by Jeannie Moon
“So without any warning, you’re dropping a man on my doorstep. A man who may or may not be recognized as European royalty.”
“Josephine, it’s the twenty-first century. I doubt people are going to care who you live with. You need to lighten up.”
“Lighten up? This is my life that’s being upended!” Walking to the other side of the kitchen island so she could put some distance between her and the prince, Josie shook her head. “I don’t like it.”
Nick glanced at his friend. Her brother had obviously thought convincing her was going to be easy.
“What would Grandma do if somebody showed up on her doorstep and asked for help?” her brother asked.
That bastard. “That’s not fair! You’re using Grandma to manipulate me!”
“No, I’m trying to get you to think about the legacy of this house. How Grandma always had room for people.” Nick trained his eyes on hers, working every angle to get her to give in.
“Did they teach you manipulation at spy school?” she snapped.
“As a matter of fact, they did.” Nick didn’t move toward her, he just stared. He nailed her with his coal black eyes and didn’t let up.
“Oh, please. Is that all you have, Nick? The menacing stare?”
“Josie, come on!”
“Did you think you could just dump a problem like this in my lap? You’re nuts.”
“Hey, he is a prince. A little respect.”
Stopping long enough to eye Tony and his obvious discomfort, Josie felt a twinge of pity. Just a twinge. “Here’s a question for you, Tony. Why aren’t you behind the walls of your embassy in Washington if this is such an issue? I’m sure they could offer you first-rate accommodations.”
“Your house is very nice,” Tony said. “But I don’t want to be a problem. If you really would like me to leave, just say so.”
Nick was still staring. Tony was being so damned considerate. “All right! Fine. Show him the guest room.”
“You’re the best, sis. And if he gets in trouble, just let me know. I’ll take care of it.”
Somehow, as innocently as he meant it, when Nick said he would “take care of it” she believed him.
“Thank you, Josie,” Tony said. “I’ll stay out of your hair as best I can.”
“Hmmpf. Right. I’m going to change and take a swim. You two figure out dinner. Let me know what we’re doing.”
Taking her arm as she walked by, Tony smiled and her heart did a little flutter. Stupid heart. “Thank you again,” he said.
“Don’t touch me.” She jerked her arm away. “I could still change my mind. Remember that.”
Like it or not, the man was charming, and gorgeous, and he was going to drive Josie crazy. If she didn’t establish boundaries now, she’d be in real trouble.
The house was deceiving, bigger than it looked from the outside. Tony sat on the bed in his room, feeling the peace of the island starting to take hold. The entire stretch of beach was lined with bungalows similar to this one. There were small yards that ended with a sea wall before transitioning to the beach.
Taking out his cell, he composed a text to his sister.
In Florida at a friend’s house. Tell Mother and Father I’ll call in a day or so.
Good idea. Let things settle down a bit, she wrote back. I still can’t believe Astrid did such a thing.
Neither did I, but I know better now. It won’t happen again.
I hope not. Father can’t take another shock like that. Not your fault, but still. Talk soon. Xo
Placing his phone on the side table, he relaxed back into the pillows, close to falling asleep when he heard a door open and close.
He picked his head up and glanced out at the gulf, where he caught sight of Josie walking along the shore.
She was upset. He could see it in her shoulders, in the way she held her head. She was so lovely. The years had almost helped him forget how pretty she was, how she wore every emotion on her face, how her big brown eyes gave up all her secrets.
Opening the French doors that led right to the beach, Tony stepped out and wondered if he hadn’t been handed a second chance. His response to Josie was more than physical. Yes, his body warmed just thinking about touching her, but it was everything else he really missed—her laugh, her smile, and her sweet, caring heart.
If they were going to be stuck together for a least a few weeks, they had to find some way to get past what had happened between them. Not that he expected forgiveness would come easily. He had been destined for an arranged marriage when they started dating, and he never should have taken up with anyone while that was hanging over his head. Tony knew it was totally his fault; now he had to find a way to get Josie to forgive him.
Even if she couldn’t love him again.
Chapter Two
Why was he staring at her? That Tony was in her house was bad enough. That he was staying with her for—God, she didn’t even know how long—was something else. How would she keep it together? The meltdown she’d had after he left last time had been epic, and she couldn’t tell anyone why.
Her parents, her brother, her friends—no one knew why she was crushed when he left, because no one knew they were together. No one. At the time, she’d thought keeping their relationship secret was the smart thing to do because he was her brother’s best friend. Now she knew he wanted it quiet because Josie would never be accepted by his family, because they had arranged for him to marry someone else.
So the wounds, the betrayal, were still raw. There hadn’t been a fight or ultimatums given; he’d just left. She would never forget how empty and lost, how totally abandoned, she’d felt.
Catching his scent when he was standing near her in the kitchen, every memory came back. Every touch, every kiss they’d shared, every laugh. There hadn’t been anyone since Tony, and she didn’t know if there would be ever again.
