Once Upon A Prince

“And I’m not going to,” Tanner said softly.

Shey put a hand over the receiver and said, “Listening to other people’s conversations is just rude. I’d have expected better from a prince.”

“I live to shake people’s expectations,” he said with an unprincely grin.

“What do you mean?” Parker asked over the phone.

“I mean, His Royal Painness and his goons—”

“His goons?” Parker asked.

Shey realized she hadn’t had a chance to mention Tanner’s three henchmen, so she explained, “He brought bodyguards, three of them. Anyway, they have rooms at the new hotel on the bayfront, but princy here won’t go. He says he’s staying with me.”

“Why on earth would he want to stay with you?”

“Because he said he figured you’d come rescue me and he’d get to talk to you.”

“Do you need me to rescue you?” Parker asked.

Shey had spent her life taking care of herself, not simply because it was her nature, but because it was necessity. After her father died, her mother worked at least two jobs to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. Shey had to learn to be self-sufficient, because if she hadn’t learned to look out for herself, no one else would have.

That all changed when she won an academic scholarship to Mercyhurst College. That’s when she’d learned to count on others—when she found Parker and Cara.

No, she took that back. She hadn’t found them, they’d found her. She’d never quite figured out how or why, but over the years she discovered it didn’t matter. No matter how different they were, they fit. Three pieces that just clicked.

She had people to count on. Her friendship with Parker and Cara had seen to that.

Shey knew if she asked, Parker would come running to help even though the last person she wanted to deal with was her supposed fiancé. Knowing there was someone who would come when you called, no matter what, was a wonderful feeling. And every now and then it hit Shey and she felt a warm glow.

“No,” she said with a chuckle. “I just wanted to see how nice I have to be. He’s your fiancé, after all.”

“No,” Parker corrected, “he’s an old childhood friend, not a fiancé. And you don’t have to be nice at all.”

“Really?” Shey asked, smiling at Tanner who had the good sense to look a bit nervous. He rose and held out his hand for the phone.

“Really,” Parker answered.

“Great.” Shey ignored Tanner’s hand, still raised and waiting for the phone.

“Just don’t do anything that will land either of us in jail,” Parker added. “I could probably get diplomatic immunity, but you’d be sunk.”

“No problem. Hang on, princy wants to talk to you.”

“Parker, it’s imperative we speak,” Tanner insisted.

He was quiet as he listened to whatever Parker responded.

“Parker,” he said, “your father said—”

Parker must have cut him off because he stopped in midsentence.

“Someone else? Who?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “That man from tonight?”

Shey almost felt sorry for Tanner. Parker was a dangerous opponent.

She’d remembered what had happened to poor Hoffman—the last man Parker’s father had sent after her. Parker had fixed up Hoffman with Perry Square’s resident manicurist, Josie. Hoffman swore it was a vicious, horrible act of spite. He’d had to spend so much time evading Josie and her pals, that he hadn’t been able to properly tail the runaway princess. Eventually, he’d told Parker’s father he quit, but by then he’d become accustomed to Josie, that they became one of the Square’s newest, happiest couples.

Maybe she should warn Tanner what he was up against.

Shey glanced at the very disgruntled-looking prince, who refused to leave her home, and quickly decided that maybe she shouldn’t.

“You can’t be serious,” Tanner said.

He waited a moment longer, then hung up the phone.

“So?” Shey asked.

“She’s seeing someone else?” he asked.

Shey knew Parker wasn’t, but she was willing to play along for her friend’s sake. “It never occurred to you that someone as amazing as Parker would be dating?”

“No.”

He looked as if the whole concept of a woman preferring someone other than himself was not only distasteful, but was totally incomprehensible.

“Well, princy, you’re not as bright as you think you are. Men are always after Parker. Chasing her, wooing her. I think it shows an awful lot of conceit to think she’d be just sitting here waiting for you.”

The momentary look of confusion disappeared and a regal arrogance took its place. “Speaking of waiting, I’m waiting for you to show me to the guest room. I had a long flight, a long day. I need to get some rest.”

“There is no guest room,” Shey said. Even if there had been she wouldn’t have told the prince. Let him tough it out. Maybe he’d give up and leave.

“Where do your guests normally sleep?” he asked.

“I don’t have guests.”

“Family?”

Shey felt a small stab of regret for what she didn’t have, then reminded herself that she was lucky in what she did have.

“Parker and Cara are my only family,” she said, “and they have their own places, so no sleepovers.”

“But surely this little place has more than one bedroom.”

She sighed and said, “Surely the place does have another bedroom, but I converted it into an office since I don’t have guests.”

“Does your office have a couch?” he asked hopefully.

“No,” Shey said with a smile. “It has a desk, it has bookshelves, it even has some file cabinets, but no couch.”