He grinned as he threaded fishing line through the loops on his pole. "Oh, after playing rummy with you last night, I've got a good idea. I know a few tricks. I'm sure I can take you."
Once the line had been secured, he tied off a hook and sinker on the end.
She wrinkled her nose. "What was that about beginner's luck? Were you just buttering me up?"
"No, no. Of course not."
From behind her, he saw her red-and-white bobber sink beneath the water's surface. He nodded to where it had last been. "You've got a bite."
Kylie whirled and gave a tiny shriek.
"Don't pull too wildly, or you'll—"
She jerked her pole back, sending their canoe wobbling. She shrieked all over again. Snow barked.
He stayed in his seat, trying to offset her movement by his stillness. He clamped a hand on her shoulder and the crazy rocking of the canoe settled slightly. "Easy, Tiger."
She shot a wild look over her shoulder, shaking slightly. "I forgot."
"It's okay. We're not that far from shore. I assume both you and Snowball can doggie paddle."
She shot him a scathing look.
"Of course, we'd lose the donuts..."
"Oooh, I forgot about the donuts."
She'd been tugging against the tension on her line but now her bobber popped back above the water's surface.
"Looks like you lost your fish."
She sighed and twirled the reel, pulling in her line.
He finished tying off the hook on his pole and reached for a minnow as her line crested the edge of the canoe. The hook and sinker were completely gone, snapped off the line.
"Here, you can take mine while I bait you back up," he offered.
"No way. You got me all excited for a donut."
He laughed and cast his line into the water, aiming for a dark spot—maybe a submerged log?—near the shoreline. The gunshot wound in his arm pulled at the motion, but he ignored it.
The paper bag rattled as she dug out a chocolate and sprinkle-covered confection. Snow's head came up off her paws, and Kylie pinched off a tiny piece of the donut and shared it with the dog.
He had a view of the side of her face but tried not to stare as Kylie took a bite, the chocolate disappearing between white teeth and pink lips.
They hadn't repeated the kiss they'd shared the afternoon before their wild flight to the cabin, but not for lack of wanting to, at least on his part.
He was afraid he’d scare her off with the intensity of his feelings. His mom had challenged him the last time they'd spoken on the phone, demanded that he not get in over his head again and brought up Farah. Jerry had done the same this morning, although not as pushy as his mother, edging up to the subject but ultimately just asking whether Nick knew what he was doing.
Their concern only solidified his feelings for Kylie. He'd had plenty of down time the past three days to think. Kylie hadn't asked for his help, even when she'd been at her most upset. She wasn't taking advantage of him.
They’d spent hours upon hours talking. He felt reasonably certain that she’d done what she’d claimed after her mom died. Lots of wandering. Soul searching. He couldn’t find anything suspicious in her past, so it was scary that he had no idea where the threat against her originated.
The precinct had been busy cataloguing the crime scene. They hadn’t turned up any clues other than a couple of bullets that had been sent off for ballistics testing that could take weeks. His captain had a lead on Military-Guy, and was supposed to hunt him down at the local hotel today. If that didn’t pan out… Nick didn’t know where the next attack could come from.
Meanwhile, he was falling for Kylie. She was funny, and smart, and maybe a little lost since her mother's death. After spending so much time together, Kylie had sowed seeds of the idea that maybe it was time for him to forgive himself for what had happened with Farah. Her tender heart was another thing to admire.
No doubt about it. He was falling head over heels.
He was certain about his feelings, but it felt quick, which made him hold back. He was afraid that if he declared himself, she'd tell him things were moving too fast. He was afraid she’d disappear, move back to Chicago.
But he'd also determined to at least broach the subject of his feelings with her. Find out if there was a chance she'd consider a long-distance relationship. Or maybe he'd think about leaving his job here and joining the force there to be close to her. Maybe getting away from Bear Lake's long memory would be a good thing.
