by C R Riley
And don’t look at me like that. There will be plenty of people living with us to keep things from getting out of hand. Security will be in house, as will Helena and Beatriz, and let us not forget Isabel. So during our eight-week holiday it will be a challenge I’m sure for us to find space and time to spend alone. But do not think I won’t do my best to ensure that we at least try.
I wanted to go with Larkin to the airport to retrieve her parents but was told no, by her and Sir Edward. So I went with option number two and am joining them for dinner at the hotel restaurant. I can’t remember the last time I went out and ate at a restaurant. As you can imagine it is not an easy task setting something like that up. To make things easier on my men we secured a private dining room so that they could give us privacy while guaranteeing all our safety. And of course, we had to enter through a side door so we didn’t draw a crowd.
I am running a little bit later than I planned. After I left the hospital, I had taken a call from Governor Ruth Niles. Seems she heard about my visit and wanted to let me know not everyone agreed with several of the senior elected officials. Letting me distinguish there were those out there who supported me, along with my chose to separate my political and personal lives. That conversation lasted fifteen minutes and was refreshing.
The next call that came in was not so refreshing though and lasted ten minutes too long. It was from Governor Aaron Colon and he had way too much to say on the matter. Had the nerve to suggest I was disrespecting the crown for even entertaining the idea of going against tradition. Made it clear that he would make certain to put the pressure on me by riling up the people. Maybe not using those exact words, yet I understood what he was revealing behind his all too practiced speech. So by the time I hung up on him I was not only late, but also now determined to make a point and set things straight.
“Isaac, change of plans. Let’s pull around front and enter through the main doors.” I begin texting.
Antonio: Are you already seated in the dining hall?
Larkin: No. Sorry. I hope we aren’t keeping you waiting. Mother is running late. She is a little nervous about meeting you. You do realize who you are right?
“Sir Edward says that is a no go Your Majesty.” Isaac is only relaying a message; except I am in no mood to be told what I can and cannot do.
“As your King, I order you to take me to the main entrance. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He groans.
Larkin: We are heading that way now.
Antonio: Take the elevator to the lobby. I will meet you there.
Larkin: Everything OK? Thought we were told to meet you in the dining room?
Antonio: Yes. Just do as I ask please.
Larkin: As you wish.
Her sarcasm doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Give us …” Isaac starts; however, I open my door and step out before he can finish. “Sometimes I hate my job.”
I hear him cursing behind me, barking orders to the men inside. No doubt I will hear about this, yet right now I have a plan, a need to do what I am about to do.
Like I suspected the lobby is full of people. Most of them are upper class citizens since this particular hotel doesn’t come cheap. The restaurant here is also one of the best and often booked, so many of these patrons are waiting for their tables to open up. It is common for them to gather in the main lobby like this, so that those coming and going can identify them. I know ridiculous, but that is the practice of that particular group, therefore I plan on using it to my advantage.
I shove through the main door and am immediately recognized. The room goes silent in only seconds, and out of respect many of them start to bow. Which of course grabs everyone else’s attention that may not have noticed me, and so it begins.
Gino and Franco suddenly appear, flanking both sides.
“Do we have a plan Sir?” Gino’s voice sounds entertained at the moment.
“I do.”
“Are you going to share it with us, or it this another rogue operation?” Again, with the tone, so I glance his way.
“Rogue operation?” I raise my eyebrows as we head towards the elevators. There are three.
“I believe Miss Cross and her guests are in elevator number one, Sir. I’m also not complaining. The job was getting rather boring and I am a big fan of mixing things up a bit.” Gino is most defiantly earning brownie points tonight with me.
“Glad I could spice things up a bit then. That being said I should probably warn you that they might get even spicier very soon.” The elevator dings right after I warn him.
I wait and am very pleased to spot Larkin just inside. She is dressed in a lovely deep lavender dress that leaves one shoulder exposed. Her waist is accented with stones, which match the stilettos she has chosen to go with it. I know this because I take a few seconds to appreciate the stunning sight of her. Don’t even bother trying to conceal the fact that I am checking her out.
“Get ready Gino.” I warn him as I step forward and offer her my hand. “Miss Cross, looking as lovely as always.”
I know she is expecting me to kiss her hand when I take it to help her off the elevator. That is not at all my plan, and she soon realizes that the second she has cleared the doors.
Right there in front of her parents and all those present, I yank her to me and kiss her hard and thoroughly. I don’t stop until I hear her whimper against my lips.
When I pull back slowly, I am privileged to witness the slow smile that lights up her face. “So, it’s like that?”
“It’s like that. I’m done letting others dictate my moves where you are concerned. After all the crap I have had to suffer through these last few hours, I needed a reminder from the one person who always makes me feel alive.” I kiss her one more time quickly. “Now shall we introduce me to your parents, before they begin to wonder if this is how all Hermosa Islaians greet one another.”
Larkin reaches up and attempts to wipe her lipstick from my lips. “It’s not as noticeable as the bright red, but Summer Breeze really isn’t your color.”
