Marrying a Prince

by Anne-Marie Meyer

  "Ma," she said, glancing over to her mom who was kneading bread dough on the counter. "This is a little crazy, huh?"

  Her mom snorted and shook her head. "He's royalty. They eat a lot. Right?" She glanced over at Leo, who nodded.

  "Yes. Of course."

  "You made too much, Susan," her dad said, walking into the kitchen from the garage.

  "Dad," Marianna said, rushing over and giving him a hug.

  "Hey, peanut," he said as he squeezed her. "Happy you came home."

  Marianna pulled back and planted a kiss on his cheek. She saw his gaze fall on Leo. "Dad, this is Prince Leo." She grabbed her dad's hand and pulled him over to where Leo stood.

  Leo extended his hand. "Sir."

  Her dad narrowed his eyes. "What is this that I hear? You propose to my daughter without asking me first?"

  Marianna parted her lips and she glanced from her dad to Leo. What was he doing? He knew this was fake. She'd told her mom earlier. Did her dad not find out? "Dad," she said, staring at him. "What are you doing?"

  Her dad glanced over at her. "Just wondering what kind of man this prince is." And then he broke out into a smile. "I'm just joking." He grasped Leo's hand and shook it. "Welcome to the family."

  Leo looked relieved. "Thank you, sir."

  They dropped hands, and her dad wrapped his arm around Leo's shoulders. "Do you like cars?"

  "Of course."

  Her dad nodded. "Let me show you what I'm working on in the garage. You won't believe the baby I have in there."

  Leo parted his lips, but let her dad drag him to the door. Her mother protested that he’d been helping her first, but Marianna's dad waved her away. When they were gone, her mom glanced over to her.

  Suddenly, feeling like a kid again, Marianna sat on the barstool and fiddled with the basket of apples on the counter. Filippo excused himself and headed out after Leo, leaving Marianna alone with her mom.

  "I like him," her mom said, breaking the silence.

  Marianna glanced up. Was it wrong that the statement made her heart sing? "Really?"

  Her mom nodded. "He's a good one."

  And then reality made her come crashing back down. Leo wasn't hers. He never would be. They weren't really engaged—all of it was lie. "Yeah. He's a good guy." She blew out her breath. "But it's not real."

  Marianna felt her mom's gaze settle on her. "That's a pity. He's definitely better than that Samson character you brought home."

  Marianna's stomach churned. She shook her head. He was the last person she wanted to talk about. "Don't even mention him," she said.

  Her mom nodded. "Right. We're not talking about losers." She cut the dough into chunks and started rolling them in her hands.

  Suddenly needing something to do, Marianna stood up, washed her hands, and joined her mom. Soon, they were working in sync, forming the rolls.

  "What's his family like?" her mom asked.

  Marianna set a roll on the pan. "Formal? They really want him to marry this girl, Gisella. Which is weird because she is horrible. I haven't figured out why they would force their son to marry someone so terrible. Such a strange thing." She glanced at her mom. "You wouldn't make me marry someone who didn't love me? Right?"

  Her mom laughed. "Honey, this isn't the 1800's. Of course you can pick who you marry." But then she sighed. "He's royalty. It's a different world. He marries, it affects his country. You marry and it affects only us." She raised her hands. "But be wise when you marry."

  Marianna kneaded a scrap piece of dough with her fingers. "But it isn't fair."

  Her mom pulled open the oven door and sighed. "Honey, life isn't fair. You know that. Leo seems like a good guy. He'll make the right choice. If his parents want him to marry this girl, maybe he should. I'm sure they want what's best for him, but they have to weigh every choice with how it will affect the country. It's a lot of pressure."

  Marianna nodded. She understood what her mom was saying, even if she didn't agree with it. But what did she know? She wasn't running a country—his family was. Every decision had to be scrutinized against what it would do for their citizens.

  Suddenly, the weight of what they must be feeling settled around her. Was it wrong what they had done? Maybe. Leo wasn't ready to be king right now; Marianna understood that. But maybe she could help him see just how good of a king he would be.

