by Leslie North
“Will you do me the great honor of being my partner in this unpredictable life? Kyra, will you marry me?”
“I will,” she said and tilted her chin up to kiss him. He slipped the ring on her finger and she gave it a long look.
“That’s a hell of a ring, Marcus. Nice choice,” she said.
“It was my great-grandmother’s,” he said. “My mother gave it to me to give to you.”
Kyra placed a hand over her heart, clearly touched by his family’s approval of passing on an heirloom.
He leaned in to kiss her again, and she whispered in his ear. “I say we go for unconventional all the way.”
Nose to nose, Marcus grinned back at her.
“Great,” he said. “I’m all in for that.”
He dug into his briefcase and pulled out a bottle of whiskey.
“I snuck it in,” he said, and Kyra shook her head, a laugh on her lips. “How about a toast?”
“Why not?” she said. “But only a sip for me. I’m nursing.”
Marcus looked perplexed for a moment then knocked a fist lightly on his head.
“I didn’t even think about that,” he said.
“No worries. I can have a sip.”
“To a future that is as wonderfully surprising as our life together has been so far. You have changed my life, Kyra.”
She held up a plastic cup that had hardly a splash of whiskey inside.
“I’ve tamed the wild prince, right?” she joked.
“I’m not completely tame,” he said and gave a quiet growl. “I’m wild about my daughter and my future wife. I’m crazy for you and for the idea of us getting to spend the rest of our lives together.”
“Marcus, you’ve changed my life too, you know.” Kyra leaned her head onto his cheek.
“Yep,” he said and sipped his whiskey. “Knocked you up the day I met you.”
“I’m serious,” she said, and he stared into her eyes. “You’ve given me the most beautiful gift I could ever ask for. Just look at her.”
Marcus beamed at their daughter.
“I love you, Kyra,” he said, and without waiting for her to respond he planted a kiss on her lips that promised days and years of joy ahead of them.
As they kissed, the baby began to fuss. A deep voice broke their private moment.
“Is it all right if I hold my granddaughter?”
It was King Hanson. He walked into the hospital room, and without invitation approached Kyra’s bed.
Smiling, Kyra held Lea out to her grandfather. As the king took the baby into his arms, something in his demeanor seemed to shift. All sternness melted from his face, and a smile lit up his cheeks like sunshine.
“Oh, she’s so beautiful,” he said and turned to Marcus. “Son, I know I was less than encouraging about your choice to become a father, but I have to admit I was wrong.”
Marcus didn’t know what to say.
“Baby Lea is the absolute best achievement of your life,” the king said. “Family is everything, Marcus.”
Marcus and Kyra smiled.
“Hands down,” Marcus agreed.
“And Kyra.” King Hanson turned his eyes to her. “Please accept my apology for my harsh behavior toward you. I hope you know I’m tough on Marcus out of love. But I never should have said those things to you.”
“It’s forgotten already,” she said.
“Thank you both for bringing Lea into the world and into our family.” King Hanson stared once more at the baby and cooed. “You’ve made me a grandpa.”
Kyra and Marcus laughed at the smitten look on the king’s face.
Marcus had never felt so filled with joy in his whole life. Later that evening, he sat in a recliner next to a sleeping Kyra, thinking that his father was right. Family was unquestionably the most important aspect of life. He let his eyes fall over Kyra’s sweet face, grateful above all that she’d given him the chance to prove himself and be both her partner and a father to Lea. For all the outlandish experiences he’d ever had in his storied life, being in this place with Kyra and their child was by far the best. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, daddy dreams playing behind his eyes.
End of The Playboy Prince’s Pregnant American
Sovalon Royals Book Two
Blurb
After being ditched by his fiancée before they’d even reached the altar, Prince Aldon of Sovalon heads to his quiet, secluded Thistledown Castle to lick his wounds and try to find some peace. Instead, he finds his gorgeous groundskeeper, Piper McKenzie, and her five-year-old, not-so-quiet daughter, Willa. Though he thought he was longing for solitude, Aldon finds himself delightfully distracted by Piper again and again. Piper is not only beautiful, she’s loving, caring, and opening his eyes to things he’d never noticed before.
Single mother Piper loves her idyllic country life with Willa, taking care of Thistledown Castle and working on the gardens. Aldon’s arrival turns everything topsy-turvy. It’s been a long time since a man has turned her head, and Aldon has hers spinning like a top. Despite her instant attraction, Piper reminds herself that Aldon is a prince and doesn’t seem to be a fan of kids. Definitely not the man for her. Princes don’t marry groundskeepers, they marry the type of woman he used to be engaged to, the same woman Aldon’s father is insisting he reconcile with. Though Piper might be falling in love, she’s smart enough to realize a fairy tale ending is not for her. Secretly, though, she’s hoping this Prince Charming proves her wrong…
1
Prince Aldon pulled his Jag through the gates of Thistledown Castle. It felt good to be alone behind the wheel of his luxury sports car, listening to his playlist as loud as he wanted, where nobody—not his family, not reporters—could bother him with a barrage of questions about his runaway bride. As he wound down the cobblestone drive, the countryside castle that was his inheritance loomed into view. Its stained-glass window reflected shards of sunlight, and its gray-green stone stood out against the endless blue of the summer sky. The grounds were impeccably kept, boasting colorful flowers and shrubbery.
