Once Upon a King

by Holly Jacobs

  She felt herself begin to relax a little.

  “Really?”

  “Really,” he assured her. “I meant it when I said I never have and I never will lie to you.”

  “Well, thanks. If you didn’t call her home, then why is she here early?”

  “I imagine she’s here to see Mom and Dad, just like she said. I understand that the days before a wedding are jittery ones.”

  “Oh.”

  “Cara, you know when I said I wouldn’t lie to you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You believe me, right?”

  She would have liked to say no, but she saw the vulnerability in his eyes and said, “Yes, I guess so.”

  Vulnerability and something else.

  “So then when I tell you that I want to kiss you right now—kiss you until you can’t see straight, until your knees give way, until you can’t breathe, you’d believe me?”

  Her throat felt dry. She knew she should tell him no, that kissing him was the last thing she wanted, but she couldn’t lie. She settled for saying, “You could tell me that, but that doesn’t mean I’d agree to it.”

  “Ah, but I didn’t hear you disagree.”

  “I—”

  “You want me as much as I want you.” Before she could respond, he added, “No lying.”

  “What makes you think you need to warn me? You think I’d lie?”

  “Professor Stuart,” he said simply.

  “That’s different. We’ve been through this. If there’s a Stuart, you’re off the hook.”

  “I don’t want to be off the hook, I want to—” He didn’t finish the sentence with words. Instead, he demonstrated just what he wanted.

  Cara was done denying that she wanted him as much as he claimed to want her.

  Every time she touched him, every time he touched her, all her worries and doubts flew out the window and all that was left was the certainty that this man was the one she’d been waiting for.

  She relaxed in his arms, wrapping herself in Michael. Her lips melded to his, instant with desire.

  “Eh hem,” someone behind Michael said.

  Cara recognized the throat clearing.

  She pulled away and peeked behind him. “Parker, I can explain.”

  “I’m sure you can, and I can’t wait to hear that explanation.” She turned to Michael. “Big brother, do you mind if I borrow my friend for a moment?”

  “I do, but I’ll let you. Consider my sharing Cara a wedding gift.”

  “You’re just too cheap to buy me something nice,” Parker said.

  “I’d say Cara qualifies as something more than nice.”

  “I’d be forced to agree, and because I recognize her value, I’d be remiss as a friend if I didn’t warn you that if you hurt her…” She left the threat hanging.

  Cara knew she should feel warmed by the thought that Parker cared enough to threaten her brother, but instead she felt annoyed. “Parker, I’m right here, and I’m pretty sure I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

  Parker ignored her and kept her attention on Michael, who said, “And I guess I should be just as up front with you, little sister, when I tell you I’ve asked Cara to marry me.”

  “What?” Parker said, obviously taken aback.

  “I said no,” Cara hastily assured her.

  “You practically just met. You hardly know each other.” Parker eyed them both.

  “About that—” Michael started.

  “Not another word from either of you,” Cara said. “I’m quite capable of protecting myself, just as I’m quite capable of deciding who I’ll marry. Fact is, I turned your brother down, Parker.”

  This time it was Cara on the receiving end of Parker’s glare. “Why would you turn him down? He might be a pain as a brother, but rumor has it that women who aren’t his sister find him a catch.”

  “They’re welcome to catch him all they want. I’m not interested.”

  “From what I just witnessed, I’d have to say, you looked more than interested.”

  “Ah, you see,” Michael said, “your friend is a fickle woman. She likes kissing me well enough, but her heart belongs to Professor Stuart. She’s going to run home to the jerk.”

  “Stuart who?” Parker asked.

  Cara didn’t answer her. She was too busy glaring at Michael, the tattletaling, I-won’t-lie-to-you snitch. “Stuart’s a good man, I told you that.”

  “You told me many things, cara mia.” His voice had that soft little burr to it that got to her.

