by Cara Colter
“Love,” he whispered. “That very thing I just spoke of.”
“Are you saying—” her voice was barely a whisper “—what I think you are saying?” It felt as if her heart was about to thud out of her chest.
“I don’t know how this is possible. To feel so strongly about you after such a short period together. But I want to explore it. I want to see if it’s real. I want to spend my life with you.”
Imogen swallowed hard.
It was another “pinch me” moment.
And yet, looking at his face—the face she had fallen in love with—she knew he was speaking his truth.
She began to weep.
“You know I can’t have your children.”
“Oh, my darling Imogen, that causes me distress only because it causes you distress. If we are intended to have children one day, they will find their way to us. I promise you that.”
It was the kind of promise you could hang on to. Her tears fell harder.
“And if it was just you and I, forever, I would spend each day with you in total joy, feeling complete, feeling as if not one other thing was necessary.”
And then she was gathered up in his arms, and they sat for a long, long time with her nestled against his chest, in the light of the inflatable snow family and of the winking stars.
“It’s the best gift ever,” Imogen said.
“I’m actually hoping you will think this is the best gift ever.”
She turned to him. He held out a box. He lifted the lid and a ring sparkled at her.
“In the last few days, I’ve lost my bride and lost my throne. Such a small price to pay to find true love and happiness. If you will have me, I would like you to be my wife.”
Imogen stared at him, shocked. Logically, she understood they barely knew one another. Logically, she understood that their time together had been underlain with the intensity of being snowed in, and then her visit here, which had seemed about as real as a fairy tale.
But she had been logical her entire life; she had based all her decisions on what was solid and what was sensible. She had planned a safe route through the journey of life.
Not only had all her planning not brought her happiness, she could now clearly see her desire for predictability and safety might have been an obstacle to ever finding the true happiness she felt right now, as exquisitely, as blissfully as she had ever felt it.
She gazed into Luca’s eyes.
From the moment he had stepped off the helicopter, she had experienced a sensation of knowing him.
Now she knew it was not because he resembled his sister, and her best friend.
It was not that at all.
Her heart had recognized him.
Her heart had not recognized the impossibility of it. Her heart had never been deterred by the fact she was a common girl and he was a prince.
Her heart had known.
And it knew now.
It knew that others might see it as too soon, or see their worlds as too different, or see them as going up against impossible cultural obstacles.
Her heart cared nothing for any of that. It cared only for the answer that whispered from her lips.
“Yes,” she said.
And then stronger, an affirmation of the stunning power and mystery of love, an affirmation of its ability to find you, even when you hid from it.
“Yes!”
He stood up and held out his hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet and held her tight against him. He tilted her chin, so that her eyes met his. He scanned her face, and he saw the truth of her love there.
“Love has given me what a title never could,” he said hoarsely. “Your love has crowned me King.”
His lips took hers.
And they became one with it all: with the star-studded sky and the majesty of the mountains, with the life force that breathed through the trees that surrounded them and the earth that they stood on.
They became one with love.
* * *
Welcome to the A Crown by Christmas trilogy!
If you enjoyed this story, look out for the next two books
Soldier Prince’s Secret Baby Gift
by Kate Hardy
Their Christmas Royal Wedding
by Nina Milne
Coming soon!
And check out these other great reads from Cara Colter
His Convenient Royal Bride
Snowbound with the Single Dad
Swept into the Tycoon’s World
All available now!
Excerpt from How to Propose to a Princess by Rebecca Winters.
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How to Propose to a Princess
by Rebecca Winters
CHAPTER ONE
THOUGH OFFICE HOURS for patients ended at 4:30 p.m. weekdays, and the receptionist had gone, Dr. Nico Barsotti didn’t say good-night to his last patient until five thirty Tuesday evening. Even after diagnosing her with strep throat and writing out a prescription, he still couldn’t call it a night. Before he could grab a bite in town on his way home, he needed to check on his nine-year-old patient, Tommaso Coletti.
Once he’d said good-night to his nurse who would lock up, he walked through the Hospital of the Three Crosses in the capital city of Domodossola to the pediatric floor in the other wing. The boy had suffered a ruptured appendix on Monday evening. Dr. Sala had performed the surgery, but Nico was his physician. He needed to follow up on the course of IV antibiotics he’d ordered and study the latest lab tests.
Nico nodded to the charting nurse at the station before walking into the room. He’d expected to see at least one of the boy’s parents. Instead he beheld a sight that brought him to a halt.
