A Royal Baby Surprise (The Sherdana 2)

“It’s very nice to meet you,” Brooke was saying to his parents as Nic and Gabriel caught up to the women. “Thank you for letting me stay at the palace for a few days.”

Nic felt the impact of his mother’s gaze as he drew up beside Brooke. He set his palm on her back and through her dress felt the tension quivering in her muscles.

“We are happy to have you,” Nic’s father said, his broad smile genuine.

When it came to matters affecting his country, the king was a mighty warrior defending his realm from all threats social, economic and diplomatic. However, he was a teddy bear when it came to his wife and children. But the queen ruled her family with an iron fist in a velvet glove. All four of her children knew the strength of her will and respected it. In exchange she allowed them the opportunity to figure out their place in the world.

This meant Nic had been allowed to attend university in the United States and stay there living his dream of space travel until Sherdana had needed him to come home. But while he’d appreciated his ten years of freedom from responsibility, it made his return that much harder.

“Very happy,” the queen echoed. “I understand, Miss Davis, that you are the sister of the man Nic has been working with for the last five years.”

“Yes, my brother is in charge of the Griffin project.”

“Perhaps you will join me for breakfast tomorrow. I’d like to hear more about the project Nic has been working on with your brother.”

“I would be happy to have breakfast with you.”

“Wonderful. Is eight o’clock too early for you?”

“Not at all. Unlike Nic, I’m an early riser.”

Nic knew she’d meant the jab for him. It was an old joke between them on the mornings when he’d worked late into the night and then crashed on the couch in his workroom. But he could see at once that his mother was wondering how Brooke knew what time Nic got out of bed in the morning.

Even without glancing toward his brother, Gabriel’s amusement was apparent. Nic kept his own expression bland as he met his mother’s steely gaze.

Olivia saved the moment from further awkwardness. “And after breakfast perhaps you could come to the stables and watch the twins take a riding lesson. They are showing great promise as equestrians. Do you ride, Brooke?”

“I did when I was younger, but school has kept me far too busy in recent years.”

“Brooke has two doctorates,” Nic interjected smoothly. “She teaches Italian language and literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz.”

“You’re young to have accomplished that much,” Gabriel said.

Brooke nodded. “I graduated high school with two years of college credits and spent the next ten years immersed in academia. After my brother went off to college my parents hosted a girl from Italy. She stayed with us a year and by the time she went home, I was fluent in Italian and learning to read it, as well.”

Olivia spoke up. “Have you spent much time in Italy?”

“While I was working on my second doctorate, I spent a year in Florence and Rome. Before that my mother and I would visit for a week or two during the summer depending on her deadlines. She writes for television and has penned a mystery series set in sixteenth-century Venice that does very well.” Talking about her mother’s accomplishments had relaxed Brooke. Her eyes sparkled with pride.

This relaxed Nic as well, but as the family made their way toward the dining room, the queen pulled him aside.

“Lovely girl, your Miss Davis.”

“Actually it’s Dr. Davis.” Although he had a feeling his mother already knew that and had spoken incorrectly to get a rise out of her son. And since Nic had already denied that he and Brooke were anything but friends, why did his mother put the emphasis on your? “I’m glad you like her.”

“Did you look at the files I gave you?”

“Yes. Any one of them would be a fine princess.” He couldn’t bring himself to use the word wife yet. “You and your team did a fine job of choosing candidates that lined up with my needs.”

“Yes we did. Now, let’s see if you can do an equally fine job choosing a wife.”

Nine

At her first dinner with Nic’s family, Brooke sat beside Nic on the king’s left hand and ate little. Part of the reason she’d been late to dinner was another bout of nausea that struck her shortly after she’d risen. So much for morning sickness. Brooke wasn’t sure why it was called that when it seemed to strike her at random times throughout the day.

“You’re not eating,” Nic murmured, the first words he’d spoken directly to her since the meal had begun.

“I’m dining with royalty,” she muttered back. “My stomach is in knots.”