The Heir_Billionaire Royal

by Sophia Summers

  “I miss you too.” His voice wavered again. And she scrambled for something to distract him.

  “Sweet Treats’ business has skyrocketed.”

  “Huh. The visiting prince did the trick, eh?”

  “That was a good hype at first, but the locals love your new product. It was a great idea to mix it up with unique and foreign candies and sodas.”

  “I’ll turn a profit after all.” His voice broke on the last word.

  “Your boat looks lonely.” She meant, I’m lonely.

  “I don’t know if I can do this, Jo.”

  “Is he? Will he…”

  “They don’t know. It’s a blood clot. He was being tested for other things. This took everyone by surprise.” He paused. “But maybe he knew or sensed something. He’s been working me extra hard so I’m up to date.”

  “You can do this.” It seemed a weak thing to say, but she meant it. “Nick can do it. I’ve been getting to know Prince Nico, and he’s something special, but he’s got nothing on Nick.”

  When they hung up, she ached with the desire to call him right back. But a sense of peace filled her along with the familiar strength she always felt from him. Afraid to fall asleep, knowing when she awoke, she’d go through weeks of not talking to him again, she lay there enjoying the sense that he was near.

  16

  The world contrived to make Jo’s life difficult that morning, or so it seemed to her. Nurse June stayed locked in her room longer than usual. Her father was flustered and busy, though she couldn’t figure out why or what he was doing.

  “Dad, where are you going now?”

  He turned to her with wide eyes and for a moment, she feared a stronger bout of confusion had returned. But he relaxed and said, “Just to my room, Jo.”

  Sierra texted she was coming over and for Jo to stay put. And that only increased her frustration. She wanted to get out on her boat. Nick’s phone call a few days ago left her rattled and wanting more. She worried for him. A growing number of people in his country were expressing concern that their king was unfit to rule and wanted a more definitive leader stepping up. Old stories of his playboy escapades began popping up. They wanted the Nick that she knew, not the Nico the press had exploited.

  Her best friend rushed in through the front door. “Can I borrow that one blue shirt?”

  Jo waved her by without speaking. If the shirt emergency was the only reason Sierra needed her home, she would be heading out in a few minutes and planned to spend the day on the water, without her cell phone.

  She tidied up the kitchen, picked up the front room, tasks to keep her hands busy while her mind lingered far away in a country she had never been, worried for a people she had never met. But she loved them. She had stayed up late again last night, this time reading the nation’s history.

  The doorbell rang, and she grumbled. “What else?”

  She swung it open and gawked. “Julian.” She looked over his shoulder. A car waited in front of the house, but it was empty. She didn’t bother to hide her disappointment. “Good to see you.” She leaned in for a hug and then ushered him into the house.

  They sat on the couch. “How are… things?” she asked.

  He grimaced. “Tense. Everyone is worried and mourning, and hoping.”

  Sierra rushed into the room, lugging two of Jo’s largest suitcases.

  “What?” Feelings of resentment bubbled closer to the surface. “Sierra? Are you leaving?”

  She nodded and rushed back up the stairs.

  Jo turned to Julian, who eyed her carefully.

  “How long will you guys, will she, be gone?” She swallowed the lump in her throat. How could she bear it?

  The familiar dinging on Julian’s phone diverted their attention. He pulled it out and talked into it as if for a video chat. Then he smirked and handed it to Jo. “It’s for you.”

  She sucked in her breath.

  Nick’s face beamed back at her.

  Her heart stuttered. He looked so good, so real. “Hi, Nick.”

  Someone laughed behind him, and Nick waved him away. The background changed behind him as he moved to another room. “There, we are alone for a moment.”

  “I’m happy to see you. How is everything?” Her mind spun and she couldn’t make sense of anything, but she would relish any chance she got to see his face. “It’s so good to see you.” She reached out as if to touch the image. “I know I just said that.” Then she laughed awkwardly.