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “Cara mia,” he said again, taunting her, then he leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I’ll leave you with my sister to talk. I’ll go find my future brother-in-law.”

  “You do that,” Parker said. She turned toward Cara, a thousand questions in her eyes as she continued, “Sounds like there’s a lot that’s gone on here in the last couple weeks. Maybe it’s about time you bring me up to speed.”

  Seven

  The minute Michael was out of sight, Parker dragged Cara to a sitting room she’d never seen before. That was no surprise. She was sure there were many rooms she still hadn’t visited.

  This was one of the homier rooms. An inviting sitting area, a huge fireplace.

  “So?” Parker said as soon as they’d settled on a sofa.

  Cara felt uncomfortable under Parker’s intense scrutiny. “Stop staring at me like that.”

  Her hand started to drift to her stomach, as if by covering it, she could hide the fact it was rounding more than slightly, but she caught herself and kept both hands firmly planted on her lap.

  “Spill it,” Parker said, no request in the two words. It was a rather regal order.

  “You’re pretty much caught up. What more is there to tell? Your brother asked me to marry him, I said no.”

  Parker scoffed. “There’s more—a lot more—to this story. And if you don’t tell me, I’m calling in Shey. You know she’ll have you talking in minutes.”

  Cara could picture Shey’s withering glare and knew that Parker was right, she’d crack.

  Not ready to bow to the inevitable, she tried a delaying tactic. “Fine. I’ll tell you everything, but I’d rather wait until after the wedding. Then we’ll all have a heart-to-heart. You, me and Shey. The three of us.”

  Parker shook her head with such ferocity that her blond hair whipped back and forth. “Sorry, no can do. This is big and I suspect you need me, even if you don’t want to admit it. Let me be here for you.”

  Cara felt her eyes fill with tears again. She wasn’t a crier, had never been a crier, and suddenly it seemed she was always on the edge of tears. She blinked hard a couple times, hoping to hold them at bay, then said, “Parker, this is your time. I want you to focus on Jace. An intimate, romantic ceremony…Then in another month, a huge full-blown one for the public. Two weddings to the same man. It’s every woman’s dream. Concentrate on that. I’m fine.”

  Her heart gave a small tug at the thought that she’d never have the kind of love Jace and Parker shared.

  She and Michael did have something together. Chemistry would probably be the best word to describe it. But she wanted more. She wanted what Parker and Shey had found.

  “Cara, honey,” Parker took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I love Jace, and there’s no need to concentrate on it. It just is. It’s my constant. Loving him is sort of the center of everything for me. So, there’s no need to wait to tell me. I can see something big is going on and I want to be here for you. Please don’t shut me out.”

  Cara had known that keeping things from Parker was a losing battle, even if she’d felt the need to try.

  “Okay,” she said, admitting defeat. “It’s more than just your brother asking me to marry him. The thing is…”

  The sentence trailed off as Cara tried to decide how to say what needed to be said. She knew there was no way to soften the shock, so she just blurted out, “I’m pregnant. Your brother was just being noble—doing t
he right thing. I did say no because I deserve more than that. So does he. We both deserved more than someone trying to do the right thing.”

  Parker didn’t say anything, though her shock was evident in her expression.

  “I can’t marry your brother,” Cara continued hastily. “And I can see the worries starting, so let me assure you that I have it all planned. The baby can come to Titles with me. I know you and Shey won’t mind, not that Shey will be there, she’ll be with Tanner. But now that we’ve hired Shelly, she can take over while I’m on maternity leave, and help when I come back. How are things with her and Peter going? Are they still hot and heavy?”

  “No changing the subject,” Parker scolded. “I’m still adjusting my reality to the fact you’re going to be a mother. Who’s this professor that Michael was talking about? And why isn’t he asking to marry you?”

  Part of Cara wanted to keep the myth of Professor Stuart alive. It would be so much easier. And although she was pretty sure she could keep the professor story going with most of the world, she couldn’t lie to her friends.

