your one-star review for the Grant House and come back with it.”
She gawked at me.
Even Jessica’s jaw dropped.
A horn trumpeted. A cinematic touch to let everyone know it was time to head to the tables. Jessica cleared her throat. “Finally. Let’s go.” She turned to take her seat and Gabby scurried after her.
Dad made his way over in his tux, holding a whiskey, and Mom finished up her chat and joined us at the bottom of the steps. “Neil’s getting you a glass of wine,” Dad said, nodding at the line at the bar.
People were beginning to sit down, but Mom and Dad didn’t move.
Mom probably wanted to be there to greet any stragglers, and Dad was either waiting on Neil or wanting to keep his imposing position over the room. Either way, it was a problem.
I wanted to get my purse and check my phone. But I was too afraid Daniel would show up and walk right into my parents without me there. So I stayed where I was too, chewing on my lip and nervously glancing at the top of the steps.
Every second that ticked by without Daniel arriving, I got more anxious.
The gala started at five-thirty. He was over an hour late.
I began to get the sinking feeling that he wasn’t coming.
I knew he missed me. I knew he still loved me. I could feel it when I was on the phone with him that night.
But that didn’t mean he was going to forgive me.
A photo montage of the last hundred and twenty-five years of hospital history began to play as servers placed salads in front of guests. I would take the stage right after.
Dad took a swallow of his drink. “I trust your speech is ready,” he said to me, his voice low. “This is a historic event. I hope you’re adequately prepared.”
I had to let a slow, calming breath out through my nose.
It was funny how these casual, careless jabs were so obvious to me now. I was so used to them growing up, I didn’t even notice them. They were the building blocks of everything I’d accepted from Neil.
Instead of giving me words of encouragement before I stood in front of five hundred people, Dad chose to remind me just how little confidence he had in me. He wanted me to know that he assumed I didn’t understand the
significance of this gala and hadn’t bothered to get ready for it. But mostly it annoyed me because it was a slight to Mom.
She’d been the one to coach and prepare me for this over the last few months, and he clearly didn’t believe that Mom, who had been a professional public speaker for the last forty years, had done her due diligence before releasing me into the wild at arguably the most important Royaume event of her lifetime. It was insulting. And Mom ignored the implication, as usual, because she never chose to fight. For herself or me. But that was fine. Because for the first time in my life, I was ready to fight for myself.
I was prepared to give my speech. Though the one I was about to deliver wasn’t the one we’d practiced. My parents had no idea what was about to happen. I’d asked the board to keep our discussion private, and they’d agreed.
Tonight would be full of surprises.
Black-and-white photos of the hospital’s construction flickered across the jumbotrons. Then color photos. 1950s. 1960s. My family, featured in almost every single slide. We were at the mid 2000s in the montage when Neil started to make his way from the bar with my glass of wine. Dad leaned over. “Neil tells me you two had an encouraging discussion.”
“It’s good to hear the therapy’s helping,” I said dismissively, looking back to the top of the stairs.
“I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,” he said, going on. “To think you could have been here with that boy.” He chuckled into his glass.
I snapped.
My head whipped so fast I almost lost my tiara. “Don’t you ever talk about Daniel like that in my presence ever again. Him or Nikki.”
Mom’s jaw dropped, and Dad lowered his glass and pinned me with a warning glare. “You be mindful of your tone, young lady,” he said, his voice low.
I straightened my shoulders. “No.”
Mom shifted uncomfortably. “Dear, I think they’re about to call you up,” she said quietly, putting a hand on my arm. “Maybe you should go stand by the stage. I’ll make sure your drink makes it to the table—”
“I’m not sitting with you,” I said sharply.
Mom blinked at me. “You’re not sitting with us? Why not?” “I bought new seats.”
“You’re not sitting with Neil?” Dad asked, looking confused.
“No, I am not. I’ve invited Daniel, and if I’m lucky he might actually show up, so I can beg him for forgiveness for the way I let you treat him.”
The way I treated him.
The photo montage ended, and the CEO took the podium. I was on in two minutes.
I looked back and forth between my openmouthed parents, shaking my head. “Mom, I really hope you find your voice. I know it’s in there. For your own sake, I hope to God you look for it.”
I turned to my father.
