The Prince and the Wedding Planner

by Jennifer Faye

  This morning, Giselle was giving her a tour of the cathedral. Its soaring arched roof was jaw-dropping. The stained-glass windows were stunning works of art. And the suspended lanterns were absolutely charming. This church would provide the most stunning backdrop for the wedding. Bianca made a list of items she’d like to address later, after she’d given them some thought.

  At lunch in the nearby village, Bianca tried her best to catch everything Giselle said. However, the princess was the opposite of her brother. Where he was reserved and spoke only when he had something substantial to say, Giselle rambled on about this, that and another thing.

  The princess was like a sunny ball of energy. And Bianca could easily imagine them being lifelong friends. Not that it was possible. When the wedding was completed, her time in Patazonia would also be completed.

  But would Leo avoid her until then?

  “What’s the matter?” Giselle asked as the chauffeured car whisked them back to the palace earlier than expected.

  “Um...nothing.” Bianca lied. There was no way she was discussing Leo with his sister. If Giselle didn’t approve of the match, she would fire Bianca on the spot. And if she did like them together, she would just make the whole situation even more awkward.

  “That frown on your face says you have something on your mind,” Giselle said. “You can talk to me.”

  “I was just thinking about the wedding.” She needed a diversion. “You’ve told me what you want for the wedding and now I have to speak to your mother and her planner to find out what they expect.”

  “Do you have to?” Giselle’s voice carried with it a slight whine.

  “My goal is to give you the best day of your life. A day you can look back on and smile. If you’re fighting with your mother throughout the whole ordeal, you aren’t going to enjoy your big day and you definitely won’t want to remember it.”

  “You’re right.” Giselle looked down at her skirt and picked a piece of lint from it. “You know, William and I have even talked about eloping. But please don’t tell my brother and certainly not my mother. She would explode and then lock me in the tower until the wedding.”

  “My lips are sealed. But is that what you really want to do?”

  Giselle shrugged her slim shoulders. “It’s better than fighting about everything, even down to the table linens.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I’m here. You don’t have to fight anymore. I’ll be your go-between.”

  “Thank you. I feel so much better with you here.” The car pulled to a stop at a side entrance to the palace. “Now, let’s get you back to your office.”

  “That would be nice. I have so much to do.”

  “And I believe someone will be waiting for you.”

  Bianca’s heart raced with anticipation. She couldn’t wait. Her steps were quick through the maze of hallways until Giselle stopped outside the door. “I won’t keep you any longer.”

  “Thank you for everything. I won’t let you down.”

  “I know you won’t. I can see why my brother hired you on the spot.”

  Bianca sent her a reassuring smile. “I’ll send you the questionnaire I use for the details of the ceremony. If you could get that back to me right away, it would be helpful.”

  “I will.” Giselle took a few steps down the hallway before pausing and turning back. “You know this is the first time I’ve been truly excited about the wedding. I just know with you here it’s going to be extra special.”

  Once Giselle was gone, Bianca opened the office door fully expecting to find Leo waiting for her. Instead, standing behind an oversized dark wood desk was a beautiful young woman.

  “Hi.” The young woman straightened. “You must be Bianca.” She moved from behind the desk. “I’m Sylvie. I’m your assistant for the wedding.”

  The young woman appeared to be about her age and she had the friendliest smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Sylvie. Have you ever arranged a wedding before?”

  She nodded her head. “I work for a wedding planner in town. The prince—” just the mention of him had the young woman blushing “—hired me to help you.”

  “I hope he didn’t take you away from anything important.”

  Sylvie vehemently shook her head. And then with a perfectly serious expression, she said, “Nothing could be nearly as important as the royal wedding. I just can’t believe I was chosen over all of the other more experienced people.”

  Bianca couldn’t help but smile at Sylvie’s sense of awe. “I’ll tell you a secret. I was surprised too when the prince hired me.”

  “You were?”

  Bianca nodded. “I’ve done a lot of big weddings but nothing this big and not on my own.”

  “You aren’t alone. You’ve got me.”

  “And together, you and I will give Giselle and her fiancé the wedding of the century.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  They sat down and went over what Bianca had sorted out so far. They made lists because nothing got done in Bianca’s world without detailed lists. Sometimes she even made lists of lists. But her curiosity of when she’d see Leo again was a constant distraction.

  CHAPTER NINE

  BEING A PRINCE did have its drawbacks.

  From marrying out of duty to his lack of anonymity.

  Leo might have grown up in the spotlight but that didn’t mean he’d grown accustomed to always standing out in a crowd. Instead, he found ways of creating his own privacy. One such way was moving into his own private apartment right here in the palace.

  He made his bed every morning. He picked up around the apartment. He liked a neat space. He cooked for himself regularly during the week. He had to admit that cleaning wasn’t his thing and so he did let the staff go through the apartment once a week vacuuming, dusting and tidying everything.

