The Prince's Texas Bride

by Leanne Banks

  “I’m amazed that you’re taking some meals with her,” she said. “I didn’t expect you would be the kind of father to—” She broke off when she realized she’d misjudged him. “I apologize for that. You don’t deserve it. You barely found out you had a daughter and look how far you’ve already come.”

  “Never in a million years did I imagine that I would be a single parent with a toddler daughter. The advantage that I have is that my sisters will take part in raising her and I also have nannies. Stephenia and I won’t eat all our meals together, but I plan to set aside several times during the week where she and I share meals. It’s one more way for her to grow accustomed to me.”

  Stephenia lifted a piece of broccoli toward him.

  “Thank you very much,” he said and lifted the vegetable to his mouth and pretended to eat it. “Very good.”

  Stephenia beamed and stuffed an apple slice into her mouth.

  Eve took her first bite of the ribs and moaned in pleasure. “Delicious. Wonderful. Fabulous.”

  Stefan shot her a sensual gaze. “Your tone of voice sounds remarkably similar to when I—”

  Eve felt her face heat and shook her head “Okay. Little ears. She may not understand, but you better start practicing what you say in front of her because she will repeat it. Thank you again for the ribs.”

  “Do they help appease the homesickness?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said. “They do and they’re delicious. I’m very touched that you would go to such trouble for me.”

  “It wasn’t that much trouble,” Stefan said. “But I would have hated to have to go through with my threat to pull the guillotine out of the dungeon if my chef couldn’t get the recipe.”

  “Oh, you didn’t,” she said.

  “Since the chef was successful, we’ll never know, will we?”

  Stephenia ate several more bites, then began to offer the rest of her food to both Eve and Stefan.

  “I think this means she’s done,” Eve said.

  “Bath time,” he said and called for the nanny.

  They leisurely enjoyed the rest of the meal and Eve updated Stefan on her progress with the horses. His phone beeped and he took the quick call. “Would you like to say good-night to Stephenia with me?” he asked.

  “I’d love to,” she said, then walked down the long hallway to the nursery. Stephenia’s eyes were already drooping and her thumb was tucked firmly in her mouth.

  Her gaze lit up as Stefan entered the room. “Book,” she said, pointing her finger at him.

  “Again?” he asked and took the child from the nanny. “Say good-night to Eve,” he said.

  Eve moved closer to give Stephie a kiss. Stephie surprised her by placing a wet kiss on her cheek. “Oh, what a cutie,” she said. “Sweet dreams, darlin’,” she said, and then backed away as Stefan sat in the rocking chair and read the book under a dim light.

  His low voice was soothing and he rocked slowly as he stroked his daughter’s head. Her heart twisted so tight inside her she could hardly breathe. He was being so tender with her. This moment was just for the two of them. Suddenly feeling as if she were intruding, she quietly backed out of the room.

  Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and was stunned to feel her eyes damp with tears. She wondered why she was so emotional. Swiping her eyes, she thought back to her own childhood. Her father had never rocked her to sleep. Her father had never read a book to her. Her father had never been a father to her.

  It all hit her at once. Seeing Stefan become a loving father so quickly showed her what kind of man he was underneath. She had already fallen in love with him, but—alarm shot through her. No, she told herself. Not the L word. Not with Stefan. Their relationship was impossible. He knew it. She knew it. How could this have happened?

  Distressed, she turned blindly down the hallway. She needed to leave immediately. Turning the corner, she walked straight into a man. Chagrined, she patted his arm. “Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” the white-haired man said in a testy voice. “Are you staff? What are you doing on this floor?”

  “I was invited to—” She stopped, realizing she didn’t want to reveal more. “I was just leaving. Again I’m sorry.”

  “Just a moment,” he said when she turned. “Do you know where Prince Stefan is? I’m trying to reach him about an urgent matter.”

  She felt an invisible barrier slide upward. It came out of nowhere. She wasn’t sure she liked this man. “His Royal Highness is already taking care of urgent business,” she said. “I’m certain he’ll be available in fifteen or thirty minutes. If it’s not a matter of utmost importance, then you should try to reach him again later.”

  He looked taken aback by her don’t-mess-with-me tone and lifted his chin. “Do you know to whom you’re speaking? I am one of Prince Stefan’s lead advisers, Tomas Gunter. I do not take orders from staff. Give me your name.”

  “My name is Eve Jackson,” she said. “And I meant it when I said that Stefan is taking care of urgent business. Don’t bother him.”

  Eve heard footsteps in the hallway coming toward them. Stefan rounded the corner, lifting his eyebrows in surprise as he approached them. “Good evening, Tomas. I’m surprised to see you here at this hour.”

  “Your Royal Highness, you know I wouldn’t bother you if it weren’t a matter of importance,” the adviser said. “Your staff member here told me you were taking care of urgent business.”

  Stefan glanced at Eve and tossed her a questioning glance.

  “Time for me to go,” she said with a smile that looked more like a grimace and backed away. “Y’all don’t stay up too late. Sweet dreams.”

  “Eve,” Stefan called, not liking the look of panic she was trying to conceal.

  “I’ll catch you up on your stallion later,” she said. “Really. G’night,” she said and whirled away.

  He looked after her and sighed. Something had happened to upset her. They’d been separated barely five minutes. What the hell could it have been? Stefan turned to Tomas and frowned. “What did you say to Ms. Jackson?”

  “Nothing,” the adviser said. “I told her I needed to talk to you, and I questioned her as to why she was on this floor. That is a security breach,” he said defensively. “She just kept insisting that you were conducting urgent business, and that I wasn’t to interrupt you. I found that impertinent, bordering on subordinate.”

  Stefan chuckled. “She was right. I was conducting urgent business. I was rocking my daughter to sleep.”

  Tomas stared at him with a blank expression on his face. “I don’t know what to say, sir. I never dealt with this kind of thing from your father.”

  “You’ve just paid me a high compliment,” Stefan said and walked toward his suite. He didn’t appreciate Tomas interrupting his evening with Eve. He’d practically had to trick her into joining him and now she’d fled. “It’s late. If you don’t mind, could you reveal to me the pressing matter that brought you here tonight?”

  The adviser shifted uncomfortably. “I think it’s best if we speak in private.”

  Reluctant to let the man into his quarters, Stefan obliged the adviser. “I have another matter to address tonight. I would appreciate brevity.”

  “Of course, sir,” the adviser said, and Stefan shut the door behind him.

  Tomas locked his hands behind his back and began to pace. “Your Royal Highness, unfortunate rumors are being spread about you, and you must take action to nip them in the bud. The rumor is that you have become sexually involved with one of your staff. I don’t need to tell you that this will reduce your effectiveness as Crown Prince of Chantaine. You’ve told me of your high aspirations to help your country, and this kind of tawdriness will do nothing to help you. In fact,” he said, “it can only hurt you, the royal family and the entire country of Chantaine.”

  Eve spent the following day feeling emotionally tortured. She had done the stupid, stupid, stup
id thing of falling in love with Stefan. From the beginning, they’d both known their relationship would be temporary, but she had not been able to turn herself away from him. In retrospect, her feelings for him had been like a runaway train and all she could do was hold on for dear life.

  Now, big things were at stake, such as the future of Stefan’s family legacy and his ability to help his country the way he needed to help them. Eve knew Stefan well enough that she understood his duty to his country ran deeper than his blood. He would do anything for the citizens of Chantaine, and she loved him for that devotion. She also knew that his feelings for her ran deeper than either she or he had expected. She couldn’t allow him to be swayed by his feelings for her. They would pass.

  Her stomach knotted at the thought. But she told herself it was the truth. There were women lined up around the world ready, willing and able to be Stefan’s wife. Women far more refined and polished than she would ever be. She just didn’t know how she could make him understand.