  “I’m glad you feel that way.” Knocking pounded on his door. A distant voice called, “Your Highness, are you in there?”

  “Yes, I’ll be right out.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. This is going to have to be quick. Jo. Julian is there to bring you to my country.” He waited, his face suddenly nervous.

  “Wait, right now?” She thrilled and panicked all at once. “What about—”

  “Me? I’m coming with you?” Her father stood in the doorway to the living room, his luggage packed in front of him, Nurse June beside him with her bags.

  “Are you sure, Dad?” She looked to his nurse and she nodded.

  “Doctor even cleared it. He’s doing really well.”

  Sierra stumbled into the room, flustered and out of breath, her own bag behind her. “And I’ll be there.”

  Julian rose to help her. “And obviously I’ll be accompanying you.” He checked his watch. “We do need to be moving out. The jet has a departure time for the runway in ninety minutes.”

  Nick cleared his throat. “You’re quiet.”

  She’d almost forgotten he was there. “I don’t know what to say.” She turned to Sierra. “Did you pack for me?” Her mouth broke into a wide grin.

  “I did. Brought way more than you need.”

  Nick smiled at her, but his eyes held a hint of worry, and so much hope. How could she refuse such a gesture? When he held so much weight on his shoulders. But how could she arrive in a country to visit the crown prince when so much was going on?

  She knew he had to hurry.

  “Will you come? I can’t do this without you. We may not have a lot of time together. It won’t be a vacation, but even if I can just sit by you now and then, I need you here. Will you?” His voice pleaded, his eyes earnest, sincere.

  Her heart filled with hope. “On one condition.”

  “Name it.”

  “Sierra packed some clothes to dance in.”

  His chuckle started low, and then he shouted to the air, “Yes! Thank you, Jo. I’ll see you tonight.” Another knock at his door. “I have to go.” He stared at her for a long moment and then clicked off.

  She looked at everyone in turn, faces full of happiness. “You knew? All of you knew?”

  17

  Warm, beautiful weather met them in Torren. Nick wasn’t at the airport, but his car with the royal crest waited at the curb. People watched them curiously; a few snapped pictures.

  Julian smiled and waved. Then they all climbed into the limo. The airport was small, gardens throughout, palm trees stretching upward.

  “The weather here is gorgeous.” Sierra’s hand remained in Julian’s, and judging from the closeness with which they sat, Jo didn’t expect to see much of her best friend. She grinned, calming the nervous fluttering in her stomach.

  They turned off the freeway and the road took them up towards a canyon through the mountains. “It’s stunning.”

  Julian nodded. “We are quite proud of the way we have preserved resources and maintained the natural beauty of our country.”

  “I appreciate your efforts at recycling and your innovative measures to curb ocean dumping.”

  His eyebrows rose. “You’ve been doing some reading.”

  Her cheeks heated, and she shrugged. What could she say? I’m obsessed with your Prince Nico?

  As the car climbed up into the canyon, the steep, forested mountains rose on each side. They climbed until her ears popped and she thought the car could not continue. Then at last they exited the can
yon and leveled out on a long plateau.

  Julian pointed out the front window. The view is not one she would forget for a long time. The estate, castle, mansion—what did you call a home of this magnitude that did not have turrets? The white marble seemed to stretch to the clouds. Down the center of its walls, blue and aqua and green stained-glass windows sparkled in the sun.

  The gate opened at their arrival. A line of servants had come out to meet them, what looked like all of the Torren brothers, and standing at their front was Nick. And once Jo saw him, everything else around her dimmed.

  He stood calm, stately, head high. But there was an energy about him. And to Jo, it seemed as if he would start bouncing on his toes any moment.

  As soon as the servant opened her door, she would have burst out at a run, flung her arms around him and kissed him into oblivion, but Julian placed a hand on her arm. “You are not alone.” His eyes held humor, but a warning.

  Jo nodded. And swallowed. “Thank you.”

  So instead of flinging herself into his arms, she stepped out one shoe, and reached for the hand of the man who would help her out.

