The Prince's Texas Bride

by Victoria Chancellor

  “Just let me know when and I’ll be there. Hopefully, by then Kerry and I will have already been married at the cathedral in Belegovia. So perhaps I will see you and Hank over there before we come back here for your wedding.”

  “I will keep my fingers crossed for you, Alexi. I know she loves you. I could tell that day we left. She was so devastated, both after your speech and when I told her she had only five minutes to say goodbye.”

  His heart seemed to skip a few beats. He wanted to believe Kerry loved him still, but she’d only admitted to “beginning” to fall in love with him. She’d never actually said the words he longed to hear.

  Of course, neither had he. He hadn’t felt free to profess his feelings when he knew he was going to marry another. And, at the time, he thought perhaps his feelings weren’t real because he’d only known her for days. Now he hadn’t said anything because she would naturally be suspicious. He’d tell her later, after she agreed to marry him.

  “Thank you for the vote of confidence. I hope you’re right.”

  “She needs time, Alexi, although I know you feel that is the one thing you do not have. But think about what has happened to her in the past three months—she’s graduated after ten long years of part-time classes while working full-time, she’s helped support her family since she was a teenager and she finally has a wonderful job and a place of her own. Now she must give up her independence for a life in the spotlight? This will be very hard for her.”

  “I know that,” he said, although he probably hadn’t spent enough time considering Kerry’s feelings. All he could think about at first was the baby. His baby.

  “When I decided to stay here with Hank—at your strong suggestion, I might add—I had to give up a career I loved and the friends I had made in Belegovia, plus I was separated by more miles from my family and friends in England. But Kerry will be even further estranged from everything she loves.”

  “I know! You don’t have to make me feel even worse. If there was something I could do, something I could give up, don’t you think I would? But my situation is different. I can’t give up being Belegovia’s crown prince. It wouldn’t be fair to my father or the people.”

  “I know, and that’s all true, but sometimes the heart doesn’t understand. All I’m asking is to be patient. You were my friend first, Alexi, but Kerry and I have grown close over the past three months. Partly, I’m sure, because I was her closest link to you.”

  “Now you’re really making me feel like a heel. Look, I’ll be patient. I’ve had to adjust to a lot in the past twenty-four hours, too, not that I’m unhappy in any way with the news. Believe it or not, I’ve wanted to call Kerry a hundred times, at least, in the past three months. I did what I thought was best at the time, and I think Kerry understands now.”

  “I’m sure she does. She’s an intelligent, independent young woman.”

  “Point taken—again. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He hung up the phone, glad that he’d had this conversation with Gwendolyn. She understood both Kerry and the situation, so she could be fair. And she brought up a good point; he did need to work on his patience.

  “Wendy” was obviously happy living here with Hank. Soon they would be married and, he guessed, they’d be expecting a child before long. Like him, she was thirty, and he supposed her biological clock was ticking despite her new career as a public-relations consultant in Austin and San Antonio.

  Alexi just hoped that Kerry would be equally contented married to him…and living in his country.

  That was one small detail he hadn’t truly considered until talking to his old friend. Could Kerry actually be happy living someplace besides her beloved hometown?

  Chapter Nine

  Kerry knew they’d draw attention when they showed up at Bretford House, but she wasn’t quite prepared to have every eye in the place turn on them. Everyone was dressed for church, some in short-sleeve shirts, some women in sandals, but some in suits and ties, the women in hose and heels. All of them looked with undisguised interest at the two look-alike men and the two very different women.

  Gwendolyn and Hank greeted the others who were waiting for a table. She’d made a home for herself here, despite coming from a vastly different background. She didn’t like the heat, Kerry knew, but had given up milder summers and snow-capped peaks for Hank.

  Kerry wondered what she’d be willing to give up. Her career? Her hometown? Could she do what Gwendolyn had done for the love of a man? She just didn’t know. But before she could even consider it, she had to be convinced he’d be there for her if she gave up almost everything for him.