  Maybe she could help him see that giving up one freedom didn't mean being stuck in a jail cell. It meant opening the doors for other freedoms. And sometimes, that's what a person has to do. Especially when they were responsible for so many people

  Before they could continue, Leo and her dad walked through the door, laughing. Leo was covered with a black substance that Marianna could only assume was oil.

  "What happened?" she asked. His clothing and skin were drenched.

  "Leo tried to help. Didn't quite work," her dad said, clapping him on the back.

  Leo shrugged and grinned up at her. "Yeah. Car repair is probably not in my future."

  Her dad laughed. "No. I would stay away from that." He nodded toward Marianna. "Can you help him to the bathroom upstairs so he can shower? I'll grab some of my clothes for him to change into."

  Leo's eyes widened. "Um, okay."

  Marianna nodded toward the stairs on the far wall. "Come on."

  She could hear Leo's footsteps behind her as she made her way to the second floor. They passed by her old room and over to the bathroom just beyond it. She pushed open the door and waved inside.

  "Here," she said. She wasn't sure what to do. It felt weird standing there, so she moved out of the way.

  "Get his clothes, Mari. I'll wash them and have them ready to go before you leave," her mom called up the stairs.

  Heat raced to her cheeks as she stared at Leo. He had an incredulous smile on his face as he studied her.

  "Wow. Okay," he said.

  She watched in slow motion as he grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Once it was off, he held it out for her to take. Her heart pounded in her ears as she stared at his chest. His tanned, perfectly chiseled chest. Greek God, repeated in her head like a skipping CD.

  "Mari?" His voice pulled her from her thoughts. She glanced up to see him staring at her, with that ridiculous half-smile of his. The one that told her he knew she was gawking.

  She cleared her throat. "Um, yes?"

  He shook his stand in front of her. "You need to take it from me if you are going to bring it down to your mom."

  Heat raced across her skin. Why was she such an idiot? "Yeah, of course." She grabbed it from him and fought the urge to bury her face in it. Anything to hide her embarrassment.

  And the worst part about all of this, was that he knew what he was doing to her. It was written all over his face. He unbuttoned his jeans, and Marianna did the only thing she could think of—she lifted her hand to cover her eyes. If his chest and abs were doing this to her, there was no telling how she would react to the rest of him.

  Leo's soft chuckle filled the air. She ignored his teasing and held out her hand. When she felt the jeans touch her skin, she grabbed them and turned.

  "Turn the shower nozzle all the way to the left, or you'll freeze. I'll get these downstairs and get them clean." She stared at the wallpaper in front of her.

  He must have stepped closer to her because when he responded, "Yes, ma'am," shivers raced across her body.

  His voice was low, and with his accent, it muddled her mind.

  Not wanting to stand there anymore, Marianna walked out into the hallway and pulled the bathroom door shut behind her. Now alone, she let out the breath she'd been holding.

  What was wrong with her? She was a fool to be allowing herself to react this way. He was a prince. A prince! There was no way any relationship between them would work. His parents had made her sign a contract, for Pete’s sake.

  No. If she was going to protect herself from heartbreak, she was going to have to back away from Leo DeLuca right now. He wasn'
t good for her.

  She had a tendency to fall for the guy that was going to break her heart. And she knew, if she continued down the path she was on, her heart would end up broken whether she wanted it to or not.

  Chapter Eight

  After Leo was clean and dressed in Mr. Hedley's t-shirt and jeans, he turned off the bathroom light. Just as he stepped out into the hall, he rammed into someone. Glancing up, he saw the wide eyes of Marianna.

  He couldn't help the grin that formed on his lips. She'd been so adorable earlier when he had to strip for her. She had looked as if she was going to catch on fire when he slipped his shirt off.

  Truth was, he was used to women reacting that way, but when it happened with Marianna, it felt different. He wanted to be attractive to her. She was different from anyone he'd ever been around. He wasn't sure what he could add to a woman so confident and smart, so the thought that she appreciated his physique made him feel good.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist to steady her. "Whoa," he said, winking.

