* * *
The next morning at breakfast, Alex and Paris couldn't stop giving each other sidelong glances filled with meaning, and in turn, Joseph and Matthias couldn't control their urge to tease their big brother, especially because their parents hadn't yet made it down to the table.
“Alex, man, I came to your room to play cards last night and you were nowhere to be found. Where were you hiding?”
Alex looked uncomfortable, but Paris had spent more than her fair share of time around her big brother, and was used to teasing like this.
“You checked the wrong room, Joseph. Alex was playing with me. But you wouldn't have been invited.”
Matthias choked on his orange juice and did a spit take all over Joseph. Joseph cursed at Matthias as he tried to wipe juice from his face and shirt. Alex stared at Paris with an amazed smile on his face, just as Cat and the King walked in the dining room. King Alexander surveyed the scene, his eyebrows knitted together in concern.
“Do I want to know what happened here?”
At the same time, Matthias, Joseph, Alex, and Paris replied,
“No, sir.”
23
When Whitney's plane touched down at the private airport in Dalvana, her bodyguard Orin finally ventured to ask the question he'd been dreading since they left Estia.
“Princess Whitney... There are bound to be photographers waiting outside the terminal when we leave. Would like us to do something in order to avoid unnecessary attention?”
Even as he asked the question, he knew what her answer would be. Leonard and Penelope had begged Orin to do anything he could to keep a low profile. But the glint of revenge in Whitney's eyes made it clear that she had no intention of doing anything to make this easy on anyone. If anything, she was going to cause a massive scene. And Orin had zero chance of preventing it. He was a full two feet taller than Whitney, and outweighed her by 150-pounds easy, and yet... he was terrified of her.
Whitney grabbed her Hermès bag and put on her Chanel sunglasses, and stared at Orin with contempt in her eyes.
“I have no intention of hiding from the press, Orin. Let them know I'm here. Let the press force Alex to face up to what he's done. Either way, he's going to have to deal with me. Sooner rather than later. Is there a limo waiting outside the door?”
Her tone made it clear that wasn't meant to be a question. If the limo wasn't there, Orin was going to be physically assaulted by the Princess, likely in front of the photographers. Whitney had never cared about anyone in the media believing she was a shrinking violet. For some, it endeared her to them. They believed she was feisty and funny. They didn't know that really, she was just mean and violent. She'd been known to shout at children that tried to speak to her, and in one PR nightmare, kicked a little boy who accidentally got chocolate on her Gucci skirt.
Orin knew that whatever was about to happen in Dalvana, it was going to be horrible for everyone who wasn't Whitney.
I should have quit yesterday, he thought as he followed her dutifully off the plane.
* * *
King Alexander and Cat sat in his office, still as statues, staring at each other with absolute terror in their eyes. They had been sitting like that for half an hour, Cat holding Alexander's hand as he summoned up the will (and intestinal fortitude) to return Leonard's sixty-three phone calls. Twice, the King had picked up the phone, then panicked and put it back down. Finally, Catriona bit her lip and squeezed her husband's hand.
“Let's just get this over with, darling. It won't get easier, the longer we wait. It's going to be horrible no matter what.”
Alexander nodded resolutely at his wife, squeezed her hand back, then picked up the phone.
“Joy, can you please connect me to King Leonard of Estia... Yes, Joy. I'm sure.”
Cat smiled somberly as Alexander was connected. She watched as a conversation she could only hear one side of took place, but she could easily fill in the blanks.
“Hello, Leonard... Yes, I apologize for not returning your calls more promptly, but things have been a bit hectic here, as you can imagine... No, Leonard, I assure you, I have NOT been avoiding you.”
Cat snorted a quick laugh, then hastily covered her mouth so Leonard wouldn't know she was in the room.
“Leonard, I am very sorry for the way this played out. It is not the way we would have chosen. However, Alexander has made a decision regarding his future, and as his parents, we are bound by love and honor to support him. I'm afraid we are going to have to call off the engagement with Whitney.”
The screaming on the other end was so loud, the King had to pull the phone away from his ear to avoid damage to his hearing. Catriona's eyes opened wide in shock, but King Alexander just shook his head, choosing not to listen to the torrent of profanities that were being hurled his way from the other side of the line. After what felt like an eternity, Alexander finally decided he'd had enough.
“Leonard, Leonard. Calm down. I understand your disappointment, and we are willing to find a way to make up for the fact that we are reneging on our side of the agreement, but let's be civil and rational, please. Whitney and Alexander have never gotten along. It is a different era from the one in which we were matched with our wives, and perhaps it's time for all of us to… modernize a bit, eh? Now, if you can discuss this calmly with me, I am willing to continue the conversation. But if you are going to proceed with your shouting, I'm afraid I will have to say goodbye.”
Even from ten feet away, Cat could hear Leonard slam the phone down on his end. But Alexander didn't even jump. He anticipated that Leonard wasn't capable of being rational or calm.
“So how bad is this going to be?” Cat whispered.
The King rubbed his temples.
“Bad. It's going to be bad.”
* * *
On the other side of the castle, in a garden that was completely hidden from prying eyes, Paris and Alex had no idea what was going on in the King's office. They didn't know anything about Whitney creeping her way toward their cozy bit of romance. All they knew was how warm the sun felt on their skin as it peeked through the canopy of trees above. All they knew was the intoxicating smell of lilacs drifting all around them as they lay entwined in the soft, emerald grass. All they knew was the comfort of their fingers clasped together as they talked about their lives before they met, about what they wanted from the future, about what they wanted in a future together.
“Paris, I haven't yet properly apologized for... everything, that happened. For
bringing you here without explaining, for not telling you the whole truth about who I am, and for stealing you away from your studies. I know you're missing classes, and I feel terrible about that.”
Paris laughed, and leaned over to kiss Alex on the cheek.
“I will definitely have a lot of explaining to do when I get back, and some credits to catch up on, but I can't say I'm totally disappointed to be here.”
Alex smiled, but there was a little bit of sadness in his smile.
“I know it's a big decision, and a lot to think about, but would you ever consider picking up your medical studies here? I know you might have to re-take some classes, but I'm sure we could find a way to help you get started.”
Paris sat up and looked at Alex lying on the grass. His eager eyes smiled up at her, and she felt the butterflies again.
“Are you serious? You want me to... move here?”
“Well, I asked you to be my wife. That would be fairly difficult if you were living on another continent.”
Paris lay back down next to Alex, her head spinning with a hundred different thoughts. Alex could sense her hesitation, and offered her some reprieve.
“You don't have to decide now, Paris. But in the meantime, today is actually Matthias' birthday. We've had a party planned for quite some time, more of a ball, I suppose, since he's turning twenty-one. I'd like it very much if you'd be my date.”
Paris laughed.
“A prince wants me to be his date to a ball? Sure, because that happens to me every day.”
Alex rolled to his side and peppered Paris' face with kisses.
“I'm glad to be the first! Mother is going to take you to get a dress today, if you're willing to face the possibility of running into photographers.”
Paris kissed Alex back, slowly, with all of the passion she felt for him.
“I've made it this far. A few photographers aren't going to scare me off.”