  “There is no professor,” she said softly. “I made him up. Michael’s the father.”

  “Michael? But how? It’s only been—”

  “A little over three months,” Cara supplied.

  “Three months?” Parker repeated.

  Cara saw the dawn of understanding on Parker’s face. “When he came on his last-ditch mission to bring me home?”

  Cara nodded. “I didn’t know who he was. He didn’t know who I was. We met and it was an instant connection. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

  And she was sure it would never happen again. Lightning didn’t strike the same place twice.

  “You’re the mystery woman he’s had Jace searching for?” Parker murmured.

  She shrugged. “He did say he’d been looking.”

  She hadn’t quite decided how to handle that information. Hadn’t figured out just what it meant.

  “And this is his baby?” Parker asked. Then the realization sank in and she grinned. “Oh my, this is my brother’s baby, which means it’s my niece or nephew. I’m going to be an aunt.”

  “No one can know that except you and Shey. No one else. As far as everyone else is concerned, Professor Stuart is the father.”

  Parker’s happy smile faded. “But why?”

  “You of all people need to ask me that? If your brother is the baby’s father, that means the baby is royal, and with that comes all the baggage you’re so anxious to get rid of. And can you imagine what the reporters would make of a prince’s illegitimate child? What kind of life would the baby have? Do you want that for your niece or nephew? Being hounded by the media? Look at the lengths you’ve gone to in order to have a small, private wedding ceremony before the more public affair.”

  “Cara, I may not want this life, but I had a choice. How can you take that choice away from the baby? How can you deny your child his or her heritage?” She took a deep breath and looked as if she were trying to calm herself before she continued. “How can you deny Michael the right to be the father I know he will be?”

  “I don’t know, Parker. That’s the truth of it. It’s all happening so fast. I didn’t know who Michael was until the airport. The only pictures I ever saw of him were taken when you were both small. I don’t know what to do. I need time to figure out what’s right for all three of us. I need to keep Professor Stu around for at least a while.”

  Parker didn’t look happy about it, but slowly she nodded. “For a while. But Cara, the professor won’t work long-term.”

  “I know. I—” She stopped short. “Can we just talk about something else for a while? Anything. Let’s talk about Pearly and Buster.”

  Parker reached across the couch and squeezed her shoulder. “Yeah, we can. And when you’re ready, I’ll be here. Let me be here for you.”

  Cara nodded. Tears were pooling in her eyes as the emotion clogged her throat. She couldn’t push any words out past it all, so she simply leaned over and hugged Parker.

  When she let go, Parker said, “Now, about the Pearly situation. I asked her to come early. She’ll be here in a few days. You haven’t said anything to the ambassador?”

  “Not a word. Watching them meet again after all this time…” Cara sighed and felt a wave of wistfulness sweep through her.

  Having heard both Pearly and the ambassador talk of the other, she was sure this meeting would be special. It would be romantic.

  And right now, Cara needed a romance to work out for someone.

  Michael didn’t know what to do with himself as he waited for Cara and Parker to break up their little talk. Pacing the hall wasn’t much of a solution, but it was the best he could come up with. Pacing and wondering what his sister was saying to Cara.

  Maybe Cara would confide in Parker. Maybe Parker would convince Cara to give him a chance.

  Maybe.

  The maybes were killing him.

  Why couldn’t Cara see that they were meant to be together? What would it take to prove to her that he’d do anything for her and their child?

  “Thinking about her?” Jace O’Donnell, the man who would be marrying his sister in a very short time, asked as he rounded the corner and entered Michael’s pacing zone.

  He knew Cara didn’t want their relationship divulged, so he simply said, “Yes. I can’t seem to stop thinking of her.”

  “Tell me about it. Once I met Parker I couldn’t get her out of my head or my heart. And man, that sounds lame even to me, but there it is.”

