Undercover Princess

by Suzanne Brockmann

  Doug’s eyes widened, and then—for the first time in weeks, at least as far as Trey had heard—he actually spoke. “Lucky Charms!” He pushed himself onto his feet and ran for the table, sliding into his seat.

  And then, maybe even more miraculously, Stacy actually lifted her head from her own breakfast and smiled. Of course, her smile was for Kathy, who was smiling back at the girl and giving her a thumbs-up.

  Clearly, they’d been coconspirators in this Lucky Charms plot.

  Kathy was wearing black nail polish—a definite sign that she’d spent at least part of the evening in his daughter’s company. Trey was pleased. Or at least he hoped he was pleased.

  He leaned closer to Kathy, lowering his voice. “You didn’t leave the kids home by themselves to go buy that, did you?”

  She gave him her oh-dear look. “Of course not. I had it delivered.” She leaned closer. “Sorry about your toe.”

  She smelled amazingly good, a mixture of clean soap and some softly, delicately fragrant lotion. From this proximity, he could count the freckles that were scattered across her nose and cheeks. They took her adorableness to a completely new level. Why on earth would she ever want to cover them with makeup?

  “How do you get the grocery store to deliver that late at night?” he asked. Her eyes were a very light shade of gray-blue, with a very thin ring around the outside of the iris so dark it was nearly black. Her lashes were thick and lush and—Trey took a step back, suddenly aware they were still standing much too close.

  “You don’t,” she answered, putting the lid on the plastic container that held Stacy’s salad. “But if you’re creative, you order a pizza and then when it arrives, you tell the pizza delivery boy that he’ll get a twenty-dollar tip if he drops a box of Lucky Charms at the house before ten o’clock.”

  “I’ll pay you back,” Trey told her, leaning back against the counter and taking another sip of his coffee. “In fact, I meant to tell you to keep a list of your expenses.”

  “Of course.” She gave him another smile. “You look very nice this morning. I assume the suit means you’re going into your office?”

  “Thanks, and yeah.” He ran his hand through his hair, feeling absurdly pleased at her compliment. “I’ve got meetings all day.”

  She efficiently zipped Doug’s purple lunch box shut. “What time should we expect you home tonight?”

  “I’ll be back by nine,” he said. “In time for our meeting.”

  “Oh.” Kathy’s smile faded. “Not for dinner?”

  “I have a meeting that’s going to run late.”

  He’d disappointed her. She was trying hard not to show it, but he had. Clearly she’d had expectations—probably based on the fact that most families shared at least one meal together during the day.

  But the Sutherlands weren’t most families. Not by a long shot.

  “We need to go,” Stacy implored. “Doug, go brush your teeth. Quickly. You’ve got dog breath.” She gave Kathy another of her rare smiles as Doug vanished down the hallway. “He thinks that’s a compliment.” She rolled toward the door. “I’ll be out in the car.”

  “Take your lunch,” Kathy said. “And don’t forget to say goodbye to your father.”

  “Goodbye, Trey,” Stacy intoned. “Be sure to make lots and lots of money today because God knows the four billion we already have isn’t enough.”

  “In my country,” Kathy said, “we generally save our insults for the middle of the conversation. Greetings and farewells tend to be insult-free. A simple ‘enjoy your day’ will do quite nicely, please. And—call me old-fashioned—but everyone needs a hug in the morning.”

  Stacy’s smiles were long gone. She turned the hostility she usually reserved for Trey onto Kathy, full power. “I don’t.” The conviction in her words was countered by the way she hesitantly glanced at Trey.

  “That’s ridiculous.” Kathy softened her words with a smile that included Stacy in the joke. “I’ve never met anyone who couldn’t benefit from a hug.”

  Stacy narrowed her eyes, and Trey felt himself tense. That was never a good sign. Stacy had a temper that was too much like his own. She had moods like his, too. In fact, she was just too damn much like him across the board, poor kid.

  But to his surprise, she looked from Kathy to Trey and back again, and then smiled. But it wasn’t a nice smile. It was a calculating smile. Trey braced himself.

