by Holly Rayner
“Of course,” Matteo said. “I’d be honored if you would.”
David cheered. The cabin door opened and steps were lowered for them to exit the plane. As Ashley stepped out, a warm breeze danced through her hair. The air smelled like salt and warm sand, and though she too was from a coastal town, it was so different.
Another limo waited for them at the bottom of the stairs, which David was thrilled about. He jumped in before Ashley even had a chance to plant one foot on Golina soil. When she did reach the limo, Matteo was waiting by the door.
“After you,” he said.
She gazed up at him. He seemed so at ease in his own land. Happy, even. She nodded and ducked to enter the limo, Matteo close behind her. The driver closed the door and before she knew it, they were driving down a coastal road, the sea glittering beside them as they moved along.
After getting his energy out a bit, David plopped down next to Ashley and stared out at the ocean.
“This is where I’m from?” he asked, his voice filled with wonder.
Once again Ashley found Matteo’s gaze as they considered how best to answer.
“Yes, my little love,” she said, planting a kiss on the top of his head.
“Cool,” he said.
Matteo pointed out some of the local villages as they drove past, regaling them with the island’s history and culture.
“It’s a bit late for chestnuts,” he said, “but gelato season should be upon us now.”
“What’s gelato?” David asked.
Matteo wiggled his eyebrows at the boy and grinned.
“It’s our version of ice cream.”
“Mom!” David said. “I want gelato!”
Ashley laughed.
“Me too, kid. Maybe we can get out this afternoon and get some.”
David opened his mouth to reply, but instead it simply hung there as he stared out the front of the limo. Ashley looked up to see the palace, up close and personal.
It was even more stunning than it appeared from the air.
They stared in awed silence as the limo pulled up to a large archway at the very front and stopped. Ashley exhaled as the driver walked around and opened the door for them. When she met Matteo’s gaze, she found it to be a lifeline.
“Ready?” he asked.
Ready? She wasn’t ready for any of this! Still, she nodded, and as usual she took his offered hand to step out of the vehicle. David stepped out behind her, his eyes wide as he took in their surroundings.
“Matteo, is this your house?”
Matteo nodded.
“It is. Do you like it?” he asked.
David’s head bobbed as he nodded.
“Uh, yeah. It’s the best house in the universe.”
“I’m so glad you think so,” Matteo said, clearly happy with the way things were going.
Ashley couldn’t deny that so far everything looked pretty wonderful. David could live in a palace, on this beautiful island. He would have access to the best life could offer, from education to medical care and entertainment alike. She suddenly felt very small.
How could she compete with all of this?
“Please, allow me to show you inside,” Matteo said.
He stepped forward with David on his left and Ashley on his right. They entered the palace, where Ashley was once again taken aback by the sheer opulence of it all. It was like they were in a museum, but it was Matteo’s home.
Could David really fit inside this world?
At the edge of the cavernous entryway stood two people, an older man and a younger woman. Ashley glanced up at Matteo and whispered up to him.
“How much do these two know?” she asked.
“Everything,” he whispered back. “Though I did have a chance to call my sister and prepare her properly before we left Virginia.”
“Oh, great,” Ashley said.
Matteo’s sister certainly looked the part. She was tall and stately, her hair dark and sleek, her eyes a pale sea green, slightly paler than her brother’s. As they approached, Matteo nodded to them both.
“Silvio, Carlotta. Please welcome my special guests, Ashley and David Bedford.”
The man—Silvio, was it?—glowered at them both even as he gave a small bow.
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” he grumbled.
“Likewise,” Ashley said, wondering if it would be offensive for her to shake the man’s hand. She turned to Carlotta, whose expression was much warmer. She was taking in the sight of David, no doubt coming to terms with the reality that she had a nephew.
“He looks so much like Papa,” she whispered.
Matteo cleared his throat and glanced down at David, who was completely distracted with their surroundings. That caught Carlotta’s attention, and she turned toward Ashley.
“Sorry, sorry. Welcome to our home, Ashley. Matteo has told me so much about you both,” she said, her gaze once again landing on David, who looked up at her.
“You’re pretty,” he said.
Carlotta laughed, a light, musical sound, and she crouched down, which was impressive given her pencil skirt and towering high heels.
“Thank you, David. You are a handsome gentleman yourself. I’m very happy to meet you.”
“Do you live here too?” he asked.
Carlotta nodded.
“I do. There’s quite a bit of space for us to share, don’t you think?” she asked.
David nodded again.
“Silvio,” Matteo said, “Is there anything pressing this afternoon that needs to be addressed?”
“There are things that have been pressing for days, Your Majesty,” Silvio said, his tone cold.
Something was off about the man, all right, and Ashley wasn’t sure what she thought of him.
Matteo nodded and placed a gentle hand on Ashley’s elbow.
“Carlotta, would you mind showing Ashley and David to their room while I catch up with Silvio?” he asked.
“Not at all,” she said. She gestured for Ashley and David to follow her, and Ashley had to hold tight to David’s hand to keep him from wandering off.
