The Italian's Runaway Princess

by Andrea Bolter

  Oh, Gio, please be looking at the moon. Please be with me tonight.

  After staring at the sky with Gio in her heart for as long as she could take it, her eyes drifted to the hills and valleys of the island. To the west sat two abandoned factories, side by side. The eyesores were a constant reminder of the failures of Izerote, one of the reasons why the island’s leadership could not provide enough employment for its citizens.

  Those two factories had been built by a manufacturing company with the utmost in environmental protections as to not disturb the pristine ecosystems of the island. Engineering and construction were costly in such a remote location. Materials were brought by boat and with the use of the small airstrip that allowed private planes to fly in.

  What the business investors had failed to take into consideration was that the machine tools they were manufacturing were heavy in weight and that shipping the finished product back to Barcelona for distribution was so costly all of the profits were eaten up. Within two years, the factories closed and the employees were again out of work. It was not only a catastrophe for the local economy, it was an embarrassment to the king and his advisory team.

  If only those factories could be repurposed. If only a small, lightweight product could be manufactured or assembled there, an enterprise that would learn from the mistakes made in the past.

  An idea stirred within Luciana.

  It might not work. She might not get the necessary parties to agree. Without much knowledge on what the operation would involve, it might be an impossibility.

  But what if the impossible was possible? What if?

  Her mind swirled with a million thoughts and as many questions. She’d get them all answered. Tomorrow.

  By the time dawn broke, she’d spent all night typing everything she’d thought of into her laptop. Ready to take action. She stepped again out onto the terrace to greet the day, assuming that if Gio had seen the same moon, her love would share the sun with her, as well.

  Good morning, my exquisite Gio. Can you help me again?

  Wasn’t it rather early in the morning for a small airplane to be landing onto the island’s airstrip?

  * * *

  As the private plane he’d hired descended for landing, Gio got his first glimpse of the island of Izerote. Luciana had not exaggerated when she’d explained to him just how remote her home was. After the flight to Barcelona, Gio transferred to the small aircraft that shuttled him the rest of the way. Finishing the glass of blood orange juice the lone flight attendant had presented to him earlier, he surveyed the island from the window beside his seat.

  Untouched mountain ranges covered much of the terrain. From his vantage point, he spotted three small coastal towns and two more inland. They appeared to be like most towns in Europe. Gio could make out a center area in each, the commercial core dense with buildings erected closely together. Surrounding those in something of a ring were the residential areas with the structures a bit farther apart, homes with small yards. And farther out still from the town center were the more rural properties, some with plots of farmland.

  He even saw livestock dotting the green fields. Although not much, according to Luciana, who had explained that most of the food for the island’s inhabitants was shipped or flown in. Which explained why goods and services were very expensive, thereby contributing to the reasons many of the citizens were moving off the island. A complex set of issues faced this tiny land. He hoped to be part of the solution.

  In a valley, he saw two large buildings that looked like factories. From what Gio could see, they appeared to be empty. If that was the case, his purpose here could be even more easily accomplished. He vaguely remembered Luciana telling him about some ill-thought-out industry that had gone into business here only to fail. That disaster pushed her father even further toward deciding on the arranged marriage between Luciana and the widower king from the neighboring island.

  Which was about to be called off, if he had any say about it.

  When the palace finally came into view, Gio’s pulse quickened. Somewhere within those walls was his love. Picturing Luciana still asleep in a royal bed, no doubt blanketed in the finest of fabrics with her lovely head upon the fluffiest of pillows, filled him with happiness. He could hardly wait to bring his lips to hers. To taste her sweetness. To hold her softness against him.

  There were many obstacles to cross before he’d have her in his arms again. But he’d get there.

  After touchdown onto the island, Gio located the hired car that had been reserved to take him to the palace. Thank heavens for Samuele at the office in Florence, whom Gio could always count on to get the job done. Samuele had also spoken with palace staff to make an appointment for Gio to speak with King Mario, as a formal meeting with the monarch seemed the most appropriate method of introduction.

  Once at the palace entrance, the driver opened the car door for Gio to step out. He took in what he could see of the palace grounds. The whole of it was rather small, befitting the size of the island. Nonetheless it had the foreboding of a fortress with its surrounding barricades of stone.

  Upon giving his name at the security gate, Gio was directed to the offices of the king. He passed through entrance doors into a reception foyer. A large oak desk stood in the center. A telephone bank and computer suggested that the desk was useful to operations, although its chair was empty at the moment. Gio took stock of the computer equipment setup and deduced that Wi-Fi was available. Which answered one of the questions he had regarding the idea he’d come to speak to the king about.

  A wooden door to Gio’s right opened, and a young man in a jacket bearing the palace insignia on the breast pocket emerged but was called back before he exited. He didn’t see Gio, and spoke loudly enough to whoever was behind the door that Gio was able to hear them.