  And just as he’d expected, her cheeks reddened. "I'm so sorry," she said, stepping back.

  He fought it for a moment, but then let her go, immediately feeling the absence of her warmth. She tucked a curl behind her ear and smiled up at him.

  "Everything okay?" she asked, nodding toward the bathroom. Then she slammed her eyes shut as if she realized what she had just asked.

  He felt bad. She seemed so out of sorts. "It was great. Water was warm and I no longer smell like motor oil."

  She peeked over at him. "I'm happy to hear it. And the clothes look okay," she said, nodding toward him. "Not that I'm saying you didn't look good earlier. In your…other clothes." She pinched her lips together as if she were remembering something.

  "I get it," he said, hoping she'd realize that she didn't need to keep talking. "What are you doing up here?" he asked, nodding toward the stack of books in her arms.

  She glanced down as if she suddenly remembered she was holding something. "Oh, you don't want to know." She hugged them closer to her chest.

  "I don't?" he asked, leaning closer to her to get a peek.

  "Yeah. It's just baby pictures." She shook her head. "Nothing you'd be interested in."

  He reached out and pressed down on the top part of the book. "Who says I wouldn't be interested in them?"

  "Me," she blurted out. A little too fast.

  Leo would be lying if he said that didn't pique his interest. But, he hated how uncomfortable she looked, so he dropped his hand. "Well, maybe someday you'll be okay with me seeing baby Marianna."

  She pinched her lips. A look flashed through her eye. One that made Leo feel sad. Or perhaps, it was the weight of his own words. Someday. Would they have a someday?

  The truth was that no, they wouldn't. There was no way his parents were going to let him marry anyone but Gisella. It was either a future with the witch or no throne. If he lost his inheritance, what could he offer someone?

  He had never worked. He didn't even know how to get a job. And he doubted that Prince on a resume was as enticing as it sounded. So he backed away from Marianna. Only stopping because the wall forbade him from moving further.

  "Are you hungry? Rolls are out of the oven, and mom's desperate to feed you." She smiled over at him.

  He was beginning to enjoy her soft features. The way her smile made his toes tingle. What was he going to do when she left?

  He cleared his throat and nodded. He needed to stop thinking about her like that. Hadn't they agreed to not have feelings for the other person? He needed to remember that she had no intention of having anything to do with him once this was over.

  She waved at him to follow. Once they were back in the kitchen, Mrs. Hedely smiled over at him.

  "I'm happy Ted's clothing worked out for you." She shot Mr. Hedely a stern look.

  Mr. Hedely smiled sheepishly at Leo. "Sorry for dragging you out to the garage. I realize now that, since you are royalty, climbing under my car was not the best course of action." He glanced back over to Mrs. Hedely, who nodded.

  Leo reached out and patted his shoulder. "It's all good. I like to get my hands dirty. I enjoyed that you showed me a part of your life."

  Mr. Hedely looked relieved. "Great."

  Mrs. Hedely went into full hostess mode. She had everyone sit down and began dishing up Leo's plate. He wanted to tell her that he could do it himself, but she looked so determined that he decided to let it go. It was amazing how many people used movies to tell them how to treat royalty.

  His eyes widened when she handed him a heaping plate of food. He heard Marianna gasp, but he met her gaze and shook his head. He didn't want to be rude or to embarrass her mom.

  "This looks amazing," he said, smiling over at her.

  Mrs. Hedely's cheeks burned with appreciation. "I'm so happy you like it. If you, who eat from the finest chefs, say that about my food, then—" She pinched her lips shut as if she were letting that thought sink in.

  "You are a great cook, Mom," Marianna said.

  "Yeah, Susan. Now sit down so we can eat."

  The meal was amazing, and it wasn't the food. Even though Leo enjoyed the spread, it was the company that was refreshing. He loved watching Marianna and her parents reminisce about her past boyfriends and teenage meltdowns.

  He loved the way Marianna smiled with her whole face and laughed with her heart. They had a relationship that Leo could only dream of. There was no stress. No expectations. It was just a daughter and her parents.

