The Prince's Christmas Vow

by Jennifer Faye

  Her gaze moved to the steps. An escape was so close and yet so far away. The sandy beach looked so inviting. But she couldn’t. Not yet. Not until she got to the bottom of this mess.

  She rolled back the memories. Though it had all taken place less than a year ago, in so many ways it seemed like a lifetime ago. She clearly remembered the day the annulment papers had arrived. They’d been messengered to her apartment. They’d nearly destroyed her to read, but somehow she found the strength to pen her name on them. As for the check, she just couldn’t accept the money, especially after the way things had ended. She clearly recalled ripping it into itty-bitty pieces.

  At the time, things had been so hectic. Her mother’s situation had been in flux. There were doctors’ appointments. And with her mother’s rapidly declining condition, lots of tests. But Zoe was certain she’d taken care of the annulment papers.

  Her head started to pound. “I know I signed the papers. I...I don’t know what happened to them after that. A clerk must have misplaced them because I don’t have them.”

  “And that’s it? That’s your only explanation?”

  “Sì! Do you really find that so hard to believe?”

  He paused as though really giving some thought to the possibility there could have been a clerical snafu. “I’ll check into it.”

  “Your words say one thing but your eyes say another.” She frowned at him. “Why do you find it so hard to believe that I’m not behind the missing papers?”

  “Because it wouldn’t be the first time you lied to me.”

  She pressed her hands to her hips and lifted her chin. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you lied when you married me. You said you loved me, yet when our marriage hit a few snags, you cut and ran—”

  “That’s not true. I had to. I...” Realizing that he was in absolutely no frame of mind to comprehend what she was about to say, she pressed her lips together and turned away.

  “You didn’t have to run away. I told you numerous times that we’d work it out with the king and his counsel. We’d have found a way to sway the public’s support.”

  “I know you tried. And...and I wanted to believe you. I desperately wanted to believe that everything would fall into place. But it didn’t. Don’t you understand, my leaving was for the best?”

  “The best for whom? Me? Not hardly. You knew that I loved you. So it must have been best for you. Did leaving make you happy?”

  She didn’t say anything. She really did owe him an explanation but not now—not with him tossing around blame. He was justifiably angry. She knew all too well about anger. She’d spent the past year angry at the entire world. In the end, the anger had been easier for her to deal with than the acceptance of what was happening to her mother and the fact that Demetrius would be better off without her.

  “Well?” he persisted.

  “No. It didn’t make me happy. But I did what I had to do. I didn’t have a choice.”

  Demetrius’s dark brows rose. “Wait. Are you saying that the king forced you out?”

  Her temples throbbed. “I...I...”

  “What? I need to know. You owe me that much.”

  “Not now. I can’t do this.” Her feet barely brushed over the steps as she made her escape from the disappointment and hurt reflected in Demetrius’s eyes. She knew that she’d put it there, and she couldn’t stand it. And it didn’t matter what she said now, it wouldn’t fix it.

  Sometimes it didn’t matter how much power or money a person had, they couldn’t fix everything. There was no reversing her mother’s condition and there was no way to change the fact that most likely her own DNA was corrupted with the devious disease that would slowly steal away a lifetime of memories and worse.

  “Zoe! Wait!” Demetrius’s agitated voice called out to her. “Zoe, don’t run away again!”

  She couldn’t stop. Her knees pumped up and down. Harder. Faster. Her bare feet moved over the now-cold sand. She had no destination in mind. No finish line. She just had to keep going—putting distance between herself and Demetrius.

  But it didn’t matter how far she went, his words followed her. They dug inside her, poking at all of her tender spots. Was he right?

  Was she running away?

  She stopped. Her heart pounded. She drew one deep breath after another into her straining lungs. And still Demetrius’s words were all she could hear over and over in her mind.

  Don’t run away again.

  She’d never thought about it before. She’d never stopped to even consider her actions. She dropped to her knees, covering her face with her hands. He couldn’t be right. Could he? Was that what she did? Run away?

  Her mind started to replay the events since she’d met him. First her mother’s diagnosis—the diagnosis that Zoe refused to accept. And what had she done, she’d run into Demetrius’s arms.

  And just after the royal counsel pointed out that she wouldn’t live up to the king’s expectations for a princess, there was the urgent phone call from the polizia. They’d found her mother wandering the streets—proof that she really wasn’t fit to be princess. Not wanting Demetrius to pity her—to stay with her out of obligation—she’d run.

  Later, she’d told herself that it was the shock and the fear for her mother that had her dashing off a note to Demetrius before she disappeared into the night. But the truth was that it was easier to run than to stand her ground—to face the pain she’d caused him.

  Why hadn’t she seen this before? Why did Demetrius see her biggest weakness so clearly when she’d been blind to it? It seemed she was more like her absentee father than she’d ever imagined.

