He could barely allow himself to believe what he was hearing. “You never blamed me?”
She shook her head. “Your father had health issues.”
“I never knew.”
“Only four people knew of them. Two of them were your father and myself. A king must not look vulnerable.”
Leo had a feeling his mother’s last comment was aimed at his relationship with a commoner. “Bianca will not make me vulnerable. With her by my side, we can do great things together. I love her.”
“But does she feel the same way?” The queen stood. “Maybe she doesn’t love you and that’s why she left so quickly.”
“She left because I made a mistake. Now I need to make things up to her.”
“You really love her, don’t you?” When he nodded, his mother said, “There’s a commercial flight tomorrow.”
It was his turn to arch a brow. “You aren’t going to try and stop me?”
“Maybe I should. But when it all comes down to it, I want my children to be happy. And Bianca makes you happier than I’ve ever seen you. So go get her. Make her your princess.”
“Thank you.” He hugged his mother, something they rarely did, but he had a feeling that was about to change. When he pulled back, he said, “You try to put on a crusty exterior but on the inside you’re just a marshmallow.”
She sent him a playful frown. “Go. Before I change my mind.” His mother turned and walked away. She called over her shoulder, “And have someone move that vehicle.”
Now he had to wait through the night to get to his princess.
It was going to be the longest night of his life.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“YOU’RE BACK.”
It was almost lunchtime when Bianca dragged herself to the main house. She glanced over at Gia as she entered the kitchen. Bianca smoothed a hand over her mussed-up ponytail. She’d forgotten that her sister had turned the place into a boutique hotel and that there might be guests lurking about. She peered past her sister, relieved to find her alone.
“I got in late last night.”
Gia had already turned in by then, but Enzo had still been awake. He knew Bianca was upset but he hadn’t pried. He just let her know he was there if she wanted to talk.
She turned her back to her sister to avoid questions about the shadows under her bloodshot eyes.
“I loved the photos you sent,” Gia said. “Do you have some of the wedding?”
“Um... I do. But not on me.” The last thing she wanted to discuss was the royal wedding. “I was so tired last night that I forgot to plug my phone in and now it’s dead, kind of like me. Do you have some coffee you can spare?”
Gia made them both a cup and then joined Bianca at the kitchen island. “You don’t look so good, considering you just planned the wedding of a lifetime.”
And had my heart torn out and shredded.
“How am I supposed to look?”
Gia shrugged. “Like you’re on top of the world. The phone has been ringing like crazy with people trying to reach you to plan their wedding.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Sorry?” Gia studied her. “Now I know something is wrong. Bianca, what is it? Tell me what has you looking like you just lost your best friend.”
Bianca needed someone to talk to and so she started at the beginning. She left out some of the steamy bits, some things weren’t for sharing. And then the proposal—
“And you turned him down?” Gia’s voice rose.
“Shh...” Bianca glanced at the doorway to assure herself that they were still alone. “I don’t want anyone to know.”
“I wouldn’t want anyone to know you lost your mind either. I mean, it’s obvious by the look on your face when you mention Leo that you love him. And he’s a prince. What else do you need?”
“You don’t understand. What happens when the DNA test says I’m not a Bartolini?”
“You’re still you and he loves you.”
Bianca shook her head. “He loves the idea of me. But when I pointed out about the DNA tests and that I could be anyone’s daughter, including a criminal’s, he went silent.” It was only when her sister’s face paled that Bianca realized she’d said too much. “Gia, I didn’t mean that. I... I was just being thoughtless.”
“It’s okay.” The look on her face said it was anything but okay. “It’s the truth. We don’t know anything about the biological father.”
Not sure what to say, Bianca opted to distract her sister with her story about Leo. “Anyway, Leo didn’t say a word and then he walked away. That was all the answer I needed.”
Gia grabbed a tray of pastries and placed them in front of Bianca. “I think you’re going to need these.” When Bianca arched a questioning brow, Gia added, “You know, comfort food.”
Bianca’s gaze moved to the tray. “I’m going to need a lot more sweets than this. Do you have any chocolate?”
Before Gia could answer, sounds of a commotion came from the front of the villa. What was that all about? Some rowdy guests?
“I’ll be right back.” Gia rushed out of the room.
Bianca browsed the cabinets for some chocolate. The voices in the front room grew louder and she could hear Gia’s raised voice. Alarmed, Bianca pushed the cabinet door shut and rushed after her sister.
Bianca came to a halt when she spotted Leo.
Her heart leaped into her throat.
What was he doing here? Not that she should care. Whatever they’d shared was over.
* * *
“Go away.”
Leo braced himself for a prickly reception. He just hadn’t expected the hostility to come from Bianca’s sister. It didn’t surprise him. He’d handled things poorly with Bianca. He just needed a chance to make it up to her.
