Crowns & Courtships Compilation Volume 1

by Carol Moncado

“And they think you’ll find someone else?” He held her gaze as he asked.

  “I have to. I have to remarry sooner rather than later.” The look in her eyes challenged him. Would he run?

  “Will they make you? Pick a guy for you?”

  “Probably not just yet.” She turned her attention back to the food. “I likely have at least a year before the pressure gets too great.”

  “Why so short?”

  Sofia shrugged. “It is the way it is. A year, even two, can be written off as grieving, but beyond that...”

  “Will you at least get a say in who you marry?”

  She stared past him, out the gazebo. “My parents would never ask me to marry someone completely unsuitable. More likely, they will give me a few choices they find acceptable. I will pick the most adequate of those.”

  “And the men will actually agree to this?”

  Sofia nodded. “My family is powerful and important and wealthy, remember? Most men would give their right arm to be my husband.”

  That made Jordan sad, and he turned it around. “But will you find one for whom you’d give your right arm to be his wife?”

  The question surprised Astrid. No one seemed to care if she wanted to marry a man.

  As soon as the thought ran through her head, she knew it wasn’t true. Her parents cared very much. They just couldn’t do much about it.

  “I would have given my right arm to marry Andrei,” she finally told Jordan. “Fortunately, I didn’t have to.”

  “Then I hope you find a guy who would give his right arm for you, but who you love just as much.”

  They ate the food prepared for them, though the conversation turned to less serious topics. She learned more about his brother-in-law, Dare, and the exploits that led to some of Jordan’s scars.

  “Did you know they were already in love before they announced they were getting married?” she asked

  They were seated next to each other on the bench surrounding the interiors of the gazebo. He took her hand, and she twined their fingers together. Too bad he wasn’t staying. This could turn into something.

  “I heard they’d been making out on the balcony. That was a pretty good indication something was going on.”

  Astrid laughed. “That would do it, all right. But before that? Before you got to the States, and they pretended to be a thing.”

  Jordan’s thumb brushed along the back of her hand, stirring things in her best left forgotten. “He asked me once a few years ago if I would be okay with him asking her out. I didn’t think she’d say yes, but told him to go for it, and if he hurt her, I’d make him eat Zamboni snow. I’m pretty sure she actually laughed at him.”

  “Zamboni snow?” What on earth?

  “The machine that scrapes the ice leaves shavings behind. Zamboni snow.”

  “I see. Does it bother you that your little sister married your best friend?”

  She rested her head on his shoulder as he turned the thought over.

  “It bothers me more that my best friend married my little sister. Semantics, I know, but it’s different. I’m happy Dare’s happy. I do kind of wish Betsy was happy with someone who wasn’t the one person I’ve spent more time with than anyone else in the world. Though neither one of us have a world of experience like a lot of men do these days, we’ve talked about enough over the years that I wish it was someone who wasn’t my best friend.” He leaned his head back against a support post. “And I really don’t like that he’s experiencing that with my sister. If I had my way, she’d be a nun or something. It’s not fair. It’s a double standard. I know that, but it’s the way it is.”

  None of Astrid’s brothers had friends she was remotely attracted to, but she could imagine them feeling the same way.

  “At the same time, it’s nice not to have to break in some other stupid bender who doesn’t fit with the family, like the one she almost married earlier this year. We invited him to play hockey with us more than once, but he never would. Dare probably would have checked him into the boards. I would have, too. Maybe he would have gone away sooner.”

  When Astrid asked, he told her that his sister’s first fiancé had already been married and allegedly had his wife’s blessing to cheat as long as it was far enough away.

  It struck almost a little too close to home. “Cad.”

  Jordan chuckled. “That’s far nicer than what Dare and I said when we found out. All we knew until we were in the States was that the wedding had been called off a few days before the big day.”

  “I’m glad she has him. I wish I could meet her sometime.” Too bad things would never be able to go any further.

  “Maybe the next time I’m in San Majoria, I’ll bring them with me. And we’ll show up on your beach together. We’ll have to bring jet skis though. Betsy doesn’t do the other stuff much.”

  And by the time that happened, she’d likely already be married to someone acceptable to her family and Parliament. Jordan would only ever be a nice summer memory.

  She couldn’t dwell on that.

  She needed to be in the here and now.

  With Jordan.

  A man she could easily fall for, if only he would meet the expectations of her society.

  Suddenly, she didn’t care about the rain.

  She stood and grabbed his hand, running for the beach. “Come on.”

  Laughing, he followed her down the path to the beach. She pulled her sundress off, revealing the swimsuit underneath. Less risqué than many she’d worn on this very beach, she still didn’t love the way she looked in it.

  But she didn’t care.

  If all they were going to have was a few days, a few stolen moments on the beach, she wasn’t going to waste any of them.

  They ran through the waves that almost deserved the name, much bigger than her normally quiet cove experienced.

  They were even big enough to do a little body surfing.

  But when she took a wave Jordan wanted, he vowed revenge.

  He came in behind her as she raced up the hard-packed sand of the beach.

  “I’m gonna get you!” His yell followed her. “You’ll regret taking my wave, princess!”

