The Prince and the Wedding Planner

His phone chimed and he withdrew it from his pocket. She subdued a smile when his eyes widened as he read his phone. “You have forwarded me the information already?”

She nodded. “I like to be prepared. I keep relevant information on a cloud account.”

“Thank you. I will be in touch.” And then he turned and walked away.

She wanted to rush after him and ask when he would be in touch. This week? This month? This year? How was she supposed to plan anything when there was a real possibility of working for the Prince of Patazonia?

Or was it nothing more than a fantasy? Would a prince who could hire the best of the best want to hire a no-name like herself? Sure, she’d worked on the biggest and best weddings, but it hadn’t been her name associated with those weddings, it had been her boss’s. Bianca was still working to make her name known in the wedding world. So thinking a prince would hire her, well, it was nothing more than a fairy tale.

CHAPTER THREE

HE LIKED HER.

He liked her style. He liked her lack of pushiness. He liked her confidence.

And most of all, he liked the thought of her bringing peace to his home.

As the wedding reception wound down, Leo decided to make his move. His assistant had run a preliminary background check on Miss Bianca Bartolini and as for the references, each and every person had nothing but glowing compliments for Bianca and her capabilities.

He’d been observing Bianca. She was not a loud woman, not by any stretch. When the buffet table had run out of pastries, she’d quietly reminded the young woman to refill the tray. No matter what came up, she was on top of it. And had he not been keenly observing her, he wouldn’t have noticed that she was constantly working to make the event seamless.

And now he was armed with the information he needed to put his plan into action. He approached Bianca, who currently had her back to him. It gave him a moment to notice the gentle curls of her dark hair with its half up and half down hairdo. The curls settled on the exposed nape of her neck before falling partway down her back. Her narrow waist was accentuated by the sash of her dress.

He followed the dress down over the curve of her hips to where the hemline stopped just a couple inches above her knees. He shouldn’t be checking her out, especially not when he was about to hire her. Still, his gaze did its own thing, continuing to the end, where he found she wore a pair of silver stiletto heels.

She was a knockout. So much different from the very prim, very proper wedding planner that his mother preferred to work with. But if he was about to become king, then it was time everyone in the kingdom, including his mother, learned that traditions have their time and place but the future of their nation relied upon their ability to stay current and evolve with the times in order to remain relevant. And Miss Bartolini was going to be his first statement to his mother and the staff.

Next, he’d have to announce his choice for a bride. And he didn’t have much time to make this monumental decision. By the end of the year, he would be married. The happily part was doubtful.

The ridiculous requirement in the country’s charter about him being married in order to become ruler—talk about your archaic notions. Try as he might to get around that sticking point, it was law. One of his ancestors had written it into the country’s charter and now he must abide by it, if he were to step up and be the king that people needed. It was something he intended to change once he was king.

Though he’d dragged his feet about taking on the position, he’d grown a lot in recent years. He’d gotten involved in politics and government, finding that he had a real head for these things. And then he’d gone out in disguise amongst his people and seen how the decisions made by government affected everyday citizens. And he wanted to be a part of that—he wanted to help the people of Patazonia.

But first, he had to see to his sister’s happiness.

As though Bianca sensed his presence behind her, she turned. “Your Highness.” She dipped her chin. “Is there something I can do for you?”

Just then the orchestra started to play a new song. It’d been a while since he’d danced and from what he’d observed, Bianca hadn’t let up on her duties long enough to enjoy the evening. It was wrong for her to miss out on such a marvelous evening.

With the lanterns sending a warm cast over the patio area, he asked, “Would you care to dance?”

Her expressive eyes widened before she resumed her neutral expression. “Thank you. But I shouldn’t be seen dancing. I have work to do.”

He was surprised by her refusal. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d been rebuffed. This just made him all the more determined to get her out on the dance floor.

“You’ve worked so hard to make this the perfect evening for my friend and his bride. You should take a moment to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

She smiled but didn’t say anything.

“Why are you smiling?”

Immediately the smile slipped from her lips. “It’s just the way you say some things. It’s different.”

“Ah, I see. I was taught by older scholars who believed formal speech is befitting a king. Or a king in the making.”

“And what do you believe?”

“I believe a good king can speak any way he wants. It’s what’s in his heart that matters most. And now that I’ve indulged your curiosity, it’s time you indulge mine as well.” He held his arm out to her. “Shall we?”