“You’re not eating your pizza. You need to make sure you’re taking in enough calories.”
Kerry chuckled. “That sounds a lot like you’re trying to fatten me up.”
“I just want you and the baby to be healthy.”
“I’m really healthy, except for the morning sickness. And I get sleepy during the day. I think my symptoms are getting better, though. I’m going to ask the doctor. I have an appointment on Thursday.”
“Really? I’d like to go with you.”
“You would?”
“Yes. I don’t feel very involved in the pregnancy at the moment, and going with you to talk to the doctor would help ground me. Besides, I have a few questions I’d like to ask.”
“Alexi, I’m not sure I’m ready for that. If you go with me, then people will notice. They’ll ask questions that I’m not sure I’m willing to answer.”
“We have to address this issue soon. You’ll be showing before long, even if you don’t agree to marry me quickly. Like we talked about earlier, I want everyone to know the baby is mine, not some unnamed man’s or your Hank McCauley’s.”
“I know.” And she did understand. Back in her mother’s day, women were pregnant and men weren’t involved. Now a “couple” was pregnant. She’d heard men on television say “When we went into labor.” She didn’t know about this “we” stuff; from her perspective, she was the one with morning sickness and she was the one who’d be pushing and groaning in about six months.
“I’ll think about it, okay. I’m going to a doctor in San Marcos because my regular doctor is Amy Wheatley, or Amy Phillips, I should say. She’s the wife of my employer, so I didn’t think that was a good idea at first.”
“Why? Were you ashamed that you’d gotten pregnant?”
“No, but I wasn’t ready for anyone to know, either.”
Alexi reached over and covered her hand. “Kerry, I want to be involved. Let me go with you. Let me ask my questions and be assured that you and the baby are healthy.”
She looked down at their hands and sighed. “I’ll think about it.” Her list of things to consider just kept getting longer.
AS KERRY sat next to Alexi in the waiting room of her OB/GYN, she wondered how her life had gotten so out of control. First, she’d run off with him. Then she’d made love with him. Now she was actually considering his proposal—or, she should say, ultimatum—that they marry quickly.
Monday beside the pool, she’d considered their conversation more of an intellectual argument. A speculation. Somehow, in the course of defending her position, she’d actually started thinking about the logistics of marriage to a prince. The problems she would face, not the obstacles she might have to overcome if she were to accept his propoal.
And then on Tuesday she’d agreed he could go with her to the doctor’s appointment, even after she’d decided that was a bad idea. It was in San Marcos, she told herself, so there wouldn’t be much chance of being observed. And he could dress down, so he looked like Hank. And this was Alexi’s baby.
With a sigh, she shifted on the seat. She needed to talk to Gwendolyn. She’d called her friend immediately, but they hadn’t been able to get together since Wendy, as Hank called her, was going with him to pick up a horse on Tuesday. That had left both Kerry and Alexi without their mutual friend, so they’d spent the evening together, eating stir-fry from Kerry’s kitchen and watching a movie she’d rented.
She glanced around the waiting room. A thirtyish woman was reading a magazine and a middle-aged woman was staring at the fish in the built-in aquarium. Kerry leaned close to Alexi and whispered, “If we were married and living in the palace, would we have been able to cook a meal and watch a movie?”
He looked at her with a gleam in his blue eyes. “Yes. My suite has a small kitchen, similar to one of your suites hotels. But if that isn’t enough, it can be enlarged. And I also have a parlor, a small dining room, two bedrooms and two baths.”
“Oh.” So maybe there was room for her. Maybe one of the bedrooms could be converted into a nursery.
“Of course, the easiest way for you to judge whether you’d be comfortable with major renovations is to come back home with me.”
“I—”
The door to the exam rooms opened. “Ms. Jacks?” the nurse called.
Kerry sprang up. “Right here.” Alexi rose also, but she motioned him down. “You can’t come in for the exam.”
“Why not? I thought that’s why I was here.”
“Just…just because!”
