Her Christmas Prince (Love in the Keys)

by Godin, Caroline A.

  “I'm good, thanks. I had a bit of a lie in. Sunday's my day for that. Sleeping in ‘til 7:30 is the height of luxury when you're usually up way earlier. Did you sleep well?” She looked at Henry and he looked, well, fantastic. Who was she kidding?

  “I did, actually. There's something about the ocean air and the boat moving with the waves. I've been sleeping like a baby since I've been here.” He paused. “I'm naturally an early riser, but a bit of a fitful sleeper. Not here. It's been nice. I'm feeling more rested than I have in a long time.” Henry spoke the truth. He'd never slept well, even as a child, and he'd never slept as well as he had in the Keys. He wondered if it had something to do with his anonymity. He'd never experienced it quite like this and he was enjoying being just Henry, not a prince, not a public figure, just a man who liked to go fishing with his friend and eat good food and read books on the beach.

  “I know what you mean, I leave the window open at night and I love the smell of the ocean. It's intoxicating. And comforting. It's the smell of home. Shall we get going? We don't want to be late.”

  Callie and Henry arrived at Sunnyside Key Community Church just in time for the start of service. Several people waved and said hello as she entered, and she greeted everyone warmly. A few eyebrows raised at Henry's presence, but no one said anything. They sat in a pew a few rows behind her parents, and joined in the singing.

  Pastor Ed rose, and thanked the worship team for their blessing of music. He made a few announcements, and proceeded on to the message. His topic, on this last Sunday before Christmas, was a reminder. A reminder that, while Christmas should be a happy time, and one where we celebrate the birth of Jesus and enjoy the company of our families, good food and gifts, that not everyone had this kind of Christmas.

  “Problems and hassles don't always take a break at Christmas, just because we do,” suggested Pastor Ed. “So while we're celebrating, let's keep an eye out for those who are having a rough time, either because of financial difficulties, or loss, or loneliness. Small problems seem bigger at Christmas. So keep Psalm 46:1 close to your hearts, 'God is our refuge and strength'. “ There was a murmur of agreement from the congregation and he continued some thoughts on how we could all deal with problems at Christmas. Callie made notes in a notebook that fit into her Bible cover.

  “Christmas can also be a time of hurt. There are a lot of people hurting in the world, physically and emotionally. Because of illness or death or broken families. And you might wonder how God can allow it, especially at Christmas? But remember, we only need ask God to comfort us in our hurt and to heal our pain. Psalm 34:18-19 says, 'The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.' He's waiting with open arms, we just need to go to him.” There were several “amens” from the pews.

  Callie admired Pastor Ed. He had a tremendous education and was a Bible scholar, but he had a way of making things relatable to everyday life, and she usually found a nugget to reflect on in every message he gave. He also was very dedicated to the people of Sunnyside Key, helping those in and out of the congregation. He was a single man and spent much of his free time volunteering. And he operated the small food bank in Sunnyside Key out of the church basement.

  Pastor Ed asked the congregation to rise for a final blessing. “Today, as we prepare for Christmas, I'm going to leave you with a blessing from Romans 15:1: 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy.' Have a great couple of days, and I look forward to seeing you all back on Christmas morning to celebrate as a community. God Bless You.”

  Callie finished making notes and put her Bible away in her bag. She looked at Henry, who was watching her, thoughtfully. “So, what did you think? I know we're a little church and we're pretty casual, but I really find strength and wisdom in these walls.”

  “I think you're very lucky. I can't remember enjoying a church service so much in a long time. We tend to favour a more traditional approach where I go with my parents, so this was quite refreshing. Thank you for bringing me. Pastor Ed has some great points. I just wish I had made some notes. I lost my Bible in Afghanistan, and I haven't gotten around to replacing it. I use an online site sometimes, but it isn't the same as having one.” Callie nodded in agreement. And an idea came to her. She knew what to give Henry for Christmas.

  The made their way outside into the cool air and joined the rest of the congregation for iced coffee and lemonade. Pastor Ed came over to meet the newcomer.

  “Hi, Callie. My mom tells me you've been knitting sweaters.” He smiled at her. Pastor Ed's mom ran the knitting and crochet store in Sunnyside, and taught lessons part time. She'd been a real help to Callie in her Christmas project for Rayna. Callie nodded yes. “I wanted to meet your friend. I'm Edward Anderson, but folks here just call me Pastor Ed. Welcome.” Pastor Ed extended his hand to Henry and shook hands enthusiastically.

  “Henry. Pleased to meet you. That was a fine message, I appreciate it.”

  “Kind of you to say, thanks. But I give the credit to the man upstairs. I just deliver the words, He gives them to me.” Pastor Ed grinned at them. “So, are you new to Sunnyside Key, or just visiting?”

  “Just here on vacation, sir. I'm actually a friend of Tom's,” he said, pointing to Tom Davis, who was sitting with his parents at a picnic table under some trees in the shade. “And Tom kindly introduced me to Callie.” Henry winked at Callie and she blushed.