“Here dear.” The woman behind her passes over a white handkerchief. “Perhaps you should start carrying one of those with you.”
The tinge of red that appears on Larkin’s cheek as she accepts the white cloth doesn’t get overlooked. “Thank you, mother.”
After I am all cleaned up and now presentable, I tuck Larkin under my arm and extend a hand to her father first. “Senator Cross, it is a pleasure to meet the man who raised such a lovely daughter.”
“Charming fellow aren’t you King Antonio.” He takes my hand and gives it a solid shake. “Breaking protocol tonight even I see.”
I can see this man understands me, so I just nod once as I turn to the woman next to him. Turning my hand to accept hers, I am pleased when she offers it. I bring it slowly to my lips and then greet her as well. “Dr. Cross, you are equally as stunning as your daughter. I see where she gets it from.”
And that isn’t just a line. I know Larkin is adopted and looks nothing like her mother. However, this woman is very beautiful, with her light caramel skin and black hair that clearly gives away her heritage. An East Indian beauty, that I am sure has turned many a heads over the years. Senator Cross is a very lucky man indeed.
“I believe I like this one Larkin.” She glances over at her daughter. “I also believe we are drawing a crowd Your Majesty. Maybe we should move this to a more private setting now that you have staked your claim.”
Larkin gasp at her mother’s bold statement as she agitates her head. “Mother, please. Antonio, I do believe she is right about the crowd though. Isaac appears to be getting rather anxious over there.”
I turn to discover Isaac doing his best to keep everyone back. His eyes meet mine and I realize he is also getting an ear full from Sir Edward of course.
“Shall we.” I shift her arm into the crook of mine and begin walking towards the restaurant.
“Sir, it has been requested that we take a less crowed r
oute if you don’t mind.” Gino is doing his best to follow orders and keep me happy.
“You lead the way Gino. I will make sure the King follows.” Larkin answers for me. “He has caused enough of a scene tonight I believe to make his point. No reason to give Sir Edward any more reason to hate me.”
“He does not hate you.” I correct her sternly.
“Maybe not, but I know he does not like me very much. I blame you for that by the way.” Larkin tells me as we walk towards a door marked private.
A few minutes later we are seated in the private dining room and all is back to how it was first planned. Things are going rather well in my mind.
I make it very clear that her parents should call me Antonio tonight. I want this to be a relaxed dinner where we can all get to know each other better. Both Sam and Eleanor agree, making this feel much more like the family dinner Larkin wanted.
The relaxed state she is in right now is refreshing. She laughs openly at her father’s jokes and the stories he shares with us all. Listens to her mother talk about a few of her more interesting cases and sympathizes with her when she admits she sometimes wish she could do more. It is clear they are close. They even ask her about her work here and she freely shares. Discusses her upcoming project concerning my home in Homero. Talks about how excited she is about getting started, even promising to take her parents to the sight so they can see the place first hand.
I of course grant her permission to take them to any of my homes while here, Palace included. They will be here for a week and plan on sightseeing while Larkin is working. Having never been to Hermosa Islas, they are both excited to discover something new.
But when the conversation turns towards her future plans, all that tension seems to return rather quickly.
“I wish you would have stayed longer in Chicago dear.” Her mother reaches over and pats her hand. “I miss you when you are gone.”
“I know.” Larkin responds quickly, obviously not comfortable with this topic.
“Your condo sold rather quickly.” Eleanor tries again.
“Yes, I was glad to see that. No need keeping a place I rarely live in. Figured if I ended up back in Chicago, I could stay with you all or rent a place temporarily. Thank you for taking care of that for me.” Larkin this time at least says something more than a few short words, although she still seems tense.
“Where should I send your belongings? Here? Are you staying here? Or are you going to Tokyo like planned in a few months?” An innocent question from her mother, but not one Larkin seems all that delighted she asked.
“Tokyo?” This is the first I’ve heard anything about that.
Her father smiles proudly. “My daughter has been invited to join a team of talented architects that will evaluate several historical buildings and structures. Establish what can be done to save them from becoming ruins. It is a very unique opportunity; one she was very much looking forward to. They are only going after the best of the best and our Larkin is obtaining quite the reputation.”
“I thought this was a five-year assignment.” I realize my tone has changed and taken on a more aggressive one. “You are scheduled to start work on the Maximiliano Chateau in a few weeks. That project alone is projected to take at least a year to complete.”
“Six months.” She corrects me without looking at me. “I should be able to get it done in six months if I buckle down and keep things progressing.”
“That seems rather fast with all the changes we have planned for it. Are you sure it will be done correctly in such a short time frame?” I don’t like thinking that in six months she could possibly just be gone. Not to mention it does not at all line up with my plan where she is concerned.
“What is it you’re really asking me Antonio?” Larkin sets her water glass down rather harshly. “And be careful with your words. I’ve shared our relationship but haven’t gone into great details.”