“Would you like to wait in the doctor’s office?” the nurse asked. “That way you can both talk to Dr. Norman.”
“Okay, you can talk to the doctor after I’m finished with the exam,” Kerry conceded. “I’m just not ready for you to go into the room with me. It’s kind of embarrassing.”
Alexi sighed, but followed them behind the door. The nurse showed him into the office, while leading her on to the exam room.
Kerry undressed, thinking about Alexi and how he might react to her increasingly sensitive breasts and slightly rounded tummy. Thinking about how good he’d looked Monday at the pool. She’d loved the excuse to touch him, even briefly, when they were in the water together.
She waited for the doctor for what seemed like forever, but in actuality was only ten minutes. She’d had the exam a month ago and knew she’d be having a lot more in the next months, but this time felt different. This time Alexi was in the other room, wondering what was going on, feeling left out.
He wanted to be a father. He wanted this child. She sighed, turning her head to the side and closing her eyes.
“Are you okay?” Dr. Norman asked when she finished the pelvic exam.
“I’m fine. I was just wondering if you’re going to do the test for the baby’s heartbeat.”
“Yes, in just a minute.”
“Would you call in Alexi? He’s in your office. He wanted to be involved, but I told him I didn’t want him in for the exam.”
The doctor pressed the intercom and advised her nurse. Dr. Norman prepared the equipment, and within a few minutes Alexi was in the room.
“Is everything all right?” he asked, his forehead puckered with worry.
“I’m fine,” Kerry said. “I thought you might want to hear the baby’s heartbeat.”
“I’d love to hear the baby’s heartbeat,” he said, holding her hand and gazing down at her with genuine affection. And maybe something more, like gratitude that she’d included him. Whatever he was feeling, she was glad she’d called him in.
“Thanks for making me bring you with me today,” she said while the doctor draped her lower belly and pulled up her gown.
Alexi was such a perfect gentleman that he didn’t even look until the doctor turned on a machine and they heard a beeping. After spreading a cold gel, she passed a hand-held device, which looked like a large computer mouse, low over Kerry’s tummy, just above the drape, and a strange noise filled the room. Then the rapid, suction-gurgling sound of the heartbeat pulsed loud and clear.
“That’s your baby’s heartbeat,” Dr. Norman said. “Everything sounds fine.”
“Great,” Kerry said, although she hadn’t been worried. She didn’t suppose Alexi’s child would have the audacity to have an irregular heartbeat. Of course, if he or she were anything like the daddy, the baby might give them a reason to worry just for the heck of it.
“Amazing,” Alexi whispered. He cleared his throat, then asked, “Are you sure there’s just one heartbeat? Because that sounded a bit confusing to me.”
Dr. Norman laughed. “Yes, there’s just one baby, unless they are coordinating their rhythms.”
“When could we know the sex of the baby?”
“Depending on the test, almost anytime now.”
“Do you want to know?” Kerry asked.
“I don’t know. Do you?” Alexi answered.
“I don’t think so. Does it matter?”
Alexi thought about it for a moment, then said,
“No, I don’t think so.”
Dr. Norman smiled. “Why don’t we have the daddy wait in my office while you get dressed?”
As soon as Alexi left the room, the doctor turned to Kerry. “Is that the prince who was here about three months ago?” For a forty-something woman who had family pictures on her desk and credenza, she sounded a bit awestruck. Kerry had noticed he had that effect on women.
“Yes, he is. I guess you can put two and two together and know that he didn’t spend all his time giving speeches and shaking hands.”
Dr. Norman smiled. “I suppose not.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Well, congratulations. I’ve never had a prince as an expectant father before.”
Kerry smiled weakly. “Believe me, he can be very stubborn, extremely persistent and quite frustrating. But I think he’s worth it.”
ALEXI HAD SO MUCH to consider on the drive back to Ranger Springs. His mind overflowed with the image of Kerry lying on the table, her rounded abdomen exposed but all other parts strategically draped. The sound of their baby’s heartbeat pounded in his memory; he couldn’t believe that something still so tiny could produce such amazing noise.