As Kylie enjoyed her breakfast, Nick reeled in a small crappie and tossed it back. By that time, Kylie had finished her donut, so he tied her off another hook and sinker and baited her hook.
She nearly hooked him with a wild cast, sending them both laughing.
Jerry had provided a newspaper along with the donuts, and Nick picked it up now, figuring he'd give Kylie a few minutes to catch up to his fish count. She didn’t need any excuses when she lost.
He shook the newspaper slightly as he opened it to the second and third page, but then froze as a familiar picture—two familiar pictures—caught his eye.
The first was Military-Man himself. In the photo, he was dressed in a smart black tux and standing next to a good-looking blonde in a cascading wedding dress. The second picture, below the first, was Kylie, or a sketch of a woman who could've been Kylie. The resemblance was so close.
ROYAL FAMILY SEARCHES FOR LOST PRINCESS.
Nick's stomach pitched. Part of him wanted to whip the newspaper closed, ignore this—whatever this was. Instinctively, he knew that whatever it was, it could change Kylie's life—and maybe his part in her life—in an instant.
But he had to know. He quickly scanned the article. Military-Man wasn't an enemy after all. He was married to a princess from a small European country Nick had never heard of before. And he was here in Bear Lake searching, on his wife's behalf, for her half-sister.
Kylie.
He reached to his pocket for his phone, only to realize he must’ve left it in the truck. He’d bet it was blowing up with calls from his captain and maybe even from the local newspaper reporter.
He’d known real life was going to intrude, but not like this.
Kylie felt Nick’s sudden stillness. She glanced over her shoulder, ready to tease him about his fishing prowess. The words died on her lips when she saw how white his face had gone.
Her heart pounded with sudden panic. “What’s the matter?”
He folded the newspaper, opening it to a specific page, and then held it out for her. She exchanged her fishing pole for the paper. It crinkled beneath her hand.
Her own face looked back at her.
“What is this?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he paddled toward the shore. His movements were economical and quick, much more so than they’d been during the leisurely float out on the water. Something was wrong, and it had to do with her picture in the paper. She bent her head to read the accompanying article.
“This is impossible,” she said with a little laugh. “It’s crazy.”
The bottom of the boat scraped against the mud and moss as it came ashore. Nick grunted as he hopped over the side and waded through the water to pull the canoe all the way onto the bank, muscles rippling, though he favored his left arm.
Snow jumped out of the canoe, splashing in the mossy water.
Kylie clutched the edge of the canoe, trying to ground herself. “Nick…” she whispered. “This is crazy, right?”
But his eyes were dark when he finally looked at her. “Not that impossible. You never knew your dad’s identity.”
It wasn’t a question. She’d admitted that tidbit to him during one of their deeper conversations. That, and how she’d always felt like something was missing from her family because of it.
Nick moved to clasp her waist with his big hands. He easily lifted her from the canoe, transferring her to dry ground with only two steps. He set her away from him and turned back to the canoe to gather u
p the remains of their breakfast. He stowed the oars and pulled the boat fully onto the bank.
She glanced again at her likeness in pen and ink. “It could be someone else.”
“It’s you. The paper would’ve done its research before they ran an article like that.” He straightened and brushed one hand through his hair, his agitation clear. He left his tackle box and the two fishing poles in the canoe. “I’ll come back for those later. My phone’s at the truck and I’m guessing my captain is trying to get in touch with me.”
She swallowed against the sudden emotion in her throat. This was a lot to take in. The fact that someone out there—a princess—thought Kylie was royalty. Or at least halfway so. She might have a sister that she’d never known about.
Was this why she’d been targeted by the men who’d shot at her and Nick? Because she might be royalty? But why?
Her swirling thoughts steadied when Nick’s hand closed over hers. He tugged her up the path toward the cabin. “We’ve got to get back.”
