Katie didn’t realize her knees had liquefied until Brad was there, holding her up. A small part of her mind wondered how he’d gotten there first when he’d been the farthest away. But most of her mind was occupied with spinning at a sickening speed.
“Great way to ease into it,” Brad muttered.
“This is merely an added confirmation,” King Jozef said, dismissively. “There is no surprise. As I have said, I knew, Katrina.”
“I’m Katie.” She caught the king’s glowering frown, but that wasn’t her top concern. “I don’t know what to do. How to decide—”
“Decide?” The king’s rich tones swelled. “There is no decision. We will depart on the royal jet immediately for Bariavak. You are Her Royal Highness, Princess Josephine-Augusta. You will do your duty to your country and your name. You will do as I command you.”
“Command?” Katie repeated. Her knees no longer felt shaky.
“Yes. As your king. As your grandfather. My command is—”
Madame made a low sound, deep in her throat.
King Jozef glanced toward the two men who had accompanied him. “Leave us.”
For a heartbeat no one moved. No one seemed to even breathe. Or maybe she thought that because she wasn't breathing.
“Your Majesty?” said the ambassador.
“Go.” he repeated. Then more mildly. “Go to the reception.”
They started out, but from the door Derek Kenton gave Brad a pointed look.
“Not going anywhere,” Brad said evenly.
Kenton then said, “I will be right outside, Your Majesty.”
The king raised a hand in acknowledgement and royal dismissal. It was an impressive gesture, giving way on this point of continued security without ceding one iota of his royal prerogative to have tossed them out of the room. Could she ever master a gesture like that if she were—
Not if she were a princess, because she was a princess. She truly was this stranger named Josephine-Augusta. And King Jozef wanted her to fly with him right now to Bariavak. As his granddaughter. As his heir.
The door closing snapped her thoughts back to this moment. She braced herself to not be overrun by the force of the king's will.
But he looked over his shoulder to Madame. “What would you say to me, Therese?”
Without any conscious intention, Katie found herself looking toward Brad for his reaction. His brows went up, his mouth quirked, and the blue of his eyes glittered as if amusement had electrified them.
“As Therese to Jozef?”
Katie admired the woman’s tone. She asked for confirmation, not permission.
“Yes,” he said.
“You would not allow anyone else to disrupt this day for April and Hunter. Would you do so yourself?”
“I shall simply withdraw with my granddaughter and depart. There will be no disruption.”
“Sure,” Brad agreed with such deceptive affability that Katie almost wanted to warn King Jozef. “Nobody will notice the most famous guest leaving with someone who looks remarkably like the media's previous princess candidate. And what? Motorcade out to Dulles Airport where the official royal jet gets cranked up in a hurry and an emergency flight plan is filed. Nah. Nobody will notice.”
The king glared coldly at Brad. Madame cleared her throat.
“The young man's casual language is regrettable, but his points are valid,” she said. “The media would surely speculate if you were to depart now.”
Brad pursued the point. “Right now, no one has reason to suspect there's been a test, much less the result. No sudden moves and you won't startle the media into swarming. But if you rush Katie off her feet and spirit her away, how long will it take some enterprising journalist to put two and two together and go after the DNA info?”
King Jozef stared at the far wall for a long moment. “We can handle the media efficiently in Bariavak. However, I shall order the departure to be moved to tomorrow. One day before the schedule should not startle any journalists. We shall enjoy the wedding celebration today, then I shall take my granddaughter home to Bariavak.”
His always resonant voice hit a deep note on those final words that stirred simultaneous empathy and determination in Katie.
“I have not agreed to go to Bariavak,” she said simply.
“What!” the king roared.
Katie thought she heard a sigh from Madame, but was too focused on giving back look for look to the king to be sure.
“I will think about it and let you know if I want to visit Bariavak. And if I do, when I will go.”
“You will—”
Brad interrupted. “She will do exactly what she said.”
The stalemate broke only when Madame said, “Nothing will be determined during the time of Hunter and April’s wedding reception.”
Katie gave herself a little shake. “You’re right, Madame. I’m going to the reception.”
She was aware of Brad behind her. But he didn’t try to catch up. He simply followed at a distance.
****
“You of all people, Therese—”
“Hah. Because I honor your rank with the respect it is due does not mean I am blind to your errors, Jozef.”
“Errors? What errors have I made? I have allowed her to wrap herself in this cloak of independence all these weeks upon weeks when everything in me wanted – no, knew she should be safeguarded and the lessons begun for all she will need to know. She is a lifetime behind in this education and to waste even another—what? Now what do you sigh over, woman?”
“You. I know your heartbreak, Jozef. And I know that is driving you. But you are making mistakes a second time that you never should have made thirty years ago.”
“Thirty? What has thirty years ago to do with this? It was twenty-eight years ago that those subhumans stole Katrina from us.”
“And it was thirty and more years ago that you nearly drove your daughter away for good.”