“Dad, you are going to be a very lonely old man. Your world is about to be as small as your mind. You won’t have your children. You won’t get the privilege of knowing the people they love. You won’t hold your grandchildren, you won’t see them grow up.” I shook my head. “But at least you’ll have Neil.”
I turned and started for the stage. Then I stopped and looked back at them. “Also, you should know that effective tomorrow I’ve resigned from my position as chief.”
Mom’s face fell, and Dad went bright red.
“Do me a favor and let Neil know the house is his. I’ll be moved out by the end of the week. I’ll go ahead and disown myself to save you the trouble. Now excuse me. I have to go deliver a speech.”
I picked up the skirt of my dress, made my way through the tables, and climbed the stage just as I was being introduced.
I took the podium to clapping, two large jumbotrons floating behind me. I thanked the CEO and adjusted my microphone as I looked out over the audience.
Even though my speech wasn’t the one I’d practiced for months under Mom’s tutelage, I didn’t need a teleprompter or notes. I was ready. I felt completely and utterly calm. Like I was born to do this—and really, I was.
Dad never expected me to amount to much. And for a time, neither did I. My entire life, Dad made me feel like I was the weakest link, the most useless princess. A waste of my family’s DNA.
But today I was a Montgomery.
It pulsed through my veins, poured out of me. It felt like I was the final form of everything my bloodline aspired to be. I was better at being a Montgomery than even Derek was—because I’d finally found the calling that anchored me to my birthright. It put fire in me. Gave me the tireless drive and razor-sharp focus of someone who believed in something.
And I couldn’t wait to get started.
I scanned the crowd one more time for Bri and Daniel—and I saw that Bri had appeared at the back of the room. She waved and gave me a thumbs-up.
Was it a good-luck thumbs-up? Or a I-got-hold-of-Daniel thumbs-up? He wasn’t with her…
I looked around the faces one more time, but I didn’t see him. And I couldn’t wait any longer to begin. So I did.
“Thank you for joining us on this historic milestone in Royaume Northwestern history.” My voice was steady and confident. “On this day in 1897, the doors opened for the first time, and my great-great-great- grandfather Dr. Charles Edward Montgomery began his rounds. Today, a hundred and twenty-five years later, I am continuing a legacy that my family is unbelievably proud of, walking the halls of what’s become one of the finest hospitals in the world.
“With your generous donations, we’ve pioneered medical breakthroughs, established ourselves as one of the leading research and training hospitals on the globe, and we’ve saved countless lives. Royaume is home to some of the best doctors ever to practice medicine. We are a destination for unparalleled talent, and we lead our industry in medical advancements. It is on the strength of this foundation that we are thrilled to announce to you tonight the new direction of the Montgomery Legacy and my family’s relationship with Royaume Northwestern.”
This was the moment my mother realized I was off script.
I watched her face register the last line, and she leaned over and said something hurried to my father.
“As you may know,” I said, continuing, “I am the chief of emergency medicine here at Royaume. And if there’s anything I’ve learned in my role, it’s that in most cases, emergencies wouldn’t be emergencies if patients had access to affordable routine medical care.
“Cost-prohibitive treatments cost lives.
“I have seen untreated cuts turn into sepsis. Sinus infections become pneumonia because a patient can’t afford a simple doctor visit for antibiotics. I’ve had diabetic patients lose limbs because they’re rationing
insulin, stage-four terminal cancer that could have been detected earlier and treated with access to proper yearly screenings.” I paused for effect and gave the audience an arched eyebrow. “I have seen patients stitch themselves up with gin and fishhooks because they can’t afford a trip to the ER.”
I gave the room a second to chuckle.
“There are only so many wings that we can add on to a building. So it’s time for the healing power that is Royaume Northwestern to expand in a new way.
“Starting next week, we will be breaking ground on the first of Royaume’s satellite clinic locations. These clinics will provide free medical care to underserved, low-income communities, beginning with a location in Grant County in the town of Wakan, and a second remote location in Cambodia, where my brother, Dr. Derek Montgomery, and his wife, Nikki, are already operating.
“I will be relocating to personally oversee the Wakan location.
“Over the next decade, it is our goal to expand this program to disadvantaged communities all over the world.” I paused. “From this day forward, Royaume Northwestern will not just be here. It will be wherever we are needed most.