  Filippo even looked as if he were enjoying himself. He insisted he sit on one of the bar stools in the kitchen. Every so often, Leo would glance over to him. Once, Leo thought he even saw Filippo smile.

  When his plate was cleaned, he leaned back and rubbed his stomach. "That was amazing," he said.

  Mrs. Hedely moved to stand. "Seconds?"

  Leo laughed and held up hands. "I really couldn't eat another bite."

  Mrs. Hedely looked heartbroken.

  "But maybe some for the road?" he asked.

  "You don't have to do that," Marianna said and then glanced over to her mom. "Don't make him do that. We're headed to Caro in the morning. There's no way it will keep."

  Leo hated the hurt expression on Mrs. Hedely's face. "It's okay. Filippo and I will eat it before we leave." He glanced over at his bodyguard. "Right?"

  Filippo quirked an eyebrow but nodded. "Of course."

  That seemed to appease Mrs. Hedely. She stood and made her way over to the kitchen, where she grabbed a Tupperware container and filled it with leftovers.

  When Leo turned his attention back to Marianna, she shook her head. "You don't have to do this," she mouthed.

  He just winked at her—enjoying the blush that raced across her skin. He liked her parents, and the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint them.

  When the table was cleared, everyone made their way into the living room. Her mom passed around a plate of cookies, and even though Leo was stuffed, he took one.

  Marianna shook her head at him as he happily ate it.

  The next few hours were spent learning more and more about Marianna. Her parents weren't stingy with the stories. They laughed at times and grew serious at others. Leo was disappointed when Marianna stood.

  "We should get going back, or your parents will think I kidnapped you," she said.

  Her mom appeared in the room with his clothes folded and stacked into a pile.

  "Really?" Was it bad that he wanted to stay here? That he felt more like a member of this family than he did his own. Things were easy here, and if he were honest with himself, going back to the hotel where his parents were was the last thing he wanted.

  Marianna's eyes widened. He gave her a smile, hoping that she would see that he was enjoying himself.

  Before either could speak, Filippo appeared in the doorway with his hand covering the microphone of his cell. "Your Highness," he said, nodding toward Leo.

  "Yes?"

  "Your mother
." He walked across the room and handed the phone to Leo.

  Leo tried not to sigh, but he couldn't help the frustration that grew in his gut. Of course his mother was checking up on him. He took it and stood, making his way over to the corner of the room.

  "Hello?"

  "Leo? Where are you? Why haven't you been answering your phone?"

  Leo grabbed at his pocket but realized he was still wearing Mr. Hedely's clothes. His phone must have dropped out in the bathroom. But he wasn't going to tell his mother that he'd taken a shower here. Or that Marianna had seen him shirtless. "What do you need?"

  She sputtered on the other end. "I—well, it's getting late, and I wanted to make sure you were headed back. The plane leaves early tomorrow morning."

  Leo scrubbed his face and nodded. "Fine. We are leaving right now."

  "Thank you."

  Leo pulled the phone from his face but then heard his mother speak.

  "Yes?" he asked, bringing the phone back.

  "I just wanted to tell you to drive safe."

  "We will."

  Once he was sure his mother was done, he hit the end button and handed the phone over to Filippo, who slipped it into his coat pocket.

  "Should we go?" Marianna asked.

  Leo nodded, reaching out to shake Mr. Hedely's hand. "Thank you so much for having me here." And then he leaned forward and said under his breath, "And for understanding."

  Mr. Hedely nodded. "Of course. We expect an invitation to the wedding once you have settled on a date."

  Marianna's eyes widened, but Mr. Hedely just winked.

  It took ten minutes to change his clothes, find his phone, carry all the food that Mrs. Hedely had packed out to the car, and say goodbye.

  Both Mr. and Mrs. Hedely pulled him into a hug and told him to protect their daughter. Leo agreed and watched as Marianna hugged her parents.

  Back in the car, they waved as Filippo pulled out of the driveway and onto the main road. Leo settled back into his seat, peeking over at Marianna. She was watching out the window as her parents grew smaller.

  She looked sad and her shoulders slumped. He reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder.