by C R Riley
Antonio
The flowers I finally decided on, after I delivered the note myself, were tulips, yellow tulips. The older woman helping me, who by the way wasn’t at all surprised to see me there, said it was a good choice. She even suggested yellow because yellow was the color that bestowed a thoughtful apology. And before I left, she winked and said, “Well done Your Majesty. I hope this works and she forgives you. You deserve to be as happy as the rest of us.”
I hoped they worked too, because I was pretty certain my happiness depended on this woman. It has been three days since I have seen her, and with each passing day I could feel my good mood fading.
“You are most welcome mi lunaita. So, you called so that we could finally sit down and have that way too late conversation.” I try to get us back on track.
“I’m sorry Antonio, but that isn’t going to happen.” She informs me and I interrupt her right then.
“Don’t make me show up to your office again Larkin. I’ll do it and get lectured again from my head of security about how they need advance notice before wandering aimlessly around the city correndo atras de uma bela mulher. The man is going to call my mother and encourage her to have a very stern talking with me. Unless you want me having to go through all of that, you will provide me a time.” I grunt my frustration into the phone. “Please.”
“I don’t know what all that mumble jumble in the middle means. However, if you would have let me finish, before rudely interrupting me, and going berserk, I would have let you know my week is fully booked.
“Timothy and Nicolette are flying in to check in on the progress of each of our current projects. Which means Hope is freaking out momentarily, on top of everything else. So, between that and Chandler requiring my assistance with all this Palace business, along with the new project I have starting next week in Homero, and the fact I still need to pack, rent a car or buy one—that probably would be best. I’m lucky if I find a minute to pee, eat or sleep.
“So, setting aside time to have a conversation, that should have been done days ago, is going to just have to wait. I’m sorry, but unlike you, I can’t just drop everything and do as I please. People just don’t bow down and do as I say, when I say. And I can’t keep the lights on if I don’t have a job that gives me the resources to do so. Not all of us are privileged enough to be born into such a prestigious life.
“Oh, and let us not forget that five minutes before I called you, my father rang and told me he was coming for a visit. He is bringing mother with him even. Don’t know how he pulled that one off, but good for him they deserve some time away from their lives for a few days.
“So that just added one more unexpected matter to my already overflowing load. Okay, so now I am even further behind, because I have spent the last several minutes talking to you when I should have been working.”
Finally, she stops and I can hear her taking a deep breath. Pretty sure that if I don’t speak now, I won’t get a word in for another five minutes.
“First, the mumble jumble means chasing after a beautiful woman. And I believe I learned to release my thoughts from you.”
“Hardy har har.” Larkin says unimpressively through the phone. “There’s a comedian in every bunch.”
“Second, I get that you are busy with work. But you have to eat right, pee even, and most defiantly get some sleep.”
“Pee?” She repeats sounding horrified. “Please tell me I did not say that.”
“It was very refreshing to hear actually. My point is that surely there is an hour scheduled in there for lunch perhaps. Dinner maybe. Coffee even. I need to see you Larkin. I am having withdrawals and trust me when I tell you that when that happens, my staff starts hiding and sending in all those people they hate so that I can put them in their places.
“Last week I believe I made the Minister of Treasury cry, after I shoved her overly exaggerated budget back at her and ordered her to start over. The Minister of Education left my office with a stack of papers so high he could barely carry them. My proof that we were not using our resources properly and relying too much on printed materials rather than these great tablets that save trees and keep our trash to a minimal. Don’t even make me tell you what the Heads of the Church and I discussed, I basically warned them to fix the problem or I would fix it, and then they’d both be replaced effective immediately.
“I believe I have a meeting with the Minister of Defense in the morning, he will most definitely benefit if I am in a better mood. Otherwise I might bring up the fact that our recruiting classes are not up to the standards I’d like them to be. Make a few suggestions on how I think he can rectify that for me. He has been mad at me ever since I stole Isaac from him to oversee my personal detail. It could get ugly very fast, and all because a woman can’t find one hour in her day to have dinner with me.” Desperate times call for desperate measures and all, right.
“Wow. You have gotten pretty good at the whole letting it all out. One-hour Antonio.” I can picture her holding up one finger in my mind to make her point. “I’ll meet you outside my office building at seven. That’s an hour after my meeting with Cameron, Bradley and Chandler is due to end. That should account for it going over and all. I have to be back by eight, eight thirty, at the latest. Nicolette and I have a conference call at nine, and I cannot be late or unprepared for it.”
“I can work with that. Are you always this busy Larkin?” I relax back in my chair now that I know we have a date tonight.
“Yes and no. I bet I’ve put in forty hours already this week and it is only Wednesday. Typically, a normal week for me consists of ten-hour days, five days a week. Occasionally I’ll end up working on a Saturday if a project is running behind. Towards the end of the project my hours usually jump to twelve-hour days to make sure we don’t fall behind and to keep all our contractors on schedule. So, if you are asking me if I have a nine to five job, the answer is no. I’m a workaholic who loves her job and strives to do the best job she can do. I’ve never really had a reason before to not put in the long hours.” Larkin drops something and I hear her mumbling to herself. “I really need to go Antonio.”
“One more question and then I will let you go. You said you never really had a reason before not to put in those long hours. Are you saying you have one now?” I close my eyes as I wait for her response.
“Well, I am rearranging my very hectic schedule for you, tonight, aren’t I? Goodbye. I’ll see you at seven.”
“Goodbye mi lunaita. Tonight, I shall make sure to make the most of our hour together.” I hang up the phone and smile at no one.
I have a date.
I have a date!
Oh crap, a date.
I need a plan and I have no idea where to start. Helena will help. I call and ask her to come down to my office ASAP.
“Sir.” Alejandra is standing at my now open door. “Your agenda?”
“Yes of course. You’re married right?” I believe he is. Why do I not know this for sure?
“I am Your Majesty. Four years now. Why do you ask Sir?” He takes a seat in his usually spot.
“Your wife, how did you meet her?” I relax back in my chair and play with the pen now in my hand.
He chuckles as he places everything on the side table. “Well, I meet her working here Sir. She greets you every morning.”
“Helena is your wife? Isn’t she a little old for you?” I stop toying with my pen. “How does that work with her living in my quarters?”
“No Sir. Not Helena. Triana. Triana is my wife.” He blushes as if embarrassed to admit that.
“How did I not know this?”
“We didn’t make a big deal about it. Keep things professional and all while we are here at work Sir. We both put in the same long hours as you, for you, so it all works out, as it should. It wasn’t a secret Sir, but we felt it best not to go public with it. I mean of course people around here know we are married, but we also know it could be frowned upon and all. We spoke with HR before ever dating, a
nd I believe I even discussed it with you at that time, but you were likely distracted with all that was transpiring around you.”
Light bulb moment, they probably stated dating and got married during my first year as King. That first year is one big blur, so yes, I am sure I don’t recall such a conversation.
“First, congratulation. She is a great woman and you are very lucky to have snagged her. Second, there is no need to be discreet about it. She is su esposa and you should never have to hide that fact. Celebrate it every day. Tell her you love her as often as you wish, kiss her for goodness sake when you greet her every time you walk into this office. You are lucky enough to have one and therefore you should take advantage of the fact you all work together. Drag her off to your office after an extremely stressful meeting, let her help you relax and vice versa. There are plenty of others having sex in this Palace, and doing it to those they should not be doing it with. So, you might as well be doing it with the one who will one day make you a papa. If I had a wife that is exactly what I would be doing, especially if she worked within twenty feet of my office.”
I’ve known Alejandra for several years now. I have never seen him blush like he is right now.
There is a knock on my door before it opens again. “Your Majesty, Helena is here to see you. Said you were expecting her.”
I gesture towards the door as soon as Triana steps through it. “Send her in. Why don’t you stick around as well? I believe the four of us may be more successful at conquering this issue. Alejandra, don’t just sit there, grab your wife a chair so she can sit down.”
My personal secretary jumps to his feet as he clears his throat. His gorgeous wife is now blushing as well. However, she isn’t blushing as much as she is a minute later when my man, Alejandra, takes her into his arms and kisses her like I am certain he does every night when they get home.
“Well done Alejandra. Well done.” I laugh loudly for the first time since I left Larkin a few days ago. “Now tell me, I have a date tonight and I need to knock the socks right off of her. This is a do or die situation, and as we all know I refuse to die without a fight, so we need to make this really, really good.”
Chapter 15
Larkin
I press the down elevator button several times while I wait for it to arrive. I gave myself an extra hour and still I am running late. How is that even possible? This was supposed to be a simple meeting that finalized all the work I have done so far, while clearing up a few questions hanging in the air.
Oh yes, I know why it happened, because Chandler freaking Sloan was being a prick. As soon as it hit six forty-five, and an alert on my phone went off, he decided he had twenty more questions about my proposals. I know he noticed the message as it flashed across my screen the moment it buzzed on the table. Read the text that quickly followed, because his eyebrows disappeared under his floppy hair.
My phone then started going off every five minutes after that, until I finally responded. Which I did only because nosey Chandler made it a point to act irritated after the fifth one came through.
“Are we keeping you Miss Cross?” He asked with an unmistakable tone to his voice.
“Actually, you are.” I grab my phone to respond, before Antonio stormed the castle. (See what I did there.)
I reread his text quickly to make sure I provided him with all the correct responses.
Antonio: I’m here so if by chance you are ready early you can join me.
Antonio: Did you forget you only have one-hour Miss Cross?
Antonio: Are you ignoring me?
Antonio: Standing me up?
Antonio: Did you fall asleep at your desk?
Antonio: Maybe you are in the lavatory emptying that very full bladder? You have five minutes before I’m going to have to see if I can track you down.
Larkin: Sorry, no to all of the above questions. I’m stuck in a room with a man who knows exactly what he is doing. Note to self, never ever make out with a man that you work with and then later blow him off. Men are very prickly creatures who get their panties in a twist when they don’t get their way.