  But when it came to cooking, he found, to his mother’s horror, that he enjoyed it. He had taken many lessons from the palace chef over the years. Not that he was an expert now, but he could make a number of reasonably easy dishes. Tonight’s menu included a tossed salad followed by fettuccine Alfredo.

  He set the small table on the balcony. It was simple but cozy. He assured himself that it was nothing more than he would do for a friend. Then again, maybe not just any friend—

  Knock. Knock.

  He gave the table one last glance and then headed for the door. When he swung it open and found Bianca standing there, he told himself that his racing heart was due to rushing around to get ready for the evening. It had absolutely nothing to do with how beautiful Bianca looked that evening.

  She was wearing a black dress that dipped at the neckline, giving a hint of her cleavage. The straps over her shoulders left her arms bare. A belt showed off her delicate waist. The skirt stopped a couple inches above her knees. And on her feet were black sandals.

  She was a knockout. He swallowed hard, hoping his voice didn’t fail him. “You look amazing.”

  Suddenly his dark-wash jeans and white oxford shirt seemed quite underwhelming. “I should have told you tonight would be casual. My apologies.” He moved to the side. “Come in.”

  She stepped inside and looked around. “Is this your place?”

  “It is.”

  As she stepped to the center of the living room, she said, “It’s like a home within a home.”

  “It’s my private space. It’s where I can unwind and be myself.”

  “It’s very nice. And much more modern than the other parts of the palace.”

  “How is your office? Is it to your liking?”

  “Yes, thank you. I like it a lot.”

  Things between them took on a nervous tension. He wondered if she was remembering their moment in the gardens. If they hadn’t been interrupted, things definitely would have escalated. Not wanting to make this evening more awkward, he pushed aside the though
ts.

  He cleared his throat. “I apologize for being detained the last couple of days. Something urgent came up and it took all of my time.”

  “No need to apologize. As a prince, your time must be constantly in high demand. And I was busy getting caught up on wedding details.”

  He nodded in understanding. He was grateful she’d let him off the hook so easily. Though he was busy catching up on matters of state, as well as busy searching for a wife, he’d needed the time to gather his senses where Bianca was concerned. She was the wedding planner—nothing more.

  “And thank you for hiring Sylvie.” Bianca’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “I think we’re going to work well together.” Then Bianca frowned. “Will she be joining us this evening? Should I have waited for her?”

  “No. This dinner meeting is just for us. I think you have some information to share with me and I have some to share with you.”

  “It sounds like this is going to be a very productive meal.”

  “I hope so.”

  He poured her a glass of white wine. He’d had two cases of each type of wine shipped from the Barto Vineyard. He wondered if she’d notice.

  * * *

  This had to be a dream.

  A cozy dinner for two. Just her and a prince. A gorgeous, handsome, dashing prince. Definitely a dream.

  And there was music playing in the background. There was the distinct moan of a saxophone floating ever so softly through the dimly lit room. If she were to close her eyes, it’d be so easy to imagine this was a date. A smile lifted her lips.

  But this wasn’t a date. Far from it. Bianca’s eyes opened. This was a business dinner. She couldn’t let herself forget it. Just like she’d forgotten what they’d been talking about.

  Her gaze met his expectant one. She glanced down, remembering the glass of wine in her hand. Oh, yes, she was supposed to sample the wine.

  First, she swirled the wine, inhaling its fruity fragrance. And then she sipped it. Immediately a moan escaped her lips.

  Her gaze moved to meet his. “How did you know?”

  “Know what?”

  “That this is my favorite wine.”

  “I didn’t. But I recalled you drinking it after the wedding at the villa.”

  “You’re a very observant man.”

  “I try. I hope you’re equally as impressed with the dinner.”

  “It certainly smells good.” She reached for her tablet. “Before we eat—”

  “No work before dinner. It’ll ruin your appetite.”

  “But we have so much to go over and not much time until the wedding.”

  “There will be time tonight. I promise. But first, we eat.”

  He led her to a private balcony. The view of the lush manicured lawn stretched out before her. This place, it was amazing. It was like something written in a storybook. And yet it was real. She wondered what it must have been like to grow up in a place like this.

  “This is beautiful. I just love what I’ve seen of Patazonia.”

  Leo stepped up next to her. “I get so busy that I rarely stop to appreciate the view.”

  Was he saying that he didn’t regularly have romantic dinners here? The thought of him sharing this kind of moment with another woman soured her mood. She gave herself a mental shake. Where had that thought come from? It wasn’t like she had a claim on him.

  When she went to turn, she realized just how close he was standing. Her heart pounded in her chest. When she inhaled, she breathed in the light scent of his spicy aftershave mingled with his manly scent. It was quite an intoxicating combination.

  He didn’t move. He stood there right in front of her. All she had to do in that moment was to lift up on her tiptoes. Her gaze dipped to his mouth—his very kissable mouth. And then she could press her lips to his.