  For a split-second, she wondered at his use of the title, then realized he still thought of her as a spoiled rich girl. Even as she twisted away from his grasp, she knew he didn’t think her spoiled.

  Nor did he know she was an actual princess.

  Astrid squealed as his arms wrapped around her waist.

  “You’re about to get wet,” he growled.

  “I’m already soaked.” Her giggles were unfamiliar, but welcome.

  “Yeah. Well, I’m going to drop you in the surf...”

  Whatever else he was going to say cut off when a wave caught them at the knees, knocking them to the sand.

  It left as soon as it came, leaving Jordan stretched out, his body pressing hers into the sand.

  Before she could stop herself, Astrid reached up and grasped the back of his neck, tugging him toward her.

  It could never be more than a few stolen kisses on their private beach, but she wasn’t about to give up the chance to show him she wished it could be more.

  “Hello?” Jordan barely managed to get the word out through his cotton-filled mouth.

  At least that’s what it felt like.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?!” His sister’s voice hit him like a rogue wave.

  “Tell you what?” He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

  “That you’re dating a princess.”

  He blinked a few times as he tried to bring that statement into focus.

  “And not just any princess, a crown princess.”

  “What are you blathering about? Does Dare know how hard you hit your head?”

  “She didn’t hit her head.” His best friend’s voice came through the phone. “She’s barely awake and checking her Facebook. And there you are.”

  No. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be talking to his
little sister and his best friend while they were in bed together. Even if they had been married almost two months. “Would you mind never, ever calling me, ever, from your bedroom?”

  “Forget about that. We’re both fully clothed,” she protested.

  “Fully pajama’d anyway,” Dare interrupted.

  “I don’t even want to know.” Dare never slept with a shirt on, ever, and now that he was married to Jordan’s sister, it was more than Jordan cared to know.

  “Forget us. How could you not tell us you’re dating Astrid, Crown Princess of San Majoria?”

  “I’m not dating a princess.” A feeling of dread began to fill the pit of his stomach. “I don’t think I am.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Dare asked.

  Jordan blew out a breath. “Dare, remember a few weeks ago how I told you I went windsurfing and needed a break?”

  “Yeah. You knew you couldn’t go any further so you stopped at a private beach.”

  “Forget the princess,” Betsy jumped in. “Is your heart okay?”

  “Yes. My heart’s fine. I was just tired. I’m healthier than I’ve been in years.”

  “Good.”

  Dare chuckled. “And that’s why you didn’t mention it to Bets.”

  “Exactly. If something that little worries her enough to forget about royalty, she doesn’t need to know.” Jordan reached over and grabbed his tank top, pulling it over his head.

  “Fine.” Betsy’s huff made Jordan smirk. Dare probably did too. “Whatever. You’re not dying. I’m glad. But now back to the business at hand. The pictures are all over the Internet. You’re making out with Princess Astrid, rolling around in the surf with her, Jor.”

  He swung his feet over the side of the bed and groaned. They’d rolled around in the surf for all of twelve seconds after the wave knocked them over the Friday before. He’d kissed her for maybe two of those then they stood up.

  But was she right about Sofia’s identity?

  He had to ask. “Is this one of the families you follow, Bets?” After turning on the speaker phone, he set the phone on the side table.

  “One of them. I started following the Belles Montagnes families because of a paper I had to do. I hadn’t followed San Majoria, Islas del Sargasso, Eyjania, or Auverignon until we were there. I watched Princess Astrid and her husband the whole time we were there waiting for your heart.” She hesitated. “I’m sure you don’t remember, but her husband died the day after your transplant.”

  “Two years ago,” he said softly. “Two years the day after I met her.”

  “They were in a car accident the night before your surgery. I was watching the news and saw your hospital on the screen. I probably saw the helicopter land with him in it because I could see the landing pad from where we usually waited,” she said softly. “All I could think about whenever I saw them take someone out was how lucky you were to still be alive, and would this be the moment, would that be the person, to save your life. And how incredibly hard that would be on this person’s family. I’m sure I thought that when they brought Prince Andrei in. But he didn’t pass right away. It wasn’t until a couple of days later that they told everyone he’d died the day after the accident.”

  Jordan buried his face in his hands. “What’s her full name?”

  “Astrid Sofia Hannah Esther.”

  He couldn’t stop the groan. “I knew her name wasn’t Sofia. She told me that much, but I had no idea she’s a princess. It’s a summer fling while I’m here. That’s all.” He’d avoided thinking about any of it too deeply because he’d known he would go home.

  He’d also known, without asking, that she couldn’t leave.

  “Playing with her daughter?” Dare’s voice drifted to him. “A woman doesn’t introduce her kid to a summer fling.”

  “I’ve only met Little Sofia twice. Once the day after Grown-up Sofia, that is Princess Astrid apparently, told me about her husband, and I told her about my heart. Then yesterday morning.” Odd to get together on a Sunday, but Jordan hadn’t complained. “That’s it. I’ve spent a total of about an hour and a half with Little Sofia.”

  “You mean Her Royal Highness, Princess Sofia Andrea Estelle Brigitte?”

