In the absolute silence on the other end of the line, she wondered if she’d taken it too far. It wasn’t her place to bring up her mother. And it wasn’t like her mother had ever complained.

“No, I don’t want that for you. You’ve always had such a strong spirit. I want you to be happy, but you’re going to have to find a way to blend your role in this family and in this country with your passions, just as your mother has done. I think we both know she would make an even better ruler than I, but she’s found a way to enact her vision through other means. You’ll do the same. You must come home, Rosalina, and take on your role here.”

She understood his point, but she also knew her own heart. “Brodie’s special, Papa. What I feel for him…it’s so much more than what I had with Marcel. I didn’t come here for this. I certainly don’t want to let you down or add to your stress, but I feel like my whole, true self here.”

“Rosalina, that is enough. You’ve always had this streak of rebelliousness in you. We’d thought getting expelled from school might’ve been enough to get it under control, but I see it hasn’t. There will be no forbidden romance with a cowboy. Not when the vote’s next week.”

“I can’t believe Marcel took a picture of me and sent it to his father.”

“I’m not sure you understand the pressure Marcel is under. He was instructed to bring you home, and when he couldn’t, he showed his father the reason why. Henri is not a patient man, and this situation has pushed him to his limit. First, his son acts out, and now you.”

“I’m not acting out. That’s an insulting way to look at this. I love him.” Oh, dear God. She did, didn’t she?

She glanced out the window to find Brodie watching her. Her heart swelled so big it hurt. “I’m not getting back at Marcel, and I’m not rebelling against my role. I’ve simply fallen in love with a man who makes me happier than I’ve ever been.”

Her father let out a slow, tired breath. “Listen to me. I would never force you to marry Marcel, and after the vote we can talk about your business plan. I won’t hold you back from realizing your dreams, but you must take on your role here. You’ve been in that town a matter of weeks. You can’t have fallen so hopelessly in love with this man that there’s no turning back. The sooner you end it with him, the easier it will be on both of you.”