Once Upon a King

“If I do, will you leave me alone once we get there?”

“I can’t promise that, but I will promise to give you some time to settle in before I start annoying you again.”

She sighed. “Fine.”

“Then come with me. Marstel will arrange to have your luggage delivered.”

“Whatever.”

Looking more like a woman on her way to the gallows than a woman who’d just found out she was being pursued by a prince, Cara came along quietly, but the petite brunette’s flashing green eyes seemed to radiate all the words she was holding back. They were seething just beneath the surface, ready to explode at any moment.

He smiled and admitted to himself, he liked that she wasn’t intimidated by him.

Too many of the women he’d dated had either been awed by his position, or had sought him out hoping to capitalize on it. That one night with Cara he’d known that she’d seen him…just Michael, not the prince. She didn’t look overly awed by the fact he was royal. And she certainly didn’t seem intent on capitalizing on it.

As-a-matter-of-fact, she was put out by it.

“Come with me, sweetheart,” he said, taking her arm, feeling as if everything in his life were suddenly on track.

She jerked her arm away, sent him a scathing look, then followed him as he made his way toward the car.

Michael wasn’t sure if round one of their first fight was a win, a loss or a draw, but he was looking forward to seeing what happened in round two.

Cara glanced at the man standing next to her in the hallway of the castle. Parker’s home was as grand and wonderful as she’d pictured it. Unfortunately, some of her pleasure at arriving was diminished given the company she was keeping.

To think, she’d had fantasies for the last three months about finding her Mike. Fantasies where she’d run into him on Perry Square. Just bump into him. He’d look at her and whisper, cara mia and pull her into his arms. He’d profess his undying love and apologize for leaving her that morning. She of course would forgive him and when she told him about the baby he’d cry with happiness. A manly sort of crying. Really only a tear or two in his eyes as he professed to love her and their child forever.

She’d never have that particular fantasy again.

Now all she wanted to do was get some distance from Mike…Michael. The prince. Maybe once she got out of his vicinity she’d be able to think again.

She scanned the grand entryway. Her whole apartment would fit in it. Parker’s and Shey’s as well.

She’d been so excited to be visiting a castle, staying in one. And the impressive gray structure had barely blipped on the radar of her thoughts. All she could do was wonder what on earth she was going to do.

Her fantasy lover hadn’t deserted her. He claimed he’d been looking for her.

Her Prince Charming was a prince.

And she was carrying his child.

She had to tell him. She knew that much. But not quite yet.

Soon.

As soon as she figured out just what she was going to do.

Maybe she’d better wait until she was back in the States to tell him. Maybe he’d want to keep the baby. After all, the child growing in her womb was his heir.

What were the laws regarding parental rights in Eliason? And did a prince have to follow them?

She didn’t know.

Cara had thought being a single mother was as complicated as her life could get.

She was wrong.

“Cara Phillips, may I present my mother, Her Royal Majesty—”

“Cut it out, Michael,” his mother said sternly.

Michael and Parker’s mother didn’t look queenly at the moment. As a matter of fact, she was wearing a battered pair of jeans and a Mercyhurst sweatshirt.

“Cara, dear, I’ve heard so much about you. Call me Anna.” She enveloped Cara in a hug. “I’ve so longed to meet you. You’ve been such a good friend to my Parker.”

“Your Majesty—”

The queen cleared her throat.

“Anna,” Cara corrected herself with a sheepish smile. “I’m the lucky one. Parker’s the best.”

“Is she truly happy with her private investigator?” the queen asked with a motherly concern.

“Yes, I believe she is. When Parker and Jace look at each other, you can see…” She stopped. She wasn’t sure how to put it without seeming like a hopeless romantic.

“You can see the love?” the queen asked.

“Yes.” Cara couldn’t resist a small sigh.

“That’s all I ever wanted for her. That she’d find a place to belong and someone to belong with.” The queen looked toward a dark-haired man in crisply creased Dockers and a dark blue polo shirt striding toward her. “There’s nothing more important.”

“Is this her?” the man asked.

“Yes. Paul, this is Parker’s friend, Cara. She’ll be working with Michael and me on the wedding details.”

Paul.

The king.

Darn. Cara wished she’d asked Parker the proper protocol. Should she bow, curtsy?

She was saved trying to figure it out when the man thrust his hand in her direction. “Cara, we’ve heard so much about you from our wayward, stubborn daughter.”

Cara shook his hand and smiled. “And I’ve heard a lot about you.”

He chuckled. “I imagine you have.”

From what she’d heard from Parker over the years, she knew any stubbornness Parker possessed was genetic, inherited from her father.