He whistled for Snow as they moved through the woods together. The dog rustled through the underbrush, hunting squirrels and probably coating her wet fur with dirt and leaves. Although Nick’s hand was warm against Kylie’s skin, the contact didn’t bring the comfort it had for the past two days. She could feel the tension coiled in him.
If she was really a princess, it would change everything. #
8
They arrived at the precinct several hours later, as the sun was going down. After reading the newspaper article, Nick had wanted to go right in, but his captain had ordered him to stay in the secluded cabin until nightfall. Apparently, the former Navy SEAL and a prince of Glorvaird was coordinating things now.
Nick itched under the forced inactivity. And didn’t particularly care for being told what to do about Kylie’s safety. Gideon Hale had claimed the attacks on Kylie were hired killers hired by the Glorvaird princess’s aunt and that the men were still out there somewhere. Nick wasn’t willing to take chances with Kylie’s life, so he’d agreed to wait.
Most of all, he hated that she was leaving. She hadn’t come out and said so—she’d been quiet and reserved all afternoon—but he knew it would only be a matter of time.
Now Military-Guy—Gideon Hale—stood on the sidewalk near the front door, a pair of reflective sunglasses similar to the ones Nick owned hiding his eyes. His arms were crossed over his chest and he scanned his surroundings. Nick knew to drive right up to the curb. He waited for the ex-soldier to nod to him before he spoke to Kylie. “It’s okay. Go on in.”
She glanced at him, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. “Aren’t you coming?”
“I’ve got to park the truck.”
She looked at Hale and back to Nick. “Can’t I wait and go in with you?”
Hale didn’t like the delay and approached the passenger door.
“It’s safer if you go in now. I’ll be right behind you.”
He didn’t mention snipers or hired guns, just shooed her out of the truck with a motion of his hand. “I’ll be right there.”
She stepped out of the car, Hale quickly moving to shield her with his body. Guy looked to be wearing a flak jacket and Nick appreciated the care he was taking with Kylie.
After pulling his truck into one of the open spots, Nick sat with his hands clenched on the wheel. How was he supposed to pull this off? He needed fortitude to walk into the precinct and tell Alessandra he was happy that she was flying off to some tiny European country. Was he supposed to pull it out of thin air?
He wanted her to stay.
He snorted.
What exactly could he offer a princess to entice her to stay? He was ready to leave his job behind and move to Chicago for her—even if he’d never won over the people of Bear Lake after the disaster with Farah—but Kylie was walking into something neither of them could truly understand. She was a royal now.
And he couldn’t begrudge her the family she would have. He hoped that the sisters he’d learned about would welcome her. He knew Kylie deeply desired a family connection, and now she’d have it.
He needed to move before she got curious and tried to come find him. He shored up what smile he could find and pushed out of the truck. Everything was quiet. Maybe Hale was wrong and the hired guns had left.
But just in case, Nick would be on his guard until Kylie got on that plane to Glorvaird.
Kylie sat in a tiny conference room—an interrogation room?—in the Bear Lake police station, Nick at her side. It was nearly bare with only a scratched table and a few chairs taking up space on the linoleum floor.
She couldn’t stop shaking.
She’d just been officially introduced to Gideon Hale. Her sister’s husband. A brother-in-law she would have never imagined. His story seemed so farfetched that she could barely believe it. She’d known her mom had gone on a European backpacking trip when she’d been nineteen. But Kylie had no idea how her mother had run across a king, nor how she’d managed a secret affair, even a short one. Gideon was fuzzy on how the king of Glorvaird had kept tabs on her all these years—until Mom had died and Kylie had gone off the grid during her long cross-country trip.
After revealing all of that, Gideon’d handed her his cell phone with one number highlighted. All she had to do was dial the phone and she could speak to her sister.
Fingers trembling, she managed to swipe the screen.
She was peripherally aware of Gideon slipping from the room. Nick started to stand up and she was afraid he would walk out too. She grabbed his hand, anchoring him to his seat. Or maybe he was her anchor.
The call connected.