  Arising from the car, she looked around and smiled, and waved to a family laying flowers by the gate. She waited for the others to exit the car and then they all approached the front together.

  Nick grinned, as if to tease her, but there was a sparkle of approval in his eyes that she would have to thank Julian for later. As they drew nearer, she felt eyes on her. The brothers behind Nick stood tall and stately, but they seemed friendly enough. She knew from Nick’s stories they would razz her at the first opportunity. The line of guards, the servants, everyone seemed to be highly interested in her and she became conscious of every movement of her hands and every step her heels took across the entryway.

  But she found Nick’s eyes and calmed immediately. At last she was standing right in front of him. “Nick,” she breathed.

  He reached for her hand and then pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for coming.” His voice caught and his hand squeezed the shirt at her back. She sensed how much he needed her.

  “Thank you for making it so easy.” She indicated her father and his nurse.

  He turned to them. “Welcome to my home.”

  His staff were moving their bags inside. When Nick approached her father, he showed him a deck of cards. “A bit of rummy later?”

  Her dad nodded as though a serious rendezvous were planned. Then Nick led them all up the stairs toward his brothers.

  They stood in a line; impressive would not even cover how to describe them. Each broad, sculpted, strong jawlines, bright eyes. But she had eyes only for Nick.

  “Brothers, this is Jo Finley.” He turned to her with a wink. “Go easy on them, Jo.”

  The first man snorted, and the others chuckled together.

  Nick went down the line. “OK, guys. So, Jo, Mr. Finley, Nurse June, Sierra Winters, this is Trane, Duke of Torren.”

  The first brother bowed, then reached for her hand. “Pleased to meet the famous Jo Finley.” He raised an eyebrow, then kissed her hand.

  She giggled, and Nick frowned. But he winked at her. “And this is Lucan, Tripp, Thad, Daniel.” He hurried through the rest of them and they each waved in turn.

  Then the doors opened and before they could go inside, a tall and slender woman approached. The brothers looked surprised, glancing from Jo to her and back again.

  “Do we have company?” Her silky voice, full of a proprietary air, approached them and she rested a hand on Nick’s arm.

  Monique.

  Jo’s happiness sank low in her gut.

  Nick’s jaw clenched and he looked toward an upper window. His mother stepped away from the curtains.

  “I do have company, yes. Jo, this is Monique, and this is Jo Finley.”

  Monique’s hand felt icy and limp in her own. “Happy to meet you.”

  “Monique’s been staying with us these past few days.” He turned his full attention to Jo. “But unfortunately, we lose her company this afternoon.” A subtle wink, and Jo felt better.

  They entered the house. “Please direct our guests to their rooms.” He turned to Monique. “You’ll have to excuse me. Monique, I am certain you can help the others feel at home?” Then he reached for Jo’s hand and whispered in her ear, “You, come with me.”

  Jo skipped after him, his long legs taking even greater strides than usual. The clip of his shoes echoed across the great hall. The ceiling towered above them. White marble gave everything a crisp, clean, open feel. The stained glass she noticed on their approach left a filtered blue across the walls and floor. With Nick’s hand in her own, surrounded by such beauty, she felt at home.

  They made several turns, his hand squeezing hers at regular intervals.

  She giggled after he made eye contact for the fourth time.

  He shrugged. “I just want to make sure you’re still here.”

  A thrill rose inside.

  At last he led her through a heavy mahogany door, shut it with a deep thud behind them, locked it, and then turned to face her.

  “Jo.” His eyes drank in her face.

  Suddenly shy, she shrugged. “It is beautiful. Where you live. I love it.”

  A light lit his face. “Do you? I am happy to hear it.” He stepped closer, the worry lines, the fatigue, the dullness in his complexion were now all becoming more visible to her.

  She stepped nearer, matching his approach, and then without another hesitation, he pulled her into his arms.