“I will say that this palace is great for hide and seek. I used to get lost for hours, and your…Matteo…could never find me,” Carlotta said, catching herself.
This was going to be trickier than Ashley thought. She cast a grateful glance at Carlotta as the elegant woman stopped at a doorway and opened it, leading the way inside. Ashley pulled David in with her, and together they stared wide-eyed at their room.
It was less of a room, really, and more like an entire apartment. There was a sitting area, and a small balcony overlooking rows and rows of vineyards. Warm light streamed in from the wall of windows, and Ashley saw that there were two separate rooms with king-sized beds as part of the space.
“This is unbelievable,” Ashley said.
Carlotta frowned.
“You don’t like it?”
“No, that’s not it,” Ashley said. “I love it. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life.”
Carlotta nodded and stepped back toward the door.
“Good. My brother has asked me to have lunch prepared for you when you are ready. Until then, I’ll let you get comfortable.”
“Thank you,” Ashley said. She met the woman’s gaze and hoped she captured her meaning as she said, “For everything.”
Carlotta’s gaze darted to David, then back to Ashley.
“You are welcome,” she said. Her accent was also very much like her brother’s, and Ashley found that she liked Carlotta.
She turned and found David standing on the balcony, staring out at the scenery. She approached him and wrapped him in her arms as they looked out at Golina together.
“Do you think my birth parents are out there?” he asked.
“Maybe,” Ashley said.
He leaned back into her a little more.
“I hope they’re okay with us staying together,” he sighed.
Ashley’s heart soared. As much as she had
faith in her son’s love, to hear that he wanted to stay with her was a huge relief.
“I’m sure they will be,” she said, fighting back tears.
There was a familiar knock at the door behind them, and Matteo stepped inside and joined them on the balcony.
“How do you like your accommodations?” he asked.
David held up a thumb, signaling his approval. Ashley nodded in agreement.
“You have been very generous with us, Matteo. Thank you for all of this,” she said, gesturing around them.
He waved a dismissive hand.
“It was nothing, really. I’m so glad to have you both here. Now David, did you say something about wanting to get gelato?”
David perked up at that, and he cast an askance glance at Ashley. She reached down and grabbed his hand.
“I think gelato sounds great, but don’t you have work to do, now that you’re back?”
The man was king, after all. Surely, he didn’t have time to go gallivanting about with them.
Matteo winked at her, and once again her heart yearned for him a little more.
“Of course I do. I need to show my new friend here where to get the best chocolate gelato in Golina.”
Ashley grinned.
“Well, then. Let’s go.”
Chapter 16
Matteo
Matteo could hardly believe three days had passed since the three of them had arrived in Golina.
Somehow the time had simply melted away, between catching up on matters of state and then taking every ounce of time he had and spending it with Ashley and David, he’d hardly had a moment to stop and consider what would come of this trip.
This was not that moment, certainly.
He was seated in a cushioned lounge chair, stationed on the family’s private beach. He leaned back with his hands behind his head and watched as Ashley and David built a large, intricate sandcastle. She sat back for a moment and brushed a strand of honey-colored hair from her brow.
Perfection. That was what she was. Absolute perfection.
Matteo plucked a glass of cool cucumber water from a side table and took a drink as he enjoyed the laziness of the day. A server came out with several trays of afternoon snacks, as Matteo had requested.
“Snacks are here!” he called out.
David’s little head shot up at the promise of food, and Matteo couldn’t help but chuckle as the boy sprinted in his direction.
David was nothing if not an exceptional eater. Matteo had never known just how much food could fit in such a tiny body, but David seemed to never tire of eating, and he snacked constantly. By the time David reached Matteo, he was out of breath.
“What…are we…having?” he panted.
David pulled back the lids of several trays, revealing a variety of cheeses, crackers, fresh bread and butter, and some fried seafood. Ashley walked up in her one-piece bathing suit and eyed the food as well.
“What have we got here?” she asked.
“Just some snacks to hold us over until dinner,” Matteo said.
“Glorious. I was just starting to fade.”
Matteo slid off the rocker and into a chair at the table, where David and Ashley joined him.
“What a perfect day,” Ashley said. “I could just live here forever.”
She blinked, realizing what she’d just said, and then glanced up at Matteo before quickly looking away.
It was impossible now to deny that there was a special kind of chemistry between them. Over the past few days, the three of them had had an amazing time together, exploring the countryside, the various vineyards and beaches. Matteo wanted them to love Golina as much as he did, but there was so much standing between them.
They would have to decide how they would tell David about his parentage, his lineage. They would have to decide what to do once he found out, and what that meant for Ashley. He’d considered broaching the subject a few times, but they were always having such a nice time, he didn’t want to ruin it by potentially putting Ashley on the defense again.
He loved having her by his side.
“I’m sad there isn’t any gelato,” David said.
Ashley chuckled.
“You’re always sad there isn’t gelato. You said that in the bath just last night.”
“That’s because a gelato bath would be the best,” David said.
