Once Upon a King

by Holly Jacobs

  Michael, the big tattletale, smirked at her as they walked past him, as if he’d gotten one over on her.

  Cara had the overwhelming urge to stick her tongue out, but she resisted. She was a grown-up, after all.

  She’d see their doctor. He’d give her a clean bill of health, of course, then she’d get on with planning the wedding of the century, then go home to Perry Square.

  Parker’s mother led her through a maze of halls and up a set of stairs.

  “I may need a map,” Cara murmured.

  The queen laughed. “I felt the same way when Paul first brought me here, but you’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”

  She stopped in front of a door. “This will be your room.” She opened the door with a flourish.

  “Oh, my.” Cara tried to take it all in.

  It was the room every little girl dreamed of. A room fit for a princess.

  A canopy bed, a huge bay window, complete with window seat…and a wall full of bookshelves. For a lifelong bookworm who owned a bookstore, it was the perfect room.

  She just stood in the doorway and took it all in.

  “Parker suggested you might enjoy this room the most,” the queen said.

  “It’s lovely.”

  “Your luggage has already been sent up.” She gestured to Cara’s suitcases that were sitting next to the bed. “I can help you unpack, or send someone to help you if you prefer.”

  “No, really, I’m fine, no matter what Michael says.” Some of her pleasure over the room faded as she remembered the total mess she’d gotten herself into.

  “If you’re fine it won’t hurt to let the doctor take a look, will it?” the queen asked gently. “It will ease my mind.”

  Cara admitted defeat. She could fight Michael, but not his mother.

  “I’ll see him,” she said. “But only if we can get to work after he laughs at all your worries and assures you I’m fine.”

  “You’ve got a deal,” the queen said with a smile. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed my daughter and hope you’ll fill me in on her life and about this man she’s so taken with.”

  “I’ll tell you what I can,” Cara promised. “You’re going to love Jace, I promise. When you see them together, it’s so obvious that they’re right for each other. It sort of shimmers there for anyone to see. She’s happier than I’ve ever seen her.”

  The queen smiled. “Her happiness is all I ever wanted. Now, go rest and I’ll send the doctor up as soon as he arrives.” She left and closed the door softly.

  Cara took in the room.

  It was beautiful. She walked up to the shelves and admired the books. Leather-bound volumes that begged to be held and admired for the sheer beauty of their construction, as well as their content.

  Normally Cara wouldn’t be able to wait to get her hands on them. But right now she had too much on her mind to enjoy them. She sat down gingerly on the bed. It was warm and inviting. Too inviting to resist. She lay back and closed her eyes.

  How on earth had she gotten here? The small-town daughter of two academics was now in a castle, surrounded by luxury.

  A castle that was the family home of her own child’s father.

  A loud knock on her door awoke Cara with a start.

  She had a momentary attack of where-the-heck-am-I? before she remembered she was in Eliason to plan Shey’s and Parker’s weddings.

  And that she had found Michael, or rather, he had found her.

  Someone knocked on her door again.

  She sat up, smoothed her hair as best she could and said, “Come in.”

  A man with beachboy-blond hair that looked as if it could use a cut, bright blue eyes and a ready smile rolled a very sporty wheelchair into the room.

  “Cara Phillips?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I’m Dr. Stevens. Tommy Stevens.” He wheeled right up to her bed and extended his hand.

  Cara took it and shook. He had a firm grip.

  “Nice to meet you,” she said. “And I’ll apologize up front for the inconvenience. I’m absolutely fine, Doctor.”

  “Call me Tommy. And I’m sure you’re right, but why don’t you let me do a brief check just to put your hosts’ collective minds at rest. Additionally, you’re doing me a favor. I love having a reason to make a house call to the castle. They always offer me something to eat on my way out, and if you’ve ever eaten hospital food, you’d know what a perk having access to the royal kitchen is. Marta, the cook, has a crush on me, and spoils me with treats.”

  Despite her annoyance at being forced to see a doctor, Cara couldn’t help but laugh. “So, basically you work for food?”

  He grinned. “Exactly. And you wouldn’t want to deprive me, would you?”

  “No,” she assured him. “You don’t work exclusively for the family?”

  “No. They’re a very healthy bunch. I have a private practice. I make house calls because it’s easier than having their security clear my office for a visit. So, now that I’ve charmed you with my winsome bedside manner, do you think I could convince you to have a seat over here, please.”

  Giving in to the inevitable, Cara sat in the chair next to the bed, which placed her eye to eye with the doctor.

  Not sure how intensive his exam would be, Cara had a sudden worry and asked, “Before we start, I need to know that patient-physician privilege works the same here as it does in the States? I mean, you can’t go divulging my health concerns without my permission, right?”

  Tommy smiled reassuringly. “Yes, we do have the same rules here. I won’t say a word about you or your health without your permission. So, I take it that you have a condition I should know about?”

  “Yes,” she said, hesitating, not sure how to say it. She hadn’t told anyone yet, not even Parker and Shey. She wanted them both to enjoy their weddings without worrying about her. And she knew they’d worry a lot.