“It has been my absolute privilege to grow up a Montgomery in the Royaume Northwestern family. And I am excited and honored to continue our tradition of excellence by sharing the gift that is Royaume Northwestern beyond the walls that my forefathers built.
“Give generously today. Bid high. We are building a new beginning. “Thank you.”
Thunderous applause.
I could see Gabby and Jessica cheering and nodding. Neil was clapping. Bri was giving me a standing ovation, smiling so big, it looked like she was going to burst. And the funny thing was, my parents looked like that too. Mom was beaming, looking prouder than I’d ever seen her. Even Dad was grinning and clapping.
Ironically enough, this was probably the first time I’d actually impressed him. It was groundbreaking and innovative. Forward movement for the institution, something the hospital had never done before that brought Derek back into the fold and ensured the survival of the franchise for probably generations to come. And it hadn’t even been hard to come up with it once I had my priorities straight, because it was in service to what I cared about most.
Daniel, Wakan, Royaume—and then everything else. In that order.
I went into that meeting ready to quit if they said no. But the board loved it. They got a big announcement for their anniversary gala, an exciting new initiative, and they got to keep two young and eager Montgomerys on staff
—three. Because they were also getting Nikki.
Nikki would be adjacent to anything my brother did, and despite my father’s shortsighted opinion about his daughter-in-law, Lola Simone was a powerful ally. Her fame gave her a global reach and hundreds of important connections—and she was very well respected for her humanitarian work. Nikki Montgomery would draw as many donors to Royaume Northwestern as my mother ever did. Her impact would be immeasurable and would ensure the success of this program. The board recognized this and had voted unanimously to support my proposal—and this was in part, because of her.
Maybe one day Dad would acknowledge that it was Nikki and Daniel that had led to all this. Maybe one day Dad would apologize and accept the lives Derek and I had chosen for ourselves and try to be a part of it. Learn
some grace. I hoped he did. And I hoped that even if he didn’t, Mom finally put her foot down and chose to do it anyway.
I knew from experience that sometimes when the wake-up call is big enough, you do, in fact, wake up.
Either way I was at peace with the choice I’d made. Derek and I both were.
But I still didn’t see Daniel. He should have been here by now. If he was coming, he would have been.
My heart sank.
I didn’t believe that he didn’t know I was trying to reach him. Even if Bri and I couldn’t get in touch with him and none of my texts or voicemails went through, Doug would have called him by now. He knew.
I had his answer. It was no.
I’d just hurt him too much, too many times. And I couldn’t even blame him for being done.
But it didn’t change anything. Because I would still move to Wakan.
I was a little more Grant than Montgomery, I realized. I wanted to change the world. But I wanted to start there. And I would.
Even if their mayor never spoke to me again.
I exited the podium to clapping. I was stopped by a few excited donors the second I got off the stage. Everyone wanted their name on a building, and we had two new clinics up for grabs. I was happy for the enthusiasm, but I just really wanted to go check my phone and talk to Bri. I was shaking hands and trying to break away when I saw a figure appear at the top of the marble staircase. I held my breath as he came into view.
Daniel…
My heart stopped at the sight of him.
He was in a black tux. One hand on the railing, and every woman in the room looking at him—but he was only looking at me. And I’d never seen him so handsome or so happy.
“Excuse me,” I breathed.
I threaded through the crowd, picked up the skirt of my dress, and started to run. He grinned when he saw me coming and began jogging down the stairs.
I was so relieved to see him, I couldn’t tell if I was laughing or crying or a little bit of both.
We collided in the middle of the dance floor. His world and mine, crashing together in front of everyone.
“You came,” I said, my arms wrapped around him. “Of course I came,” he whispered.
“Daniel, I am so sorry,” I gasped. “Please, please forgive me.” He pulled away and cupped my face in his hands.
I peered up at him with tears in my eyes. “I love you so much. I made the biggest mistake—”
“Shhhhhhh…”
“No. That day you came to my house, I should have packed a bag right there and then and left with you. I should have left months before that. I thought I’d ruined everything. I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.”
“I’d like to tell you that I’m strong enough to stay mad at you,” he said, his voice a little thick. “But I’m not. I came the second I got your message. Then my truck broke down outside of the tux shop and Bri had to come pick me up. I didn’t know how to use Uber.”
