"I gotta go. I'll call you later."
"Don't forget your parents," her mom called out, but Marianna had already hung up before she could respond.
Grabbing a yogurt from the fridge, she scarfed it down as she made her way into the bathroom and started the shower. The last thing she wanted to do was tick off her fake future in-laws.
Chapter Six
"And this is when you and I went to Paris," Gisella said as she sat next to Leo, scrolling through pictures on her phone.
Leo was pretending to act surprised that he was in the pictures. Faking amnesia was hard. He wanted to push her away, but he wasn't supposed to have any feelings toward her, so he allowed her to continue to sidle up next to him.
"Wow, that's amazing. It's me," he said, pointing to his pained expression in the photo.
"Yes, of course. You and I were—are—in love." Gisella glanced up at him with wide eyes.
Leo wanted to puke, but instead he just shook his head. "I don't…remember."
Her expression turned serious. "You will."
He just nodded, but deep down, he wanted to ask her what she meant by that.
Thankfully, there was a knock on his door, so he stood and made his way over. Filippo had been walking over as well, but Leo wasn't going to give up this chance to get away from Gisella. He opened the door to see Marianna standing on the other side. She was pulling a suitcase behind her.
"Hey," she said, tucking some hair behind her ear.
He couldn't help but smile at her. With all the craziness of his morning, seeing her brought happiness to him. "I'm glad you came back."
A pink hue tinted her cheeks. "Of course I came back." She leaned in closer. "You and I are in this together. And don't forget, you're going to help me with my problem."
He chuckled. "That's right. You and Mr. Slimy Doctor."
Mrs. DeLuca appeared behind him. "Marianna, glad you could join us this morning," she said in a condescending tone
Leo saw Marianna's expression falter. He parted his lips to express his frustration to his mother, but Mariana stepped forward and spoke first.
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness. I was speaking with my parents this morning and then needed to pack."
Leo glanced behind him to see his mother quirk an eyebrow. She had that no-nonsense look she got when she was frustrated. He was going to have to speak to her in private about the way she was treating Mariana. Calling her out on it in front of everyone was not the best move for him to make. So he gave Mariana an encouraging smile and stepped out of the way.
"We have some papers for you to sign," his mother said as Mariana stepped into the suite.
Mariana nodded. "Of course. Anything you need."
Leo watched as Mariana followed after his mother. He was going to need to talk to her as well. She needed to remember that she was engaged to a prince. If she kept being so accommodating, people were going to walk all over her. And then the thought that she was his fiancée settled in his mind.
Even though he'd only known her for a few days, he was beginning to like her. She was so much better than any other woman he'd been forced to associate with. The women who dated a prince back home were spoiled. It was nice to be around someone who was down to earth.
Leo followed his mother and Marianna into the small kitchenette. His mother waved them to the table, indicating that she wanted Mariana to sit. After she was situated, Mr. Carlson, the family lawyer, appeared from the bathroom.
"We just have a few papers you need to sign," his mother said as she nodded toward Mr. Carlson, who took a seat next to Marianna.
He grabbed a briefcase that was sitting next to him and pulled out a folder. What was going on? "Mother?" he asked, glancing over at her.
She waved him away as she watched Mr. Carlson motion towards the stack of papers he had placed in front of Marianna.
"The DeLuca's have asked that you sign a contract," Mr. Carlson said.
Leo did not like the sound of that. And he felt bad that he hadn’t been able to warn Mariana before his mother pounced. He felt stupid for not realizing that his parents would not let a woman become engaged to their son without some legal boundaries. He’d figured that, with his supposed amnesia, his parents would just go along with it. He was a fool.
"You don't have to sign anything you don't want to," he said, glancing over at Marianna.
Marianna looked up at him and then back to his mother. "It's okay. I can sign a contract. It's probably for the best. It protects me and you. That is until you get your memory back."
For some reason, his heart squeezed at her words. Not only was she selfless when it came to being a nurse, but she was selfless in her personal life too. He was going to thank her for this later.
After about 50 signatures and an equal number of initials, Marianna was finished. Leo was grateful for that because he wanted to get away. Being here was the last place he wanted to be.
Mariana pushed out her chair and stood. She glanced over at him, smiling. "Happy to have all of that done."
He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the balcony. Once outside, he slid the door closed and turned towards her. "You didn't have to do that."
She studied him and then nodded as she turned and made her way over to the railing. She rested her arms on the top rung. "It's wasn't a big deal. Honestly, it actually makes me respect your mother more. She's trying to protect you. I'm sure there are a lot of women out there that would use you to get ahead, and she sees that."
He nodded as he joined her, resting his elbow right next to hers. It was admirable, her defending his family like that. Most of the time, Gisella would try to push a wedge between him and his family, but Marianna was trying to bring them together.
"You must have a good relationship with your parents."
She smiled. It was soft and reflective. He liked it. "Yeah. They're great people. Nosy and a bit crazy, but so am I."
He studied the soft lines of her face. She was really beautiful. He parted his lips to confess that fact, but then decided against it. Hadn't he promised not to have feelings for her? How quickly he'd forgotten his own promise.