She watched him take a deep breath before moving in her direction. All at once, Josie wondered if she had it in her to talk to him again. Probably not, but it was becoming more and more obvious she didn’t have a choice. She couldn’t run away forever.
“Well, you aren’t trying to avoid me. That’s good.”
“That’s not my style.” She was a liar. It was totally her style. “What brings you to Florida, Your Highness?”
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Tony glanced away. The dig wasn’t necessary, but he deserved it. “Don’t call me that, Josie.”
“What? I’m supposed to go back to plain old ‘Tony’? Because you’re just like everyone else? Right?”
“Josie, I’m sorry about everything. About how you found out, about leaving the way I did…”
“About the paparazzi stalking me and my family, making it impossible to go to work? To have a life? Or the way I was the butt of everyone’s jokes about how they must have made a mistake because someone like you would never be with someone like me.”
“I wish it never happened.”
“You made that clear when you bolted out of town without looking back. Was I just something to do until you got married, Tony?”
He grabbed her hand, and Josie reeled at his warmth. It felt like he was caressing her broken heart. “No. I never meant to hurt you. Once I’d been called home, it all went to hell. You never should have been dragged into the mess, but information got away from us…”
“Seriously? I was dragged into it because you lied to me and someone in your government wanted to make sure I knew my place was not with you,” she said hoarsely. “You had to know this would be a bad idea. Why are you really here?”
“I have to lay low for a while. Nick thought this would be a good place to do that. He’s a security expert. I trust him, and I trust you.”
“How flattering. And what did you do, exactly? Explain this to me.”
Blowing out a long breath, Tony rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t do anything. I got caught in the shower by a ruthless girl with a phone.”
“So a woman took pictur
es of you in the shower and you thought it would be a good idea to hide out with me? Are you nuts?”
“Josie, no, please listen—”
“I don’t have to listen to you. What are you going to do? Tell me about your sad romance?”
“There was no romance! She’s a family friend. Or was. We’d met up for a run, and then we were supposed to go out to dinner. I know it looks bad…”
Waving him off, she looked away. “No kidding.”
“Not my best moment, surely.”
“It’s none of my business what you do with the women you date.”
His posture went rigid before he answered. “There was nothing going on. Astrid…”
“Lady Astrid? The woman you were supposed to marry? Her? And why would she risk the wrath of your family to sell some photos of your behind?”
“Well, it seems the need for money outweighed all of that. I didn’t know her father had disowned her. My bum became a rather nice payday.”
For a split second, Josie thought about much she loved Tony’s body, how it felt under her hands, fired every nerve, clouding her thinking. “It’s a fine royal bum. I’m sure it fetched a pretty penny.”
Crap.
The comment—a result of the way he addled her brain—horrified her, because for once in her life she wanted to be aloof and sophisticated. Instead, she predicted weeks of saying the stupidest things.
Dammit all to hell.
“Thank you,” he said quietly, his deep voice swirling around her like a magic spell. “I seem to remember I was quite fond of yours.”
That’s when Josie made the mistake of looking up. He was so damned handsome; over six feet tall, broad shouldered and fit, it hurt to look at him. Tony’s blond hair fell across his brow and his blue eyes sparked with life. When he smiled…like he was doing now…he was devastating. Josie’s heart hammered in her chest, an out-of-control thumpthumpthump that told her she needed to get away from him. Now.
“I’m going to take a swim, I’ll see you later.” She spun on her heel and took a step into the surf.
“You don’t swim in your pool?”
“Sometimes. But if I want to swim more than a mile, I prefer open water.”
“A mile? Oh. Well. Be careful, then.”
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing, and I don’t take stupid chances. At least not like I used to.”
“Josie…”
She didn’t hear anything else he had to say once her head went under the water.
She had told the guys to figure out dinner, which meant they were going out because Nick never cooked. They’d decided to head into Naples to a restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton. Unlike most of the very upscale eateries at the hotel, the one they’d chosen was casual with a dining deck right on the water. Buying her dinner at a nice restaurant was the least they could do, considering the bombshell the two of them had dropped on her today.
On the way to the restaurant, Josie settled herself in the back seat of Nick’s car and focused her attention on the drive, not on the man in the front passenger seat. Josie had no idea why Tony would agree to come to Mimosa. He had to know she wouldn’t want to see him. Tony Granville was many things, but stupid wasn’t among them.
“You all right back there, Jojo?” She saw her brother check her in the rear view mirror like she was a little kid.
“I’m fine, thank you,” she responded formally. The last thing Josie wanted to do was act like a recalcitrant teenager. Even if snark would be an extremely effective weapon, she had to resist, because the last thing she needed was Nick acting like her parent.
The scenery was always beautiful going over the causeway from Mimosa to Naples, and she kept her eyes trained on the boats and the way the light bounced off the water. Sometimes she missed her crazy life in New York, but the serenity she’d found on the pretty little island had been her savior at a dark time in her life.