I laughed, tears pinching from my eyes.
“Did you hear my speech?” I asked, wiping my cheeks.
“I did. I watched from the top of the steps. I didn’t want you to see me, didn’t want to make you nervous.”
“I was going to quit, Daniel. If they hadn’t agreed to it, I was going to leave to be with you anyway. I was coming to Wakan with or without Royaume.”
He smiled gently at me. “God, you look beautiful,” he breathed. I smiled at him through tears and we stood there, just being.
It was incredible how whole I felt. How he completed the final piece in my mosaic. I would have never been right without him. Even if I’d never met him or ever knew who he was.
The band started playing “True” by Spandau Ballet. Daniel raised an eyebrow. “I don’t suppose you want to dance with me?”
I smiled. “Yes.” I nodded. “Of course I want to dance with you.”
I put an arm around his neck. He put a palm over the one on his heart and started to turn me in this magical room full of flowers and twinkling stars.
It felt like a fairy tale. He looked like a prince in an enchanted forest.
But then he’d always been a prince. It was just the first time everyone else saw it too.
We were the only ones on the dance floor. The huge poof of my dress swept around as he spun me, and a spotlight clicked on and began to follow us.
The whole room was watching. I wanted them to.
I wanted everyone to see me with the man I loved. Because I was proud to love him in front of my world. I would have been proud if he’d come in his jeans and a T-shirt, mud on his boots, tattoos and all. He could have walked in with Kevin Bacon, and I would have smiled and dove into his arms.
“So what does this new job mean?” he asked, turning me. “Are you gonna have to travel to other clinics when they open? Are we nomads now?” he joked.
I laughed a little. “No. My job is just to make sure the clinics are funded. Basically, I have to go to a lot of parties. We should probably buy this tuxedo,” I said, tugging on his lapel.
He pulled on the collar. “It’s really uncomfortable. I’ve never worn one before.”
“You should try Spanx.” He laughed.
“So, I guess I’ll have to move you into the big house. You’ll need the closet space for all the ball gowns.”
I smiled. “Can we have the damask room?” I asked.
“Of course. But…” he said, giving me a stern look, “I can’t live with you there unless we’re married.”
I gasped playfully. “What? Why not?”
“That’s my grandparents’ bedroom. Can’t do the things I want to do with you in there unless you’re my wife. Wouldn’t feel right.”
I pretended to think about it. “Hmmm. Plus, it’s haunted. I’m not sure I should be in there alone. We should probably get married right away. I had to promise the hospital board not to drop my last name, but I think Dr. Alexis Montgomery Grant has a nice ring to it, don’t you?”
He narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t mind being married to a carpenter in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere?”
“I can’t really think of a better way to spend the next fifty years. And anyway, we sort of have to. Doug bet me a hundred bucks that we wouldn’t live happily ever after.”
He laughed, and his whole face lit up.
Dr. Alexis Montgomery Grant.
It occurred to me that one day Daniel and I would be remembered with yellowing framed newspaper articles hung on the walls of the VFW like the Grants before us, and the idea made me feel so proud and complete, I couldn’t even articulate it. It was better than stately paintings hung in hospital hallways or articles in Forbes or documentaries on the History Channel—though we’d probably have those too.
We would have the best of both worlds. I could dance the night away with him at an extravagant ball and then let him take me home to care for our town, our people—our family. Because sometimes family isn’t what you’re born into. Sometimes family is found.
And I’d found mine in Wakan. I’d found mine in him.
I started to tear up again.
“Why are you crying?” he asked gently.
“Because I’m just so happy.” I peered up at him through my wet lashes. “Let’s never leave this place. Let’s just stay here in this moment forever.”
He peered around, bobbing his head. “Well, I’m not saying I’d like to build a summer home here. But the trees are actually quite lovely.”
I laughed so hard, he pulled me closer to him by the waist to put his forehead to mine.
I beamed. “Kiss me, Daniel Grant.”
He looked scandalized. “Right here? In front of everyone?” “Right here. In front of everyone.”
He stopped turning me, and we stood under the huge crystal chandelier in the middle of the room, the entire gala watching, all eyes on us. He hovered his lips an inch from mine.
“As. You. Wish.”