And then Kerry and the doctor had joined him in the office, explaining the changes Kerry’s body was going through. He knew little about pregnant women. If he hadn’t exposed himself—and Kerry—to speculation, he would have checked a book out of the library since Ranger Springs had no bookstores. Thanks to Dr. Norman, he now possessed several pamphlets to guide him through the pregnancy, plus he had a new appreciation of the wonder of carrying a baby.
“I can’t wait for the sonogram next month,” he said as he turned onto the road that led to Kerry’s apartment.
She smiled back shyly and he felt the intimacy of the exam room flooding back. She’d included him on this trip to the physician; did that mean she was softening toward him in other ways?
“Tell me more about your country,” she said, startling him out of his speculation.
“What do you want to know?”
“Well, let’s say that I were a tourist who was going to visit. What would I see when I got off the plane?”
His heart raced as he slowed for a stop sign. Could she be thinking about visiting Belegovia? Could she be thinking of moving there?
“The airport was built for military aircraft on a former Soviet air base, but was renovated recently. We tried to incorporate many of the innovations going on in U.S. airports, like shopping and dining options, so people might visit there even without traveling by plane. Recently we added additional security, so the airport is safe by any standard.”
“What about when I leave the airport?”
“You’ll see rolling hills and small farms, then apartments and homes closer together mixed with industrial shops and small businesses. The airport is about twenty kilometers out of the capital, so the drive is a nice one.
“Inside the city, there is still much to be done. Many of the buildings remain vacant and in need of repair, but I have hopes that some of the warehouses will eventually be converted into lofts such as in the trendy areas of your big cities. We are trying to attract people back to the country who might have fled, like my father, when the Soviets took over.”
“I see. You have a lot of plans, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. I never really understood how much needed to be done until I set foot on Belegovia soil. Somehow, my ‘job’ as prince didn’t seem real until I was there.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Kerry said, staring down at her clasped hands. “I’ve been wondering what role your family might play, what they do for the country.”
As Alexi pulled to a stop, he took in her white knuckles, furrowed brow and pinched lips. His heart raced again. “Do you mean what I think you mean? That you want to go to Belegovia? That you want to see for yourself?”
“I don’t see how I can make a decision about moving there unless I see it for myself.”
“Kerry,” he said softly, unhooking his seat belt and moving closer. He slid his hand along her jaw and turned her face to look at him. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You’re thinking of marrying me and moving to my country.”
She closed her blue-gray eyes briefly, then looked at him. “I realized today that the life we’ve created together will bind us in many ways. I can’t keep our baby from knowing his or her heritage, both in Texas and Belegovia. And I can’t deny that I’ve never stopped wanting you.”
“I never stopped wanting you, either, even when I knew that I couldn’t offer you what my heart said you needed.”
“I didn’t want to be a princess.”
“But that is exactly what I must offer. Can you be happy as my queen?”
“I honestly don’t know, Alexi. But I need to go to your world. You’ve come to mine. You’ve proved you can be a regular guy, just as I asked. Now I have to see if I can be something besides a small-town girl.”
Chapter Eleven
The plane landed gently, but even so, Charlene Jacks held on to Kerry’s hand so tightly, she thought a few fingers might be broken.
“It’s okay, Mom. We’re on the ground now.”
“Oh, thank goodness. I didn’t mind the flying, but those takeoffs and landings are nerve-racking.”
Alexi leaned forward and patted her mother’s hand. “You did splendidly, Mrs. Jacks. Before long, you’ll be a seasoned world traveler.”
“Yes, you did marvelously well,” Gwendolyn added, sitting next to Alexi in the plush leather seats. “Soon you’ll be flying back and forth between Belegovia and Texas with ease.”
Kerry had asked Gwendolyn to accompany them so she’d have someone familiar at the palace besides her mother, who thought marrying Alexi was a “done deal.” Gwendolyn could also help her with the transition of living inside the palace, since she’d gone though a similar scenario when she moved from England to Belegovia several years ago. Of course, Gwendolyn was a member of the British aristocracy, the daughter of an earl, and not a small-town Texas woman who’d taken ten years to finish college because she worked as a truck stop waitress.