“Gideon? Did you meet her?” The women’s voice was pleasant and cultured, with a slight accent.
“H-hello? This is Kylie.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then a tremulous, “Kylie? Is it really you?”
She’d been holding back any hope that this was real. Now it was like a fissure in a dam breaking. Emotion pulsed through her chest and heat flushed her face. “Yes.”
“Oh my goodness. I can’t believe it. I’m—this is Alessandra. We’ve been looking for you for such a long time!”
Kylie had to close her eyes against the sting of tears. Someone had been searching for her. Someone wanted her.
She cleared her throat. “Who’s ‘we’?”
“There are three of us. My—our younger sister Mia. Myself. And our older sister, Eloise, is the crown pr—well, she’s the queen now. It’s still an adjustment.”
Something fierce and hot pierced Kylie’s heart. “So the king is—” She gulped.
Another pause. “Father passed away just last month. Multiple sclerosis. Well, complications from pneumonia combined with his disease. We’ve been looking for you since last spring—over a year now. When he realized he wouldn’t be much longer for the world, he told Eloise to find you. Unfortunately…”
It was too late. Sorrow rose for a man that Kylie hadn’t even known existed. How she would have loved to have met him, known him.
“Can you come home to Glorvaird? Gideon can make all the arrangements. Eloise won’t travel and Mia is—well, she probably won’t want to fly internationally. We’ll want to talk before we make a formal announcement to the kingdom—” Alessandra cut herself off with a laugh. “I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m just so thrilled to have finally found you.”
Kylie glanced at Nick. She knew her heart must show in her eyes. She had family. They wanted her to come.
Home to Glorvaird. It sounded so foreign. And yet…it felt right.
9
The next morning, Gideon stood on the tarmac at the small rural airport. The Glorvaird royal plane stood nearby, the plane's stairs deployed and its pilot standing at the bottom, conversing with a uniformed flight attendant.
Pieter stood beside him, arms crossed and eyes hidden by metallic shades. Though the man’s stance didn't betray anything, Gideon knew Pieter was hyper-vigilant, watchin
g behind those shades for any sign of his mother or one of her hired assassins.
Between Gideon and Pieter was a rented black sedan with dark tinted windows that they'd traded for the truck. Inside were the lost princess, Kylie, and her maybe-boyfriend, Nick. The cop.
She'd introduced him as a friend, but it was clear to see there was something between the two of them.
Last night, after they’d arrived at the police station, Gideon had had the princess do a DNA test that they'd mailed off, just for confirmation, but after the information from Gideon’s SEAL hacker friend, it was just a formality at this point. She'd agreed to come to Glorvaird to meet her half sisters. Then she and the cop had spent the night at the precinct, the princess holed up in one of the offices while Gideon and Pieter and one of the other cops stood watch. Nick had bunked down on a sofa in the lobby, but he hadn’t slept much. Gideon had come across him once in the break room, hand at the back of his neck and staring into space.
Nick didn’t need to worry. There was no way Gideon was letting anybody take out the princess. He owed Alessandra that much.
His wife had been emotional when he'd spoken to her yesterday. Joy and nerves had come through the phone line, and then he'd given his phone to Kylie to let the two sisters talk for the first time. He'd given up waiting on getting his phone back when the conversation had stretched toward an hour.
Now he glanced over to Pieter, who'd been surprisingly steady during this whole ordeal.
"You sure you want to stay?" he asked.
Pieter turned his chin, though the shades hid his eyes.
"If Mother is here, I'd like a chance to find her. Try and convince her to return to the treatment center. Well, to a more secure one," he amended.
Gideon got it. If it were someone related to him causing that much trouble, he'd want first dibs at clearing it up.
For himself, all he wanted was to see his wife.
Everything had happened so quickly that Kylie couldn't catch her breath. She sat in a sedan with dark-tinted windows, Snow lying across her feet and Nick silent beside her.
Cowboy Fairytales Omnibus Page 39