  Because of her mother, Zoe had finally stopped running. Zoe was doing her best to be steady for her ailing mother. Now it was time that she stood still and faced the problems with Demetrius—her husband. After all, if her mother could face Alzheimer’s with dignity, Zoe could deal with her broken heart.

  She got to her feet.

  It was time she spoke openly and honestly with her husband.

  When she made it back to the beach house, it was dark. “Demetrius.” She turned on the lights in the living room. No sign of him. “Demetrius, are you here?”

  No answer.

  He’d left. Disappointment assailed her. She couldn’t be upset with him. It was no less than she’d done to him. Twice now.

  * * *

  In and out of meetings all of the next day, Demetrius finally arrived at the palace offices to find Zoe gathering her things together. He glanced at his watch. “I guess it is time to call it quits for the day.”

  She glanced up as though she wasn’t aware he’d entered the room. “I’ll be out of the office most of tomorrow. In fact, probably all of it. I need to go to the mansion for photos and measurements. And then I need to do some shopping—”

  He held up his hand, stopping her gush of words. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me your every move. And please feel free to use the car I’ve put at your disposal.”

  Surprise flashed in her eyes. “Grazie.” She zipped her computer case and headed for the door. As though it were an afterthought, she turned back. “Good night.”

  “Zoe. Wait.” She hesitated in the doorway, eventually turning around to face him. He wasn’t sure how to say this, but he’d give it his best try. “About last night. I handled it poorly. I guess I’m not as over it as I thought.”

  Her eyes grew shiny and she blinked repeatedly. “I’m so sorry for everything.”

  After Zoe had hedged around the fact that his father might have had something to do with her leaving, he just wouldn’t—couldn’t—leave it alone. Unable to harness his emotions, he’d gone to his father and laid out the stark facts. His father, confronted with these allegations, had aged right before Demetrius’s eyes. The king admitted tha
t he hadn’t handled the news of the elopement as well as he should have, but he swore on all that was precious to him that he hadn’t run off Zoe.

  Before Demetrius could tell Zoe what had happened, she turned and disappeared down the hallway. Part of him said to let her go, but another part of him knew that this thing between them had to be resolved. They couldn’t continue to work together in this emotionally charged atmosphere.

  She’d told him what she knew about the annulment papers, now he needed to stop pushing her for an answer about what happened to their marriage. It hadn’t been his father. It hadn’t been anything but the fact that she hadn’t loved him enough to take on this intimidating life of royalty. And he had to stop blaming her for that—for refusing to live a lie.

  He dropped his tablet on the desk and headed down the hallway. The only problem was the palace was a maze of hallways. Zoe could have gone in any direction.

  “Are you looking for Zoe?” Annabelle stopped next to him.

  At that particular moment, he didn’t care what rumors he might start, he had to find her. “Did you see which way she went?”

  Annabella pointed toward the front staircase. “She was in a hurry. I don’t know if you’ll catch her.”

  He took long, quick strides until he was in the driveway. The car he’d put at her disposal was still parked. Well, that was a good sign. He still had a chance of finding her.

  The young driver came rushing over. “Sir, may I help you?”

  “Did you see Ms. Sarris?”

  He nodded. “She said that she wouldn’t need a ride this evening, sir. She said she wanted to walk.”

  “Which way did she go?”

  The young man pointed toward the beach.

  Demetrius set off after her. Still in a suit and tie, he wasn’t exactly dressed for a stroll on the beach, but that didn’t stop him. He was intent on setting things straight. He told himself that it was purely a business decision. The strain between them wasn’t conducive to productivity.

  He set off down the long set of steps at the back of the palace. They stretched down the cliff to the pristine beach below. He paused midway down the stairs and searched the shoreline. He immediately spotted her standing at the edge of the water, staring off into the distant horizon where the setting sun hovered low in the azure sky.

  As he rushed down the remaining stairs, he wondered what was going through her mind. At one point he’d been able to read her thoughts or so he liked to think. Back when they were together there had been times when a deep sadness was reflected in her eyes. It seemingly came from nowhere and when he asked her about it, she brushed it off and changed the subject. He never wanted to be responsible for causing her such pain, but last night he’d done just that and he’d witnessed that same look of pain again—pain he’d inflicted.

  He stopped behind her. “Zoe.”

  She didn’t move, but he knew that she’d heard him. Maybe it’d be easier this way. “I wanted to apologize. I was out of line last night. I’m not going to make excuses. I just want you to know that it won’t happen again.” Still, she didn’t move. He deserved her cold shoulder. “You should know that I confronted the king. He feels bad about not being more welcoming. I also initiated an investigation into the missing annulment papers.”

  Zoe spun around.

  “Why would you do that? Does Annabelle know?”

  Why did she keep worrying about Annabelle? Had they become that good of friends so quickly? Was she worried that Annabelle would stop talking to her if she knew they were married? He had to admit that he didn’t know much about the ways of women’s minds, but Annabelle didn’t strike him as the petty type.