  “Well, you're well looked after, then. Is this your first time in the Keys? How are you liking it?”

  “Really enjoying it. Tom and I have been doing a lot of fishing. We got lucky with snapper yesterday. And Callie's been showing me the sites.”

  “Good to hear! I came here on vacation eight years ago and I never left. It gets into your fibre, you'd best watch out.” Pastor Ed gave Henry a pat on the shoulder. “Great to meet you, Henry. I hope you'll join us for Christmas. dI’d best make the rounds and check in with everyone. Take care, Callie.” Pastor Ed made his way over to the people sitting under the shade of the trees and began chatting.

  “He seems like a nice guy.”

  “He's great. He's really become part of the town. You'd never know he wasn't a Conch.”

  Callie's parents were making their way over to speak with them. Normally, this would set Callie on edge. But after their conversation this morning, Callie was hopeful. And her smile was genuine as they approached.

  “Hey mom, dad.” She hugged each of her parents and stepped back. When she did, Henry took her hand.

  “Henry, how are you, son? Catching anything?” Her dad greeted Henry warmly and gave Henry a slap on the back.

  “I'm well, sir, thanks. Yes, Tom and I got a few snapper yesterday. We did pretty well. I'm planning to cook one up for dinner tonight.”

  “Well, isn't that great. Maybe we'll get out after Christmas and try for a few more. Let's plan on it.”

  “Sounds good to me, sir. I look forward to it.” Henry smiled at her father. He genuinely liked Jackson Meyers. He was a kindly man, who obviously doted on Callie. “Mrs. Meyers, how are you today?” He turned to include Milly in the conversation. She'd been quiet thus far.

  “Fine, thank you for asking, Henry. We're looking forward to seeing you for Christmas.”

  “And I appreciate you having me. Can I bring anything to help?” Milly seemed surprised by the question. “I know Callie's already bringing pies, but could I contribute wine or a salad or something? I'm not much of a cook but I'd like to help if I can.”

  “Well, that's very good of you to offer. We do usually have mimosas with breakfast ... would you mind bringing some champagne?”

  “No problem at all, happy to do it. We usually have mimosas with my family, too, so I'll feel right at home.” Milly gave him the tiniest of smiles. Was she warming to Henry at last? That might be a blessing or a curse, time would tell.

  “So what do you kids have planned today?” Callie looked at
her mother, and then at Henry.

  “Well, I haven't run the idea past Callie yet, but I have a beautiful snapper that I caught yesterday, and I thought we might spend the afternoon at the beach and have a cookout on the beach for dinner.”

  “The beach and you're cooking? Count me in!” Callie laughed and Henry leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her mother took notice, but passed no comment. “We best get going, then. We're losing the best part of the day.”

  Callie and Henry made their goodbyes and headed for her car. What they hadn't noticed was Jimmy the paparazzi, taking photos of them the whole time since they'd left Callie's apartment.

  Jimmy's assistant had nosed around, pulled in some favours, and found out that Prince Henry had not had any public engagements for over a month. He was officially on leave from the military and not expected to return to active duty. And no one had seen him in Laurenia. This, coupled with the fact that one of his best friends apparently lived in the Florida Keys, pretty much confirmed to Jimmy that the man he'd seen was, in fact, Prince Henry of Laurenia. The final proof was in one of the photos Jimmy had taken the night before. When he'd looked closely and zoomed in, he had gotten a shot of the royal signet ring that Henry wore. He was definitely on the trail of a prince. And as far as Jimmy could tell, he was the only one who knew Prince Henry was stateside.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Callie always kept a beach bag in her car, so she was ready to go. She waited while Henry packed his bag and they drove down coast to a nice calm bay. She would have expected more people out, but maybe because it was the last Sunday before Christmas, chores and shopping kept them from leisure time. Aside from two families on either side of them, they had the beach to themselves.

  Henry cut a handsome figure in his board shorts, his tan had deepened since he'd been in the keys, and the sun had brought out the highlights in his hair. And Callie didn't look too bad, herself. She favoured a brightly coloured swim dress style that not only looked tropical, but emphasized her womanly curves without being too revealing. They were both very aware of each other physically in a way they hadn't been before today.

  After they swam they shared a gigantic order of fries and shrimp from the snack shack on the beach. Henry had never tried the local Key West Pink shrimp and liked it. They were smaller than Gulf shrimp, but sweeter. After lunch, they settled in to enjoy the sunshine, Henry reading the newspaper and Callie a recipe magazine. An hour passed in companionable silence, with the occasional exchange to point out an interesting article or to ask a question.

  Just after 3 p.m., Henry suggested they pack in, and Callie agreed. She'd enjoyed her afternoon but was feeling salty and was itching for a shower. She dropped Henry back at the marina with a promise to return within the hour for a grilled snapper dinner.