  “Well, you see, I’m pretty sure I know why I fainted, and it really isn’t anything to worry about. I’ve had periods of light-headedness the past few months, and I think this one was worse simply because of the length of the flight.”

  He waited, not pushing or prodding, just waited for her to finish.

  Cara had always trusted her gut feelings. She’d trusted them when she’d met Parker and Shey. She’d trusted them when they’d decided to open Titles and Monarch’s, their bookstore and coffeehouse respectively, after graduation. She’d trusted her feelings the night she’d met Michael.

  And she realized she liked this doctor and once again relied on her gut feeling. “I’m pregnant.”

  Tommy Stevens didn’t even blink an eye with surprise. “About how far along?”

  “Three months. I saw my physician before I left Erie and she said there was no reason I couldn’t make the trip. She put me on a prenatal vitamin and I promised to see her again as soon as I get home next month.”

  “Well, that could explain things, but I’d rather take your pulse, blood pressure and such, if you don’t mind.”

  “I don’t,” Cara said, realizing that having some assurance that everything was all right would be a relief. “Whatever you think is best. But I’d prefer that no one knows about the pregnancy. I haven’t even told the father yet. And I didn’t want to take anything away from the wedding.”

  “Mum’s the word,” he said, actually making the motion of twisting a key over his lips, then tossing it over his shoulder.

  Cara laughed. “Thanks so much.”

  As the doctor opened his bag and took out a stethoscope, he said, “Did you ever hear the one about the doctor and the porcupine…”

  Michael stood outside Cara’s room his hand poised to knock, when a loud peel of laughter rang out. There was a murmur of voices, then more laughter.

  He knew his mother wasn’t in the room with Cara. He’d just talked to her and she’d said the doctor had arrived.

  Cara was laughing with the doctor.

  Michael didn’t like it.

&n
bsp; The doctor was supposed to be checking her over, not doing a stand-up routine.

  Michael had imagined finding her. The slow smile he’d witnessed their one night together would again light her face and she’d welcome him with open arms. Instead, the woman laughing so easily next door with the doctor had been distant and wary when he’d found her at the airport.

  Dating women had never proven to be much of a problem. Finding the right woman had been next to impossible.

  Other than a short stint at a university in the States, where he’d got a taste for what Parker had had, Michael spent his adult life dating as a prince. His title was the first thing women knew about him. He frequently felt like more of a trophy than a person. Something they could show off to their friends. But Cara had only seen him as Mike, and he knew in his heart of hearts she’d felt something that night, just as he had.

  Cara had wanted just plain old Mike King. Not Michael Dillonetti, future king of Eliason.

  He’d never before felt anything like his reaction to her. There had been an instant connection. He wanted a chance to allow it to grow. He wanted to get to know more about her, and to share himself with her. He wanted Cara to continue seeing him, not the prince.

  Parker had chosen a different way of life than what she’d been born to. As the heir to the throne, Michael didn’t have that luxury. As much as he had grand plans for his country—increasing tourism and technology being two of his highest priorities—he had much smaller personal goals. Someone to love, who would love him in return—him, not his title nor his wealth. A relationship like the one his parents had. A family.

  They seemed like small goals—ones most people had. But for him they had seemed out of reach until he met Cara Phillips.

  The low murmurs in the room were punctuated by another burst of laughter.

  He knocked on the door.

  “Come in,” Cara called out.

  Michael walked into the room and was unprepared for the emotion that poleaxed him as he spotted Dr. Stevens and Cara sitting together.

  Cara’s smile died immediately when she saw who had entered.

  “What do you want?” she asked, no smile or sign of greeting.

  “I just came up to check on you.”

  Her eyes darted toward the doctor then back to him. “I’m fine.”

  “Dr. Stevens?” he asked, not quite believing her.

  The doctor shot Cara a strange look, then turned to Michael. “She’s absolutely fine, but I’m running a few tests just to be sure.”

  “What kind of tests?”

  Cara thrust out her arm and he noticed the smiley-face bandage in the crook of her arm. “He drew some blood and is going to test for anemia. That could explain my light-headedness.”

  There was something the two of them weren’t telling him. Michael could sense it.

  “What else?”

  “Nothing else,” Cara said. “Now that you’ve satisfied your curiosity, if you don’t mind…”

  She left the sentence hanging, an obvious invitation to leave her room.

  “I don’t mind at all,” he said, taking a seat in the armchair. “Thank you for coming over so soon, Dr. Stevens.”

  The doctor took the hint and packed his bag. Before he left, he took a card from his pocket and handed it to Cara. “If you need anything, have any problems at all, call me. The top number is my office, the bottom number is a private line. Call anytime of day or night.”

  “Thank you, Tommy.”

  “It was my pleasure,” he assured her, then gave Michael a quick nod and left the room.

  “It was my pleasure,” Michael mocked.

  “You’re the one that forced me to see him,” she said. “I enjoyed meeting Tommy.”

  “That’s another thing. Tommy. Not even Tom. I’ve known the man for at least five years and have always called him Dr. Stevens. You’ve known him half an hour and he’s Tommy. What was going on between the two of you?”