Broken hearted and confused, Josie had brought her battered spirit to her grandparents’ old house and started healing. She found a job, made friends, and proceeded to reconstruct her life. Her move to Florida was about so much more than breaking up with Tony. It was about recovering from his betrayal, restoring her faith in herself, and starting over. The only way she was going to get that kind of closure was by removing herself from the city where she and Tony had made so many memories. Mimosa had been a sanctuary, but now that he was here, she wondered if she was truly as resilient as she’d thought.
When they arrived at the restaurant, the valet opened her door and Tony offered his arm, which she politely declined. “I don’t bite,” he joked.
“I’m not sure that’s true,” she replied, stopping him in his tracks. The look on his face was perfect. He was thinking about her. About them. She was playing with fire.
Leaving him stunned speechless was supremely satisfying, though. Josie felt confident and in charge for a change, and even if she was faking it, she was having a better time than she thought she would.
They were seated at a waterside table, and while the men ordered beers, Josie stuck with an unsweetened iced tea. While they dug into a huge plate of wings, she had some conch chowder. Josie kept her expression as neutral as possible and didn’t say a word. Surviving a dinner with Tony without revealing their past would require a clear head.
“Josie, are you still teaching at that camp?” her brother asked.
“Yes,” she said after swallowing a spoonful of chowder. “I start in two weeks.”
“What do you teach?” Tony wondered.
“I’m a swim instructor and a lifeguard,” Josie said before taking another spoonful of her soup. “It’s part time, perfect for the summer and I love the kids. It’s a win-win, really.”
“You and kids,” Nick smiled, looking at his friend. “I never expected my sister would still be single at this age. I figured she’d be married and on her way to having a pack of rugrats by now. My parents are depending on her for all the grandchildren.”
If Josie could have crawled under the table, she would have. Tony’s eyes locked with hers and she had to focus on something else, anything else. They’d talked about children. Marriage. Being a family. Then he’d left.
Now she didn’t know if any of those things were in her future. She had to get out of there before she lost it.
“Will you excuse me?” She rose, grabbed her purse, and bolted from the table before Nick or Tony could stop her.
“Josie!” Tony called after her, but she didn’t acknowledge him. Making her way to the hotel lobby, she finally slowed her pace, dropping into a big armchair. She felt like her chest was being crushed.
The last time she’d felt this way was the day she learned the truth about Tony Granville. She’d been running around his Greenwich Village apartment, getting ready for class, looking for a lost shoe, when the concierge buzzed up that he had two visitors from Marinbourg’s consulate.
Knowing he worked with the Minister of Commerce, Josie didn’t think the visit was unusual, but Tony didn’t look happy about it. Josie was studying to be a therapist, observing people was her thing, and her guy’s body language told her something was wrong.
He straightened his tie, took two deep breaths and opened the door before anyone knocked. The man was cool and collected every moment of every day; it was one of the things she loved so much about him. Nothing fazed him. But at that moment, he looked nervous.
The officials, a man and a woman, were both beautifully dressed. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until they spoke to Tony in French, addressing him as Votre Altesse Royale.
Your Royal Highness.
Her French wasn’t great, but Josie knew right then and there that Tony hadn’t told her everything about himself.
The two people were bowing and scraping, and the picture that emerged was nothing she could have prepared for. But somehow, everything was starting to make sense.
Josie could have handled the news of Tony’s royal lineage. Considering his regal bearing, it shouldn�
�t have surprised her. It was the news that he was betrothed to another woman that killed her, especially since they’d spent the last week talking about their future.
There would be no future with Tony. Not then. Not now. He promised to deal with the marriage arrangement his parents had made on his behalf. That he would move heaven and earth so they could be together. But then he left, and someone leaked Josie’s name to the European tabloids, and while Tony did break his engagement, he never came back to her. The only contact had been a quick call to apologize.
She’d been so hurt, so beyond apologies and forgiveness, she hung up on him.
Then today, when he walked into her kitchen, the memories, the heartbreak, all of it resurfaced. Nick’s remark about her future kids drove the reality home.
“Are you all right?” She looked up and there was Tony. Wearing jeans and an untucked button-down with rolled sleeves, he looked like a regular guy. But he wasn’t. He never had been.
Damn if it didn’t take everything she had not to let the tears flow. “I’m fine,” she answered. “I just needed a breather.”
“I’m sorry about that.” He stepped closer.
She shrugged. “The last time I checked, my brother was a champion at saying the wrong thing. It’s fine.”
“Josie…”
“Tony, let it drop. Just let the whole conversation go.”
“We should—”
She held up her hand to stop him. Prince, King, Ruler of the Universe, she didn’t care. Josie had no interest in what he wanted to say or thought she should do. “Here’s what you need to remember over the next couple of weeks: You do not tell me what to do. E-VER. Are we clear?”
Josie stood and faced him, unwavering and angry.
His eyes darkened and in a split second, she saw his expression harden in anger, then flash with the passion that always burned between them, before softening with regret. “Fine,” he said.
With his single word of agreement, Josie turned and headed back the restaurant. Maybe she had to let Tony Granville into her life again, but this time she was going to do it on her own terms.