  “So, okay,” his daughter said. “If everyone really does need a hug in the morning, then you guys go first.”

  Trey looked at Kathy, who met his gaze with what he was sure was an equal look of shock.

  Um…

  Kathy blushed—what a surprise. And she laughed. “But I’m not family.”

  “Oh,” Stacy said. “I see. So you didn’t really mean that everyone needs a hug. You meant, only some people need hugs. And I’m telling you that I’m not one of—”

  “No,” Kathy said in her, I may sound friendly but I’m not taking any lip voice. “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m actually in dire need of one, this being my first full day at a new job, not to mention the fact that I’m thousands of miles from my home and my family. I was simply expecting to get my share of hugs from you and Douglas, that’s all.”

  “We’re hug-challenged,” Stacy told her. “Sutherlands are pros at the air kiss—we embrace with as little body contact as possible. And when we want to get turned on, we shake hands, mostly because it reminds us of making a business deal.”

  Stacy crossed the kitchen and gave Trey an exaggerated air kiss about three feet from his cheek. “Enjoy your day,” she said tightly. “Try to limit yourself to only three hostile takeovers today, okay, Dad?” She grabbed her skateboard and went out the door. The screen door banged shut behind her.

  “Oh, dear,” Kathy said. “I’m sorry, I—”

  “She’s right.” It wasn’t even seven-thirty, and Trey already had a pounding headache. “As a family, we’re…not very affectionate.”

  “Well,” Kathy said, “if that’s something—as a family—that you’re not particularly happy with, then it might serve you well to figure out a way to change. Air kisses certainly serve their purpose, but they shouldn’t be for family.” She pushed open the kitchen door and leaned out into the hallway. “Doug! Even if you’ve cleaned them one at a time, you’ve got to be done with your teeth by now. Hurry, or we’ll be late.”

  Trey finished his coffee as he watched Kathy hustle his son out the door.

  “See you tonight,” she called to him, polite to the bitter end.

  Maybe Kathy could teach them all how to hug. The thought was remarkably appealing but completely absurd. It was more than likely they were all beyond hope.

  But then Trey remembered. This very morning, after Kathy had been here less than one day, Stacy had smiled and Doug had spoken.

  His new nanny was a miracle worker. If anyone could achieve the impossible, it would be Kathy Wind.

  The light was on in Trey’s tower office.

  Katherine could see it from the arched windows that looked out onto the center courtyard as she gently closed the door to Dougie’s bedroom.

  Doug was, without a doubt, the least talkative child she’d ever met. Besides his two words at breakfast, she’d gotten one “yes” and two “no, thank yous” out of him all day. But he’d handed her a pile of books to read as bedtime stories—all about dogs, of course.

  She finally reached the stairs that led to Trey’s tower. In the spring and summer, when it was warm, it would be quicker simply to cut through the courtyard and—

  She wasn’t going to be here in the summer. Or in the spring, for that matter. Unless Trey’s business partner, Bill Lewis, truly was her missing brother. Then there might be cause to visit from time to time.

  She found herself hoping that he was.

  Katherine had spent the bulk of her day in the Albuquerque library, reading all the local news about the mysterious and elusive Mr. William Lewis. She’d studied the few blu
rry newsprint photos, trying to find a resemblance to the royal family in the man’s face. He was the right age, that much was certain. He seemed to be about the right height and build, and about the right coloring.

  According to the social pages, Bill Lewis seemed to frequent an upscale restaurant and nightclub called The Rat Pack. And he was a member of the Albuquerque Archaeological Society and the local Explorers’ Club. He’d also done extensive fundraising—many years in a row—for the New Mexico branch of the Big Brothers-Big Sisters Organization.

  Tomorrow, Katherine would spend her day making phone calls, trying to find someone who might know where Bill Lewis was. Perhaps one of his friends from the Explorers’ Club. At this point, since Trey seemed to think Bill had gone off somewhere traveling, that was her best bet.

  If Bill truly were Prince James, her long-lost brother, he’d already done quite a bit for which she and her family could be very proud.

