by Raye Morgan
“I’m sorry to be so adamant about this, Kelly,” he told her, his brow still furrowed. “I’ve got my own problems, and I’m not in the mood for more.”
“Of course not,” she murmured, but he was already turning away. She watched him go, and slowly began to regain equilibrium, glad he had been too wrapped up in their argument to notice what a fool she was making of herself. She’d never realized she could be such an easy mark for a sexy man. She was going to have to be more careful.
Inhaling another deep breath, she got back with the program. Something had to be done to convince Joe to take the threat of harm more seriously. Kelly thought for a moment, then nodded and went straight for her cell phone. Time to call in the cavalry on this one.
When her boss answered, she smiled, glad to hear his voice again.
“So, Kelly, how’s it going, anyway? Found any more princes out there in sunny California?” He chuckled.
She had to bite her lip to keep from reacting sharply. She was so tired of being the focus of all their joking at the agency. “Princes, princesses, earls, dukes. They’re a dime a dozen out here, Jim. You ought to come out and find one for yourself.”
“Hey, I thought you were going to San Diego. Not Hollywood.”
“Cute.” She sighed. “Actually, I think Joe is the real deal. I just haven’t been able to convince him of it yet.”
There was a pause, then Jim said, “You mean he doesn’t know if he is or isn’t?”
“Nope.”
“Wow. That’s a new one.”
“Yes, it is. And pretty frustrating.”
“Hmm.” Jim seemed to agree. “But tell me this. If he doesn’t know the truth, who does?”
“I do. And apparently someone else suspects as well. Jim, can you do a little research for me? I need some background on a woman calling herself Sonja Smith.”
She heard him choke on his cup of coffee, and sighed. “Yes, I know. It’s not likely to be her real name. But she’s affiliated with a baby boutique here in San Diego.” She gave him the rest of what she knew, and he agreed, reluctantly, to look into it for her.
“Don’t expect too much,” he said in his droll way. “In my experience, every Madame Smith tends to evaporate as soon as you shine a light on her.”
“I know. But she’s been prodding Joe about Ambria. Now how many people without ulterior motives are likely to be doing that?”
“Not many,” he agreed. “Of course, there’s you.”
She groaned. “Spare me the lecture. I’ve already heard it.”
He snickered and Kelly felt her face go hot. How she would love to prove all the naysayers she worked with wrong!
“Okay, now here’s a question for you,” Jim said. “When are you coming back?”
“Back?” Her hand tightened on her phone. “I’ll be in on Monday. Why?”
“Because it turns out half the office will be going to the funeral in Piasa. We’re going to need you here to cover.”
Kelly frowned. “What’s going on?”
“It looks like one of your lost princes really has shown up.”
“What?” Her heart leaped.
“There are rumors that Prince Darius has been seen.”
“No!”
“Seems he was living with a family in Holland for many years, then he was a businessman in London.”
This was fantastic news. All these months, ever since she’d presented the people she worked for with an outline of her theory on what might have happened to the lost princes, she’d had nothing but doubt and ridicule thrown her way. If they began to show up, her vindication would be sweet.
“And all the time, no one knew.”
“That seems to be the case.” Jim cleared his throat. “And now he’s on his way to Piasa, as is just about everyone in the Ambrian universe.”
“Except me.” She knew she had no hope of getting the assignment. She was the lowest level employee there, and would be left behind to cover for everyone else. That went without saying. But she could dream, couldn’t she?
“I’m not going, either. We’ll be here analyzing the dispatches. You know the drill.”
“Indeed.”
“So, when can you get back?”
“Saturday is the very soonest I can manage.”
“Make it early on Saturday. This isn’t a joke, Kelly. We’re really going to need you.”
This news was so exciting, Kelly wanted to dance all the way back to Mei’s room. She wanted to tell Joe, but she stopped herself. Not yet. First, she had to show him that there was really a reason he should care.