  “And what brings you back to Ranger Springs, Your Highness?” Mrs. Biggerstaff, the wife of the banker, asked. She gazed up at Alexi with a rather unholy gleam in her eyes, clasping her hands as if to keep them from roaming all over his body. Kerry couldn’t really blame the slightly pudgy, middle-aged lady; she’d had a difficult time turning down his invitation last night.

  “I came back to visit my very close friends,” he said, smiling blandly.

  “Will you have time for an interview?” Thelma Rogers asked. “I’d love to run an exclusive in the Springs Gazette. Scooping the big papers in Austin and San Antonio would do a lot for our local press.”

  “I always try to cooperate with the press, so please give me a call at Robin’s Nest,” he said, again evading a direct answer. He was very good at that—smooth evasion.

  Even knowing why he needed to hedge, Kerry recognized her unease over that trait. She’d grown up around Texans who were praised for straight-talking. Her family might have been poor, but they were known for their honesty. Even Hank, who could talk rings around anyone and tease unmercifully, was so inherently honest that people did business with him on a handshake.

  “I think our table is ready,” Hank said, putting his arm around Gwendolyn and leading her through the small crowd. Kerry looked at Alexi, who simply raised an eyebrow. She definitely didn’t want him holding her hand or anything else while they were in public, so she followed Gwendolyn. They were led through one room, which at one time was probably the parlor, into a second room that looked as though it had been a bedroom back when the building was a private residence. Purple flower-sprigged wallpaper and gleaming hardwood floors gave the room a cheerful quality. Sheer curtains were tied back on both tall windows.

  “What a quaint restaurant,” Alexi said, holding out Kerry’s chair. “Turn of the century?”

  “Probably. Ranger Springs was founded in the 1870s, but most of the houses you see were built from the mid-1890s to the mid-1900s,” Kerry explained. “But I’m sure that seems really recent to both you and Gwendolyn. Everything’s pretty old in Europe, isn’t it?”

  “Not everything, although we do have many famous old buildings and monuments,” Gwendolyn said. “Why, in Alexi’s country, there are both beautiful picturesque villages and magnificent buildings. You should see the palace! It’s been completely restored with marble, stone and wood. Even the original murals and vaulted ceilings are intact.”

  “I certainly hope she will see the palace,” Alexi said, leaning forward and speaking in a low voice the diners at other tables couldn’t hear. “And the cathedral, also. We have a magnificent red carpet that just begs for a long white dress and a sprinkling of rose petals.”

  Kerry grabbed her cloth napkin and spread it in her lap, not looking at anyone else at the table. Alexi flustered her. He could make his words sound personal and intimate, even in the midst of a crowd.

  “So, Hank,” she said to change the subject before someone else overheard the conversation, “how’s business?”

  Fortunately, the waitress came with glasses of water and menus, so she was spared from any more blatant references by Alexi to his intentions. The conversation changed to Texas weather, Gwendolyn and Hank’s wedding plans, and things Alexi should see while he was in Texas.

  Before their food arrived, Pastor Carl and his wife came by the table to say hello. As soo
n as they left, when the salads arrived, two more couples arrived to say they were so glad Prince Alexi was visiting their town. He was offered a discount at the clothing store and a free ham at the grocery—although they admitted he probably didn’t need a ham, but could give it away.

  Hank was getting a little tired of the attention, but Alexi was gracious. When their dinners arrived, along with three older ladies from the community center, Hank obviously had enough. He stood up and addressed the room.

  “Friends and neighbors, we’re real glad to see y’all here today, but we’d like to eat our meal in peace. Why don’t you come by and see the prince later at the gazebo? We’ll make sure he gets there after lunch. Thanks.” He ended with a wave.

  “Well-done,” Alexi said, cutting into his barbecued brisket as soon as Hank sat back down. “Now, perhaps we can get back to our conversation. Kerry, what do you have planned for us tomorrow? Perhaps we should visit one of the locales suggested by the nice couple with the extra hams.”

