But it was Livvy’s gaze that held his attention. She would be an incredible mother. Fierce and proud, he could imagine her defending her young with her life. He wanted a mother like that for his own children. The rush to marry was all about heirs, of course. He hadn’t needed to have his responsibilities in that area spelled out to him. Now, seeing Olivia’s face soften as she watched the dugongs with their mother, he realized he didn’t just want heirs—he wanted children. He wanted a family. With Olivia.
His lips twisted. There was another thing he couldn’t have. He didn’t even know if she wanted children. She might not. She’d only ever talked about her ambitions for her career. Being a CEO of a major company didn’t seem like the kind of thing that would be easily compatible with raising a family, especially not a royal family with a father who would have many other demands on his time that couldn’t be ignored. His children would need at least one parent who would be there with them every day. He couldn’t guarantee that he would be able to read them a bedtime story or cuddle them when they were tired and grizzly, but he hoped that their mother would fill that gap.
Aliya would do it. She was a sweet girl, and she had told him that she was used to caring for her younger brothers and sisters.
“Oh, look.” Olivia leaned forward to watch more closely as the mother dugong gently pushed her babies up to the surface to breathe. Even at such a young age, they were already learning to swim. They all laughed at the first, feeble efforts to coordinate their fins and tail, and cheered when the larger one managed a little way unaided.
“They’re bigger than I expected.”
“These are quite small. Usually, they only have one calf at a time. Would you like to name them?” Annie asked Olivia.
“May I really? Are they male or female?”
“One of each.”
She frowned a little as she studied the young animals carefully. “I’d like to name them after my mother. Alison for the girl and Fraser for the boy.”
“Perfect.” Annie wrote the names in her chart.
“Will they stay at the center or do you release them into the wild?”
“These little ones will stay here in the reservation area. We’ll be studying their development and growth as they mature. Hardly any research has been done. It’s so exciting to have this chance.”
“Will you let me know how they’re getting on? I feel a little bit protective of them now.”
“Of course.”
Olivia handed over her business card. “There’s my personal email address.”
“I’ll send pictures.”
“If you could, I’d love that.”
Khaled and Olivia wandered slowly back to the center. Occasionally, their hands brushed and they exchanged shy, rueful smiles as they stepped deliberately apart before unconsciously moving toward each other again as they walked.
“Will you have a family of your own one day?” he asked abruptly.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.”
“You should,” he said firmly. “You should have children.”
She said nothing for a while. “It’s not that simple.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t have children on my own, Khaled.”
He gave a half-laugh. “No, of course not. But you’ll find someone to settle down with. Start a family.” There wouldn’t be any shortage of men willing to oblige.
“It wouldn’t work.”
“What wouldn’t?”
“Settling down. Starting a family just for the sake of it. It’s not like Carrie, looking after those two on her own. Children need parents who love each other. I know, Khaled. I was never enough for my father after Mum died. Having children doesn’t make up for not being with the person you love.”
“Livvy…”
She shook off the hand he put on her arm. “Please don’t, Khaled.”
“You should have both.”
“Right.” She stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. “I should have everything. I should have children. I should have the man I love. I should have the job I deserve. But that’s not how life works.”
“No. There are compromises, but there are some things that ought never to be compromised.” He took hold of her elbow again and this time she didn’t move away. “Don’t settle, Olivia. You’re worth too much to settle for second best.”
She blinked and he had a horrid feeling there were tears behind it.
“No. You’re right. I shouldn’t have to settle for second best.” She looked him square in the eye. “Neither should you.”
“It’s different.” Couldn’t she see that? He wasn’t settling for anything. He was doing his duty as best he could.
She sighed. “Maybe it is. I don’t mean to make things harder for you.”
“I know.”
“We have the rest of this afternoon, don’t we? We should make the most of it and enjoy what time we have together.”
“Agreed.”