  “You don’t have to worry. Even if Annabelle knew the truth about us, she’d still be your friend.”

  Zoe shook her head. “I don’t think so. Although I’m surprised you haven’t confided in her. Don’t you think she should know?”

  “No, I don’t.” He and Annabelle were acquaintances at best.

  “If I was planning to marry you, I’d want to know that you already have a wife—”

  “Marry?” What? Had he heard her correctly? “Annabelle and I?”

  Zoe nodded. “She’s perfect for you. An aristocrat’s daughter. Your country will have a strong ally in Halencia.”

  “Stop!” The unintentional boom of his voice had Zoe’s eyes opening wide. He made a point of lowering his voice. “Annabelle and I are not getting married.”

  “But after the annulment is resolved—”

  “Not then. Not ever.”

  Zoe’s brow wrinkled. “I don’t understand.”

  “Neither do I. Annabelle isn’t in Mirraccino to get married. Her father didn’t approve of her globe-trotting, partying ways. He thought a job would teach her some responsibility. Her father and my father put their heads together. In exchange for Annabelle being the face of the South Shore revitalization project that includes advertisements and billboards, her father agreed to be a large investor in the project. He will be attending the Royal Christmas Ball.”

  “He’s one of the people you need to impress?”

  Demetrius nodded. “Now do you understand? Annabelle has nothing to do with you and me.”

  “But you can’t launch a search for the annulment papers. People will talk. Rumors will start. What if the media finds out about you and me?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. The muscles were tense and giving him a headache. “Honestly, I’m surprised the paparazzi hasn’t found out by now.”

  “But you’ve worked so hard to change your public persona—to get the people to respect you—”

  “And I have no intention of smearing my name. Everything will be done hush-hush under the direction of counsel.” He was struck by her genuine concern. If there was any doubt whatsoever of whether she’d signed the annulment papers or not, he had his answer now.

  “I hope they find them before someone else does.”

  “I do, too. But we’ll deal with that issue if we have to.”

  “So you believe me? You believe I wasn’t going to use the papers against you?”

  He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I still have questions, but no, I don’t think you were planning to blackmail me or anything.”

  “I guess that will have to be enough.”

  He wasn’t sure where that left them, but he’d take it as a good sign. After all, there was no reason they had to be enemies. There were plenty of exes who were friends. Weren’t there?

  “It’s a nice evening for a walk. How about I walk you back to the beach house?”

  Surprise lit up her eyes. He thought for sure that she’d turn him down. He still wasn’t so sure he could pull off this friend thing, not when he remembered vividly the sweetness of her kisses. But he wanted to give it a try. They’d done the fighting thing and it wasn’t working for him. It was time for a change.

  Zoe nodded. “I’d like that.”

  “So would I.”

  Side by side, they strolled down the beach as the sun sunk lower on the horizon and the water rolled farther up the beach. When a strong breeze rushed past them, Zoe rubbed her arms and he realized she wasn’t wearing a jacket. He slipped off his suit coat and placed it over her shoulders.

  After all, that’s what friends do—look out for each other. With a little practice, he just might be able to pull this friendship off. And it felt so much better than arguing.

  CHAPTER NINE

  A PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE had formed.

  Dare she call it a friendship?

  Zoe had her hands full traveling between Residenza del Rosa, the palace and the beach house. Days turned into a week and then two weeks as rush orders were placed for state-of-the-art office furniture. The pieces were needed for the administrative suite on the second floor of the
mansion. Those offices needed to be smart looking as well as functional. That was the easy part.

  The common rooms on the first floor would take more effort—more creativity. They would have a different function and hopefully portray a more relaxed mood.

  Today, the painting should be underway. She was anxious to see if the shades they’d settled on were the same calming colors once it covered the entire wall. She crossed her fingers for luck. They were running out of time to have additional colors specially mixed and delivered.

  The royal sedan pulled right up to the front of the mansion. She immediately noticed that the construction equipment had been removed. New sod had been laid on the front lawn. The end was in sight. When she stepped out of the vehicle, she could still hear some smaller machines as they worked on the back of the building. If she had to guess, she’d say they were working on the landscaping.

  Suddenly she got the feeling she was being watched. The hairs on the back of her neck lifted. She looked around as she started up the steps to Residenza del Rosa.

  This time, there weren’t any reporters or photographers waiting, but there was something different—the royal security detail was out and about. She was quite certain they weren’t there to secure her safety.

  Demetrius was there. Somewhere. Her stomach fluttered with nerves.

  She reached the landing at the same moment he stepped out of the front door. He stood there in the early morning sunshine looking quite regal in his navy suit. The top buttons of his shirt were undone giving the slightest hint of his tanned, muscular chest. She knew that chest inch by inch, and she recalled how he had this one ticklish spot on his right side—

  She jerked her meandering thoughts to a sudden halt. She couldn’t go there. No way. Not even now that she knew they were legally husband and wife. She didn’t want to jeopardize this brand-new friendship.