I put my phone away and began explaining my changes again to a particular portion of the Palace support. I’ve been over this with him a dozen times already, and while yes it isn’t something we would typically do, however with some of the alterations they are suggesting it is a necessity if we don’t want to run into future complications.
Cameron’s phone is vibrating on the table now. He glances down at it and smiles. I’m sure it’s his wife expressing something sweet and wondering why he is still here as well.
It goes off again ten minutes later and his eyes find mine. He waits for me to stop before letting me know what that one was about.
“Next time you have an engagement with the King, please do not keep him waiting.” Cameron closes his folder and begins to stand. “Sloan, I think we have taken enough of Cross’s time. As her very eager companion just pointed out to me, this meeting was expected to end an hour and twenty minutes ago. Stanton we good?”
“I can’t possible think of what else there is to know about this project. Larkin did a superb job on this as usual. Honestly I’m kind of worried that maybe we should have kept her on this job and sent him to Homero.” Bradley glares at Chandler, not pleased with his little stunt.
“Thank you.” I shove everything into my briefcase and don’t bother asking if there is anything else.
Chandler steps up next to me while I wait on the slowest elevator known to man. He is staring at the numbers watching it rise. “Date?”
“What?” I hit the button again.
“Do you have a date?” He asks as it finally reaches our floor and opens.
We both start to step inside as soon as the doors open, but a large hand jets out to stop him. “Sorry sir, but you are going to have to catch the next bus.”
“Are you serious?” Chandler sounds annoyed.
The sea of black suits part and I am blessed with the sight of the man who has been on my mind since our conversation this morning.
“Ma’am.” The same man says to me. “I believe we are running late as it is.”
Antonio is not looking at me at all when I step onto the crowded elevator. Instead he is glaring at Chandler, giving him a once over. His arm however wraps around my waist the second I step close enough to him. He draws me into his side and addresses me in his own unique way. “Mi lunaita. I was beginning to think I was going to have to make a scene.”
As soon as the doors close, I step out of his embrace and lean against the corner of the elevator. I am so exhausted, the last thing I honesty want to do right now is talk about topics that are going to wear me down even more. So, I close my eyes as I prop my head against the wall, trying to relax.
When I open them again, I am in a car, tucked securely in the nook of Antonio’s arm. He is on the phone with someone and does not seem all that pleased right now.
“She fell asleep standing up after closing her eyes for a brief second. She is exhausted and obviously requires sleep. I had to carry her from the elevator to my vehicle because I was afraid to lead her out like that. She looks like a zombie and has been mumbling incoherently.” He now seems to be listening to whomever it is he is talking to.
I strain to open my eyes but they are so heavy. “I’m fine. Just a quick five minutes and I’ll be good to go.”
“Shhh.” He hushes me as he pats my hip. “No mumbling allowed. Yes, she said something, although I have no idea what it is. I’m all about working long hours when necessary, but there is a limit when enough is enough. Larkin’s body is saying she has had enough, and since she has no one to speak for her besides me, I am saying it.”
I swat at him, or I think I do. I feel my hand land against something hard, thick and solid. “I’m fine.”
His hand grips mine and transfers it away from the area it was currently patting. Placing it gently somewhere lower.
“Thank you. Yes, that does make me feel bette
r. I’m sure if you have any questions you can let Mr. Sloan take the conference call. He should be well informed on all subjects dealing with the Palace since he just kept her an hour and a half longer than first planned. I’ll make sure she gets the message when she is coherent again and thank you again Miss Manchester.”
I feel his lips land on top of my head and hold it there. He mumbles something in Spanish I believe. I really am going to have to take a crash course in the language so I can understand him when he does that. Portuguese to I believe is mixed in at times. I remember reading something about that while I was doing some research on their culture.
The creaking of a car door opening, followed by a male voice, is what I hear next. “Why are you … what did you do to her brother?”
“Nothing Lorenzo. Are you going to just stand there staring, or help me?” Antonio seems irritated.
“Help you? Oh no. No, I am not taking care of your drunk friend.” His voice is getting farther away as if he is backing up.
“I don’t drink. Not drunk.” I struggle to tell him.
“What did she say? Hey, is that Larkin?” Lorenzo’s voice gets closer, and then he starts rambling very fast in some other language that I cannot understand at all. I hate that I don’t know what they are discussing.
“Callate. As pardedes tem ouvidos.” Antonio scolds his brother I’m guessing from the sound of his voice. “I cannot risk taking her there. Your place doesn’t have a constant flow of nosey vipers coming and going like mine. If I take her there come morning it will be in the papers and give them fuel to flame the fire. I just got them off my back about all of this. And for the record, I’m not leaving her here for you to take care of. I’m just searching for sanctuary for an evening.”
“You’ll owe me.” It’s not a question. “And when I come to you for something, it will be a no questions asked kind of help. Come on. I sent my staff away hours ago. It’s just Valentina and me. Hope she doesn’t have allergies.”
I like to be able to tell you what happens next, except I can’t. The two brothers carry on for a while and sometime during that time I must have passed out again.
