Once Upon a Royal Christmas

by Robin Bielman

  “Are you busy tomorrow?”

  She frowned. “Sorry, what?”

  “Go shopping with me for a pair of boots? I could use your expertise on proper footwear.” He bent his head to look directly into her eyes. “Given my limited knowledge with this powdery white stuff.” She didn’t need to know he’d brought a pair with him.

  “I…I can’t. I’ve got a thing tomorrow.” She handed him back his coat. “And seriously, I’m good on my own here. You should get back inside.”

  “I’m seriously walking you home first.” He put the coat back on her.

  She huffed and resumed walking toward the cottage. “Are you always this annoying?”

  “Most women call it charming.”

  “I’m not most women.”

  “I’m getting that.” He watched her out of the corner of his eye. Whatever man stole her heart would be in for quite a ride.

  They walked in easy silence the rest of the way. Stars sparkled in the sky, and the moon smiled sideways. His fingers were numb, and he couldn’t feel his toes, ears, and nose by the time they reached her porch, but he didn’t care. He’d enjoyed every second of being out of his element with an interesting—and pretty—girl at his side.

  “Thank you,” she said, handing him his coat at her front door. Their fingers brushed as he took it. “Holy popsicle stick, your hand is ice cold. Come inside for a minute. I’ll give you something for the walk back.” She shouldered open the unlocked door, flipped a light switch on the wall, turned a lamp on in the sitting room, and disappeared down a narrow hallway.

  Theo admired the tasteful, comfortable surroundings. Traditional brown suede couch with matching ottoman, dark wood side table that held framed pictures, TV and console, fireplace, rich, multi-colored area rug that covered most of the hardwood floor, and the Christmas tree. The tiny white lights he’d noticed when driving by earlier were the only decoration on the fresh pine.

  “Here you go. Put these in your hands and they’ll be thawed in no time. They’re air activated warmers, so you should feel the heat in a minute.”

  He took the small packets in his palms. “Thank you.”

  “Sure. Keep your hands in your pockets and they’ll be even more effective.”

  “Got it. Can I ask you something?” She nodded. “What were you doing at my grandparents’ house?”

  “Your grandfather pressed the wrong button on the TV remote again and couldn’t figure out how to get his program back. I ran up there to fix it for him. He hates to miss Jeopardy.”

  “Jeopardy?”

  “It’s a popular American game show. Do not, under any circumstances, bet your grandfather you can beat him. He’s way too smart for his own good.”

  Theo slipped his coat back on. “Thanks for the tip. And helping out with things. I appreciate it.” His mom was an only child. His grandparents both were, too. The only family they had was friends like Rowan. You’re their family now, too.

  “Your grandparents are amazing people. I’m glad you’re getting the chance to know them.”

  “Me, too.” On that note, he needed to hurry back to dinner. Not only because they were waiting on him. But also because the kind, beautiful woman standing a foot away distracted him with increasing potency every time he was near her.

  *

  Rowan stood beside her ornament-free Christmas tree and watched Theo through the window. He wasn’t at all what she expected. She’d imagined him stiffer and less forgiving, more conceited and less down to earth. Of course he was a gentleman. Princes learned that in Good Manners 101, when they were like four, right? Yet, she got the sense his manners came naturally, rather than being taught.

  Once again, her thoughts veered to the Courier and Marly getting the story on the prince instead of her. Ro adored Marly. They were friends even though they were complete opposites. Marly was serious, quiet, delicate. And ethical to a fault. At least Rowan thought that a slight imperfection. She was in the minority, of course, but sometimes breaking the rules came naturally to her. It wasn’t that she planned to break them. It just happened. Put a check in the bad manners column.

  Rowan knew Marly would write a good article.

  But it wouldn’t be as good as Rowan’s. How could it be when Rowan had the inside track? While she and Theo had walked back to her cottage, ideas had fired through her mind like crazy. His story was about more than being a prince. It was about family. His relationship with his grandparents and the town his mother grew up in.

