A Royal Baby Surprise (The Sherdana 2)

“Nic is going. I’m heading for Italy.” But her plan to visit friends in Rome had lost its appeal. More than anything she wanted to head home to family and friends and start the process of healing in their comforting embrace.

Elena’s eyes narrowed. “You let me know if you need anything before you leave.”

Seven

Awaking to an empty bed hadn’t been the best start to Nic’s day, but he reasoned he might as well get used to disappointment because he wouldn’t ever wake to Brooke’s smile again. The sun was high by the time Nic finished his shower and headed to the first floor. Elena was dusting the already immaculate furniture. She shot him an intensely unhappy look as he poured himself a cup of coffee and he wondered at her barely veiled hostility.

“Have you seen Brooke this morning?” he asked, carrying his cup to the terrace doorway and peering in the direction of the guesthouse. The trip to Kefalonia’s airport would take forty-five minutes by boat and another hour over land. They would need to leave soon.

“She has eaten breakfast and had some last minute packing to do.”

“Is Thasos ready with the boat?”

Elena nodded. “She is a nice girl. You shouldn’t let her go to Italy by herself.”

“She is going to visit friends,” he explained to the housekeeper, while guilt nibbled at the edges of his conscience. “She knows her way around. She lived in Rome and Florence for a year.”

“You should take her home.”

Nic was startled by Elena’s remark. He’d been thinking the same thing all morning. Unfortunately that wasn’t possible. Reality dictated he should distance himself from Brooke as soon as possible, but the thought of letting her go off by herself disturbed him.

If she didn’t get on a plane bound for California, he would spend the next two weeks worrying about her traveling alone in Europe instead of focusing on the issues at home and the necessity of finding a wife. Nor did he have time to escort her to the gate and satisfy himself that she was heading to San Francisco. He was expected back in Sherdana this afternoon.

Nic’s chest tightened. He was doing a terrible job of lying to himself. In truth he wasn’t ready to say goodbye. It was selfish and stupid.

“I need to make a phone call,” Nic told Elena. “Will you let Brooke know we’ll be leaving in ten minutes?”

Calling himself every sort of idiot, Nic dialed Gabriel. When he answered, Nic got right to the point. “I’m bringing someone home with me. She’s come a long way to see me and I don’t feel right leaving her alone in Greece.”

“She?” Gabriel echoed, not quite able to keep curiosity out of his voice. “Is this going to cause problems?”

Nic knew exactly what Gabriel meant and decided not to sugarcoat it. “That’s not my intention. She’s Glen’s sister. I think I’ve mentioned her a few times.”

“The one who drives you crazy?” Gabriel sounded intrigued.

“The interfering one who flew here to convince me to come back to the Griffin project.”

“Just the project?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nic didn’t intend to be defensive, but with last night’s events still reverberating across his emotions, he wasn’t in the best shape to fence with a diplomat as savvy as Gabriel. “She’s Glen’s little sister.”

“And you talk about her more than any woman you’ve ever known.”

“I know what you’re getting at, but it’s not an issue. Things got a little complicated between us recently, but everything is sorted out.”

“Complicated how?”

“I didn’t tell her who I was until she came here looking for me and that upset her. I shouldn’t have left her in the dark. We’ve been...friends...for a long time.”

“Why didn’t you tell her?”

Nic rubbed his temples where an ache had begun. “I know this is going to be hard for you to understand but I liked being an ordinary scientist, anonymously doing the work I’m really good at.”

“You’re right. I don’t understand. I grew up knowing I belonged to the country. You never did like being in the spotlight. So you didn’t tell her you’re a prince. Do you think she would have looked at you differently if she’d known all along?”

“Brooke values a person for how they behave not who they are or what they have.”

Gabriel laughed. “She sounds like your sort of girl. I can’t wait to meet her.”