  The temptation was more than she could take. After all, he was the one to set up this very intimate dinner. Surely, he expected more to happen than business. Right?

  With him staring into her eyes, she lifted up on her tiptoes. The common sense in her head was drowned out by the pounding of her heart. His hands reached out to her, wrapping around her waist, drawing her closer.

  She leaned forward—

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  As though the spell had been lifted, Bianca pulled back.

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  Leo inhaled an unsteady breath. “Sorry. It’s the kitchen timer.”

  He turned and headed inside. Bianca paused on the balcony, trying to slow the pounding of her heart. What in the world had gotten into her?

  Well, he was amazingly handsome. He was available—sort of. He was, after all, a prince. And she didn’t have a drop of royal blood—at least not that she knew of. And then the memory of her mother’s journal entry came rushing back to her.

  The uncertainty cast over her and her siblings brought her feet back to the ground. What was she going to do if she wasn’t a blood Bartolini? Would her siblings look at her differently?

  She pushed the troubling thoughts to the back of her mind. There was nothing she could do about her siblings and the fallout from their parents’ deaths now. The only thing she could control was giving Giselle the very best wedding and growing her business as a result.

  This meal was going to be a challenge. How was she supposed to sit there as the last rays of the sun disappeared and the stars twinkled overhead and stare across the table at the most handsome man and keep her thoughts focused on work?

  She walked to the galley kitchen. “Can I help?”

  “Would you mind grabbing that basket of bread?”

  She turned to the counter and found the bread. “Anything else?”

  He shook his head. In his hands were two plates of pasta. “I already put the salad on the table.”

  She didn’t miss how amazing this dinner smelled. Her stomach rumbled its approval. “Did you make all of this?”

  He set the food on the table. “Not the bread. I cheated and stole it from the palace kitchen. No one can beat their fresh bread.”

  He pulled out a chair for her and she sat down. She was tempted to ask if he went to all this trouble for every business meeting but didn’t want to ruin this moment. She knew later, when she was alone in her room, that she would replay this evening in vivid detail.

  Dinner was quiet without the constant interruption of his phone—or hers for that matter. She knew why hers was quiet—she’d totally muted it. It was a habit she’d gotten into before important meetings. There was nothing worse than a creative and productive meeting halted for a phone call that could wait until another time. In the time it took to answer the call, ideas may have been lost, enthusiasm for a more daring, more bold idea may have waned. And the thing Bianca disliked the most was letting a good idea slip away.

  But right now, her ideas had strayed from flower arrangements and quartets to something far more daring—far bolder. As the prince ran the fine linen napkin over his lips one last time, she couldn’t help but stare. She wondered what would have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted out on the balcony.

  In this very intimate setting with no guards, no family—absolutely no one to interrupt them—would they have even made it to dinner? Or would they be enjoying something far more delicious—

  “What is it?” The prince’s deep voice rumbled across the table, drawing her from her thoughts.

  Did he know what she’d been thinking? No. Impossible. It was best to move things along to the business of the wedding. It would focus her thoughts. And once they wrapped things up, she’d be on her way before her thoughts had another chance to stray again.

  She swallowed hard. “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t have to say that.”

  Was he serious? He doubted his skills in the kitchen? Was it possible
a prince could have normal insecurities like everybody else in the world? “You’re a talented cook.”

  Was it possible he was blushing? He moved so quickly to clear the dishes from the table that she wasn’t able to get a good look at his face. Perhaps it was a figment of her imagination.

  Then realizing she was just sitting there with the prince waiting on her, she jumped to her feet. “Let me help.”

  “I’ve got it.”

  “It’s the least I can do after that amazing dinner.” She followed him to the kitchen with the near-empty breadbasket.

  He placed the plates in the sink and then he turned, almost bumping into her. “I can take that.” He placed the basket on the counter. “Would you like some more wine?”

  She shook her head. “No. I mean, I would but I still have work to do.”

  “Oh, yes. The wedding. Let’s go to the living room and you can tell me your thoughts.”

  Her gaze strayed to the sink. “I should help you wash the dishes.”

  “There’s no need because as much as I like to pretend that this apartment is my space to maintain, there’s a staff that periodically puts everything to rights.”

  “Must be nice.”

  He smiled and set her heart pounding. “There are some advantages to being the crown prince.”

  “Talk about a charmed life,” she teased.

  The smile slipped from his face. “There’s a lot more to it than most people know. There are expectations and demands. Sometimes your life is not your own.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by the comment.”

  He shook his head. “It’s okay. How about we work on the wedding plans?”

  Together they moved to the couch. Leo cleared off the coffee table and Bianca spread out her stuff. She wasn’t exactly sure how this was to work. The truth was this evening was feeling more like a date than a business meeting.

  A nervous giggle bubbled up in the back of her throat. She choked it down. She had to keep her composure, even if she was a jittery ball of nerves on the inside. What was it about this man that had her losing her calm, collected demeanor?