  Rowan’s feet had been glued to the hardwood floor while she watched Theo and his grandmother meet for the first time. She’d been unable to look away, feeling the love Bea Owens had for her grandson like they’d spent hundreds of hours together. Not ten seconds. The warmth and affection radiating off Theo had been equally palpable. Rowan paid attention to people, and an immediate connection like that was rare.

  Special.

  The perfect story angle to make hearts pound faster.

  Rowan’s certainly had, until she realized she was intruding on a very personal moment and had tried to sneak away without notice.

  Theodore Chenery had layers she wanted to peel back. If the story were hers she’d get the chance to restore her reputation and show off the man, not the prince. Too late, Ro Lo. There’s nothing you can do. The interview isn’t yours. God, it stung to still be punished.

  When things stung, she rose to the challenge. Don’t even think about it.

  She kicked off her boots, padded to her bedroom in her socks, and flopped onto her bed. Picking up her cell phone, she thumbed the phone number to her best friend.

  “Hey, you,” Cassidy said after the first ring.

  “I’m in trouble,” Ro said in lieu of a greeting. She and Cass were like sisters and formalities weren’t always necessary. Actually, as soon as Cass married her brother, Nick, they’d be sisters-in-law as well as best friends.

  “Again?” Sympathy and warmth came through the phone line.

  “Probably.”

  “Probably?”

  “It’s a prediction.”

  “Ro, if you’re not in trouble yet, then it can be avoided.”

  Rowan rolled over onto her side and stared at the half-finished painting of a horse drinking from a mountain lake. Last night she’d been unable to fall asleep, so she’d gotten out of bed to work on something to gift her parents for Christmas. “That’s true in theory, but you know how I hate when I’m told I can’t do something I want to do?”

  “Yeeesss.” The extra-long pronunciation was Cass’s way of reprimanding her without actually having to scold her.

  “What if I wrote my own story on the prince? Something—”

  “No. And in case I wasn’t clear. No. N. O. No.”

  “So that’s a yes?”

  “Ro.”

  Rowan flopped over to her back for dramatic effect even though Cass couldn’t see her. “It’s just—”

  “What did Emmaline tell you? She said if you step even the tiniest bit out of the lines she’s drawn for you, then you’re out. No more writing for the Courier. No letter of recommendation when you want to move on. Is that what you want?”

  She was silent for a minute, bothered by some recent thoughts that she chalked up to small bouts of doubt. “I don’t know what I want.” She’d put aside her love of art to focus on writing, but what if that had been the wrong choice? What if the universe was trying to tell her something?

  “You made yourself a promise—wait. What do you mean you don’t know what you want? Since when?”

  “Since The Mistake.” Rowan had committed one of the worst crimes a reporter could be found guilty of—not identifying herself as a reporter. She hadn’t meant to leave that little detail out, but she’d gotten caught up in her charming, blue-eyed political subject, and it had honestly slipped her mind.

  “Then why is the story on the prince bothering you?”

  Good question. Was it because Rowan was still a reporter and hated losing out on a story sure to
garner a lot of attention? Was it because she saw writing something honest and amazing as the only way to redeem herself?

  Or was it because she wanted to spend more time with the handsome prince?

  “You’re right. I’m being stupid.”

  “You’re not stupid. And it’s okay to be confused sometimes. What you need is a distraction.”

  “When are you getting here?”

  Cassidy laughed. “I miss you, too. We’ll be there in a little less than two weeks. Your brother is taking me to the ball. You’re going, right?”

  Talk and plans for the Inaugural Christmas Ball had been in the works for months. The Daughters of Montana—women with ties to the early history of Marietta—were planning the event in the grand ballroom of the historic Graff Hotel.

  “No. I don’t think so.”

  “Why not?”

  “No date.” And no plans to jump back in that pool anytime soon. Not unless someone swept her off her feet.

  “You’ll be our date,” Cass said sweetly.