“I’m not sure I want to fly around that much,” Charlene Jacks, who had never been farther than New Orleans, said.
“We’ll see,” Kerry said, not wanting to encourage anyone to believe she was going to live in Belegovia with Alexi. Maybe things would work out. She might not like his country; his family or his people might not like her. But she had to try, for herself and the sake of their baby.
“It will take a few minutes to power down and get the steps in place. Our captain will let us know when we can depart. Until then, you might want to get your personal belongings together. I have a feeling there will be a crowd at the airport to welcome us home.”
Home. Alexi’s home, not hers. Or at least Belegovia had been his home for almost half his life. He’d lived an eclectic lifestyle, from England to the United States and now Belegovia, apparently fitting in just fine no matter where he settled. She only hoped that she’d fit in half as well. If she decided to stay…
She’d never expected to leave Ranger Springs. All of her family lived there. Many of her friends were in the area, from San Marcos to Wimberley to Austin. She’d always wanted to travel, but never expected to settle someplace else. Never thought she’d have to learn a foreign language or pretend to be someone she wasn’t.
At least her boss, Grayson Phillips, had been understanding. He’d granted a two-week leave of absence so she could make this trip…and possibly make a decision that would affect her life forever.
With a sigh, she gathered her magazine and paperback, put everything back in her tote bag and dug in her makeup case for lipstick and powder. She wanted to look her best for Alexi’s countrymen. She wasn’t even sure if there was a local television station in Belegovia, but if there was, she didn’t want his people to see a Texas bumpkin stumble off the royal jet.
“Will there be press outside?” she asked.
“Perhaps,” Gwendolyn
answered. “If there are, just look ahead and keep walking. Don’t stop, don’t respond to their questions.”
Kerry put a hand over her stomach and exhaled.
“You’ll be fine, sweetie,” her mother said.
Kerry smiled. Now that they’d landed, Charlene Jacks had regained control. She was going to reassure her daughter no matter what the situation.
Suddenly the door of the plane opened and a burst of warm, fragrant air rushed into the cabin…along with a flock of imaginary butterflies that seemed to settle in Kerry’s stomach. She’d gotten over morning sickness, but she’d never faced this kind of situation.
“Hold my hand,” Alexi said calmly, “and smile if you can. No one knows why you are here. No one knows about the baby. Just be calm and you’ll get through this fine. Before long we’ll be inside the limousine and you’ll get to look at the sights on the way to the palace.”
“Royal jets, crowds of admirers, limousines and palaces. I think I’m going to hyperventilate.”
“No, you’re not. You’re going to hold your head up and act like you belong here,” Gwendolyn advised.
Alexi framed her face with his strong, warm hands. “Let me give you something else to take your mind off all these superficial trappings,” he said softly before he kissed her.
His mouth devoured hers, gently and sweetly, making her forget everything but his minty taste and firm lips. She kissed him back, dropping her tote bag and wrapping her arms around his waist.
Far too briefly he ended the kiss, breathing heavily. He smiled and her heart skipped a beat. “Ready?”
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
“I’m ready,” her mother said, gathering her purse close to her body as though a horde of Belegovian purse snatchers waited outside the jet. “I’m ready to meet the king. Just imagine—a real, live king!”
Kerry smiled at Alexi, and together they escorted royal watcher Charlene Jacks off the jet and into the bright sunlight, clicking cameras and cheering crowd.
ALEXI RELAXED into the plush rear seat of the limousine, enjoying the feel of Kerry beside him, leaning forward to look out at the passing scenery. Her mother perched on the lengthwise seat like a four-year-old at a county fair. Gwendolyn sat opposite Mrs. Jacks, already on her cell phone to the palace. Old habits died hard; she was probably making sure that Kerry’s welcome was complete. He couldn’t keep a slight smile off his face, and he didn’t even try.
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