How To Propose To A Princess (The Princess Brides 3)
AFTER NICO’S TRIP to La Valazzura
, he returned to Domodossola the next Monday morning and drove straight to his office. But this time he was the one who had a contingent of bodyguards from La Valazzura following him.
The dozens of messages both on his phone and email account would have to wait. Several were from Felipe and Dr. Silvio. None of them were from Fausta of course.
After working through a full day’s schedule of patients, he hurried over to the pediatric ward to find her. Fausta had been burdened with his personal pain and had felt it. He wanted her to know her prayer for him had been answered. His long search to find his parents had been miraculously realized.
If she’d already gone home from the hospital, he’d drive to the palace and wait for as long as it would take to see her. He’d been reborn into a new world he had no affinity for. There was only one person he wanted to talk to about the tumult going on inside him and he needed her.
He stopped at the nursing station. “Where can I find Princess Fausta?”
The nurse looked up. “She’s not here. Last Monday Signorina Vitale told us that the princess now has a royal commitment that prevents her from doing any more volunteer work for the hospital for an indefinite period. It’s a shame because she’s the children’s favorite person.”
That was Nico’s fault. Feeling as if he’d been stabbed, he thanked her and left the hospital. En route to pick up a quick meal he phoned Fausta, but could get only her voice mail. After asking her to call him back immediately, he drove home and went to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. He might be up all night waiting to hear from her and needed fortification. Maybe he’d done too much damage and no amount of persuasion would get her to call him.
Before he’d left the baroque palace in Azzura, he’d made a solemn promise to the prime minister and Basil. In one month’s time he’d tell them if he wanted to try and fill his father’s shoes. But it all depended on the queen. She had yet to consider if she could accept him, let alone back him.
Until he heard from Liliane, Nico needed the next thirty days to do the most serious soul-searching of his life. But he couldn’t do any of it without talking to Fausta.
A few minutes after nine his phone rang. He grabbed it. When he saw who was calling, he almost had a heart attack before clicking on. “Fausta?”
“Nico? What kind of emergency would require you to talk to me when we said our goodbyes over a week ago?”
“Something earthshaking. I tried to find you on the pediatric ward and was told you weren’t there. You should know that the nurse said they’re all in mourning you can’t come in to volunteer for a while. You were their favorite.”
“That’s very kind of her.”
“Because it was the truth! Are you still in Rome?”
After a silence she said, “No. Why do you ask?”
“Because I have to see you in person. When will you be back at the palace?”
“Not for a while.”
He took a quick breath. “Where are you?”
“Mottalciata.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “What are you doing there?” As if he didn’t know.
“I’ve been here for close to a week doing business with the orphanage.”
No doubt having computers installed. She’d said she planned to make it a priority. He stifled a moan. “Where are you staying?”
“At a hotel in the village.”
“Which one of the two?”
“Nico—”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll find you because I’m coming right now.” He hung up and flew out of his apartment after throwing a few necessities into a bag.
Two hours later he drove by the first hotel, trailed by his bodyguards. He saw several cars parked outside. Because one was unmarked, it had to be her bodyguard. He jumped out and hurried inside to the front desk.
But before he could ask the man who’d just come out to the counter to ring her room, Fausta emerged from the staircase, her golden hair flouncing. She had to have been watching for him. With a face and body like hers, she was so gorgeous it took his breath away. She’d dressed in beige pleated pants and a tan colored crew neck top with short sleeves.
“I don’t care if it’s close to midnight.” He spoke first. “I need to talk to you. We can go out to my car or up to your room. The choice is yours.”