The Billionaire Prince’s Surprise Son by Leslie North

15

The days were starting to blur together for Nic. He’d made a concerted effort to spend more time helping Harry get ready in the morning, and he’d left for the hospital at the same time as Summer for the past few days, but he’d still had to stay late, and weekends and other “free time” were still crowded with the needs of his Crown Prince duties. On the one night he’d come home early enough to tuck Harry in, he’d fallen asleep reading a story to him, something about a very busy badger or some such. Summer re-heated food, and he could see concern and caution warring in her expressive eyes.

Now, on a rare day off from the hospital, he’d been called in to what was promised to be a “short” policy meeting with several of the kingdom’s ministers. He knew immediately that they’d been grossly underestimating the time needed to cover what they wanted to discuss when they ordered lunch. He rubbed the back of his neck, sure that he was missing something, but there was nothing on his calendar except for the fundraiser that was being held here at the palace later that evening.

Maybe I’ll have Summer meet me here,he thought wearily. The thought of sneaking to his old bedroom and grabbing a catnap, like he had as a resident crashing on an unneeded gurney, was ridiculously appealing. He was just about to head that way when, to his surprise, he bumped into his friend Erik.

“What are you doing here?”

Erik smirked. “I’m going to the fundraiser tonight, so I thought I’d come a bit early, wind down a bit before the festivities.”

“You just wanted to hustle my father at billiards,” Nic said, with a tired smile. Erik had always loved spending time here in Mynia when they were growing up, probably because Nic’s parents were so much more laid back—more like “normal” parents—than Erik’s own.

“He was going off to a meeting, but said we’d have a match later,” Erik said, with an unrepentant grin. “And your mother asked if I’d sing at the party.”

“You going to?” Erik had studied music at uni, and was a surprisingly good singer, even if as a royal there was no way he could become some kind of rock star.

Erik shrugged. “If I’m feeling up to it.” He cleared his throat. “Speaking of feeling up to it… you’re looking kind of peaked, mate.”

“Thanks,” Nic replied dryly.

“I’m serious for once,” Erik said, and Nic saw from his expression that he was. “You look absolutely demolished. When was the last time you got a full night’s sleep?”

“Not sure,” Nic muttered. “What day is it?”

Erik shook his head.

“Kidding,” Nic said, although he kind of wasn’t. “I know that the fundraiser’s today, don’t I?” Although he’d had his phone’s calendar and his parents’ social secretary both remind him.

“You’re working too hard,” Erik said. “You’re going to break down.”

“Well, one of us has to,” Nic tried teasing back, only to feel like an ass when his friend’s face fell. Erik’s fun-seeking lifestyle was really a way to try to avoid his parents’ belief that he didn’t have anything substantive to offer, and it was unkind to poke fun. “Sorry. But… you know. Medicine. Life or death. I can’t ignore it.”

“You’re still doing all that policy work, too. Surely you should be able to back off a bit on one or the other?”

“That affects the entire country,” Nic pressed back stubbornly. “I can’t just blow that off, either!”

“And Summer and Harry?” Erik pressed. “Where do they fit into all of this?”

Nic sighed. “All right. It’s been tricky finding a balance,” he admitted.

After a second, Erik let out a deep breath. “Is this about Tom?” he asked, catching Nic off guard. “I mean, we all knew he talked about being a doctor—hell, it’s all he wanted to play when he was a kid. But if you’re living your life because he couldn’t live his…”

“Don’t talk about Tom,” Nic warned him, his voice jagged.

Erik sighed, but backed down. “I’m just worried about you,” he said quietly. “Odds are good your girl is worried, too. Maybe with good reason.”

Nic grimaced. He was lucky to have Erik and Ben as his best friends. But what Erik was saying was just salt in his wounds. Nic owed the people around him to bring his absolute best—anything less was unacceptable. And he knew, deep down, that he could juggle all of these disparate parts of his life. All he had to do was somehow find that elusive balance. He wanted Summer and Harry to stay.

But was that what was best for them… or what was best for him?

The thought tortured him.

Before he could continue the train of thought, his phone went off in his pocket. It was a call from the hospital. He answered it.

“Dr. Hansen.” It was Dr. Buckham. “There’s a problem. It looks like one of your patients is having some trouble. I suspect a possible poor response to the drug treatment, but…”

Adrenaline shot through Nic’s system like a tsunami. “I’ll get there as soon as I can.” He hung up, then turned to his friend. “Tell my parents I had to go to the hospital?”

“Of course,” Erik said. “And you’ll still see Ben and me at the fundraiser tonight, right?”

The fundraiser. Nic squelched a grimace. “Sure,” he said, then headed for his car. “Felix, we need to get to the hospital. Emergency.”

Used to this, Felix had the car in drive almost before Nic had his seatbelt on. As they pulled away from the palace, Nic felt his eyelids drooping.

He knew that he couldn’t keep going this way. He just didn’t know what the best option was.

God, if I could just get a few minutes of rest…

Before he finished the sentence, he’d already fallen asleep.