  “You tried?” Michael asked, surprised. His sister was…well, he’d never admit it to her, but she was an amazing woman. “You tried to get over your feelings for Parker?”

  “Repeatedly,” Jace assured him.

  “But why?”

  Jace gave him a look that sort of said, Duh.

  Michael shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. Duh or no duh, he didn’t get it.

  “She’s a princess, I’m a P.I.,” Jace finally said. “She’s royalty, and I’m…well, I’m not. It took me a while to see that our worlds could fit. That our differences made us stronger.”

  “When she talks about you anyone can see that it doesn’t matter.” Michael shook his head. “I went to Erie to convince her to come home, but it only took a few minutes to realize she’d never come home except on visits. She’d met you and that was it.”

  That’s how it had been when he’d met Cara. It. No going back. No turning around.

  Cara was simply it for him.

  “It was fast,” Jace admitted. “That’s part of what took me by surprise, the speed.”

  “That’s how it goes in my family. Fast. You meet the right person and it’s…”

  “Lightning,” Jace supplied.

  “Yes, lightning,” Michael agreed. “Immediate. It’s just there. You can’t miss it.”

  Well, he couldn’t miss it, but obviously Cara could.

  “I’m sorry I was never able to find your mystery woman for you.” Jace slapped his shoulder in a brotherly show of sympathy.

  “That’s all right.” Michael would have liked to have told Jace, but he was sure Cara wouldn’t appreciate it. Look at how she’d reacted when she’d thought he’d called Parker home.

  “I know we don’t know each other well yet,” Jace said. “But if you want to talk about it, I’m here.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that, appreciate all you’ve done.” Michael liked this man his sister was going to marry. There was something very genuine about him.

  “Nothing to appreciate. You’re family.”

  Family.

  That was important.

  Why couldn’t Cara see that they were meant to be a family, that she was meant to be with him?

  Somehow he was going to convince her that they were meant to be together.

  Jace had said it had taken him a while to see that his world and Parker’s worked together.

  Cara had experienced just a small tast
e of Eliason, of his world. Maybe he’d give her a little more. Show her that she could contribute and enjoy aspects of the life he offered her.

  Show her that their worlds meshed.

  That they should be a family.

  “Would you come with me today?” he asked the next day when he cornered Cara eating a hurried breakfast. “Just a short outing. No questions, no arguments, no Professor Stu.”

  “Why?”

  “Just because I asked. Because at dinner the other night, we mentioned trying to get to know more about one another. I’d like a chance to let you see a bit of what I do.”

  “No talk of marriage or babies?” she countered.

  “Cross my heart.”

  He was up to something. She could sense it, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what.

  She should say no. She needed to keep her distance, maintain some perspective. But he looked so excited, and that enthusiasm was contagious because she found herself saying, “I can’t be gone too long. I have work to do. The wedding’s just around the corner.”

  “Now that Parker’s here, some of the pressure on you should be lifted.” He was leading her toward the main entryway.

  “Just where are we going?”

  “A quick trip to St. Mark’s. A surprise.”

  He settled her in the limo and kept up a steady stream of chatter about the capital, pointing out various sights, filling her in on local history until the car came to a stop in front of an impressive brick building.

  “St. Mark’s main library,” Michael told her before she could even ask. “They have a story time once a week, and today I’m the guest reader. I thought it might be something you’d enjoy.”

  Cara didn’t know what to say, so she simply allowed Michael to lead her through the grand building into a small, cozy children’s area. That he’d thought about this, about something that would please her, touched her.

  She noted that some of Michael’s bodyguards were discreetly spread throughout the area, but he didn’t seem to pay any attention to them. His focus was completely on the group of preschool children.

  After a quick introduction by the librarian, he settled in and began reading a short picture book.

  Watching him, listening to him do the voices and make sound effects, she could almost picture him holding their child and doing the same. The mental image tugged at her heart. She got lost in the fantasy, then abruptly realized he’d finished.