by Laura Burton
Honestly, she has the patience of a saint. How she’s not sobbing, or shouting, or telling me how deeply disappointed she is in me, I’ve no idea.
Finally, after I’ve finished and enough time has passed that the silence becomes awkward, my mom clears her throat.
“I’m so very sorry you went through all of that alone, Principessa.”
It’s the last thing I expect her to say.
But then, my parents have the biggest, most caring hearts in all the world. They adopted me. I tell them I switched places with my long-lost twin to get to know my birth parents, and I did it without telling them. But instead of acting hurt, or mad… My mom recognizes the pain I’ve been through. Her kindness is worse than being yelled at.
“I always said she’s a Principessa, didn’t I?” My dad says, his voice muffled. I picture him tucking into a helping of mom’s lasagna, then I smile through tears, and just listen to my parents talking to each other.
“And I always said that one day she would find her prince.”
“We love you so much Vi. Hold your head up, sweetheart. You’ll get your happy ending.”
I end the call with a mixture of relief and sadness. As well-meaning as my mom’s words are, they sting. Because the truth is, I won’t get my happy ending.
How do I know?
The royal wedding is today.
And I’m not at the palace. Instead, I’m in my little apartment, facing the weekend alone.
Well. I’m not one to wallow in self-pity for long, so I pull on my bunny pajamas and pink slippers, vowing to wear them all day.
Ever since I got back from the palace, I’ve been spending extra time in my most comfortable clothes. My bed is small and lumpy compared to the one at the palace, but my couch and fluffy blanket more than make up for it. I turn on the kettle and pull out my llama mug. I’m getting ready for another movie marathon. Just then, the doorbell rings.
I glance at the clock on the wall and remember that the mailman usually comes around at this time, so I shuffle to the front door in my pink fluffy slippers. I yank it open and blink into the blinding sunlight.
“Where do I sign?” I say, trying to rid the white spots from my eyes. But a deep, rumbling chuckle freezes my blood.
I pick up a hand and shield my eyes to see who it is.
It’s not the mailman.
Instead, Prince Cristiano is standing at my doorstep, wearing the most dashing navy suit I have ever seen.
“May I come in?” he asks, grinning broadly at me.
I bend forward and look from left to right, just checking for cameras. Then I stagger backward, and Cristiano walks over the threshold.
“These are for you.”
He’s brought out a bunch of violets from who knows where. He opens his mouth, presumably to offer a speech, but I hold up my palm to stop him.
To my utmost horror, I’ve caught my reflection in the mirror.
“I can’t do this... Not looking like this,” I point at the cartoon rabbit on my shirt and my goofy slippers. Cristiano’s grin widens. Then I point into the living room.
“I’ll be back. Just sit right there and don’t move.”
Cristiano does as I say and I hot-tail it to my room, working at double my normal speed to get dressed.
When I return, in a cashmere sweater and pair of black pants, I find Cristiano standing by the window, watching the traffic.
I enter the room and clear my throat.
“Hi again.”
Cristiano turns to face me and his left cheek dimples. My insides do a little excited dance.
“Haven’t you got a wedding to go to?” I ask, trying to sound casual. Cristiano bites his bottom lip with a grin.
“That means you don’t know yet? I’m glad. I did ask them if they might permit me to be the one to inform you,” he says. He’s almost rambling, and it’s quite unlike him. I unfold my arms and take a step back as he lowers himself to one knee.
“The King is going to formally introduce you to the people of Andonna… You are now Princess Violet Rossi.”
My heart skips a beat. This can’t be real. I was watching a twin switch romance on TV last night. This is a dream. But Cristiano grabs my hands and squeezes them until he’s pinching my skin. The sting makes me suck in a sharp breath. “So, I’m not going to be executed? That’s great news!”
Cristiano laughs, but I don’t see what’s so funny. My great uncle was executed for being a twin. Maybe Cristiano doesn’t know that. I should tell him.