The king’s shock at the truth delivered so bluntly let Madame continue.
“Sofia was your true daughter in spirit and stubbornness. It appears this Katie might also be your true granddaughter. Not in a way that blood and tests determine. But in the way a spirit responds to orders. To commands. You know your reaction. You know Sofia’s. You cannot now be surprised if Katie feels the same.”
“I obeyed. Sofia obeyed eventually. Katrina will, too.”
Madame shook her head slowly. “You said you had learned from Sofia. But now you would assume your granddaughter is not like you in order to have your commands fulfilled?”
****
Katie felt a touch on her back, suppressed the instinct to jump, then saw it was Leslie. “Are you enjoying yourself, Katie?”
“It’s was a wonderful wedding and it’s a wonderful reception, Leslie. Absolutely lovely.”
She smiled, looking around. “It’s been a labor of love. Not to mention a monumental struggle not letting Madame on one side make it stiff and formal or Maurice and Etienne on the other side turn it into a grand blowout. Either of which would have made Hunter and April miserable.” They both chuckled. “But I notice you didn’t answer about you enjoying yourself, Katie.”
“Oh, I don’t want you to think I’m not. I didn’t mean that at all.”
“What I think isn’t the issue, either.”
“I don’t know many people here,” she said quietly.
“Bless your heart, about the only one who does is April. That’s the thing about a wedding. It pulls people together from all the aspects of the bride and groom’s lives. Course Hunter’s been so one-track-minded about work his are pretty narrow. Although …” She scanned the room. “See there? See those two couples talking with Tris and Bette?”
“Yes.”
“The younger man is the son of the older couple and that’s his wife. The older couple had another son who was in the Army. He saved Hunter’s life when he was a little boy. Saved him and then was killed himself. Scotty’s Army buddies got Hunter to the States t
o fulfill a promise.”
Katie hadn’t had any idea that kind of pain existed in Hunter’s past. She’d seen only the happiness in his present.
“Hunter had stayed away from them, sure he’d remind them only of their loss. Stayed away until April got hold of him, that is. Ah,” she added as Hunter approached the group. He extended a hand to the older man, who met it, then used that grip to pull him into a hug. Hugs from the rest of the group followed. Katie could almost think she saw tears in Hunter Pierce’s eyes.
“So, you don’t know anyone? Then you get to know them.” Leslie stepped back, surveying Katie. “What you need is to throw yourself into having fun. You are entirely too serious. I know just the thing.”
Katie got a first-hand taste of Leslie’s organizing ability as the woman talked to the band, snared a dozen people, and began a conga line – all while holding Katie’s wrist. Then Leslie swung their part of the line around and tugged Brad in to place behind Katie without losing a step.
Katie wasn’t as lucky. She stumbled, and felt Brad’s hands at her waist, steadying her. She had to move forward or break the line. She moved forward.
She saw Maurice and Etienne wincing, but April grinned as she grabbed Hunter and took the lead of the line.
But she was mostly aware of Brad’s large hands connecting them ... remembering how they had touched her other times.
The song ended, the line breaking apart with laughter and hugs. Brad pulled her back against his chest. She was aware of him bending his head. His lips brushed her shoulder where the sleeve had flipped up. This was better – far, far better – than the nose or forehead or top of the head. She shivered with the heat of the contact, relaxing against him.
With the line disintegrating around them, he released her. When she turned, he was halfway across the room.
“Champagne, miss?” one of waiters asked her.
“Yes. Thank you.”
****
He stayed away from her after that.
Had to for his own sake.
Not to mention he was being glared at by a head of state. A king for God’s sake … because Katie was his granddaughter.
Katie was a princess. It was over.
She deserved a prince … at the very least.
****
“I think this is in order.” April handed Katie another full glass of champagne.
“To toast your happiness.” Katie lifted the glass and took a good swallow.
April echoed her motions and gave her a significant look. “That’s not all we’re toasting.”
“You know? How? Hunter—?”
“We can’t talk about this right now or right here. But, actually, I’ve known a while. We all have. This was only a formality.”
“You couldn’t have.”
“First, there was King Jozef’s certainty. But the clincher was when Madame had to stop herself from curtseying to you Tuesday night. She sure never treated me that way.”
Katie remembered the looks zipping around the room when Madame Sabdoka and she met at the Roberts’ home Tuesday night.
“But how could she…”
“Never question the mysterious ways of Madame. Now drink up your champagne and let me introduce you to one of Grady’s nicest employees who will dance with you, since Brad is staying on the opposite side of the room. Not that I blame him, with King Jozef glaring at him.” She clicked her tongue. “Soon as I get you dancing, I’m off to de-scowl a king.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
How had she let herself get married to a man she loved?
Katie almost giggled, then covered her mouth. The champagne was bubbling in her head, thoughts popping into nothing more than a pleasant impression. She had to be serious. This was very serious. She was married. To Brad. She’d adored him for years. He had never shown the least bit of interest in her.