Mei was still asleep, so Kelly went out to the entryway to pick up some of the packages she’d brought. First she changed out of the clothes she’d worn for two days now, and put on a pair of snug jeans and a cropped seersucker top that showed off a bit of belly button. She spent a few minutes putting baby food into a cupboard, then went out on the deck, where Joe was reading a newspaper.
“What have you heard about the nanny?” Kelly asked him.
He turned and smiled in a way that let her know he liked how she looked out here in the late afternoon sun.
“She’ll be here tomorrow afternoon.”
“Oh. Good. I hope I’ll have time to train her on what Mei likes.”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “You’ve already become an expert on that, have you?”
She answered with a jaunty tilt of her chin. “Sort of.”
The truth was, she was falling in love with the child. But since doing so was crazy and would only lead to more heartbreak, she kept quiet about it. Why tell him, anyway?
“Mrs. Gomez is her name. A good friend of mine runs this agency. She’ll make sure she’s completely vetted. I trust her judgment.”
Kelly nodded, biting her lower lip. If she was really honest, she would admit that she didn’t relish the prospect of someone else taking over Mei’s care.
“The first thing to notice is if she starts asking any questions about Ambria,” she pointed out as she made her way to the railing and leaned against it, looking toward the ocean.
“You got it. We don’t trust those Ambria-asking people.”
She turned her head to glare at him. “This is serious, Joe. Your friend Sonja might just use her influence to stick a ringer in, someone who would spy for the regime. You never know.”
“Ah, come on,” he said, rising to join her at the railing. The sun was low in the sky and a beautiful sunset was promising to develop. “Even Sonja has her good points.”
From the thread of amusement in his voice, Kelly knew he was goading her just for the fun of it. She could either challenge him or play along. She gave him a sideways look and impulsively decided on the latter.
“Wow, you were bowled over by her beauty, weren’t you?” she said accusingly.
He shrugged, his eyelids heavy as he looked at her. “You’ve got to admit she’s pretty nice to look at.”
“Right.” Kelly made a face. “No wonder the Mata Hari types succeed so well with the dopey gender. Men are totally blinded by beauty. To the point where they ignore danger.”
He managed to look innocent as the driven snow. “Well, yes. What’s wrong with that?”
If only he was as innocent as he looked. She forced back a smile. “Men are just clueless. Babes in the woods. Easy prey for the machinations of the fairer sex.”
“Is that how you see me?”
She threw out her hands. “If the shoe fits…”
His eyes narrowed cynically. “Well, Kelly, my dear, look who’s talking. I mean, you’ve clearly got a crush on me.”
Her mouth dropped at that outrageous statement. “I do not!”
“Really? Why not?”
His expression was endearingly surprised and woebegone, and she had to laugh, knowing he was teasing her.
“You’re crazy,” she told him. “I’m just trying to warn you to beware of Sonja.”
“Sure. That comes through loud and clear.” He moved a little closer
so that their shoulders were touching. “Are you sure you’re not jealous?” he asked softly, as though it was a secret he was sharing with her.
“Jealous?” she practically squealed. “Why would I be jealous?”
He looked at her for a long moment, smiling, then shrugged. “You got me there.”
She cleared her throat, a bit relieved. “Exactly.”
They stayed there for a few minutes, side by side, neither speaking. The sun touched to the ocean, turning the water red and painting the sky in peaches and crimson. Kelly had a wild fantasy of turning to look into Joe’s eyes and curling into his arms. The thought almost stopped her heart cold. She bit her lip and wished it away.
Whether he believed it or not, he was a prince of the Ambrian realm. He wasn’t for the taking. She had to keep her thoughts away from such things.
Finding out the truth about his heritage and making sure he knew how to make the most of it—that was what she was really here for. The fact that he was about the handsomest man she’d ever seen beyond the silver screen had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.
She sighed and turned to go in and check on Mei, but he stopped her with a hand on her upper arm.
