Along Came A Prince

by Carlyn Cade

  The door opened and her family began to get into the limo. She grabbed her mother and hugged her tight. “Oh, mom, it’s so good to see you. I’ve missed you.”

  “It’s good to see you too, honey.”

  Next she went after her dad, and he got an equal embrace. “Mom and Dad, I want you to meet Clay.” She turned toward him. “Clay, these are my parents.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you both. He extended his hand to one, then the other.

  “Did you have a good flight?” Stacia asked. “How’s everything back in Wisconsin? How’s Jeb?”

  “Slow down, baby, and breathe,” her father said.

  One by one, her questions were answered and so were the rest of the barrage of inquiries she asked them. Soon they were pulling up in front of Ryan and Josie’s house. The driver got her parents’ luggage out and set it on the sidewalk.

  “Are you staying here?” Stacia asked, her disappointment showing in her voice.

  “Yes, dear,” her mother replied. “You already have a houseguest, and there’s plenty of room here.”

  “But, I thought –”

  “We’ll see you tonight for dinner, baby,” her father said as he climbed out of the limo.

  Josie was the last one to get out of the car.

  “You arranged this, didn’t you?” Stacia whispered.

  Josie nodded and left too.

  Clay and she were alone again. “Let me see, where were we? Ah, yes, I remember,” he said as he took her in his arms once more.

  ♥♥

  Josie and Ryan’s wedding day arrived, and as the sun touched the ocean, high on a cliff, the bride and groom said their “I do’s.” Beneath them, a whale frolicked in the shimmering Pacific waters. Your wish for a perfect wedding came true, Josie, Stacia thought. And you both deserve that.

  Everything Josie had visualized and planned so thoroughly had blossomed into a bouquet of beauty. All the elements of the Universe had complied with her deepest desires. The warm weather with only a slight breeze, the calm ocean waves, and the setting sun disappearing into the water, all promised a new day and a new life for Josie and Ryan together.

  It was at opposite ends of the spectrum from Helen and Sam’s wedding in Vegas. There was no eight million dollar necklace here, no glitz and no glamour – just the simplicity of nature – but Josie and Ryan were rich in all the things that mattered to them. Tears steamed Stacia’s eyes as she watched her big brother marry the woman he adored. She knew they’d have a happy life, just as Helen and Sam would. But for Clay and her, there were no ready answers. She wished they could have a happy ending too, but she didn’t see how.

  After the ceremony and the congratulations and the hugs and kisses had been administered, Josie came up to Stacia, towing her mother in hand. “You two didn’t get a chance to get acquainted much before the wedding,” Josie said.

  “My daughter’s been filling me in somewhat about the two of you and your journey together with her,” Claire said.

  “The reason for this little private meeting,” Josie said, “is to keep you and Clay moving in the right direction. I’d like to see you as the happy bride and groom someday soon. Since I’ll be honeymooning here and at SwissDen, I want my mother to take over where I left you two – in the cabin in your last lifetime, so to speak.”

  Ryan and Clay came up to them. “I’ve missed you,” Ryan said and kissed Josie.

  “I’m coming, babe, and I promise I won’t get out of your sight again.” Josie took Ryan’s hand and walked away with him toward Stacia’s parents.

  “If you two want to explore your past lives to a greater degree, I’d be willing to guide you. Josie said you seemed to have an issue about getting married that you wanted to resolve, Stacia. Perhaps I can help. Do remember though, hypnotherapy uses a combination of meditation and hypnosis to solve a problem. You may consider hypnosis as being a deeper relaxation therapy for your mind than regular meditation,” Claire explained.

  Clay grinned at Stacia with a pleading look on his face. She read it to mean, Please let’s do it to see if it’ll work. “I guess I have no choice but to try,” Stacia said.

  “You always have a choice,” Claire said. “Life is made of them. Some right. Some wrong. So you should choose carefully what’s right for you.”

  “I think it’s important to learn if the reason I’m afraid to be married is tied into a past life.”

  “I agree,” Claire said. “And I’d like to help you in any way I can, but right now, we should get back to the celebration. Call me when we get home if you want to talk further.”

  Stacia and Clay stayed by themselves after Claire left. “She seems very nice,” Stacia said.

  “I agree – she’s just like Josie. I’m glad you said yes to her, and I hope someday you’ll say yes to me.”

  “Are you referring to tonight as the someday? We’ll be sleeping in the same room at the hotel, only in separate beds, you know, compliments of Ryan and Josie.”

  “Ryan agreed to set us up like that?”

  “It is surprising, isn’t it? Ryan’s always so over-protective of me. Maybe he realizes you’re a gentleman...or he could be a little over-eager. It seems to me the happier and more in love a person is, the more he or she tries to set up a romance between others. I know that’s true for Helen.”

  “You mean you caught on to her matchmaking skills?” Clay said. “By the way, what did your parents say about us sleeping alone at your condo? Your dad didn’t bring his shotgun, did he?”