"They raised a great daughter." A compliment about her personality felt like okay territory.
She glanced over at him. Her once calm expression had turned unsure. "Do you think…" She let her thought trail off.
He turned to face her. Was it wrong that he enjoyed the fact that she was uncomfortable? "Do I think what?"
She chewed her lip, and he couldn't help but let his gaze slip to her mouth. The memory of their kiss flooded every cell of his body. That was one thing he was pretty sure would never be removed from his mind. She'd felt so perfect, pressed against him.
He cleared his throat. "Come on, Mari. You can ask me. Right now, the favor tally is five for me, zero for you. It's time I started holding up my end of the bargain."
She peeked up at him and then let out her breath. "Okay. Since you asked. My parents want to meet you. They think it will help us with our story."
An uneasy feeling sat in his gut. "They know?"
She nodded. "Sort of. I'm sorry. I couldn't lie to them like that. But it's okay. We can trust them."
The earnestness in her gaze made him believe her. If she trusted her parents, so could he. "Okay. Let's meet them. What do you need me to do?"
Her eyes widened. "Really? You'll come?"
He laughed. "Are you nervous?"
She blinked a few times. "No, I just didn't think that it would be that easy."
"Hey, I'm very accommodating," he said, forcing a shocked expression.
"But you don't need to confirm with your mom or assistant?" She nodded toward the people milling around the room they had just left.
"I do not need to ask permission. I'm a grown adult. I come and go as I please." Even saying the words felt like a lie. He wished he had that kind of freedom, but he didn't want her to think that he was some kid, needing to ask permission to go to a friend’s house.
&n
bsp; She laughed. A whole-hearted, open laugh. "Really?"
He pushed her shoulder. "Don't laugh. It's true."
She nodded. "Okay."
He was going to go to meet her parents. Not only because she’d asked him, but to prove to her that he could—and perhaps prove it to himself.
He laced his fingers together, cracked his knuckles, and rolled his shoulders. "Let's do this."
After a lot of convincing from Leo, his mother finally agreed to the trip as long as Filippo went along with them. She stipulated that he could only be gone for a few hours but then needed to come straight back.
Leo couldn't believe the hold his mother felt that she had on him. He'd never really noticed until now. Here he was, almost the leader of his country, and his mother was giving him a curfew. It didn't sit right with him.
Marianna insisted that they not ride in a limo. She worried about the attention that would bring to her parent's small neighborhood in northern New York. Luckily, they were able to rent a small SUV.
Leo sat in the back next to Marianna, enjoying this tiny slice of freedom. He glanced over at Marianna, who was staring outside the window. They'd left the city and were driving down the winding roads. It was beautiful when you got outside of the city. It reminded him a little bit of home, and for the first time a long time, he felt homesick.
As if sensing that he was staring at her, Marianna turned and met his gaze. Her eyebrows rose and her skin hinted pink. "What?" she asked.
He couldn't help the smile that twitched his lips. "Nothing."
She furrowed her brow. "Do I have something on my face?"
He laughed and shook his head. "No."
Her expression grew serious. "Are you nervous about meeting my family? Really, they are the most relaxed people you will ever meet."
"I don't doubt that."
She hesitated as if she were trying to unpack his statement. He enjoyed that she seemed a bit unsure of what he meant.
"They have a great daughter," he said, letting his words and meaning hang in the air.
Marianna tucked a dark curl behind her ear and shook her head. "I did what anyone would do."
He knew that statement wasn't true. A lot of people thought only of themselves or what they could get out of a situation. Marianna didn't hesitate to help him, even when it meant she would get nothing in return. His mother’s contract had been a pretty clear example of that.
"What do you want?" he asked and then realized that he really hadn't meant that question to be so prying.
Her eyes widened, and she reached down and started fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, what do you want in life? I have a feeling that hiding in hospital hallways because of some loser has never been your dream. What does Marianna want?"
She swallowed and shifted her gaze outside. "I don't know. I always figured that I just wanted to work in a hospital, but now I'm wondering if I could want more." She glanced back at him. "You know?"
He hadn't realized that she might want to ask the same question of him. Was he ready to reveal how he felt about his life? It felt wrong to ask it of her but not reveal it himself, so he decided to answer.
"Yeah. I know. You spend your childhood thinking you want to be one thing and yet, when you become an adult, all of that changes. Suddenly, you have to be sure. And what if the thing you're supposed to want, isn't what your heart is saying?" His skin heated as the words tumbled from his lips. He hadn't meant to heap his issues onto her.
"Are you talking about being king?" She peeked up at him.
He studied her and then nodded. "Yes. King. Ruler of my country. Spending every waking hour strategizing how to make life better for my citizens. Getting questioned and hated for the decisions that I’d have to make." He sighed and scrubbed his face with his hand. "It's not as easy as it's cracked up to be. People get unhappy and blame you."
Not to mention the arranged marriages that were forced upon the royals. But Filippo was listening, and Leo needed to keep up the amnesia act, so he kept those feelings to himself.
"It can't be all bad," she said.