“Kelly, tell me why,” he said, and as she looked into his eyes, it seemed to her they were haunted by some lingering emotion she couldn’t quite identify.
“Why what?” she asked, though she knew.
He swept his arm in a wide arch. “Why all this? Why you’re here. Why you want to do this.” He shook his head, his gaze searching hers. “But most of all, why you’re so intent on putting me up as royalty on a tiny little godforsaken island no one goes to.”
She licked her dry lips and searched for the words to explain, words that would convince him what he had to do.
“I told you I’m an analyst for the Ambrian News Agency. I’m the newest, youngest employee, even though I’ve been there almost two years now. Everybody treats me like a kid.”
He pulled back his hand and she returned to leaning on the rail next to him.
“Everything interesting goes to one of the men. Every time a juicy assignment comes up, it’s the usual, ‘Sorry, dear, we need someone with experience for this one.’ And when I ask how I’m supposed to get experience if no one lets me try, all I get are blank stares.”
He nodded. “The old Catch 22.”
“Exactly. So I decided to pick something no one else was working on, and make it my special field of expertise.” She turned to look directly into his eyes. “I picked you.”
He laughed and shook his head.
“I’d already been reading a lot about Ambria, and when I picked up a book about the possibility that there were lost children from the old regime who might still be alive, I knew right away this was it. I started finding out everything I could about them. About you.”
He looked skeptical. “Did you find any evidence that they really exist?”
She hesitated. “Well, nothing solid. Not then. But I’ve read everything I could find on the speculation and the rumors. And I’ve interviewed a few people who think it’s possible. And…”
She stopped. She wasn’t ready to tell him about his brother Darius being sighted yet.
“But no one who’s actually seen one?” Joe asked when she paused.
She winced. It was a sore point, she had to admit. “No.”
“And then you saw my picture in that article last year?”
“Yes.” She perked up as she remembered her excitement that day. “I’d been working on a montage of photos from the old monarchy, and I’d gotten so familiar with the faces. When I saw yours, it was like a bolt of lightning hit me. I just knew.”
“Whoa. Not so fast.” He held up a hand as though he were stopping a train. “You still don’t really know anything.”
“But I strongly suspect. Don’t you?”
He didn’t seem happy with that question. “I don’t know,” he muttered.
“There are ways to find out.”
He looked uncomfortable and turned his gaze out toward the ocean.
“What if I don’t want to find out?” he asked softly, then he swung back and faced her. “Tell me, how is being one of these royal guys who everyone wants to kill going to enhance my life?”
Chapter Eight
KELLY BLINKED AT Joe. This was quite a revelation. It had never occurred to her that anyone would want to pass up a chance to be a prince, especially of Ambria. It was an honor. Why didn’t he get that?
“Do it for history,” she suggested.
“For history?” He raised one eyebrow and looked amused.
“Why not? What have you done for history lately?”
He thought about that for a few seconds, and then started to laugh. “What’s history done for me?” he countered.
“We don’t know yet.” She hesitated, then admitted, “Let’s put it this way. In all honesty, if you are one of them, it could do a lot for me.”
He nodded. “Your reputation?”
“Yes. I’d finally get a little respect at the agency.”
He smiled, admiring the light of ambition in her eyes. She had spirit. He liked a woman with spirit. “Does your work mean that much to you?”
“Sure.”
The sound of Mei’s voice cut off anything else she might have been about to say. Once Kelly knew the baby was awake, that was her first priority.
“Want to come help me change her?” she asked him hopefully.
He paused a moment, then shook his head. “I’ll get dinner ready.”
Disappointed, she went in by herself. Mei was standing at the crib railing and calling out, not crying yet, just letting people know she was ready to get out and join the world again. Kelly laughed and held out her arms. Mei threw out her own arms and laughed, too. Kelly held her tightly, murmuring loving words, and wished with all her heart that she would see this sort of interaction between Mei and her daddy soon. Very, very soon.