Sitting in a chair next to the bed reading to him was a woman probably in her midtwenties who had luminous golden hair that fell to her shoulders. She wore a light blue volunteer lab coat over a dark blue dress. He caught a glimpse of her lovely profile and moved closer to discover she was reading a book popular with children.
Adriano, il Cane di Pompei was the story of a special stray dog who saw ancient Pompei as a magical place with its archaeological sites. The smile on Tommaso’s face meant he was enjoying it. Who wouldn’t be mesmerized by the woman’s voice? She read it with all the charm and allure of a great storyteller.
He waited until she’d finished before walking over to the other side of the bed. His gaze met hers. Betw
een her light sea glass blue eyes and golden hair, he couldn’t look anywhere else. Nico knew he’d seen that beautiful face before. But where?
The blonde knockout reminded him of a celebrity, but he couldn’t think which one. She gave him an enticing smile she probably wasn’t aware of. That’s when he remembered. Last month she’d been eating in the hospital cafeteria with Mia Giancarlo, one of the nurses. He recalled she’d been wearing a silky print blouse and skirt, her womanly figure transformed. Her image had stayed in his mind, and he’d been looking for her ever since.
“Look who’s here, Tommaso,” she said. “It’s Dr. Barsotti.”
The boy turned his head in Nico’s direction, his eyes excited. “Dottore—”
“Ehi, Tommaso. I can see you’ve been well entertained. Come stai?”
“Fausta has been reading to me!”
Fausta? The name rang a bell.
Santo cielo! Now it was all coming back to him. Princess Fausta Rossiano in the flesh.
“How do you do, Princess?” he said as he checked the IV bag and took Tommaso’s vital signs. “He’s a lucky boy to receive a visit from you.”
“I’m the lucky one, dottore.”
“Her name’s Fausta,” Tommaso corrected him.
Nico smiled to himself.
The three daughters of King Victor, ruler of the small country of Domodossola that touched on the borders of France, Switzerland and Italy, were known for their beauty. During these last few years there’d been two royal marriages, and their pictures had been on TV and in the newspaper. Nico ought to know since the magazines in his office put there for the patients were filled with royal news. There’d been constant speculation that the third stunning princess would be marrying a royal prince in the near future.
He shouldn’t be surprised that the yet unmarried daughter of the royal family would actually volunteer her time this way. They did a lot of admirable philanthropy for the country. Her friendliness had won over his patient.
“When can I go home?”
“You’re doing much better this evening, Tommaso. I’ll probably release you in the morning.” He turned to put some information into the computer.
“Not until then?” the boy muttered. “I’m fine now.”
“We must do what Dr. Barsotti says!”
Tommaso’s father had arrived. His wife followed him inside. Nico watched their interaction. Tommaso didn’t know how lucky he was to have loving parents. Nico had grown up in an orphanage run by the nuns. For years he’d been trying to find his parents and where he’d come from with no success.
After they thanked the princess for her time, she slipped quietly from the room. He gave instructions to the parents before he left to catch up with her. Strongly drawn to her by her appeal, he wanted to get acquainted, but other than staff, he saw no sign of her in the corridor.
He approached the charge nurse. “When did Princess Fausta start reading to the children?”
The other woman’s face broke into a broad smile. “She’s been a hospital volunteer for several months in the geriatric department. This week she was assigned to Pediatrics. So far, all the patients have been delighted. She has a real way with them. We’re excited she’ll be working with us until she’s transferred to another department.”
“When will she be here again?”
“Tomorrow. For the time being she comes on the afternoon shift four times a week.”
“I see. Thank you.”
Nico left the hospital, glad he had to wait only until tomorrow when he checked on another patient. Hopefully he’d find her here.
* * *
During the drive back to the palace in the limo, Fausta relived those moments in Tommaso’s hospital room when Dr. Barsotti had come in. Over the past two months she’d seen him several times from a distance when he’d come in to the hospital cafeteria. But they hadn’t actually spoken to each other until now.
Fausta hadn’t thought it possible to be attracted to another man after her heart had been broken four years ago. Dego Spinella had been her childhood sweetheart.
Dego’s father, Tano, had been the personal chauffeur for her father over the years. He, along with his wife and two children, lived in a house on the estate. Their son Dego was Fausta’s age. Along with her sisters, they’d all played outside together over the years. As they grew older, the friendship between Fausta and Dego grew into love.