Well, that wasn’t completely accurate. But he hadn’t shown the kind of interest in her she’d wanted him to show.
Except … he had kissed her. The wedding didn’t count, since that was on command. But on her couch and at the inn, those counted.
She took another glass of champagne and downed half.
That’s when she saw Brad heading for the elevators. Leaving.
Oh, no, he didn’t. He wasn’t going to go off to his room and get a good night’s sleep while she wrestled with getting herself married to a man she loved and being a princess and … what had she done with her room key?
She was almost to the elevators, but he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Oh. Right. He’d gotten in one of the elevators.
So, she did, too. And pressed the button of her floor … their floor.
She knocked on his door with determination.
Then she had the horrible thought that maybe this wasn’t his door. It was this side of the hall, but maybe it had been the next one down. She turned to judge the distance, trying to remember how far down the hall King Jozef had been when she’d seen him –
Oh, God, King Jozef. DNA. He’d proclaimed her as Princess Josephine-Augusta. What was she going to —?
“Katie?”
Brad had opened the door without her hearing.
“I want to talk to you,” she said stridently.
“Okay.”
She strode in. And came smack up against the memories of King Jozef delivering the news earlier today that she was—
“What is it, Katie?” The door closed and Brad approached.
“You’ve never said a word about my haircut,” she champagne-blurted.
“It looks great.”
The champagne wasn’t done. “Did you notice my dress?”
What a stupid thing to say. She sounded like an actor in a badly dubbed movie, words grinding and jerking nonsensically.
“Yes.”
Something in the way he said that calmed the panic and set very different flutters going in her stomach.
“It’s the same one—” she started.
“You wore to our – at the courthouse.”
“Yes. April’s dress was so gorgeous and…”
“Exactly what people think of as a wedding dress.”
Their eyes met for an instant. She looked down. “You didn’t like—don’t like—”
“I like it. What do you call those?” He stretched two fingers toward her, but stopped short of touching.
She looked down. “Cap sleeves.”
He nodded slowly. “Cap sleeves look good on you.”
She swallowed hard. She wasn’t going to fall apart from one compliment. “Thank you.”
“And what about—” His fingers sketched a scalloped line in the vicinity of her chin. “—that?”
“The necklace?”
“No.” He sounded grim.
“You don’t like my necklace? Carolyn and C.J. gave it to me.”
“It’s growing on me. But I meant the dress. That style.”
Then he should have pointed significantly lower, she thought, mildly indignant. “It’s lower now than at the courthouse—”
“I noticed.”
“—because Maurice said the proportions were better. It’s—”
“Maurice is a dangerous man.”
“—called a sweetheart neckline.”
“Sweetheart.”
Her heart flipped.
Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. He was simply repeating the word. Probably trying to commit it to memory to get a dress for one of his girlfriends.
Oh, wait. How could he have girlfriends when they were married? Not that that stopped some men. But Brad wouldn’t… Of course, they weren’t really married, so there wasn’t any reason he couldn’t. Oh, God, please don’t let him be dating while we’re married.
And then she giggled.
He looked startled. “What?”
“Nothing. A—” She gasped for breath. “—funny thought.”
He looked all concerned. About her.
Sudden tears came into her eyes. “Oh, Brad.” She put her arms ar
ound his neck and kissed him.
And he kissed her.
Not like a puppy.
She slid her fingers into his hair, encouraging his head toward her, while she parted her lips.
He held her, really held her.
But not for long enough.
Then they were apart, and she didn’t know – would never know – if they’d both backed up or only one of them. And it didn’t matter. The result was the same. He had his hands on her shoulders, but it was like he wanted to keep a lock on her so she couldn’t move in to kiss him again.
Her head dropped. “I’m sorry, Brad. I shouldn’t have done that.”
****
With more willpower than he knew he possessed, Brad kept his arms stiff, holding her away.
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
“I said I was sorry,” she said with a bit more snap, which was a hell of a lot better than hanging her head, looking miserable.
“Men get ideas. Especially in their hotel rooms.”
She clicked her tongue. “I know that. I’m not a complete idiot.” Now she rounded on him, all snap, no head-hanging. “You said you were sorry a week ago that you’d kissed me. On my couch. Like you’d broken a taboo. And other times on my forehead and top of my head and nose – my nose — but we’re not related. And I am not a kid.”
“No, we’re not related and you’re not a kid. Not anymore.”
“Yet, you treat me like I’m a cross between a halfwit and a permanent innocent. I—”
“I do not. I—”
“I’m not either one – halfwitted or innocent.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not a virgin. I’ve had boyfriends.”
“You think I don’t know you’ve had boyfriends? You think I haven’t been completely aware of your boyfriends?”
Her defiance evaporated. She blinked. “Why would you be?”
“Why? Why? You’re asking me why I was aware of your boyfriends? This is why.”
He took her face between his palms and kissed her. Almost before their lips met, he was sliding his tongue inside her mouth.
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