  “I don’t know what you’re going to do tomorrow,” she said, picking up her own knife and fork, “but I’m going to work. Maybe you can get someone else to come out and play.”

  Gwendolyn chuckled and Hank laughed out loud. Alexi didn’t look angry, but he wasn’t happy, either. Well, that was just too bad. She wasn’t going to change her life just because she had a VIP visitor. Or because she was pregnant. Or because he wanted her to get married on that red carpet sprinkled with rose petals.

  Nope. Tomorrow she was going to work as usual. Alexi was on his own…until she got off at five o’clock.

  ALEXI WOKE LATE in the morning after tossing and turning most of the night. He kept thinking about Kerry, so close and yet so far away. Yesterday had been a very busy day, one where he’d failed to make progress with her. After lunch they’d all gone to the gazebo in the center of town, where he’d greeted people and signed autographs until Hank had rescued him with a promise to show him the ranch. They’d all driven out to see the horses and improvements made to the facilities, but Kerry had spent most of the time indoors with Gwendolyn while he and Hank toured the barns. He’d barely had time to speak to her because she’d left to visit her mother and do a few loads of laundry.

  The harder he pushed—like mentioning the cathedral’s red carpet strewn with rose petals—the more she retreated. He was going to have to face the fact that winning Kerry’s hand in marriage was much harder than courting any European princess. As a matter of fact, all he had to do was decide which ones he might want to marry and they became instantly available.

  He was in Texas now, he thought as he stretched his arms over his head and looked around the room. Bright sunlight streamed in through shutters that looked like old barn doors, highlighting various cowboy paraphernalia hanging on the walls and decorating the furniture. Yes, he was definitely in Texas, and he had to approach Kerry on her terms.

  Her mother was on his side, and probably her sisters, as well. Gwendolyn was remaining neutral, which was exactly in her nature, and Hank seemed to find the situation amusing—as long as no one “bothered” his friend Kerry too much. Deep inside, Hank had a gallant streak a mile wide.

  But Alexi needed more support, and he needed to understand more about what would sway Kerry’s decision to marry him. Her friends would be a good starting point. And what better place to start than the Four Square Café, where he could talk to both her mother and others who knew Kerry.

  Of course, he’d have to be careful. He couldn’t tell anyone else of the pregnancy until she was ready. Then, after they were married and she’d been accepted by his people, he was going to crow like the proudest rooster. This is my baby, he wanted to proclaim.

  Stretching again, he rolled out of bed. He needed a good breakfast, insightful conversation and lots of luck. Later he’d work on getting more clothes, since he was going to be here a while, and he needed to establish a “home office” in this room so he could keep up with his investments and his country’s business. He might also need Gwendolyn to help him draft a press release about where he’d run off to this time.

  Half an hour later, freshly shaved and showered, he quickly descended the steps. Robin was at the counter, looking through a magazine and making notes on a yellow pad. “Good morning,” she said, looking up with a smile. “How was your weekend?”

  “Good. And yourself?”

  “Busy. We’re working on an addition to the house and there’s always something to do.”

  Alexi nodded. “I’m out for several hours. The room is superb, by the way.”

  “I’m glad you’re comfortable, but what about breakfast?”

  “I believe I’ll go to the café. I’d like to talk to Mrs. Jacks, so I might as well eat breakfast there.”

  “They fix a good one. All I have,” Robin said with a smile, “are muffins, coffee and juice.”

  “Perhaps tomorrow. I feel as though I should talk to Kerry’s mother about our…situation.”

  “I absolutely hate to be so nosy, but were you and Kerry really together in May when you came here?”

  “Yes, we were.”

  With a definite sparkle in her eye, she asked, “Then was Hank McCauley impersonating you?”

