Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

"Conner, so does Cooper actually have ties to the royal family here?" Annie asked.

Conner crooked a finger, beckoning her closer. "Come here, I'll let you in on a secret."

Annie leaned in, eager for the scoop. A second later, Conner flashed a wicked grin and gently nipped her earlobe. "Conner!" she squeaked.

The hospital garden echoed with laughter-Conner's deep, carefree chuckles, followed by a playful yelp as Annie gave him a swift, harmless smack.

Eldoria Havenbrook, Maplewood Estates.

"Mommy, come play with me," Henry pleaded, climbing onto the sofa and wrapping his pudgy arms around his mom's neck, nuzzling in for some love.

Mia glanced at her phone, reading Annie's latest message. "Weird. Kristen's never studied abroad. But the Crown Prince everyone's talking about? He did."

"Mommy-" Henry whined, tilting his little head, watching her with big, hopeful eyes. His chubby hands framed her face, gently turning her toward him. In his sweetest baby voice, he urged, "Look at your baby, Mommy!"

Mia turned to meet his gaze, then scooped him up in a hug. "Give Mommy just a minute to finish this, and then I'll play with you, okay?"

"I'll sit with you while you look," Henry insisted.

really? Can you even read yet, you little

pouted, knowing he couldn't read, but he was

Kristen's photo.

and stage-whispered, "Mommy, he's

the foreign prince's photo and chuckled. "Ugly? He's not! You have the funniest

memory. "Hey, sweetheart, is that

Henry replied with a cheeky grin, laying

lost in thought, holding perfectly still. Sensing

he focused

away with tiny

with

blinked up at

a late work dinner, the

Mia's been teaching all day, she's tired. Come here, let

lifted him high. Henry poked his own cheek and bragged, "Daddy, Mommy kissed

boys," Andre teased, still a bit tipsy, as sniffed Henry's

see