  “My brother does not want me tagging along with you guys. But thank you.” Rowan rolled off the bed and walked into the kitchen. She pulled two frozen waffles out of the freezer and put them in the toaster. While they cooked, she grabbed the peanut butter and a banana.

  “You don’t even need a date. I’m sure there will be lots of single people who attend with friends. Come on. When was the last time you got to wear a gown?”

  “Ten years ago. Prom. And you remember how well that went.” Her date had gotten drunk and thrown up all over her pale yellow dress. Which had triggered Rowan’s gag reflex. She shuddered just thinking about it. To this day, she refused to eat pasta with any sort of cream sauce. “Besides, I’ve got a maid-of-honor dress to look forward to.”

  “True. But this is Christmas, Ro. Magic happens at Christmas time. Please just think about it a little more.”

  Rowan sighed loud enough for her best friend to hear. “Fine.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Can’t wait to see you.”

  “Likewise. Be good, okay?”

  “I’m always good,” Rowan answered before they said their goodbyes.

  The toaster oven dinged. She loaded her waffles with peanut butter and sliced bananas. Carrying her plate to the couch, she settled in for some television. When she saw headlights pass by the front window a couple of hours later, she hoped dinner had gone well for Theo and his grandparents.

  Then she forbade herself from thinking about Prince Charming for the rest of the weekend.

  She was almost successful.

  Chapter Three

  Monday morning’s dog walk was far less eventful than Friday’s. Rowan wasn’t sure why that didn’t make her happier.

  She stopped at her parents’ house to have a cup of coffee with her mom after that. The first words out of her mom’s mouth? “Did you know there’s a prince in town? Bea Owens’ grandson is here. He’s a prince.” Her mom’s excitement was cute. Everyone knew the story of Ashlyn Owens, so there was no need to repeat the prince part.

  After telling her mom about her conversations with Theo—in which her mom’s hand flew to her heart at least five times—and then making her mom promise to keep it to herself, Rowan went home to shower and dress for her appointment with Emmaline. Her boss had left a voicemail this morning asking Ro to stop by the office.

  “Emmaline?” Rowan said, knocking and pushing open Emmaline’s office door at the same time. “Hi.”

  “Come in and have a seat,” Emmaline invited from behind her desk. “I’m just finishing an email.”

  Rowan sat in the high-back chair in front of Emmaline’s desk. She’d comfortably sat in this exact spot hundreds of times, but since The Mistake, it was no bed of roses to be called in to talk. Still, she smiled at her boss, because the thorns in their relationship were all Rowan’s fault and she still respected Emmaline a heck of a lot.

  Emmaline looked directly at her as she shut her laptop. “The prince wants you.”

  “What?” Fired. He wanted her fired because of the whole dog fiasco. She’d also called him annoying, hadn’t she? And she might have been too forward with the ‘in the pants’ thing.

  “Prince Theodore would like you to interview him.”

  Oh. “He…he would?” she asked, surprised.

  “Yes.” Emmaline folded her hands atop her desk. “He says he’s happy to be featured in the Courier, but only if you’re his reporter.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him yes. Now here’s what I’m going to tell you—you will not engage in any unnecessary behavior or at any time question him off the record. You’re to make him understand everything he says to you can be used in your story. Things will be kept professional at all times. Is that clear?”

  “Crystal.” Rowan hated that Emmaline thought she still deserved a lecture. She didn’t make the same mistake twice.

  “You’ve got until the first.”

  “Thank you,” Rowan said appreciatively as she stood. “I promise I won’t disappoint you.”

  Emmaline smiled. Rowan gave one back and left quickly before Emmaline changed her mind. Jingle bells and jamberry jam, she had the story! A chance to make things right and earn back the respect of her peers, her family, and her friends.

  On her way out, she stopped at Marly’s desk for a quick chat to make sure they were good. “We’re good.” Marly said.