  “I was assured that doctor-patient privilege is the same here in Eliason as it in the U.S., so I guess that makes what was going on between the two of us my business, doesn’t it?”

  “I’m concerned, Cara.” Michael knew that was an understatement. Concerned didn’t even begin to define the heart-stopping fear he’d felt when she’d fainted. And though she seemed fine, the fear hadn’t abated much.

  Her look softened a little and for a moment he thought she was going to be reasonable. Instead, she said, “Don’t be concerned. You heard the doctor, I’m fine.”

  “I don’t think he’d be doing more tests if he was one hundred percent sure of your fineness.”

  “He’s just being cautious. I think it must be a trait of your country.”

  “And you say you’ve met my sister, Parker?” he teased. “If caution is a national trait, it’s one that totally passed her by.”

  Cara laughed, much to Michael’s delight.

  “Maybe it’s a trait that’s connected to the Y chromosome?” she asked.

  “Maybe. But you’ll have to admit that the night we met neither of us was particularly cautious.”

  Some emotion he couldn’t quite identify passed over her face as she slowly nodded.

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “About that night, I’d like to—”

  She sprang from the chair. “Sorry, Michael. No time to reminisce. I’ve got a clean bill of health and need to find your mother and talk about the wedding. Two ceremonies in one and only a month to plan them. I’ve got lots and lots of work to do.”

  “We’re going to have to talk about that night.”

  “I don’t see why. It was just a night. A passing fling. A one-night stand. There’s nothing to talk about or analyze. It was over almost before it started. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to freshen up before the meeting with your mother.”

  This time Michael took the hint and stood.

  Cara looked pale and a bit shaky and he didn’t want to upset her more than he suspected she already was.

  “Fine, I’ll let it go for now. But you’re here for a whole month, cara mia. You won’t be able to run from that night forever.”

  “I’m not running. I’m simply stating the truth. I’d prefer keeping my visit to your country on a completely professional level, if you don’t mind.”

  “Ah, cara mia, I do indeed mind.” He took her hand and before she could pull it away, he planted a light kiss on it. “I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”

  He left her standing in the middle of the room looking a bit shell-shocked, and still far too pale for his peace of mind.

  He knew there was more to the tests Dr. Stevens—Tommy—was running. He hurried to try and catch the good doctor before he left.

  Michael wanted answers and he wanted them now.

  Three

  Cara had planned to avoid Michael, at least until she figured out what to do. But avoiding the determined prince wasn’t easy.

  Three days after her leave-me-alone request, she had to admit a momentary defeat, but she didn’t accept it gracefully. She glared at him as he sat across from her in the limo, his assistant next to him.

  Michael’s mother was by her side, talking excitedly about the double wedding, oblivious to any tensions in the car.

  “…Morgan has been designing my clothes for years. I think you’ll like her plans for Shey’s gown and Parker’s. And of course, as bridesmaid, she’s got something very special in mind for you.”

  “I can’t wait to see it.” Cara tried to sound enthusiastic for the queen’s sake, but wasn’t sure she quite pulled it off.

  It was all Michael’s fault. He was staring at her with an intensity that made even a normal conversation difficult.

  “Thanks so much for letting me tag along,” Michael said. “It made sense to carpool. And I won’t need the car long. When would you two ladies like to be picked up?”

  “About two hours should allow us enough time to look over all Morgan’s sketches, and permit her to take Cara
’s measurements.”

  Cara knew it was ridiculous, but she found herself blushing anyway as Michael grinned and raised an eyebrow at the mention of her measurements.

  His assistant, whether by chance or design, changed the subject from Cara’s fittings to guards.

  “They’ve already cleared the building?” he asked the queen.

  “Yes. There are two guards already there, and another two in the car behind us.”

  “The king asked that I request you don’t try to elude them today.” Marstel glanced nervously in the queen’s direction, as if he were afraid of her response.

  “I promise,” she told the dark-haired man. She turned to Cara and explained, “When I first arrived in Eliason, I found having bodyguards extremely difficult to deal with. On occasion, I would lose them. Even after all these years, my husband still feels the need to remind me to behave.”

  “All these years?” Michael asked. “I believe just last month you lost your guards and—”

  “Spent the afternoon at the children’s shelter. Bodyguards make the children nervous. They’re intimidating.”

  “But they’re a way of life,” Michael maintained. “Just another part of our position.”

  “Do you like being followed?” Cara asked Michael, even though she’d told herself she was going to totally ignore him.

  “No, I can’t say I enjoy being watched so closely, but it’s just another facet of my life. And Marstel, in addition to being my assistant, also doubles as security, and he’s not overly intimidating.”

  “Hey,” Marstel protested with a laugh.

  “You intimidate me,” Cara assured him sweetly.

  He grinned. “Thanks.”

  She turned her attention back to Michael. “Parker hated this kind of thing.”

  He nodded. “Yes, she did. And I’m truly glad she’s found a life, found someone who makes her happy.”

  “What about you?” Cara asked. “Does this life make you happy?”

  The question sort of slipped out, but she wasn’t sorry she’d asked. She wanted to know. Was this life—a life her child might someday become a part of—one that a person could find happiness in?