  What a mouthful. “Apparently so.” He ran his hands down his face. “Sofia’s gonna be livid. She told me she’s from a wealthy family, and that there’s always pictures of her around, but that her beach was safe.”

  “And you didn’t try to figure out who she was?” Dare asked from thousands of kilometers north.

  “I wanted her to trust me enough to tell me.”

  Even though his cottage was on a secluded section of the beach, he could hear voices outside. Odd. He needed to take a shower and get to the beach early. He needed to talk to Sofia. No. Princess Astrid.

  Jordan glanced down at the board shorts he’d fallen asleep in. Why bother? He was just going back out into the salt water. Maybe he’d rent a jet ski this time. It would be faster. As soon as one of her guards saw him near the cove, they’d let her know.

  He picked up the phone, but before he could tell them his plan, there was pounding on the door.

  “Jordan Haines! His Majesty’s Royal Security. Open up!”

  More pounding.

  Jordan hurried across the room and opened the door. He wasn’t a small guy but these two intimidated him, and it wasn’t just the serious expressions or the sunglasses.

  “You need to come with us,” the one on Jordan’s right said.

  “Just let me change.” He turned back to the room and held the phone to his ear. “Dare, Bets, I gotta go.”

  A hand on his arm stopped him. “I need your phone, and we’re leaving now.”

  One of them took the phone and turned it off while the other gripped his arm just above his elbow and hurried him out the door.

  He didn’t even have shoes on.

  6

  Astrid walked into her father’s office with a spring in her step. “Good morning.”

  He glared at her.

  “What?”

  “I’ve let this little fling with the Canadian go on longer than it should have.”

  Fling? She and Jordan had never discussed where the relationship was going, if anywhere, but fling? Yes. That probably was the right definition, though it saddened her to realize it. “What about Jordan?”

  He tossed a tabloid paper on his desk. “Look for yourself. This comes out in two hours. It’s already online. Security has been sent to pick him up.”

  Astrid picked up the magazine and felt her breakfast roil in her stomach.

  Princess Astrid’s New Duke blared the headline. In smaller letters, a statement proclaimed, Princess Sofia already loves her new daddy.

  “No,” she whispered, trying to take in the pictures. The largest was of them laying on the sand where the wave had knocked them. They’d been there seconds at most. Whoever had taken the pictures had to know that.

  The first of two smaller pictures was of Jordan carrying Sofia as her head rested on his bare shoulder. One detached side of Astrid’s mind noted it was a very father-daughter looking picture. The other one was of her in her swimsuit with her arms around Jordan, wearing only his board shorts, as he kissed her.

  “How did they get these?” The only times they’d been out of the cove was when they fought their war and had lunch and the day it rained, and she took him to the gazebo.

  “We’re dealing with that, but it’s too late to matter.” He held out another paper. “This one, too.”

  It was a bit less tabloid-y, and the cover of it held only two pictures. One of Jordan catching her from behind when he’d chased her to get the kiss after she stole his wave. The smiles on their faces could light up the room.

  A circular picture showed a close-up of a ring.

  Her great-grandmother’s fiftieth anniversary ring.

  The one Astrid had slipped onto her ring finger the day after she’d told Jordan about Andrei - when her finger felt particularly naked wit
hout Andrei’s ring on it.

  She looked up at her father, certain she’d gone pale. “They think we’re engaged?”

  “With the family’s blessing, given the ring.”

  Astrid sank into the chair. “Now what? I just felt like wearing it.”

  “You know what,” he told her gently.

  This time he wouldn’t hold her and let her weep and mourn in private. This time he would expect her to have that stiff upper lip and do what was expected of her. “Grandmother is already planning the wedding.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Three weeks,” he confirmed. “Your mother tried to convince her six or even eight weeks would be better. Three weeks was the compromise. She wanted it this weekend.”

  “So fast?”

  “You’re lying on the beach making out with him, Astrid.” He passed over the insides of one paper. Four pictures - Astrid underneath him where she’d fallen, kissing, then after he rolled them onto their sides but still kissing, and after the kiss.

  “From the first picture to the last is less than thirty seconds,” she pointed out. “It’s not like we...” She felt the color rushed back into her cheeks. “...right there on the beach. And even if we had, it’s private property, and no one should be able to see what goes on without our knowledge.”

  “There are always people watching you outside our homes, Astrid. You know that. Even after you marry, that kind of activity on the beach is unacceptable.”

  She slumped back in the chair. “I know. That’s not the point.”

  “The point is, you have nineteen days to plan the wedding. Mr. Haines will be here shortly. He and I will have a discussion. After that, the four of us and my mother will have a planning session. A press conference is being set up for this afternoon.”

  Tears filled her eyes as she stared at the picture of Jordan with Sofia. “I’m not ready, Papa.” The ache in her chest intensified. “I like Jordan a lot, but I’m not ready to be a wife again.” One hot tear spilled down her right cheek. “I knew it wasn’t going to be anything long term. It was safe.”

  “You don’t have to marry him, Astrid.”

  Surprised, she looked up to see her father had aged a decade in those few seconds. “I don’t?”