  “I’ll take care of it, King Mario,” the attendant continued while Gio eavesdropped. “Also Your Highness, Mr. Giovanni Grassi should be arriving shortly for your appointment. Palace Intelligence has just informed me that Mr. Grassi is the gentleman Princess Luciana had kept company with during her sojourn in Italy.”

  Uh-oh. Gio had hoped that the king wasn’t going to find out the connection between him and Luciana prior to their meeting. He was sure that, as an overprotective father, he would disapprove of Gio after finding out he had been touring Florence with his daughter. Gio wanted to first discuss his plan with the king before he got on to personal business. And, indeed, there were urgent personal matters to discuss. But if the king knew who Gio was at the outset, his anger might bias his ability to hear him out.

  “Very well, Your Highness, when Mr. Grassi arrives I’ll let him know that you were unexpectedly called away and that your schedule is full for the foreseeable future.”

  Gio needed to think fast.

  If this attendant saw him in the foyer and Gio introduced himself, he’d be escorted out of the palace grounds immediately. Now that the king had gotten word of Gio’s association with Luciana, the original course of action was ruled out. He had to find a safe place to reevaluate.

  “Thank you, King Mario.” The attendant uttered his last words before he closed the door on the king’s office.

  Not knowing what else to do but disappear before he got caught, Gio hurried down a corridor that led away from the foyer. In his dark blue suit and carrying his Italian leather attaché case, he looked like a legitimate palace visitor. If he encountered anyone along his way, he could feign being lost on his way to an official conference.

  Mentally taking note that the corridor was leading him west and then north, he decided that what he needed to do was find Luciana. She’d shelter him and then they’d speak with the king together. Not to mention the fact that every second he’d been apart from her since she left Florence two days ago had been torture. By her side was where he wanted to be as soon as possible, for now and for always.

  When he
observed a housekeeper wheeling a cart of bed linens up ahead, he assumed he had reached the residential section of the palace. He was on the right track. Trying first one then another, he finally found an unlocked door and ducked into a room before the housekeeper saw him. From behind the closed door he listened until the cart was rolled past.

  Tapestries depicting nature scenes adorned the walls of the room he found himself in. Antique or antique-style furniture sat in the center of the room, which appeared to be a parlor. The decor was as oppressive as Luciana had described, mismatched pieces that wouldn’t have even been stylish in their day. Even the telephone on the claw-footed table was of an old style, connecting to the wall through a cable. Plenty of lighting suggested that the electrical systems were fully functional, though. He wondered about the wiring on the rest of the island.

  Glass doors opened from the parlor onto a stone terrace. Gio stepped through and out into the fresh air, quickly taking note of where security cameras were placed so that he could avoid them. The sea breezes were bracing. As he made a careful assessment, he could see that one terrace led to the next and the next all in a row, each separated by a wall.

  Leaning forward and around to the adjacent terrace he saw that it was empty, and was able to get a footing and swing himself over to it. Keeping from view, he peeked into the windows of the room there. Another parlor area with no one inside. He made his way to the next terrace, then peered into that sitting room.

  Luciana! He’d know his love anywhere even though he saw her only in profile as she sat at a small desk typing into a laptop. Blood surged through his veins at the sight of her, and he could hardly wait to reunite with the kindheartedness and intelligence that lay beneath her staggering beauty.

  The blond hairdo she was so proud of was pulled into a ponytail. She wore one of her conservative dresses, this one in brown, and looked ready to shake hands and have her photo taken at an official function. Maybe this was how princesses dressed every day, whether or not they had an engagement to attend. He’d have much to learn about palace life in the future.

  Not wanting to scare her, he rapped lightly on one of the panes of the glass door. When she glanced up and recognition slowly took hold, tears leaked out of her eyes.

  He’d kiss away each one.

  She sprang out of her chair and rushed to open the door. Throwing her arms around his neck, she fluttered a hundred kisses all over his face and pulled him into the room, shutting the door behind her.

  He swallowed his breath with a mixture of relief, yearning and joy beyond any jumble of emotions he had ever imagined possible. One disastrous scenario that had run through his mind before coming was that once he arrived, she’d not want any more contact with him. That she was ready to move forward with her fates and would not be open to his plan. Her response assured him otherwise.

  “Gio,” she cried, kissing him passionately on the lips and then holding him tight. “My Gio.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  AFTER THEY COULD momentarily tear themselves away from celebrating their reunion with hugs and kisses, Gio explained how he had wanted to meet with her father but that the king had refused. “I want to manufacture my biometric products here. I’ll establish a production plant and a development center on Izerote.”

  Luciana could hardly believe Gio was really here, flesh and blood, in her sitting room at the palace. Florence seemed a world away. Her mind ping-ponged in a hundred directions. “I had the same idea! I was reminded of these factories we have on the island, and then one thought led to another. That maybe it would be good for both your business and for my people. I was going to contact you.”

  “With a different solution to create jobs on the island, surely your father won’t force you to marry King Agustin.”

  Tears trickled down Luciana’s cheeks again. Because Gio had thought of a way to save her from marrying a man she didn’t love. How fundamentally considerate he was, even though she didn’t doubt that this arrangement would benefit him, as well.