“You don’t think you’d be cold?” Matteo asked.
David considered that a moment, then shook his head.
“No. I’d wear a diving suit to stay warm, like a seal.”
Ashley and Matteo laughed at that as David shrugged and popped a piece of cheese into his mouth.
“What did you make out there?” Matteo asked, gesturing toward their sandcastle.
“It’s a palace for me and my mom to live in,” David said.
“Ah,” Matteo said.
“You can live there too, Matteo. It’s only fair, since you shared your palace with us,” David said.
Ashley smiled warmly at David and rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. Everything about their time together felt so natural, so easy. Matteo found that any time he wasn’t with Ashley and David, they were all he thought about. He couldn’t wait to hear what they’d been up to while he was busy with work, and the moment they were reunited, he felt at peace with the world once again.
He didn’t want to even consider the thought of them leaving.
“What are we going to do next?” David asked.
“How do you know we’re doing something?” Matteo said.
David shrugged.
“You always have something planned.”
He was keen, Matteo’s son. Matteo nodded and glanced up at Ashley.
“I actually arranged for a private performance in Golina’s historic amphitheater. I was hoping that your mom might like to join me there.”
It was a risk, certainly, but the more time Ashley was with him, the more he realized he didn’t want to lose her, ever.
Her eyes widened at the invitation, but David chimed in.
“I want to go, too!” he said.
Ashley cocked a brow at him.
“Are you sure? You’ll have to sit still and listen to music for a while,” she said.
“And we do have a very lovely lady who would be happy to play with you and make sure you get to bed comfortably while we’re gone,” Matteo added.
“Please? I want to see the theater,” David pleaded.
Ashley glanced up at Matteo and shrugged.
“I don’t mind if you don’t,” she said.
Matteo was surprised to find that he didn’t. At least, not yet. Perhaps there would be another time…
The sound of a throat clearing behind him interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to find Silvio with his usual glower in the doorway.
“Your Majesty. A word?”
Matteo nodded. He glanced at Ashley and David.
“Go ahead and get ready. I’ll meet you at your room. Dress casually—it’ll just be us,” he said.
Ashley and David nodded. She seemed to be wary of Silvio, because every time the man arrived, she moved to make a quick exit. She ushered David into the palace in the direction of their room, and Matteo stood and joined Silvio as he headed toward his own quarters.
“This is unwise,” Silvio said.
“Yes, you’ve said that many times,” Matteo said, unperturbed.
“Matteo, if word gets out about this…”
“Then what?” Matteo snapped, tired of this same line. “Do tell me, Silvio, because clearly I haven’t sense to figure it out on my own.”
Silvio frowned deeper, though Matteo hadn’t thought it possible.
“Your cousin is dealing with his own scandal in Italy as we speak. That mess is the only reason the press has ignored you up to this point. You don’t think one picture of the three of you together won’t set off a firestorm? You’ll be hounded everywhere you go until you tell them who the boy is, and once you do, it will only get wors
e. Please listen to me in this… Your family legacy is at stake here.”
They reached Matteo’s doorway. He opened it and turned to face Silvio.
“I am nothing if not cautious, Silvio. I know what I’m doing. Please stop treating me like a careless child.”
“With all due respect, sir, until a few years ago, that’s exactly what you were.”
Matteo stared daggers at his father’s advisor… now his advisor. The man thought he could say whatever he pleased because he’d known Matteo all his life.
Matteo was not the man he once was. He wondered then if Silvio would ever accept that.
“You forget yourself, Silvio, as you so often do. Please remember that when you speak to your king, you do so with respect. Otherwise, I will be forced to relinquish you of your services. Do I make myself clear?”
Silvio’s cheeks drained of color; his teeth clenched as he visibly worked to stay calm. After a moment he stepped back and nodded.
“I hope for your sake that you do know what you’re doing, sir.”
“I appreciate your vote of confidence. I will be at the theater this evening, so please don’t disturb me until the morning.”
“You are a king, sir. There is no true time off.”
“Perhaps that is something that needs to change. I am a man first, am I not?” Matteo asked.
It was something he so often struggled with. Silvio said nothing. In response, Matteo closed the door behind him and headed to the shower, where he scrubbed his skin a little too hard.
Matteo struggled so often balancing the life of a man and that of a king. He lived in a gilded cage that he regularly tried to break, the shackles of his father’s grasp always tethering him to a lifetime of responsibility he’d never chosen nor wanted.
What if David felt that way someday?
He turned off the shower and padded over to his closet, where he changed into a crisp white shirt and a pair of comfortable slacks. As he stepped into his shoes, he opted to release himself from such negative thoughts and enjoy the time he had with David and Ashley. Between the two of them, they always managed to lift his spirits, no matter how dark a mood he was in.
He slicked his wet hair back and headed in the direction of their room, knocking at the door before entering. David was seated on the edge of the bed, kicking his legs as Ashley stepped into a pair of trendy heels. She was wearing a pink, flowing skirt and a black top, and Matteo lost his breath just looking at her.