  “Yes,” Alexi said with a conspiratorial wink, “except he couldn’t get the accent right—I believe Gwendolyn said they didn’t even try—so that’s why he pretended to have laryngitis.”

  “That certainly makes sense, especially when she suddenly decided to stay in Ranger Springs, then moved in with Hank. His friend Travis Whittaker seemed to have it all figured out, but nobody would confirm the romance.”

  “Hank and Gwendolyn are getting married in the fall.”

  “Yes, I know. She’s asked me to design some floral arches and large baskets for the wedding.”

  “Wonderful. I hope we can come back for the ceremony.”

  “We?”

  Alexi grinned. “Would you believe I used the royal ‘we’?”

  “Not really,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Well, have a good day, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.”

  He pushed open the front door of the shop and was hit with a blast of hot, dry air. He nearly retreated back into the air-conditioned interior, but his mission was too important to let a little thing like unbearable heat keep him inside.

  As he passed the hardware store, he noticed the proprietor placing some gardening-related items on the sidewalk in front of the large window.

  “Why, good mornin’, Prince Alexi! Are you havin’ a good time in our little town?”

  “Yes, I am, Mr….”

  “Jimmy Mack Branson.”

  “Ah, yes. It’s nice to see you, Mr. Branson. I was just on my way to breakfast.”

  “You go right ahead. I imagine you want to talk to Charlene.” He grinned and winked. “You’d best get in good with the mama. I heard you were courtin’ our Kerry. She’s a fine, fine young woman.”

  “Yes, she is.” The grapevine certainly worked fast. Just yesterday he’d had lunch with her and their friends at Bretford House, and now word was out.

  “You have a nice day, and make sure you come in if you need anything. Anything at all.”

  “Yes, I will. Thank you.” He smiled, waved and walked on past. Perhaps he could purchase a large platter for his free ham.

  Across the street, several pickups were parked in front of the café. In the center of the square, a dark-haired mother watched while her two children played around the gazebo.

  He remembered the gazebo well from the rushed press conference he’d given there three months ago. He’d apparently been very persuasive in his contention that Hank had been traveling around Texas with Kerry. Now he was going to have to tell everyone that he and Kerry had, in fact, been more than mere acquaintances. They had made a baby together.

  Both of them were going to have to face questions about why they’d kept the truth from the public, he realized as he crossed the street. Gwendolyn could put a good spin on the si
tuation. He’d have to consult with her before the national press interviews, which were sure to follow.

  He certainly didn’t want people to think he’d been lying on a whim, or that he and Kerry had jumped into some torrid yet meaningless affair. He needed them to understand that there had been instant attraction, and that in only four short days, they’d created something very special. He also wanted everyone to know both he and Kerry were thrilled to be expecting the next royal heir.

  Of course, first he needed to convince Kerry that their child should be born after a wedding, and be raised to his or her rightful place in the Belegovian monarchy.

  The bell over the door tinkled gaily as he strolled into the air-conditioned café interior. Breathing a sigh of relief, he spotted Charlene Jacks, smiled and waved. In just a second she walked to the front and picked up a menu and flatware rolled inside a paper napkin.

  “Why, good morning, Prince Alexi. Will you be having breakfast with us?”

  “Yes, I will. Any chance you can take a break and join me?”

  “I think that can be arranged,” she said, standing up straighter and smiling broadly. “I’ll go get us both a cup of coffee.”

  After a cholesterol-laden but delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and biscuits, Alexi learned more about the woman who carried his child. After listening to what a great job Kerry had landed, plus her excitement over her first apartment—which made him feel like a heel because he was attempting to take her away from what she’d worked so hard to achieve—the conversation turned to Kerry’s younger years.

  “I just don’t know what I would have done without her when her father left. She was only thirteen, but she pitched in like a trouper and baby-sat her younger sisters after school without a complaint. When she was old enough to get a job, she worked summers and weekends, even though I told her to take time off, have some fun with kids her own age.”