“No. I’m heading back tomorrow,” Luc answered.
“What are you going to do?”
“I have no clue, man.”
Mikos sighed. “Want my advice?”
“You’re going to give it anyway, so why ask?”
“I am,” Mikos agreed with a laugh. “Figure out why she lied. You told me once you had a thing for her. Maybe she was acting on her own feelings and taking a cue from yours before the accident.”
“Are you defending her actions?” The last thing Luc wanted to hear was a justifiable cause. Damn it, he wanted to be angry, wanted to place all the blame on her.
“Hell, no. I’m saying love is a strong emotion.”
“You’re too blinded by this wedding,” Luc replied. “Kate doesn’t love me. You don’t lie and scheme with those you love, no matter the circumstances.”
“I did to Darcy,” Mikos reminded him. “She had no idea who I was, and I was totally in love with her. I nearly lost her, but she forgave me. You know how things can get mixed up, Luc.”
Luc recalled that time when Mikos’s nanny had first been hired. She’d had no clue Mikos was a widowed prince. The two had fallen in love before Mikos could fully explain the truth.
“Our situations are completely different,” Luc muttered. “I’m not forgiving her. No matter what.”
“Just make sure you really think this through before you go off on her once you get home,” Mikos warned. “What she did was wrong, no doubt about it. But she’s not like Alana. I know that’s something you’ll never forget or get over, but Alana had an ulterior motive from the start. You’ve known Kate for years and she’s never once done you wrong.”
Luc finished the call, unable to think of anything else but the truth Mikos had laid out before him. No, Kate had never deceived him in any way before. She’d been the best assistant he’d ever had. To be honest, the only reason he hadn’t pursued her before was because of their working relationship and possible repercussions to his ascension to the throne. With the mess he’d gotten himself into lately, it would be a miracle if the press didn’t rip his family’s reputation to shreds if the truth came out.
Once he returned to Ilha Beleza, he and Kate would have a one-on-one chat, now that they’d both had time to absorb all that had happened. They needed to talk. He couldn’t keep her around if he didn’t trust her. And that was the problem. When it came to his professional life, he trusted no one else.
Unfortunately, when it came to his personal life, he didn’t trust her one bit...but that didn’t stop him from wanting her. Even this week apart hadn’t dimmed his attraction toward her. Which begged the question: What the hell was going to happen once he got home? And would he be able to control himself?
Thirteen
His desk was exactly how he always kept it—neat, tidy and organized, with his schedule in hard copies just as he wanted it. He knew there would also be emails on his computer with the same information.
Kate had kept up her end of the bargain and continued working just as if she hadn’t torn their entire lives to shreds. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or angry that she was still here, still within reaching distance...not that he was going to reach out to her. He had more pride than that.
Luc flipped through the papers, even though he’d looked through his email earlier and knew what he had coming up. Mikos’s wedding was only two weeks away, and other than that, there were a handful of meetings and social events at which he was expected to make an appearance. He’d been knocked down so many times in the past few months he didn’t know if he had the energy to put forth for anyone outside his immediate family and staff. He was so exhausted, spent and depleted from trying to perform damage control on his personal life, there was no way he could keep up with his royal obligations, too.
Thankfully, from the looks of his schedule, Kate had helped him dodge any media interviews over the next few months. For that he was grateful, but not enough to seek her out and thank her. He wasn’t ready to thank her for anything...and he might never be.
&nb
sp; “Oh, sweetheart. You’re back.”
Luc glanced toward the high, arched doorway as his mother breezed in. The woman possessed more elegance and grace than anyone he’d ever known. With her polished style and loving grin, she made the perfect queen, but her reign was soon coming to an end. Well, it would be if he managed to find a way to secure his title before his birthday, and without a wife.
Luc crossed the room and relished her embrace. Even though he’d always been close with his parents, he didn’t have it in him to discuss all the ways he was struggling right now.
“How are you?” she asked, pulling back to assess him. Clutching his arms, she studied his face. “No more symptoms? You remember everything now?”
Luc nodded. “I’m perfectly fine.”
She held on to him another moment, then broke the contact. “We need to talk.”
He crossed his arms as his mother shut the double doors, giving them complete privacy.
“Have you seen Kate since you’ve been back?” she asked.