  But after the shock of his arrival subsided, she reminded herself that Gio wasn’t here to give her the rest of her life with the man she loved. He was on Izerote to do business. He’d made it clear that he wouldn’t devote himself to a woman and was not interested in building a family. There was no cause to think he’d changed his mind simply because they had been physically intimate.

  She thought of her last minute in Florence. How, as she was being escorted into the car that would take her away, she yelled out to Gio to tell him that she loved him. She’d never expected to see him again after that, but she’d wanted him to know. And she’d needed to hear herself say it out loud, if only once in her life. Gio had mouthed something back to her that she hadn’t heard. What was it? She couldn’t bring herself to just come right out and ask.

  “I spotted the factories from the plane,” Gio said. “Can we go see them?”

  He needed all of the information he could gather in order to prepare a presentation for her father. She had to think of a way to let him see those factories and decide if they were usable for his enterprise.

  She dared not disappear again. And she couldn’t very well call for a palace driver and exit her sitting room with Gio in tow. Hmm...

  Recalling that fateful night when she’d climbed off her terrace to hike down to the shore where she’d stowed away on the supply boat, she remembered that her path took her straight past the factories. Gio could go that same way, and she’d go by car and meet him there.

  “Good thinking, Princess.” Gio planted a passionate kiss onto her lips before he hopped over the terrace wall like a swashbuckler in an old movie.

  When Luciana told the driver where she wanted to go, he balked. “Your Highness, I don’t believe there is anyone on the premises there anymore.”

  “Thank you, Nico. If you’ll just proceed, I’ll take it from there.” It turned out Gio must have brought a little of Luci with him from Florence. Because the princess was finished with acquiescing to what everyone, including a palace driver, thought she should be doing.

  Regardless of the outcome of her plan with Gio, there was no turning back. If she refused to marry King Agustin, what could he and her father do? Throw her in jail? That didn’t scare her. She was already in one.

  Telling Nico to return for her in an hour, she found Gio on the property inspecting the buildings. Windows on all sides allowed them to get a good look into the inside of the factories. Gio was pleased that they were in good condition, and he could tell from the solar panels and lighting design that the structures were built with energy efficiency. He made guesstimates about the size of the work floors and how many assembly stations he could set up.

  “This is really quite perfect,” he said as he took her hand, his palm bathing her in instant warmth. Even if they were to be tied together only in business, Luciana thanked the universe that she’d at least have Gio in some way if they could bring this to fruition. Her world was a better place with him in it, even if he wasn’t going to be at her side like she wished he would.

  “Yes,” she echoed. “Perfect.” Well, almost.

  They walked together to a grassy embankment behind the factories that overlooked the coast. She studied his profile while he looked out to the waves.

  It was incongruous, his handsome face on her island. The magnificent curls blowing in her sea breeze.

  “Luci,” he said, using the distinction in her name. “I didn’t come to this idea only because it would be good for my corporation. Or even to help you get out of your forced engagement to King Agustin.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “No, bellissima.” He turned to her and took hold of both of her shoulders. His strong hands traced their way inward to her throat and then rode upward to caress her jaw, until he held her face in his hands. “My actions are not merely intended to keep you from another man. I’m here because I want you. I won’t say
I want you to belong to me. Because you belong to yourself. You’re more than capable of standing on your own two feet. And I want to walk beside you. I want to catch you if you fall. I want you to catch me, too.”

  He placed a light kiss on her lips. Luciana shivered with cold abandon when he let his hands drop from her face. Then her spirit soared again when he went down on one knee and looked up to her with a sparkle in his eyes that she’d swear was more beautiful than all the gemstones in the world.

  “I thought I would never partner with someone. That I wouldn’t make time, that I wouldn’t trust. Until I met you. You fill me up rather than deplete me. I don’t know if you heard me declare my love to you in Firenze as the car was taking you away from me. I love you. I have never loved before. And I never will again. My love is only for you.”

  She covered her mouth as the shock settled in. “But I am bound to live here in Izerote. Someday I will be queen.”

  “I’ve lived all over the world. I’ll make my life here in order to be with you. I can adapt. Home is where you are. Our wills are strong. We can make this work. Your Royal Highness Princess Luciana de la Isla de Izerote, will you marry me?”

  Luciana fell to her knees to meet him eye to eye. Mouth to mouth. “Yes, Gio, we will find a way. You are my one true love, too. Of course I’ll marry you.”

  * * *

  The clack of King Mario’s boots against the wooden floor was thunderous even from behind his closed office door as Luciana and Gio approached.

  “Princess.” The attendant in the blazer with the palace insignia whom Gio had avoided earlier now marched toward them. “Please allow me to notify the king that you wish an audience with him.”

  “Thank you, Joaquin, but I refuse to make an appointment to speak to my own father,” Luciana rebuffed him as she opened the office door.

  Gio slipped in behind her and closed the heavy door until he heard it click shut.