  She melted into him, fitting just as she should. He gripped the small of her back and buried his nose in her neck. Then he pulled away and searched her eyes, a question. She nodded and he lowered his lips to hers. But there was no hesitance in the pressing and exploring of her mouth. He wrapped his arms tighter around her. Though she couldn’t have come any closer, he tried to make it so. She matched his insistence with a fervency of her own. At last they were together. At last she felt whole. The thrill of loving and being loved by him moved through her like a wave of passion.

  “When he finally pulled away, he tucked a hair behind her ear and smiled. “Thank you for coming. For the first time since I arrived, I feel as though I might be able to face all this.” The heaviness that weighed on him became visible to her again.

  “I’m sorry, Nick. I’ve worried and prayed and watched for weeks. I can’t even imagine all that must be weighing on you, but we’ll do this together. Whatever you need, I am here.”

  He moved to a small couch on the side wall. They talked and laughed and remembered Shady Lake. Then, after about fifteen minutes, a buzzer sounded from his desk. He stood and clicked a button. “Yes.”

  Julian’s voice came from a speaker on the desk. “They are looking for you.”

  “I know.”

  “I’ve held them off as long as possible.” Through the speaker, the sound of a phone dinging several times made Jo wince.

  “OK, I’ll be right there.” He turned to Jo, his eyes pained. “Dine with us. Dinner. Six PM?”

  She nodded.

  “And after, later this evening, I have a surprise. But it’s a secret so don’t mention it to anyone else.”

  A happy spark brought a smile. “You know where to find me. Good luck with whatever that is.”

  He grimaced. “Just more meetings. But it won’t always be this crazy.” While unlocking the doors, he mumbled, “I hope.”

  With a skip in her step she walked in the direction he pointed her to go and asked the first person how to find her room.

  When she stepped inside, she spun in a happy circle. The room was stunning, muted shades of teal and blues reminded her of the stained glass windows running down the outside walls. She stood in a small sitting room. A desk, a balcony, comfortable-looking sofa and a large screen television all tastefully decorated. She skipped through one of the doors to the right and entered the room with her bed. The comforters and pillows were piled so high she couldn’t resist. She stepped back, and took a
running leap onto its billowy surface. Laughing, she squealed and hugged a pillow to her chest.

  Then she scooted off the bed, looking around for her clothes. Another door looked promising so she slid it open to her large soaking tub and bathroom area and off of that, a woman was humming behind a cracked door. Jo pushed it open. A cheery, short woman hung clothes on hangers. Jo’s shoes were already lined up. She hadn’t seen what Sierra packed but was pleased she included plenty of Jo’s business casual things.

  When Jo made a noise, the woman started. “Oh, deary me.” She placed a hand on her heart. “You must be Jo.” Her grin warmed Jo like a chewy chocolate chip cookie would.

  “Yes. Thank you for taking care of my things.”

  “Oh, you are welcome. And I’m Paula. I’m here to help you with all your wardrobe needs. We’ve ordered some dresses and other things on that back bar for any formal events as well as other non-customary needs, like habits for riding the horses, swimsuits, or tennis.”

  “I appreciate the help. I’m sure I won’t always know what’s appropriate.”

  She patted Jo on the hand. “That’s what I’m here for. You have a whole group of us cheering for you. Prince Nico looks so happy when he talks of you, and heaven knows he could use a little happy.”

  She loved this woman already. “I guess my first question is, could you help me find something to wear to dinner tonight at six?”

  “It’s already picked out.” She held up a new outfit, pale pink jacket, tan pants, white shirt. “The queen loves pink.” She winked.

  Jo chuckled. “It’s lovely. And thanks for the tip.”

  She refreshed her makeup and changed into her favorite blue shirt. It brought out her coloring and made her eyes stand out. Especially with Monique still around, she wanted to look her best.

  Then she thought to catch up with her dad. They had a mansion to explore.

  18

  Nick knocked on her door at 5:45. Then he peeked his head in. His eyes mischievous, his mouth quirked in a lopsided grin. She wanted to giggle when she saw him.