Leo laughed. Memories of running along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, camping in the woods, enjoying the beauty that Caro had to offer, rushed back to him. He shook his head. "No. Not all bad." Then he smiled over at her. "You'll see."
Her cheeks grew pink again as she smiled. "I can't wait."
Chapter Seven
Marianna didn't know why she was nervous. Her parents were good, kind people. They would accept any man that she felt she could bring home. They trusted her like that.
But she'd never brought home royalty. And for some reason, she wanted Leo to like her family. To feel welcome in her home. It was stupid, and she instantly brushed off those feelings.
There was no reason for Leo to have any feelings for her parents or her home. They were faking this entire relationship. He didn't love her and probably would forget her the moment she left Caro. Getting attached was the last thing she should do.
Filippo pulled up into her parent’s driveway after she instructed him which house was theirs. The small, two story brick house caused her lips to tip upwards. Even though it was quaint, it was her home. And she loved it.
The window boxes exploded with flowers. Bushes lined the walkway. The grass was perfectly manicured—her father's pride and joy.
Filippo turned off the car, and Marianna opened her door and climbed out. Just as she’d suspected, the front door opened and her mother stepped onto the stoop. She was wearing an apron and her round cheeks were red with excitement.
"Mari!" she exclaimed as she went down the steps and crossed the yard. She grabbed Marianna and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so happy you are home."
"Hey, Ma," Marianna said, returning the hug.
Leo must have stepped out because her mom grew quiet. Marianna turned to see him pushing his hands through his hair and looking around.
"Oh, my. Mari," her mom breathed. "He's like a Greek god."
Heat raced across her skin. Leave it to her mother to embarrass her. "Ma," Marianna said, but was cut short when her mom pushed her to the side and approached Leo. "Welcome to our home." She stopped and bowed.
Embarrassment flooded Marianna. "Mom," she said again, this time, more forcefully. She approached them and shot an apologetic look at Leo.
He laughed and shook his head. "It's fine." Then he reached out and pressed her mom’s shoulder. "You don't have to do that. I am not your prince."
Her mom patted her cheeks and glanced at him. "I'm so sorry. We've just never had royalty here."
Leo shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and shrugged. "Then just think of me as a normal guy."
Her mom snorted. "With Mari?" She slipped her arm through Leo's and started leading him up the sidewalk. "We really haven't had many of those either."
Marianna groaned, hoping her mom heard her, but if she had, she didn't acknowledge it. Marianna was rapidly realizing that bringing Leo here might have been a mistake. For a moment, she had thought her parents would not embarrass her. She had been a fool.
Filippo remained at the car, leaning against it. Marianna smiled over at him. "Wanna come inside? I'm sure my mom has whipped up quite a meal."
Filippo looked uneasy for a moment before he nodded and pushed off. He kept pace with Marianna as they walked across the yard. Just as they reached the stoop, Marianna felt a hand wrap around her elbow.
"Can I speak to you?" Filippo asked.
Marianna's heart picked up speed. What did Leo's bodyguard want to talk to her about? Did he suspect that this had all been a lie? Was he going to yell at her? She shushed her emotions and forced a smile, turning to meet his gaze.
"Sure. What's up?"
Filippo quirked an eyebrow, but then his expression grew serious. "What is your game? What do you hope to accomplish?"
Marianna studied him. It was the first time that her intentions had ever been questioned. "I want
to help the prince. He deserves that." And that was true. The more time she was spending with Prince Leo, the more she learned how good he was. Maybe he needed some more self-confidence, but he was a good man. Something that had been seriously lacking in the men she'd chosen to date in the past.
"That's it? You just want to help him get better?" Filippo narrowed his eyes.
It hurt Marianna's heart to hear what Filippo was implying. How many people in Leo's life had used him for his status? No wonder he wanted nothing to do with the royal life. How could he ever know if someone was genuine or not?
Marianna reached out and rested her hand on Filippo's arm. "I only have Leo's best interest in mind. He needs to get better so he'll realize how good of a man he is and bring that goodness to the throne."
Filippo's expression softened as he studied her. "You're a good woman, too, Marianna." But then he drew his eyebrows together and focused his stare. "But if you hurt him, you will have to deal with me."
Marianna flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. She must have startled him because he froze, every muscle in his body tensing.
"I promise," she said and then gave him a squeeze.
"Are you two done?" Leo's voice called from the open door. Marianna looked up to see that her mom had wrangled him into an apron and he had flour all over his hands.
She laughed and released Filippo. "Yep," she said as she made her way up the front steps. Once inside, she glanced over at Leo. "You said yes, didn't you."
Leo glanced over at her with wide eyes. "I'm not really sure how it happened. Your mom was showing me what she'd made for lunch and then the next thing I knew, she had an apron over my head, and I was kneading dough."
Marianna laughed. "Yep. You let her suck you in." Then she lowered her voice. "And you will never get out of it."
He raised his eyebrows. "I believe you."
They chuckled as they walked into the kitchen. Marianna couldn't believe the spread her mom had made. A roast sat in the middle of the table, surrounded by vegetables. Fruit salad was heaped inside a carved-out watermelon. Deviled eggs and pasta salad filled in the empty spots.
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