  Callie went home and washed the salt and sand away. She changed into capris and a light blouse. She took some cookies of the freezer and placed them in a tin to take over to Henry's. She guessed he hadn't thought about dessert. And she always kept a secret stash of Christmas cookies on hand for just such an emergency.

  Callie gathered up the cookies, her bag, and a book she and Henry had discussed that she thought he'd enjoy, and headed for the marina. When she arrived, Henry had the grill going on the top deck and was waiting on Callie to arrive. He watched her walking down the dock toward the boat.

  “Henry, quick, come down!” There was an urgency to her voice. Her ran down and jumped off the boat, anxious to see what was wrong. Instead, he found her grinning and awwing.

  “What is it? Are you all right?” Henry seemed concerned.

  “Yes, I'm fine, sorry to alarm you. But look, there's a manatee in the marina! Have you seen one yet?”

  “No, Tom filled me in about them, but no.”

  “Well, come see. They're amazing creatures.” Henry joined her and watched as the gentle creature floated close to his boat. It was amazing, and he'd never seen anything quite like it.

  “Pretty cool, right? I did a project on manatees in senior year. I can tell you all about them.” Callie grinned.

  “So, tell me.”

  “Well, they're mammals. Scientists think they can be relational in the same way dolphins can. They make these neat sounds. And they're mostly herbivores, and a manatee can eat ten percent of its body weight a day in plants.” She grinned like she's just won first place at the science fair. Henry bet Callie had been a good student in school.

  “Impressive. They are spectacular. Are they always this slow moving?” He watched as the manatee hovered just below the surface, bobbing with the tide and looking at them through the clear water.

  “Yes, that's why they're called sea cows, I think. They're sort of slow and lumbering but so charming. They're my favourite animal. My cousin Rayna works with the vet in town, and sometimes I help them when they do marine mammal rescues. I don't really know what I'm doing, but often they just need extra hands to help lift and carry and fetch things.” This didn't surprise Henry to hear. Callie had a heart for people and animals alike.

  They watched the manatee for a few minutes more, until he lumbered out of the slip and out into open water. Henry reached over and gave Callie a quick kiss on the lips. She was surprised. But not disappointed.

  “Thanks for sharing that with me. It was special. More so because you were here. Are you ready for dinner?” She nodded yes and Henry took her hand and they walked back to the boat and climbed up to the top deck.

  Henry had everything ready to go and in a few short minutes, a delicious dinner of snapper, asparagus and corn were done to perfection on the grill. They ate in silence, enjoying the food and the sunset. And each other. Though the conversation was minimal, their connection was as palpable as the banana wind.

  “Thank you for a delicious dinner. It's a real treat not to cook. And much more fun eating with someone.” Callie smiled at Henry, appreciatively.

  “Delighted you could join me. Truth be told, I don't cook much and I quite enjoy it. And grilling isn't really cooking, is it? Speaking of which, I'm afraid I don't have any dessert to offer. I couldn't think of one to make on the grill.”

  “Well, good thing I know a thing or two about dessert, then, isn't it?” Callie reached into her bag and produced a metal tin covered in holly and ivy and handed it to Henry. His eyes lit up. Men and their cookies. “Think you can manage some coffee to go with those?”

  “Absolutely! You are a superstar. I can't wait to see what's in that tin. Coffee's coming right up.” Henry went below deck and came back shortly with two steaming cups. He'd barely sat down when he opened the tin and began sampling. He'd eaten three cookies before he realized he hadn't offered Callie one yet. Where were his manners? His mouth was full, so he proffered the tin to her.

  “No, thanks, I'm good. But I'm glad to see you enjoying them. That's one of the things I love about baking, it makes people happy. I feel good about that.”

  Henry smiled. “Well, it's certainly making me happy. These are outrageously good. Thank you, so much.” He ate one more cookie, then purposefully put the lid back on the tin.

  Callie picked up her back and looked at her watch. “It's bedtime for me, I'm afraid. I should go. I'm opening tomorrow.”

  “I was wondering if you were open, it being Christmas Eve and all.”

  “Just a half day. We'll close at one, so Erin has a chance to get to her family stuff. And it's pretty dead the last half of the day, anyway. People have places to be.”

  “And where will you be, the rest of the day?” Henry hoped that whatever on his agenda might include him.

  “Well, I have a few errands and things to get done. But then I was going to head to Key West to check out the lights and to see the lighted boat parade. It's sort of a tradition. Would you like to come with me?” He would, but Key West was a bit riskier than Sunnyside. More chance of being recognized.

  Callie took his pause as a rejection. “It's fine if you have other plans, don't worry about it. I just thought you migh
t like seeing Key West.”

  Henry took her hands in his and looked in her eyes. “Callie, yes, I'd love to come. I'd like nothing better.” He leaned in and kissed her, a full and proper kiss. When he released her mouth, she felt like she was floating. He was some kisser, she'd give him that. He leaned down again, kissed her forehead, and then released one hand and lead her down to the marina. He walked her all the way to her car and as he'd done before, settled her in and wished her sweet dreams before waving her off.