“With my words? What are you afraid I might reveal Larkin?” I wipe my mouth off and stare at her. “Have I not been clear enough with you about all of this. Are you afraid that your parents will not approve?”
“Am I expected to just put my life and plans on hold for the unforeseeable future. Decline a job that I have been looking forward to since it was first offered to me. It’s not every day a person gets the chance to do something like this. And for the record, the Tokyo project got pushed back a year, so I have plenty of time to finish Maximiliano Chateau. Don’t you think I would have told you if I planned on leaving as soon as I was finished?
“It’s not like I expected any of this when I agreed to come here after Janice quit. Everyone at the firm knows my plans where Tokyo is concerned. Knew that if I decided to go once it was approved, then they’d have to replace me here. My guess that is why they brought Chandler over once the projects got underway. He would have probably been their first choice had I not approached Zach that morning. He is more experienced than me and has done projects like this in the past.
“I don’t know what I will do yet, because that is months down the road still. But let me make a few things clear for you. If I decide to go, I’ll go. I like my job Antonio. I need my work to keep me sane. So, if your plans where I am concerned interfere with anything pertaining to my work than perhaps, we should reevaluate all of this again. I’m not going to quit my job just because I fell in love with a king and suddenly find myself as his queen. This queen will work if she wants to work, just try to stop me.” She shoves her chair back and stands. “I need to use the restroom. Please excuse me.”
Her mother stands and follows after my fuming beauty that just revealed a few details I’m not sure she realized. I have no intentions of pointing them out to her. I only plan on taking pride in the fact that she admitted those things out of anger, during one of her a babbling rampage.
“You’ll have to forgive her. She tends to just dump it all out when she gets frustrated.” Her father chuckles as he leans back in his chair. “I’m not sure she even realizes she says some of the things she says when she gets like that.”
“I find it rather attractive and have experienced it a few times already.” I reach for my water glass. “I won’t say anything if you won’t. Will Eleanor?”
“No.” He laughs. “So, is any of that going to be a problem Antonio?”
“Not for me.” I honestly admit. “I would never ask her to not work. If that also means traveling, then I will figure out how to deal with it. I may not like it, but the reality of it all is how can I forbid her from traveling when I find myself doing it way more often than I like. Where there is a will, there is a way. Right?”
Senator Cross rubs a hand over his gray beard. If people didn’t know this man hadn’t fathered Larkin, they never would. Unlike her mother, his skin is light and I imagine his hair was once as blonde as hers, now it is almost white. He is a tall thin man with eyes that speak long before his mouth ever does. I know this because I am currently staring into those gray eyes where I discover his approval of me in them before he voices it.
“When Larkin first came to live with my wife and I, we knew we had our work cut out for us. For years we tried to have children, but God had other plans. We were both in our early forties when we accepted the baby no one else wanted. She was just a little over five pounds, looking more like a child’s porcelain doll rather than a baby, a fussy little doll that needed us. We both fell in love with her right then and there. I think we knew she would eventually be ours.
“We had a very rough go at it. She was a sensitive child all the way around. Small for her age most of her life, didn’t start catching up with her peers until around age ten. A fighter that one, had to be in order to survive those first couple of years when she was shuffled between her birth mother and us. Those days were really hard on Ellie and me. But it was Larkin who truly suffered more than most realized. Eventually we got her permanently and were able to give her all the support she needed.
“Larkin was our little bird that soared into o
ur lives and has been flapping her wings wildly ever since. We clipped her wings when she was little, kept her grounded for as long as we could. But like every parent eventually discovers, one day you have to let them fly again.
“She flew and landed for a few years in a place we had reservations about, but knew we needed to let her make her own decisions. One of the hardest things for a parent is not being able to help your child when she finds herself caught in the wind. After her friend’s death she pulled away from everyone, including us. Drifted aimlessly on her own, while suffering in silence. Her work helped distract her when she needed it to. Took her away from it all and allowed her to focus on other matters besides the one that haunted her. Slowly she came back to us, although she was still lost, drifting, and incomplete.
“I knew the second I saw her in the airport that my Larkin had landed again. This time I’m trusting it will work out better for her. You Antonio are good for her. Just be careful with her, because she’s still sensitive in many ways. Larkin is stronger than she believes, but she worries, over worries sometimes and panics. The key is to notice the signs and figure out a way to get her to stop thinking. I used to tell her jokes. The stupidest one I could think of at the most inappropriate time. Got her giggling so she’d forget about whatever it was she was starting to stress over. And when that didn’t work, I knew it was time for us to take a break and get some fresh air. Just some words of advice from the first man that fell for the pale blue-eyed blonde princess of Chicago.”
“Thank you, Sam, that means a lot to me. I promise to take care of her always. Protect her the best I can. Give her everything she deserves. I’ll even learn some stupid jokes and see if I can’t get her giggling when she shouldn’t be.” I sincerely tell him.
Sam nods and smiles. “But will you love her?”
I look him in the eye and don’t even blink when I tell him the truth as I see it. “Until the day I die.”