  And if he weren’t, well, then she’d simply been on a wild-goose chase, as Laura had called it. At the very least, she told herself firmly, refusing to be so negative as to allow her time with the Sutherlands would be completely wasted, she would have this pleasant little vacation from the demands of her position. And it was a vacation not to have to be Her Highness, Princess Katherine every time she ventured from her bedroom. It was a vacation, regardless of the tension among the various Sutherlands.

  Katherine honestly liked Stacy. Beneath the girl’s facade of rudeness was an incredibly intelligent, quick-witted, extremely sensitive young woman, dying to get out. Douglas was the sweetest little thing—Katherine was already completely in love with both the boy and the dog he pretended to be. And as for their father…

  While Katherine was in the library, she’d read about Trey Sutherland and his wife, Helena, née Browning, too.

  Helena had been truly beautiful—one of those coolly gorgeous, sleek high-society American blondes. She and Trey had made the perfect couple.

  Katherine had read news of their wedding announcement, news of the births of their children. She’d looked at a series of articles on Trey’s booming computer software business, a piece on his merger with Bill Lewis, along with all the numerous mentions of the Sutherlands in the social pages.

  And finally, she’d found and read Helena’s obituary. It was extremely lengthy; it included a picture and outlined a long list of the woman’s charitable works, yet mentioned absolutely nothing of her cause of death.

  Nothing at all.

  As if, one day, she’d simply just stopped breathing, cause unknown.

  Katherine took a deep breath herself, and knocked on Trey’s office door.

  “It’s open.”

  Trey’s voice came from behind her, and she turned to see him walking down the stairs from his bedroom. He was still wearing the expensive Italian suit he’d had on this morning. His tie was loosened, though, and the top button of his shirt was undone. It didn’t make him look sloppy, just rakishly, handsomely disheveled.

  “Go on in,” he said.

  But she hesitated, and he reached across her to unlatch the door and push it open.

  She walked into his brightly lit office, feeling just a little dumb. There was no need for her to be so nervous. This was only a business meeting, after all. It probably wouldn’t last more than five minutes. She’d give him a quick report on Stacy’s and Doug’s day and then she’d be out of there.

  In fact, there was probably no need even to sit down.

  “I’m not sure exactly what to tell you,” she said briskly. “Doug and Stacy and I are still getting to know each other.”

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Trey crossed to the bar. “A glass of wine?”

  Wine.

  “Oh,” said Katherine. “No. I, um…thank you, but, I really only have wine on special occasions.”

  He turned to face her, looking like Central Casting’s ideal for the perfect dream date. He practically oozed money, power and charm. And then, of course, there were his movie-star good looks.

  But this wasn’t a date. And it certainly wasn’t a dream.

  And there was no way she was going to have a glass of wine, and start letting her imagination run even more wild than it already was. No, thank you very much.

  “This isn’t a special occasion?” he asked. “The end of your first full day at a new job?” He motioned toward the other side of the room. “Please. Sit down. God knows it’s been a long enough day.”

  Katherine saw that there was a soft-looking sofa and several only slightly less cushy chairs comfortably grouped together in the far corner of his office. Had he been motioning toward that, or toward the more formal chairs in front of his desk?

  Not wanting to presume anything, she remained standing, exactly where she was.

  “I’ll have a ginger ale,” she told him, since he seemed determined to get her a glass of something. She watched the way his jacket stretched across his broad back as he poured it. “No offense, but special occasion or not, I’ve got to get up early again in the morning. Even worse, I’ve got to get Dougie up. You know, I’ve never met a six-year-old who didn’t automatically wake up at dawn, ready to go.”

  “Doug doesn’t like school very much.” Trey handed her the glass of soda, and she took it from him, careful that their fingers not touch.

  “That’s too bad. Especially considering that he’s got, what? Eleven more years to go?”

  “Yeah. And then four in college. We’ve tried everything short of pulling him out and home-schooling him.” Trey led the way to the sitting area. “But I really think he needs the social connection—you know, exposure to other kids.”