  She heard the door to the barn open and stepped out of Gus’s stall. She wondered if it was one of her apprentices. Eve was fortunate to have plenty of help taking care of Stefan’s stables. She walked toward the barn entrance and stopped when she saw the backlit figure of the adviser she’d met last night.

  “Mr. Gunter?”

  “Yes, and you are Ms. Jackson, correct?” he said and sneezed into his elbow. He walked a few steps farther and sneezed again. “Excuse me. I’m allergic to horses, dogs, cats and hay.”

  She dipped her head. “We have a lot of hay and horses around here. Are you looking for something in particular?”

  “Yes,” he said, sniffing. “I was looking for you. May we speak in private?”

  Eve felt a nauseating sense of dread. She knew she didn’t want to have this conversation. “Unless it concerns the horses, I’m not sure it’s necessary,” she said.

  “It concerns the owner of the horses,” the adviser said. “Please,” he said. “I won’t take much of your time.” The please got her. It usually did. “Okay. There’s an office this way,” she said and led the way.

  She heard the adviser sneeze three times. “Would you prefer to talk somewhere else, outside of the barn where you’ll be less miserable?” she asked.

  “This is fine,” he said. “Thank you, though, for your consideration.” He closed the door behind him. “It’s very rare that I would consider directly interfering in Prince Stefan’s private life, but he’s an exceptional man and I believe he has an exceptional future. I believe he can bring a new sense of hope and change to Chantaine. He’s not content to operate the same way his father did. His Royal Highness is a workaholic. He has a passion for Chantaine. Because of that, I feel compelled to protect him from an—” He paused. “An impulsive decision that could prevent him from fulfilling what he believes is his destiny.”

  Eve took a breath. Mr. Gunter was only saying what she’d expected and in her heart of hearts, she agreed with him. “You’re talking about the relationship Stefan and I share,” she said.

  “He believes he’s in love with you,” the adviser said bluntly.

  “And you don’t,” she said.

  Gunter sighed. “I must look at the big picture. As lovely and caring as you are, you are still a commoner and an American,” he said as if her nationality were a detriment.

  Eve couldn’t hold a stone face at the slur against her country. “What’s wrong with being American?”

  The adviser lifted his hands. “Nothing, but if Stefan chose to marry a commoner, it would be best if he married a woman from Chantaine.

  “For a prince, marriage is about more than love. It’s a way to seal ties with other countries, secure trade agreements.”

  “What you’re saying is it’s business,” she said.

  “In a way,” he said.

  “But what about Stefan’s heart?” she asked. “Who’s going to look after that? Will you? Can I count on you to make sure that he gets a woman who will love him, love Stephenia, ride horses with him, respect him, challenge him when necessary, make him laugh, make him relax, make him think?” She ran out of breath.

  Gunter shot her a considering gaze. “You are more than I thought you would be,” he said, then wrinkled his brow as he thought. He sneezed into his sleeve, then nodded to himself. “In the past, happiness has not been a primary consideration when choosing a wife. It didn’t hurt if the woman was beautiful and intelligent, but in general, what she could bring to benefit Chantaine was considered more important. What you’re saying is that Stefan’s happiness should be considered. I agree and I will make it my mission to make sure that the prince achieves the best match possible and that includes a woman who will indeed love him and, as you say, make him laugh. You’re an extraordinary woman, Ms. Jackson. I understand the prince’s fascination with you.”

  She pushed her hair behind her ear. “No need for flattery. I’m going to need to leave Chantaine, aren’t I?”

  “I’m afraid so, ma’am,” he said.

  The realization slashed through her like a sharp knife, and pain twisted and thrust through her. She took a shallow breath and tried to think. Was this the right thing to do? Why did it feel wrong when her brain told her it was right? “I need to keep a commitment to Princess Bridget.”

  Gunter nodded. “Of course. Just try not to linger. A clean break will be easiest for all, including yourself.”

  “Not sure about that,” she muttered.