Judging from the exterior, whoever was taking care of the place was doing a bang-up job.
Being that the castle was his and that he’d planned to make it their forever home once he and his could-have-been wife were ready to settle down, he should have felt pleased.
But he didn’t.
He grimaced as he put the car into park.
As lovely as the countryside and castle were, he just wasn’t in the mood to feel pleased about anything. None of this—not the unexpected jaunt to Thistledown Valley and especially not the ruin of his two-year relationship with Carrie—had been part of his plans.
He had to admit that his engagement to socialite Carrie Simmons had been a gamble. She was used to a jet-set lifestyle, filled with travel and excitement, where he had always preferred a quieter vibe. Being raised as one of the social elite, Carrie’s upbringing had taken her all over the world. She was used to visiting island resorts in Bali and frequenting the hottest Parisian clubs, staying in luxury hotels, enjoying spa packages and the most exclusive suites. Because of all the travel she expected, Aldon had given up his hopes for an academic career in economics. Once their relationship had begun in earnest, his father had appointed both himself and Carrie global ambassadors of Sovalon, so they traveled together and developed relationships with leaders worldwide.
It all had made him very tired. While he couldn’t claim he was exactly pleased to be here, part of him thought that this retreat was long overdue. And if he had to hide out anywhere, he could do much worse than here. As much as he was broken-hearted to have found out about Carrie’s affair with a famous actor, ten years her junior, at least he had somewhere to hide out for a while. He planned on spending his time here at Thistledown Valley with his head in a few finance and budgeting texts. Perhaps now that Carrie had decided to pursue her destiny as a cougar, he would jump back into his first love—economics—and get back to work on his post-graduate degree.
> His ex-fiancée could take the few days she’d requested to box up her things and move them out of his plush city-center condo, while he immersed himself in the quiet of the countryside. A taste of regret filled his mouth at the thought of Carrie, professionally done blond hair—augmented with hundreds of dollars-worth of extensions—movie-star sunglasses, and chemically whitened teeth, giving orders to his staff about what to pack and where to put it, texting her new beau while being carted around in his limo.
Damn her for cheating. How selfish of her! Anger bubbled inside his veins.
She’d ruined everything.
He wished he could make himself believe that they were never a good match, that he was better off without her. He could tell himself that she was self-centered, vain. It was at least partially true. She’d been spoiled, no doubt. She’d had a lifetime of always getting exactly what she wanted, and it had blinded her to the idea that there were some things she couldn’t have, or at least some things she couldn’t do. But underneath the decadence, she still had all the qualities that had made her such an ideal match. She was beautiful and charming, clever and poised. He’d always been proud to have her on his arm, in his life. He’d believed they fit well together. It hadn’t been a love match for the ages, but so what? She’d been a partner he could rely on, and that was better than what most people had. The destruction of that trust had been the toughest blow when he’d learned about her affair.
At least the press hadn’t caught wind of the details of the break-up. They’d certainly published pics of Carrie and her new man having brunch and doing other innocuous things, but an affair was only speculation at this point. There was no proof yet. His father had done a quick sweep of all the juicy bits and had made sure his team put a lockdown on the real reason the wedding was being “postponed,” as the public version of the story went. So when Carrie needed the penthouse to herself for a few days, he couldn’t stay anywhere in the capital. Not when everyone there would expect him to continue playing the role of the happy bridegroom. Thistledown Valley was the only place he could think of where he could go and brood in private, away from the public eye.
He killed the engine and exited the car, taking a deep breath of the country air into his lungs. This respite would be good for him. He hadn’t visited Thistledown Valley in years, and the sprawling estate was the perfect place to hunker down and nurse his wounds before making his way back into the spotlight of royal life.
Aldon popped the trunk and eyed his bags. It had been a long time since he’d unloaded his luggage on his own. Again, a splinter of annoyance stabbed at him, as he thought of his staff, aiding Carrie with her move.
“Might be nice to do things for myself for a change,” he muttered under his breath and dug the bags out of the car, struck by the intense quiet of his surroundings. Other than the occasional birdsong or buzz of a bee, it was silent here. An air of peace fell over him.
Also quite nice for a change.
Just then his cell phone buzzed.
“Aldon here,” he said into the phone.
“Prince Aldon, it’s Laila.”
Why was the aide to his personal assistant calling? She sounded rather flustered.
“Yes, Laila?”
“Prince Aldon, I am so, so sorry!”
“Sorry?”
“Yes, on behalf of the entire staff, I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For not thinking to send staff out ahead of you, sir.” The young woman was out-of-breath. “You’re out there in Thistlytown—”
“Um, it’s Thistledown, Laila.”
“Yes, yes, Thistledown, sorry, it’s just I’ve never actually even heard of the place, you know?”
Aldon’s patience was waning. What was the purpose of Laila’s rambling call?
“We all feel just awful that you’re there all alone, having to worry about your bags and the bedding and the meals… oh, dear! The meals!”
