The Prince's Cinderella Bride

“Excellent. You’re fired, as of today. And I’m perfectly capable of watching my own children until I find someone else.” In the old days, before she’d married Rule, Sydney had worked killing hours at her law firm in Dallas. A full-time nanny had been a necessity then. Now, Sydney had projects she took on, but her schedule was flexible and she enjoyed being a hands-on mom. “And Gerta’s terrific. I know she’ll be willing to accept a nice bonus and keep an eye on all four kids if I get desperate.”

“I can help if you get desperate.”

“The main thing is you’re a full-time writer and you’re getting out on your own.”

“Yes. Fine. I’ll start looking for a place. Something in Monagalla, maybe...” The southwestern ward was close to the palace. It was known as the tourist ward because room rates were relatively low there. But housing in Montedoro didn’t come cheap no matter where you lived.

Syd seemed to be reading her mind. “If you need help with the money...”

“Don’t even go there. I have enough to tide me over until the advance check comes. I’m just...a little freaked out at making the move.”

“No kidding.”

Lani pulled her plate close again. “God. I’m a basket case. Thrilled. Terrified. Sure that Marie will be calling any minute to tell me never mind, it was all a big mistake.”

Syd sipped her coffee and set the cup back down with care. “Is it a guy?”

Lani almost choked on the chip she’d just poked in her mouth. She swallowed it whole and it went down hard. “Whoa. That came out of nowhere.”

“Did it? I don’t think so. Something’s been bothering you since the beginning of the year. I keep asking you what. And you keep not telling me. Who is he?”

Lani was so tired of lying. And Syd didn’t believe her lies anyway. Still, she tried to hold out. “Syd, come on...”

“No, Lani. You come on. Whatever this is, it’s got you really on edge. And it’s got me more than a little bit worried for you.”

“Don’t be. I’m all right.”

“No, you’re not. You’re kind of a mess lately.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Just talk to me.”

Lani waffled. “It’s only, well, I’m afraid you won’t approve.”

Syd made a sound that was midway between a laugh and a groan. “Don’t give me that. We’ve been friends for too long. There is nothing...nothing you could do that would make me love you any less.”

Lani stared at her friend and wanted to cry again. “You are the best. You know that, right?”

“So tell me.”

The words were right there. And so she just said them. “I slept with Max on New Year’s Eve.”

Syd’s green eyes bugged out and her mouth fell open. “Max. As in Maximilian, aka my brother-in-law?”

Lani drew herself straight in her chair. “Yes. Maximilian as in the heir to the throne. That Max. You know the one.”

“Oh, Lani...” Syd shook her head slowly.

Lani made a low, pained little sound. “See? I shouldn’t have told you. Now you’ve gotta be certain I have a screw loose.”

Syd’s hand came down on top of hers. She squeezed her fingers tight. “Stop.”

Lani turned her hand around and grabbed on to Syd’s. “I know you’re shocked.”

“No—well, surprised, maybe. A little.”

“More like a lot.”

Syd gave her a patient look. “I knew the two of you were friendly....”

“Right. Just not that friendly. I mean, the prince and the nanny ending up in bed together. Ick. It just sounds so tacky.”

“I don’t want to have to tell you again,” Syd scolded. “Stop beating yourself up. You like him. He likes you. You’re both single. It happens. Men and women find each other. I mean, where would we all be if it didn’t happen?” Protectively, she laid her other hand over their joined ones. “I did notice how he was always finding a reason to talk to you, always hanging around with you and Gerta and the children.”

“Well, his kids were there, too.”

“Lani. Let me make myself clearer. I should have guessed.”

“Why should you guess? I mean, everyone talks about how much he loved his wife, about how he’ll never get married again, how nobody has a chance with him.”

“Nobody until you, apparently.”

She pulled her hand free of Syd’s comforting grip and ate another chip without really even tasting it. “It was one night, that’s all.”

Syd leaned a little closer. “Do you want it to be more?”

Lani hardly knew how to answer, so she didn’t.

Syd kept after her. “Is he treating you like it never happened or something? Do I need to kick his ass for you?”

Lani pushed her plate away again, then pulled it back, ate a slice of pickle and teased, “You think you could take him? He’s pretty fit.”

“Answer the question. Has he been disrespecting you?”

“No, he hasn’t. He’s been wonderful. Last night, he kissed me and said he won’t give up on me, even though I’ve done everything I possibly can to chase him away.”

“Wait. Stop. I’m getting whiplash, this conversation is so confusing. He wants to keep seeing you—and you’re just not interested?”

Lani pushed her plate aside for the third time so that she could bang her head on the table. Then she sat up, sucked in a hard breath and said, “No, actually, I’m crazy about him.”

Syd stared at her for a long time. Then she said gently, “So give him a chance.” Lani only looked at her. Syd spoke again. “This is not eleven years ago.”

Lani almost wished she’d never confided in Syd about what had happened when she was eighteen, the terrible choices she’d made and the life-altering domino effect of the ugly consequences that followed. But they were best friends and best friends shared the deepest, hardest secrets. “I just don’t want to get my heart broken, okay? Been there, done that. It almost destroyed me. I don’t want to go there again.”

“The way I remember it, you broke up with Michael Cort because you wanted more than just safety in a man....”

“Yeah, I know that, but—”