  Stacia could see the grin on his face in the moonlight. “No, but maybe I did,” she said and grinned back at him. “Ryan told my parents I was a big girl and could make my own decisions about when the time was right. He also told them you’d been staying at my condo, and we hadn’t slept together yet, so that must have reassured them enough, as they didn’t approach me about it at all. Funny thing though, they never minded it when Ryan and Josie just lived together. I guess maybe being a girl makes them more protective of me. Of course, Ryan’s older and a detective, so they had to accept his decisions. Thanks to Ryan and Josie walking the path first though, it made it easier for you and me to stay in the same hotel and my apartment. That’s kinda a ‘wow’ thing for my parents to do in my book.”

  “Great. Now I have to remain a gentleman tonight in order to keep their trust.”

  “First and foremost, you are always a gentleman,” Stacia said and patted him on the arm.

  “Clay. Stace. Come over here,” Ryan called out to them. “We’re going to cut the cake.”

  “We’ll be right there. There’s something I have to do, first,” Clay said. He took Stacia in his arms and kissed her. When the kiss was over, he released her. “There. I didn’t want all that moonlight to go to waste on us, however, we’d better not leave the bride and groom waiting any longer.” With his arm wrapped around her, they walked together over to the cake table.

  As Stacia watched Josie and Ryan cut their wedding cake, she made a wish in the moonlight. I wish it were Clay and me cutting our wedding cake. She rubbed her eyes as she watched Claire standing next to her daughter. The candlelight caught the silver and gold decorations on her dress, setting her aglow with glittering sparkles all around her, almost as if a celestial being had just descended from the heavens. Stacia was surprised Claire hadn’t sprouted wings, she looked so angelic. Maybe Clay was right. Maybe with Claire’s help, they could convince destiny to change its mind.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Clay opened the door to the hotel room. When she entered the room, the first thing Stacia saw was two double-beds. Now that the time was here, she wasn’t so sure she wanted to spend the night in the same room with Clay. She didn’t seem to have much choice because, according to Ryan, there were no other vacancies in this small town. She went over and looked out the patio doors at the ocean. The moon cast its light on the lapping waves that had picked up considerably since the wedding. It was a night for romance, just like their very first night togethe
r on the terrace at Hollywood’s Caviar-on-Ice gala.

  “It’s a lovely evening out there,” she said, as she turned and scanned the inside of the room. It was clean and tidy but bare, except for the basic necessities. Beds. TV. Dresser. Lamps. One table and two chairs. “This isn’t the kind of hotel room you’re accustomed to, is it?”

  “Are you?”

  “When I traveled with my family, this would have been an excellent choice, especially with the ocean outside our door. But you’re right, since Hollywood, it isn’t what I’m used to either.”

  “What difference does it make?” Clay asked. “It looks neat and clean enough to me.”

  “I am so tired,” Stacia said and sat down on one of the beds. “Since I’m supposed to share my feelings with you, I hope you won’t mind me saying that this is awkward for me. When we were in my condo and at the Bellagio, we each had separate bedrooms. Here...” She spread her arms wide open to gesture her point.

  “We have to share the entire night together,” he finished for her as he sat down on the other bed. He grinned. “Maybe it’ll turn out to be as pleasant as sharing the job of making omelets was.”

  “This isn’t a good time to tease me. I’m nervous enough already.” How could she possibly know how to act when it was the first time she’d ever spent the night in the same hotel room with a man? And that was enough to make any woman uneasy. Especially when her sleeping partner was so delectably sexy. She wished they were back at the villa in Vegas, or even in her condo. There was a wall separating them at both of those places, and she was comfortable with that. Here, there was nothing…but air…and temptation.

  “I’m sorry. But you can’t blame a guy for hoping, can you?”

  “Hoping or joking?”

  Clay laughed. “Maybe a little of both.”

  Stacia glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “It’s almost midnight. No wonder I’m so sleepy. It’s been a long day.” She yawned.

  “Was that real or fake?”

  A second yawn followed, bigger than the first one. She tried to stifle it with her hand.

  “If I was a visitor in your home, I’d sure take that as a cue to leave.”

  “I’m so sorry. Aren’t you tired?”

  “You’re kidding, right? I’m ready to stay up all night. Who wouldn’t be with you as a roommate? My adrenaline is jumping all over the place. I could run a 20k right now and leave everyone miles behind me.”

  She looked at him and chuckled. “Are you serious?”

  “I’ve told you before I can’t resist you, even when you’re so adorable right now, trying to convince me you’re exhausted. Tonight, believe me, my resistance is being tested big time. Maybe I should go sleep in the bathtub.”

  Stacia grinned, “And trust me that I wouldn’t turn the water on?”

  “Do you think I need a cold shower?” He grinned too. “I changed my mind, now my only option is sleeping in the car.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t be silly. Maybe I should though so you can get some sleep.”

  “I wonder what your parents and your brother would say about that, finding you sleeping in the car in the morning.”

  “You’re right, it probably wouldn’t be such a good idea. I guess we’re stuck here together, you with your resistance problem and me with my nerves out-of-whack.” She hadn’t planned on feeling as nervous as a bride on her honeymoon. That was the role Josie was supposed to play tonight. A maid-of-honor was like an understudy, Stacia guessed, but she had enough opening night jitters for the lead part.