  Her feet lighter, Rowan stepped out onto the shoveled sidewalk. Was it her or did the snow look whiter? Today’s blue sky brighter? She thought about going right over to the Bramble House B&B to see if Theo was there so they could pin down some days and times to get together. Instead, she did an errand. He probably expected to hear from her today, so she’d wait until tomorrow to get in touch.

  For some reason, she didn’t want to do what he expected.

  That didn’t count as unnecessary behavior, did it? Shoot. It probably did. She tucked her scarf tighter around her neck and strode toward the bed and breakfast.

  She turned the corner onto Bramble Street, not liking the unfamiliar quivers crowding the pit of her stomach. The second she saw the action at the park, though, the unwelcome ache abated.

  Theo, a small group of boys—including her snowball opponents—and a tall, good-looking man she didn’t recognize, were playing football. Rowan’s eyes tracked Theo as he ran for a pass. For a guy unaccustomed to chilly temperatures, the prince seemed unbothered by the frigid, uneven snow under his feet.

  He had on jeans, a long-sleeved Rugby shirt, and the same black beanie he’d worn the first time she met him. The throw missed him by several feet. He fetched it. Ruffled the small quarterback’s hair as he handed the ball back. As if sensing her gaze on him, he turned his head, smiled, and waved.

  She waved back and walked closer to the action.

  “Let’s take five,” Theo said, still looking at her. She was still stuck on him, too. He looked just like one of the guys, albeit more handsome than any man she’d ever met before.

  “Your Highness.” She gave a little nod.

  “Rowan.” The way he said her name made it feel like eighty degrees outside instead of forty.

  “I guess we’ll be seeing more of each other. Thank you for the vote of confidence. I’m not sure what I did to deserve it, but I’m going to save my questions for more important topics.”

  “Sounds good.” His gaze slid away from her to acknowledge the man coming to stand beside them. “Hawk, meet Rowan Palotay. Rowan, this is my friend and bodyguard, Hawk.”

  Now that he was closer, she recalled catching a glimpse of him when she’d picked up the prince’s pants and shoes. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

  Hawk’s large gloved hand swallowed hers in a handshake. “You, too.”

  He had a vibe very different than Theo, a tall, dark, American vibe. “You’re from the States?”

  “I am.”

  “So you decided some football in the cold air and snow wo
uld be fun for our ocean city prince?”

  Both men studied her thoughtfully, like she’d said something worth noting. They shouldn’t read anything into it. For the next few weeks he was her prince. Professionally speaking.

  “Actually, I dragged him out here when I heard the kids playing,” Theo said.

  With the schools just a few blocks away, the park often ended up being an after-school playground and a chance to let off some energy before heading home for homework and chores.

  “I hate the snow,” Hawk said. To emphasize his point, he kicked up some powder.

  Rowan laughed. “This little vacation sucks for you then.”

  Hawk grinned with good humor and mischief evident in his expression. Oh, the single women of Marietta were going to love him.

  “Hiya, Rowan,” Mack Sheenan said. The sweet, adorable preteen handed her the football. “I’ve got to go. Will you take over for me?”

  She palmed the ball. “Sure. Say hi to your dad and Harley for me.”

  Swinging her attention back to the double dose of male hotness, she found Theo and Hawk staring at her like Joe Montana had magically appeared behind her. She smiled inwardly. JM was her favorite professional football player. When she was little, she loved him because his last name was the name of her state, and that had stuck with her into adulthood.

  Anyway, these two studs obviously had no idea she had mad skills with a football. Thanks to her high school football star older brother, she knew how to throw, catch, and intercept a football like the powder-puff champion she was. The snow underneath her boots could prove a little challenging, but she never backed down from an opportunity to surprise people.

  “Looks like I’m your new teammate, Your Highness. Let’s do this.” She shouldered her way between the men and marched toward the boys jogging in place to keep warm at the scrimmage line.

  “She’s serious,” Hawk said from behind her.

  She hung her messenger bag and scarf on a tree branch and joined the group. After a quick lowdown on the rules and where the end zones were, she turned to Theo. “Want me to quarterback?”