Aldon rolled his eyes.
“Laila, please, it’s really fine,” he reassured the twittering young aide. “I’m completely able to take care of myself out here, and if I need anything, I’m sure the caretaker will get me squared away. In fact, I think I’ll quite enjoy the time alone.”
“Nevertheless, sir, a temporary valet is being vetted and will hopefully arrive soon for you,” she said. “Oh, sir, I’m so, so terribly sorry for your troubles. We’ll have the valet there as soon as possible.”
Was the woman crying? She sounded like it.
“No hurry, really,” Aldon continued. “My biggest concern is that my staff put their best effort into getting Carrie… situated in her new living space.” In other words, get her out of the condo ASAP.
Aldon hung up and resumed carrying his bags up to the veranda of the castle, where he unlocked the tall arched wooden doorway and ventured inside.
The high ceilings of the foyer lent an echo to the sound of his footsteps in the empty house. The caretaker had clearly been doing their job, because even though no one had inhabited the castle for years, it seemed to have been recently cleaned. He didn’t know how often the person came by, but if they didn’t come during his stay, he’d have to leave a note of thanks. Perhaps he could speak to the steward who oversaw his estates and see to some sort of holiday bonus.
Clean, quiet, and unoccupied. Aldon welcomed the alone and quiet part of the equation, but the castle almost felt ghostly. Why would he have expected an empty castle to feel cozy?
Suddenly, the sound of giggling lit up the foyer, causing Aldon to jump with surprise then turn in a circle to decipher where the sound had come from. A woman’s voice called out from down the hallway. If Aldon remembered the layout of the home correctly, the sound was coming from the servants’ quarters.
“Please be patient and wait outside,” the voice said and then began humming a song Aldon didn’t recognize.
He followed the sound to its source, a separate wing of the castle that was accessible through a door off of the foyer.
The moment he walked through the door to the servants’ wing, he sensed an atmosphere of happy activity. The space was so unlike anything he’d expected from the castle, the complete antithesis of uninhabited. The furnishings were far less grand than those in the main part of the house, but with the framed photographs of smiling people decorating the walls and the seating strewn with blankets and puffy pillows, this part of the estate felt downright homey. Aldon strode into the estate’s large, galley-style kitchen, and even this cavernous, industrial space—designed to provide feasts for dozens of guests, if needed, looked brighter and cheerier than he’d expected. The windows and doors to the grounds out back were flung open to let in the fresh air and sunlight. A twenty-something woman, wearing gardening coveralls but no gloves stood at the kitchen sink, filling a watering can. Although the woman was filthy dirty—weeds dangling from the tendrils of fiery-red hair and soil both beneath her fingernails and studding her chin, Aldon couldn’t help but see past the grime.
God, she’s beautiful.
He swallowed and shook away the thought. The last thing he needed was to become attracted to another woman while he was still reeling from Carrie’s infidelity. He cleared his throat, in hopes that the woman at the sink would notice his presence and stop her incessant humming.
“Oh, my God!” she exclaimed, and in her surprise, tossed the watering can up and out of her hands. The yellow plastic pitcher came down with a splash, landing at her rubber-booted feet.
Aldon rushed to help her wipe up the watery mess.
“I’m so sorry to have startled you,” he said and placed the half-full can on the kitchen counter. Luckily, it hadn’t spilled, just splashed. “I’m Aldon Ashton, the owner of this estate.”
The woman grabbed a terry dish towel from the counter and used it to pat her face dry. When she was finished, there were smears of mud across both of her cheeks. She looked like she was ready for a rugby match. Aldon had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing.
“Thanks,” he said. “I wasn’t worried.”
She met his eyes, and he couldn’t help but notice that hers were the most brilliant shade of green. Emerald, like the bright and beautiful shrubbery that had welcomed him as he’d pulled up to Thistledown Castle a few moments ago. She smiled and held out a crusty-nailed hand to shake.
“I’m Piper Mackenzie,” she said. When she noticed the uncertain look he gave her hand, she quickly turned to the sink to scrub away the dirt. “Sorry for my appearance. I’m a mess!”
She laughed, and Aldon was struck by her beauty once again.
“Don’t apologize,” he said. “So, you’re the gardener here, I’m guessing?”
“Groundskeeper and caretaker,” Piper replied. “I take care of everything here at the castle, inside and out. Living on site makes it easy.”
Wait.
Back. Up.
“You live here?” he asked.
“Well, yes. I’ve been here for a few years now.”
He stared at her, still stuck on the fact that this lovely creature lived here and would be sharing the space with him. He bit his lip and tried to think of something to say as Piper tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear and grinned innocently. How was he supposed to concentrate on economics and solitude, knowing this gorgeous creature was just a few steps away?
Why was she, a young and beautiful woman, working as a caretaker and living at an old castle, all alone? It seemed quite an isolating career choice for someone as youthful and lovely as Piper.
Aldon cleared his throat and summoned his best—I’ve dealt with it—face. He would have to figure out how to ignore her presence for the next few days and focus on the reason he was here—for respite, not for rebound.