  “Thank you for meeting with me,” he said, extending his hand. “I wish you every good thing in your future, and if there is anything I can do to assist you, please do call me.”

  With mixed feelings, she shook his hand and nodded. “I’m curious, sir. In your role as adviser, have you had to do this kind of thing often?”

  “Don’t quote me, but many times with Stefan’s father. Never with Stefan. And never with such a high-quality individual as yourself. You made it difficult,” he said and shook her hand. “Good luck, Ms. Jackson.”

  He turned and left, and Eve felt as if she’d cut out her heart and thrown it on the floor. Filled with confusion, she sank her head into her hands and tried to think of another way. Why did it have to be so hard for both of them? Why? she asked herself and her chest grew tight and her eyes burned with tears.

  She loved Stefan. She had to do what was best for him. That meant leaving Chantaine.

  That also meant she needed to get the horses in tiptop shape for the next stable master. In the meantime, she created a file of careful notes for each horse for her successor. She was determined to make the transition as seamless as possible. She reviewed the information with her assistants and spent extra time with them to ensure they understood what needed to be done for each horse.

  She successfully avoided Stefan by burying herself in work at the stable, although she missed him and little Stephenia. Wednesday finally arrived and she dressed for the charity event with Princess Bridget.

  Bridget picked her up in a limo. “I’m a little nervous,” she said to Eve. “This is one of our disreputable neighborhoods. It’s a bit dangerous,” she said.

  “I’m proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone,” Eve said.

  Bridget widened her eyes at the compliment and lifted her chin. “Well, thank you. That’s high praise coming from you.”

  Eve laughed. “What makes you say that?”

  Bridget shrugged her shoulders. “You don’t seem to be afraid of anything. I would like more of your courage.”

  Flattered and touched, Eve patted Bridget’s hand. “You already have it. You just haven’t used it very much. You would be surprised at what you can accomplish without me,” Eve said.

  Bridget stared at her curiously. “Whatever do you mean? That almost sounds like a goodbye and it bloody well better not be,” she said. “Of course you’re not leaving. You love the horses and me too much to leave,” she said and laughed.

  Eve couldn’t find it in her to correct Bridget. Soon enough she w
ould break the news. For now, she understood her role. Support Bridget during this appearance.

  “I have some great clothes for this,” she said. “I just hope it all comes together.”

  “Just be your encouraging self. I bet you’ll be surprised at how well it goes,” Eve said.

  “You really believe that?” Bridget asked.

  “I really do,” Eve said.

  Minutes later, they pulled in front of the old building that served as a community center. Eve noticed groups of young men hanging out on several corners and wondered if Chantaine had gang problems. She shook her head at the thought. Hopefully not.

  Once inside, Bridget was introduced by the community center director and she delivered her speech. She also listed several scholarship opportunities and Eve helped to distribute information sheets and applications to the large group. Then the fun began. Bridget, Eve and several other volunteers helped the young women select outfits.

  After two hours, it was time for Bridget and Eve to leave. Eve was pleased to see the expression of satisfaction and enthusiasm on Bridget’s face.

  “Can you believe how excited they were?” Bridget asked as they stepped outside the building to wait for the limo to make its way to the curb. “And not just about the clothes. They really seemed curious about the scholarship opportunities and—”

  “Hey, Princess, must be nice living in the castle,” a young man from a large group called as they moved closer. Too close, Eve thought. “When we have nothing.”

  Suddenly the group rushed them. From her peripheral vision, Eve saw Bridget freeze. Her guard was opening the limo door. Eve acted on pure instinct.

  “Go!” she yelled at Bridget, giving her a hard push toward the limo and throwing herself in front of the angry group. She felt a jab in her side. Pain rocked through her. Then, another in her chest. It took her breath. She caught the flash of the fist an instant before it hit her in the forehead. Then everything went blessedly black.

  “There’s been an emergency with the princess, sir,” his aide, Pete, said, pulling him from a meeting with a top state official.