Luckily for him, the private jet had returned earlier than expected and he didn’t have time to wait until noon for the commercial flight. It was refueled and ready to go early that morning. Still, it had taken him longer to get to the Bartolini estate than he’d planned because he had to make an important detour. It was a crucial part of his plan to win Bianca back. He hoped it would prove to her once and for all how much he cared about her...if only he could get past her brother and sister.
“I’m not leaving until I speak to Bianca,” Leo said as Enzo continued to stand in front of him with his fists pressed into his sides.
“She doesn’t want to see you,” Enzo said while Gia agreed with him. “I don’t care if you are a prince, you can’t hurt my sister.”
“You don’t understand—”
“I understand that my sister was crying and that’s all I need to know.”
The fact he’d caused Bianca such pain weighed heavy on him. He had to make it up to her, if she’d let him. “I can fix this.”
Gia stepped between the two men. She leveled her shoulders and tilted her chin upward. “If you’ve come to tell my sister that she’s not good enough to be a royal, you can leave now.”
That’s what she thought? It couldn’t be further from the truth. But he didn’t want to explain himself to Bianca’s siblings. The person he needed to explain things to was Bianca—
“Leo, you shouldn’t be here.” Bianca stepped into the room.
“Don’t worry about him,” Enzo said. “He was just leaving.”
“No. I wasn’t.” Leo frowned at the man. And then he turned his attention to Bianca. “I need to speak with you. Alone.”
“We have nothing left to discuss.”
“Listen, I messed up and I’m sorry.” He pulled a huge bouquet of red roses from behind his back. “These are for you.”
Bianca’s eyes paused on the flowers before meeting his gaze once more. He couldn’t read her thoughts. It was as though she’d put up a protective wall and now he had to find a way to breach it.
&
nbsp; “Please go, Leo. It’s over. It was a mistake.” She turned and walked away.
He desperately wanted to follow her—to tell her that nothing was over between them. They were just getting started, but her two protective siblings weren’t about to let him get past them.
He placed the flowers on a stand by the door. “I’ll be back.”
He wasn’t giving up. He loved Bianca. And she loved him too. She was afraid of the results of the DNA test and he had to prove to her that they didn’t matter to him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
THE FLOWERS STARTED showing up the next day.
“I don’t know where to put them all,” Gia said. “It’s starting to look like a florist shop in here.” Gia looked at Bianca with sympathy in her eyes. “I know he screwed up, big time, but would it hurt to hear him out?”
Before Bianca could answer there was a knock at the door. She didn’t have to wonder. She knew who was there—the florist. Again.
Bianca moved toward the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll have them take the flowers away.”
She swung open the door, but the words lodged in her throat. There stood Leo.
“You can’t be here,” she said. “A guest might see you and it’ll end up on social media.”
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
“Why are you making this so difficult?” Every time she saw him, the feeling of loss washed over her. How was she ever going to forget him—her very own Prince Charming?
“Just hear me out. That’s all I’m asking. And then if you still want me to go, I will.” He could see the indecision reflected in Bianca’s eyes. “Please.”
“Okay. We can go outside—”
“I have a car.” When her eyes widened in surprise, he added, “It’s getting late. I thought we could talk over dinner.”
“I don’t know.”
“Go with him,” Gia said. “Give him a chance. We don’t have room for more flowers.”
Maybe it was the best way to set things straight with him. Bianca glanced down at her skinny jeans and purple top. “I should change.”
“You look perfect,” Leo said. “You’re always beautiful.”
Meanwhile, her sister stood to the side, urging them out the door.
Bianca said, “A quick dinner and then you’ll leave?” When he nodded, she added, “And no more flowers?”
“I promise.”
She grabbed her purse and shoes. Then they were out the door. She noticed him messaging someone as they headed toward the car. Then he slipped the phone in his pocket and opened the car door for her.
Why was he making this so difficult?
Bianca’s heart ached.
There was nothing that could change things between them. Leo was royalty. She was not. And the DNA tests were delayed so it’d be another few days until they received the results.
Still, her body longed to fall into his strong arms—to rest her cheek against his muscular chest—to hear the steady pounding of his heart. It might have been a little more than twenty-four hours since she saw him last but she’d missed him dearly. How was she going to exist without seeing him again, except for on the front of a glossy magazine?
“We should talk now,” she said as the car headed toward Florence.
“Not yet.”
“Leo, nothing you say is going to change our circumstances.”
“Just wait. We’re almost there. And I’d like to be able to look at you when we talk instead of concentrating on the road.”
The red sports car he’d rented slowed as they made their way into the city.