  “Why are you nervous around me? I’d never take advantage of you. I’m strictly a ‘whatever the girl wants’ kind of guy.”

  “Not always. Not one afternoon by the waterfall. You thought I was a hussy.” She couldn’t help but let out a tiny giggle. She could tease just as much as he could.

  “Seriously?” he asked. “That does it.” He got up and sat next to her on her bed. He made a big production out of sitting on his hands. “There, see? We can get through this together. Even if I have to sit on my hands all night.” He stood up and sat back down on his bed.

  They both started to laugh at the same time.

  “I don’t know about you, but I think all my nerves just deserted me,” Stacia said.

  “You’re still irresistible. How do I control that?”

  “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll show you.” She picked up her suitcase and headed for the bathroom. Before she’d left home, she’d packed a nice shapeless sweat suit to sleep in. She had thought a lot about what she should wear to bed and decided the casual approach would be best, and she didn’t think anything could be more casual than her washed-out gray sweatshirt and matching sweatpants. She removed her cosmetics and soaped and rinsed her face. After brushing her teeth and putting her hair in a ponytail, she went back into their sleeping quarters. Clay was outside, leaning on the balcony, bathed in moonlight, watching the waves beneath him.

  “A penny for your thoughts,” she said as she joined him.

  “For a penny, all you get is generic thoughts on how beautiful everything is here. The moon, the stars, the ocean, even the sandy beach. That’s one thing my father couldn’t replicate at SwissDen – the ocean. I like to enjoy it every chance I get.” He turned to face her. “Hmm,” he said. “You look...”

  Stacia laughed. “Not so irresistible, right? But don’t let me stop you from speaking your mind, because I can’t wait to hear what you’re going to tack onto the end of that sentence.”

  “How about well-scrubbed and wholesome? Aren’t you afraid to let me see you without your makeup and designer clothes?” He grinned. “Whatever you were trying to downplay didn’t work. You’re still gorgeous and sexy to me.”

  She exhaled quickly and was glad she was back to feeling close to normal. Her normal, however, had changed quite a bit since she met Clay. “Well, let’s see what you’re going to choose to wear tonight,” she said and grinned right back at him.

  He went back into the room, picked up his suitcase and headed into the bathroom. “Guess you’ll have to wait for the fashion show,” he said as he closed the door.

  Stacia went inside and turned down both beds. She decided to lie down in one, and because she was exhausted from the day’s wedding, she closed her eyes and listened to the waves pounding in their race to meet the shore. She relaxed completely and promptly fell sleep.

  ♥♥

  Later during the night, the sounds of someone moaning and uttering, “No...No,” entered her dreams and shoved her back to reality. “Leave her alone,” the gruff voice demanded.

  “Stop it.”

  Still groggy and with her heart thundering, she glanced around the moon-lit room. Where was she? The realization of where hit her instantly. Then she heard Clay whimpering quietly.

  “I can’t help you...Audra,” he cried out. “I’m sorry.”

  Audra? She got out of her bed, her legs wobbling as if they had no strength. Feeling weak all over, Stacia went to him and sat on the edge of his bed. She stroked his forehead lightly. “Clay, you’re having a bad dream,” she soothed. “Everything’s all right.”

  He sat up and reached for her. She put her arms around him and held him close.

  “You’re okay,” he said as he hugged her back. “She wasn’t.”

  Moments later, he moved and Stacia released him. “That was ugly,” he said.

  “Nightmares usually are,” she replied. She began to stand up. Her legs felt stronger now.

  He took hold of her hand. “Stay, please,” he said softly. “I’ve never had a nightmare like that before. It was horrible. I need to get grounded.”

  “Do you want to tell me about it? Would that help?” She wondered if he’d remember saying Audra’s name.

  “I saw a woman being raped by two men while the third one watched, and I could do nothing. I was powerless. It was like there was a transparent wall in front of me, and I tried to beat on it…hard, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t get to
her from the other side.”

  Shocked, Stacia stared at him. That had happened to Audra, and he had called out Audra in his dream. What else did he remember? “Did she have a name?” she asked as she sucked in her breath and held it.

  “I don’t remember. I knew she was my lover and my soulmate, and these men were hurting her. No, it was more than that. They were torturing her. I knew she was going to die, and I wanted to die with her. Then they killed her. And I knew that part of me died with her.”

  Stacia expelled her breath and put her arms around him, and he clung to her. They lay back onto the bed together, still clinging tightly to one another.

  “Are you awake enough for me to tell you something?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “When you were talking in your sleep, you said, I can’t help you, Audra.”

  “Audra? I have no idea why I’d say her name.”

  “I have more to tell you, Clay. It’s something Helen told me in confidence and not many people know about it. Under the circumstances, you should know, and I’m certain Helen would agree. When Audra died, the studio hushed it up and didn’t disclose what really happened. They said she was killed in a car accident. The truth was she was raped and tortured...and killed. Just like you dreamed.”

  He looked bewildered. “What’s happening to us, Stacia? Why are we having dreams, or most of the time, nightmares, like we do? Everything seems to center around Audra and Mark. Do you think Josie’s right, could we possibly have been them in a past life, and we’re remembering it?”