They’d planned to go to the University of Domodossola together and then get married. But her dream was shattered when one day just before college started, her father told her that Dego was leaving for Rome, Italy, to attend college there. The king had made plans to pay for his lodging and tuition as his way of thanking Tano and their family for all their years of service.
In panic, Fausta had phoned Dego. “Why didn’t you refuse my father so we could be together?” she cried in despair. “That’s all you had to do!”
“How could I turn down his kindness, Fausta? As Papa said, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. Our family doesn’t have that kind of money. But you and I will phone and send letters. After graduation we’ll be together again and make plans for our future.”
What future? You’ve stabbed my heart, Dego.
Fausta’s father hadn’t forced him to go. It had all been up to Dego, but he hadn’t fought for their love.
“Cara?” he’d prodded when she hadn’t answered. “Tell me you understand. Of course I love you and am going to miss you, but he’s been so good to our family and he is the king.”
That’s right, and she’d been born the daughter of a king instead of a commoner like she’d wanted to be. “I understand more than you think.”
Fausta had never liked being royal and her parents knew it, but the years growing up around Dego had been idyllic. He wasn’t royal and they got along so perfectly, she knew a marriage between them would end in a lasting love match. Her plans for them to get a little home in the city where they could raise a family and live a normal life with children had been her dream.
But his willingness to leave her without begging her to go to Rome with him was worse than a betrayal. She’d thought their love had meant everything to him, but nothing could have been further from the truth. Fausta had been living in a fantasy world with no substance. Many times they’d come close to making love but had decided to wait until they were engaged.
His sudden departure had left her feeling heartbroken and betrayed. Her father had known she was in love with Dego and she knew he didn’t like it. But he wouldn’t have stood in the way of her marrying if Dego had loved her enough.
The fact that Dego had left for Rome without agonizing over them being torn apart said it all. The phone calls and letters from him came less and less, killing her feelings. In time she learned he’d married an Italian girl. Dego had been subtly bribed, and more than ever she hated that she’d been born a royal.
In the last four years there’d been no other man. She knew her parents were hoping she’d end up marrying one of the princes on their short list. But that would never happen! One day she’d find herself a commoner who couldn’t be bought for any reason!
Her thoughts flashed back to Dr. Barsotti.
The second she’d laid eyes on the family practice doctor with his dark fringed midnight blue eyes and black-brown hair, his image had filled her thoughts. At six foot three with a rock-solid physique and potently male, no other man could come close to him.
Just hearing about his virtues from her best friend, Mia, revealed qualities beyond his looks. Besides being twenty-eight and single, he wasn’t a baron, a count, a duke or a prince. Pure and simple, he was a nonroyal doctor, already a revered professional who she doubted could be intimidated, manipulated or bought at any price.
Once in her apartment at the palace, she phoned Mia because she’d promised.
“Fausta? I’ve been
waiting to hear from you.”
“I just barely got home from the hospital after my first shift on the pediatric ward. It was so much fun.”
“I know how much you love kids.”
“I do.” Fausta adored children and looked forward to the day when she had a family of her own and an attentive husband who had no other duties than to come home at the end of the day and be with them.
“Any sightings of Dr. Barsotti?”
She gripped her cell phone tighter. “He came in to check on one of his patients while I was reading to Tommaso.”
“How did that go? I guess the doctor went into shock to see Princess Fausta Rossiano working there.”
Fausta’s breath caught. “I hope it was a good one.”
A small laugh escaped her friend’s lips. “Do you honestly know a man who wouldn’t be thrilled to get near you if he could?”
“Mia—”
“Stop pretending when you know it’s true.”
“The good doctor didn’t seem to care that I left the room. I could have been wearing a quarantine sign for his lack of interest.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re the daughter of King Victor, that’s why he played it cool. He doesn’t want to presume. Felipe is the same way when it comes to you.”
“I know.” Dr. Felipe Peletti, a friend of Dr. Barsotti’s in the same medical group, had been dating Mia. The two were in love. “There are certain lines they won’t cross.”
“I’m afraid most ordinary people, men in particular, have the same problem when it comes to your royalness,” Mia teased.
Fausta’s friend had never had that hang-up. They’d met in high school with no secrets between them. She was one of the few nonroyals who’d treated them like equals and Fausta loved her for it. “You mean my untouchableness.”
“If only the masses knew what a fun, easy person you are to be with.”
“Ditto. Now I’d better let you go. I know you have to be at the hospital first thing in the morning. See you for lunch at Babbo’s.” It was a trattoria around the corner from the hospital.