“There it is.” Leo pulled into a parking spot.
Before she could get out, he’d rushed around the car and opened the door for her. As they started up the sidewalk, she noticed a group of photographers. They started snapping pictures as flashes repeatedly lit up the sky.
Bianca stopped walking. “Leo, we can’t go in there.”
“Sure we can.”
“But the paparazzi—”
“It’ll be okay.”
“But how did they know you would be here?” She stared at him. Something was up, but what? “I didn’t even know you’d be here.”
“I told them,” he said matter-of-factly.
“You did?” Her words got lost in the frenzy of questions volleyed at them from the reporters.
Leo took her hand and led her through the crowd. At last they were inside the restaurant. They were immediately seated—next to the window.
“Excuse me,” Bianca said to the maître d’. “Can we have another table? Away from the window?”
“It’s okay,” Leo said. “I requested this table.”
“You did?” She didn’t understand. What was going on?
Leo took her hands in his as they stood next to the table. On the other side of the window flashes went off. But in that moment, as Leo stared into her eyes, he was all she could see. His voice was all she could hear.
“Bianca, I’m sorry about what happened back at the after-party. I didn’t react the way I should have. When you started throwing out all those excuses of why we shouldn’t be together, I got nervous. But now I want the entire world to know how I feel about you.”
“Th-those weren’t excuses. They are the truth. I’m not a part of your world. I don’t even know what world I belong in. The DNA results—”
“I know where you belong. With me.”
Tears stung the backs of her eyes. He was saying all the right things. “But what happens when the DNA results say I’m not a Bartolini? Those reporters out there will have a field day. It could threaten your position as king.”
“It doesn’t matter. Don’t you know how much I love you?”
Her heart pounded in her chest. “But what about when you become king—?”
“I would step down from the throne if that’s what it took for us to be together.”
“You would?”
He nodded. “I would.”
“But the queen—she’ll never approve.”
“I told her I love you and it took some convincing but she’s coming around. I’m sure you can win her over.”
How was it that he was overcoming all her objections? Her gaze searched his. “What are you trying to tell me?”
“Bianca, I love you and it doesn’t matter about your heritage. I know you have the biggest, most caring heart.” He removed a small black velvet box from his pocket and opened it. The camera flashes were now almost continuous. He held the biggest teardrop diamond ring out to her.
A tear of joy splashed onto her cheek. “Leo, what have you done?”
He dropped down on one knee. “Bianca Bartolini, I fell for you the day I saw you at the wedding at the villa. Since then I’ve come to love your company, your sense of humor and your warm smiles that light up my darkest days. No test is going to change my feelings for you. I love you with all my heart. And I just have one question for you: will you be my queen?”
Her heart pounded with love for this man. It was then that she realized exactly where she belonged—next to the man she loved.
“Yes. Yes, I will. I love you.”
He pulled the ring from the box and slipped it on her trembling hand. And then he stood. He peered deeply into her eyes. “You’re the most amazing woman. And the people of Patazonia are going to love you as much as I do.”
And then he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers as flashes lit up the entire room. Fairy tales really do come true.
* * *
Look out for the next story in The Bartolini Legacy trilogy Coming soon!
And if you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Jennifer Faye
Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise
Wearing the Greek Millionaire’s Ring
Claiming the Drako
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Carrying the Greek Tycoon’s Baby
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from One Night to Remember by Kate Hardy.
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One Night to Remember
by Kate Hardy
CHAPTER ONE
‘THE BEST WAY to get over someone is to have a mad fling,’ Natalie said.
‘I don’t need a fling,’ Holly protested.
And it still felt too soon after Simon. Besides, how could a one-night stand take the place of eight years of being with someone? She’d thought their relationship was strong enough to cope with him being on secondment in New York for six months. Holly usually spent most of the summer away somewhere on a dig, coming home for weekends, and that had always been fine. She and Simon had rubbed along without any problems. They’d been happy.
Or so she’d believed. The more she thought about it, the more she realised how wrong she’d been.
Simon had met Fenella in New York, fallen hopelessly in love with her, and called off his wedding to Holly at the end of his secondment—only a month before they had been due to walk down the aisle together. He’d left it to Holly to cancel all the wedding preparations and send back the wedding gifts with an apologetic note, on the grounds that she was better at that sort of thing than he was; she’d gritted her teeth and done it simply so she knew everything had been sorted out rather than Simon dragging his feet and leaving something undone.
And, although his offer to buy out Holly’s share of their house meant that she didn’t have all the hassle of trying to sell the house, it hurt that he wanted to share their house with someone else. Plus she had had to find somewhere else to live, though Natalie had stepped in immediately with an offer of her spare room until Holly could find somewhere suitable.
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