What they’d been doing so far wasn’t working, and there wasn’t much time left. She had to start training Mei to deal with Joe in a good, loving way. In another forty-eight hours, she wasn’t going to be here for this little girl. Or for Joe, either.
Having Mei acting this way toward Joe complicated things as far as getting him to accept his place as a prince of Ambria. But in some ways, it was all part of the same challenge. Mei had to accept Joe, Joe had to accept his heritage. And what did Kelly have to accept? The fact that she was starting to fall for him in a big way?
No! Where had that thought come from? Nothing of the sort. She was okay. She’d be leaving soon. This was nothing but an assignment, even if she had assigned it to herself. It was a job she had to do. Falling for Joe was not part of the plan.
The main problem wasn’t romance, however. The main problem was getting him to realize how important his position was. She had to back off, calm down and think this through. Why wasn’t it working? Why wasn’t he sharing her concerns? What was she doing wrong in the way she was presenting it to him? Most of all, why didn’t he believe that he was the prince?
Quickly, she went back over what had happened since she’d come face-to-face with him. Of course, at first she’d assumed he knew. She’d never dreamed that he would think she was crazy when she brought up the subject. He had no idea who he really was, and at first he’d taken it as a joke.
But what had she really done to convince him? Why should he believe it? She hadn’t presented any evidence to him. That was what was missing. She had to lay the foundation or it wasn’t going to work.
Kelly changed Mei, played with her for a few minutes, then got her ready for her dinner. She brought her out and put her in the high chair, then got down a jar of baby food and a long plastic spoon. Meanwhile, she chatted with Joe, who was serving up a frozen lasagna he’d warmed in the oven. He’d also whipped up a couple of delicious salads to go with it.
“Hey,” she said in admiration. “This looks great. You can cook for me anytime.”
“Is that a promise?” he teased.
But when she met his gaze, she stopped smiling. There was something serious lurking behind his humor. What did it mean? She looked away again.
They sat down and ate, laughing companionably together over things Mei did. The baby didn’t seem to pay much attention to her father now, but at least she wasn’t screaming every time he came near her.
“She’s getting better, don’t you think?” Joe asked hopefully, after he’d handed Mei a sippy cup of milk and she’d hesitated only a moment before taking it and drinking.
“Oh yes. I’m sure of it.”
Kelly wasn’t sure at all, but she wanted to keep his spirits up.
He looked at her and smiled, and she wondered if he could read her mind.
“So when do you think they’ll invade?” Joe asked innocently as they leaned back from their meal.
“Who?” Kelly asked blankly.
“The nefarious Granvilli clan, of course. Tell me, what’s their modus operandi? Do they like to sneak in at night when their targets are sleeping? Or do they prefer a full frontal confrontation in broad daylight?”
She groaned. “Now you’re just making fun of me.” Her eyes flashed. “You’ll see. Something very bad will happen and then you’ll find I was right.”
He tossed down his napkin and laughed. “That’s reassuring.”
“Sorry,” she said, rising to take Mei from her high chair. “I’m trying to be pragmatic and realistic. Too much optimism leaves you unprepared for whatever might be coming next.”
Joe stayed where he was while she took Mei off to clean her up and change her. He wasn’t sure what he thought about this royalty business. It seemed like a red herring to him. If Kelly wasn’t so cute and fun to have around, he would be dismissing the whole thing out of hand. But the longer she helped him with Mei and the more she tried to get him to understand how important she thought this all was, the more he understood just how adorable and sweet she was, and the more he wanted to do whatever it took to make her happy. So here he sat, contemplating being a prince.
What the hell?
She came back, baby in tow, and he got up to clear the table and wash the dishes. She didn’t say anything, but she had a portfolio with her and she took Mei into the living room. He knew she was up to something. He went on cleaning up from dinner, then went out to the living room to join her.