  He set a bowl of pretzels on the coffee table in front of the couch. “Please help yourself,” he continued. “And forgive me for crunching my way through this meeting, but I worked through dinner, and lunch was a hell of a long time ago.”

  It probably also didn’t help that he’d had only a little sleep last night. If, as he’d told her this morning, he hadn’t gotten home until two-thirty, and was up and dressed and ready to go shortly after seven…Trey had probably only had about four hours of sleep last night.

  Katherine sat down on the edge of one of the chairs, since it looked as if he were intending to sit on the couch. “If you like, we could talk in the kitchen. I could get you some dinner…?” Was that something a live-in nanny would be expected to do? She wasn’t sure. Still, on closer inspection, it was clear that Trey was completely exhausted. Whether it was her job or not, she would have gladly made the man a sandwich, or microwaved some of that incredible macaroni and cheese Anita had made for her and the children’s dinner.

  “No,” he said, sinking back onto the couch. “Thanks, but I just want to sit in one place for a few minutes. I had a really tough day. It started with a bang, when I had to fire a man who wasn’t working out. He didn’t take it well and I came damn close to calling security. And that was over twelve hours ago.”

  Katherine couldn’t keep from asking, “Aren’t you past the point where you have to endure tough days?” If what she’d read in the newspaper were true, Sutherland-Lewis was worth a seriously huge amount in American dollars.

  He sat up and took a sip of his wine. “I didn’t mean to sound as if I were complaining. I work because…Well, because it’s what I do. I’m good at programming, and I’m good at running this business. It seems crazy to spend my time doing anything else.”

  Did “anything else” include spending time with his children? Katherine didn’t dare ask that aloud. Besides, he’d only missed two evening meals. It might have been coincidence that they’d fallen two days in a row.

  “Stacy was asking me about Thanksgiving dinner,” she told Trey.

  He ran his hand over the thick stubble of five o’clock shadow on his chin and looked less than happy. “Oh, God, that’s already next week, isn’t it?”

  “Is it?” she asked. “I wasn’t exactly sure since it’s an American custom. Stacy thought it was next Thursda
y. A week from tomorrow?”

  “Yep.” Trey sighed. “My mother’s going to Hawaii to visit some friends, so it’ll just be the four of us. Although…” He took another sip of his wine, almost as if he were fortifying himself. “I’ve wanted to talk to you about this, and this seems as good a segue as anything.” He set down his wineglass and met her eyes. “You’ve asked me about dinner a couple times now, and…” His voice trailed off, but he still held her gaze. “I can’t seem to be in a room with Stacy without some major blowup happening. And when we fight, Doug gets upset and we all get indigestion and…I’ve been staying away at dinnertime on purpose.”

  “Oh, dear,” Katherine said softly.

  He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve talked to some people—some professionals—who think it might be a good idea to give Stacy that space, but I honestly don’t know. You’ve seen how she is, how terrible she can be. I don’t know what to do anymore. Staying away seems so much like giving up, but…” He shook his head. “This sounds awful, but it’s gotten to the point where I find excuses so that I don’t have to come home.”

  He pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose as if he had a dreadful headache as he sat back on the couch. “I can’t believe what I just said. It really sounds awful when you say it out loud, doesn’t it?”

  Katherine didn’t know what to say. So she opted for the truth. “Yes,” she told him. “And since you already know that, you’ve also got to believe deep down inside that staying away from your children couldn’t possibly be the solution to this problem.”

  “So what do I do? Grab her and wrestle her to the ground and force her to stop being so damn rude? God, Kathy, there are times that all I have to do is look at her, and my blood pressure starts to rise.”

  “But that’s part of the problem,” she said. “Don’t you see?” She laughed as she realized it. “You’ve trained yourself to instantly get into this mental boxer’s stance every time you so much as see Stacy.” She sat even farther forward. “This morning, for instance. The first thing you said to her—do you remember?”

  Trey rubbed his eyes. “God, I don’t know. Was it something like ‘What on earth are you wearing today?’ or ‘The only way you’re wearing that outside of this house is over my dead body?’”