But he grazes his thumbs across my knuckles and looks at me so deeply that my breaths turn shallow.
On second thought... Maybe I’ll tell him another time.
“What about your wedding to Prim? If she doesn’t produce an heir by the time she’s thirty…”
Cristiano’s face turns serious. “I spoke to the King and told him that I wished to marry the princess at the earliest convenience… If she’d have me.”
“Oh,” I say, letting go of my breath. “You got married already?”
Cristiano squeezes my hands again, his forehead turning crimson. “Oh, my sweet Violet. No. You misunderstand me.”
He takes a breath and I just stare at him, hardly daring to guess what he might say next.
“You are the princess I wish to marry.”
Suddenly, my brain connects the dots. The King will announce my princess status, and if I marry the Prince of Rossini, then the royal family won’t be abolished.
“What about Prim?” I blurt, wondering where she fits in all of this. Cristiano’s eyes twinkle at me.
“Well, while you were taking her place at the palace seducing me––”
“I beg your pardon I was not seducing––” I begin to retort, but Cristiano stops me with a single look and I fall silent, blushing.
“Carry on,” I add meekly.
“Well, Prim fell pretty hard for an Italian guy who owns an ice cream parlor.”
Alejandro? So, the feeling is mutual then.
“I knew there was something between them the first time they met,” I think aloud. Then I give Cristiano a hard look. “But for the record, he doesn’t own the ice cream parlor. He just manages it.”
Cristiano slowly rises to his feet and steps forward. This time I don’t step back, and his body heat washes over me like I’m standing next to an open fire.
“It broke my heart to see you go,” he murmurs, brushing hair away from my face. I take a sharp breath, turning defensive. “Well, you wouldn’t even look at me. I thought––”
“I just needed longer than two minutes to process the situation,” Cristiano cuts in, lowering his head until his lips brush my jaw. “You’re never allowed to run away from me again, do you understand me?” he murmurs against my ear. The authority in his voice sends a delightful rush through my whole body.
“Huh. What are you gonna do? Tie me up and lock me in a tower?” I shoot back. Cristiano pulls back to look at me, his eyes glinting as he gives me a devilish grin. “I’m going to carry you back to Andonna, marry you, and never let you out of my sight again.”
My breath hitches. “You’re not even going to ask me? How rude.”
But as I start to really think about it, my smile fades. All this time, I was pretending to be Prim. Cristiano doesn’t love me. He loves the idea of her. But then he cradles my face and shakes his head, as if tuning into my thoughts.
“You are Violet Rossi. You quote movies and TV shows. You are clumsy when you’re nervous, and you care deeply about the welfare of others. In fact, I believe there is not a single selfish bone in your body.”
I study his eyes as he reels off facts about me. Except the last one. I definitely have a selfish bone or two. “But you are also ruthless at chess, no matter who your opponent is,” Cristiano adds with a wink.
“I show no mercy,” I whisper back.
Cristiano laughs. “I’ve never seen anyone take such delight in beating an old man.”
We both laugh softly. I close my ey
es.
Okay, maybe I didn’t lose myself after all. Maybe I’m just a terrible actor. Or Cristiano could just see the real me?
“My point is––” Cristiano continues. He starts giving me butterfly kisses along my jawline. I throw my head back and shudder with delight.
“I want to build a life with you. My sweet Violet. The King has given me his permission. And Primrose is free to marry whomever she wants. So, the question is, Violet Rossi, will you take my hand and come with me?”
I open my eyes at the question. “Back to Antigua?”
Cristiano cocks a brow at me. Then we both say, “Andonna,” at the same time and I snort.
Well, the chances are pretty high that none of this is real. I’ll probably wake up in five minutes and find myself alone in my bunny pajamas. But on the off chance that Prince Cristiano is standing in my apartment, offering me his hand in marriage, I give him the most enthusiastic answer I can come up with.
“I do. I do. I do-oooo!” I sing to him. Cristiano picks me up in his burly arms and throws me around in a circle before lowering me enough so I can claim his lips in a tender kiss. “Good. Because I’m never letting you go,” he says, then he kisses me back until I lose my breath.
THE END
Epilogue
One Year Later
“Is that a car? Cristiano, are they here?” I ask in a breathy voice. Impatient, I sit up on the velvet stool to look out the window as the stylists work on taming my frizzy hair.
Cristiano strides to the window and yawns into his hand as he peers out.
“Yes. It’s them.”
I squeal with excitement, then pick up a brush. “Don’t worry about my hair,” I say to the stylists. They back away and watch in horror as I drag the brush through my hair at top speed and pull it back into a messy bun atop my head.
I’ve had less than three hours of broken sleep. Right now, I couldn’t care less about if my hair is braided perfectly or not.
“Mother, Father. They’re here! They’re here!” I shout, running along the hall. Cristiano races to catch up with me as I reach the grand staircase. “Violet, you shouldn’t be running in your condition.”
I throw a hand aside and bound down the steps in an undignified fashion. “That’s another car. Everyone’s here. Oh, I can’t wait to see them.”
The King and Queen walk out of the breakfast hall and look at me alarmed as I fly to the front door. “Violet, dear, you should be resting,” the Queen calls out.
My sandals slide over the gravel as I bound for the cars pulling up out front. A door opens and my mom steps out. Before she can even say “Hello,” I throw my arms around her shoulders and give her the biggest hug ever.
“Violet!” Cristiano catches up and greets my dad briefly, before giving me a stern look. “Slow down.”
Teddy hops at my ankles, yapping away, his fluffy tail wagging. My mom looks down at him and lets out a hoot. “How cute is he? Darling, come and look at this dog. He’s like a little white bear,” she says to my dad.
Cristiano wraps his arms around my waist and presses his lips against my cheek. “I know you’re excited, but you need to be careful,” he murmurs into my ear.
A door slams shut, and I pat Cristiano’s shoulder before wiggling out of his hold. An insanely pregnant Prim swaggers like a cowboy from the second car and gives me a beaming smile.
“Look at you!” I exclaim, before giving her a gentle hug. With her, at least, I have to be considerate. She’s so large, I’m worried the baby might pop out if I squeeze too hard.
Alejandro shakes his silky hair and gives me a wink before kissing me on each cheek. “Hello, sis. What are you doing out of bed?”
I roll my eyes. “Why is everyone so worried about me? Prim and I are turning thirty today. I’m not missing out on any of the fun.”
The King and Queen walk out and greet my mom and dad. It’s a surreal moment, to see everyone I love in one place.
We walk inside and I link arms with my sister, rubbing her belly. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I say, breathless. She grins at me, her cheeks flushing.
“Me too. It’s lovely to be home again.”
We walk into the music room and I help her get settled in her favorite armchair. “I’ve got an amazing night planned. There’s going to be games, music… And Cristiano set up the projector screen in the garden,” I tell her, excited.
“Of course, she’s going to fall asleep before we even start the movie,” Cristiano quips, with an eye roll. I shoot him a look. Then I turn back to my sister, who laughs at me. “You know it’s true,” she says.
Mae shuffles in, clearing her throat. “Violet, you must let the stylists work on you. You and Cristiano are due on the balcony in less than half an hour. People are already beginning to show up outside the gates.”
I sigh heavily, drag myself away from Prim and hurry back to my room.
It’s been a crazy year.
After my fairy tale wedding to Prince Cristiano, Prim and Alejandro announced their elopement––much to my birth mom’s horror.
But I guess neither of us were willing to wait another moment to start our new life.
Cristiano and I have traveled across the globe, speaking to world leaders about finding ways to help people with disabilities feel more included in their communities. Together, we set up a charity offering free sign language lessons for all, and a project to reduce the impact of climate change.
It’s our dream to make the world a brighter place, and ten months after our wedding, we did just that.
My hair is finally tamed and I’m now wearing a floaty dress, so I meet Cristiano just outside the balcony. We’re joined by my birth parents and my adopted parents. Prim waddles along, holding onto Alejandro for dear life.
Then a maid walks in, carrying a tiny bundle in her arms.
“Are you ready?” Cristiano asks, giving me a quick kiss on my temple. I nod, and the maid hands me the precious bundle. A pair of green eyes sparkle up at me and my heart squeezes.
Then the royal announcer steps out and the sound of the cheering crowd has my heart racing. I turn to Cristiano, whispering in his ear.
“This feels like the opening scene of The Lion King.”
He snorts.
“His and Her Royal Highnesses, Prince Cristiano and Princess Violet, are pleased to present their firstborn son, Prince Aciano Martinelli Velanto.”
I step out onto the balcony, with the baby in a tight grip.
Cristiano holds me close as we stand in the sunlight, and the cheering crowd really do look like a bunch of zebras and giraffes in my delirium.
I look down at my boy, who blinks a few times and gives a big yawn. Then rolls into my breast and falls asleep again, undeterred by the cheers.
“He’s so good not to be startled by all that noise,” my mom says, gushing over the baby in my arms as we go back inside. I give her a wink.
“He’s got ear plugs in,” I whisper. She grins at me.
“You really do think of everything.”
After a night of celebration, Cristiano and I return to our room. I lay Aciano in his crib and sigh contentedly, watching him sleep. I know this peace and quiet is going to be short-lived. Soon, he’ll scrunch up his tiny face and squawk like a baby dinosaur, demanding milk. But for now, I just sigh and watch him with gratitude.
Cristiano wraps me up in his arms and nuzzles my neck. “I’m proud of you,” he whispers. I lean back to hold his gaze. “We did good today, didn’t we?”
We hold each other in silence for a few moments, then Cristiano drags me to the four-poster bed.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, resting a hand over my stomach. It’s been almost two months since I gave birth to our son, and he still treats me like a delicate doll.
“Fit as a fiddle,” I say with a shrug. But then I collapse on the bed and bury my head in the plush pillows with a sigh. Laying down feels so good.
“Excellent,” Cristiano says, and I open my eyes to cat
ch him peeling his shirt over his head. The moonlight ripples along his muscles as he crawls over to me like a predator. I smirk at him.
“You know, now the King has abolished the one child law, we can have that big family you always wanted,” he says in a silky tone.
But as he lays down by my side, a huge yawn takes over. I yawn back. He yawns again.
“Sounds great,” I say, rolling over and snuggling my husband under the covers. “But you know what sounds even better?”
“What?” Cristiano whispers, stroking my back.
I sigh, sinking deeper into the mattress. “Sleep.”
Cristiano hums against the back of my shoulder and laughs.
“Good night, my princess. Love you.”
I moan into my pillow, on the edge of consciousness and enveloped in Cristiano’s scent. “Goodnight, my prince.”
––Thank you so much for reading Love Me I’m Your Princess! I love this book. Violet is such a hoot, isn’t she? I would be so grateful if you enjoyed the book and wrote a short review! You can check out the next book in this outrageously cute fake engagement series here:
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Acknowledgements
Huge thank you to Jessie Cal, my writing bestie, for the help with plotting this book. And her unfailing patience and kindness. Tochi, for always being a pleasure to work with and her excellent editing skills. To Vanda for being a truly wonderful proof reader.
Special thanks to Haley James for the beautiful, eye-catching cover. I just can’t stop looking at it!
To my dearest Ross, for always supporting me and encouraging me to keep writing even when it feels impossible.
To my boys. Ryan, Alexander and Nicholas. For being patient when I am in the writing cave and for celebrating every book launch with me!
And to my readers, thank you so much for supporting my work and enjoying my stories. Without you I couldn’t do this. Not during a global pandemic. Life has thrown us all some mighty lemons, right? But because of you, I’ve been able to make the most delicious lemonade.
Laura
XoXo