No doubt she'd been swept up into the life of a royal. Fancy parties, caviar and champagne, eligible dudes, like dukes or whatever.
Stomach roiling at the thought, Nick thumped his fist on his desk.
Boortz looked over, but Nick waved him off. He could use a good sparring session to burn off some pent-up energy, but the other man didn't look like he was getting off the phone anytime soon.
Nick stood, checked the weapon at his hip, and reached for the duffel beneath his desk. If he couldn't even count on his work to distract him, he might as well head home and make an attempt at sleep. And try to duck any of his mother’s friends who might be staking out his apartment.
It seemed that all of Nick’s stupidity with Farah had been forgotten by the Bear Lake residents. Because some newspaper report had romanticized the night that Nick had saved Kylie’s life. Although nothing formal had been announced by the house of Glorvaird, speculation was abundant around town that she was a princess and that she and Nick were connected.
He wished the rumors were true.
Nick had rounded the counter when a man stepped inside the front door. Nick knew a moment of uncertainty when he recognized the man—Pieter, the guy who'd accompanied Gideon into town and whose mom was loony enough to send bad guys after Kylie.
But Pieter didn't look concerned, so Nick felt enough relief to breathe. He nodded to the other man.
"I thought I’d pop in to see if there's been any sighting of my mother," Pieter said.
Nick shook his head. "I've been checking reports daily. Nothing so far."
The other man didn't change expression, but Nick got the idea that he was frustrated by the lack of action. Nick wasn't sure why he'd stuck around—did he really think the hired guns would still be here even though Kylie had left?
Too tired to think on it more, Nick made a move to the door and followed the other man out.
At the curb, a Corvette was parked across two parking spots.
Nick looked at Pieter with a raised eyebrow.
Pieter apparently didn't do sheepish. He shrugged. "It's late. There aren't any other cars in the lot. And it's a rental. My insurance will skyrocket if I ding it."
Because Pieter was the kind of guy who could afford high-end rentals. A kind of guy that Kylie might be interested in now that she had choices.
Nick's voice went a little sharp. "You know, you could just call the precinct for an update."
"Yes, I'm aware of that." He shrugged again. "I've gotten bored of the hotel's four walls. I needed to stretch my legs for a bit."
Nick nodded. There wasn't anything more to say, so he headed for his truck, which was parked at the back corner of the lot.
"You don't look so good, you know," Pieter called out after him.
Nick raised one hand, acknowledging the man without turning around or even slowing his pace. It wasn't Pieter’s business. He wasn't even Nick's friend.
"You could go after her, if she matters that much to you."
Nick turned at that, but the other man was already sliding in to the sports car.
Nick got into his truck, mulling over the words. It wasn't like he hadn't thought about it before. Hopping a plane and flying overseas to claim Kylie, to tell her everything he'd kept inside before she'd left.
And maybe get shot down.
But what if...what if she felt the same? Wasn't it worth the risk?
He'd been shying away from anything remotely risky since Farah. He'd been burned, and bad, but was he going to avoid taking risks his whole life?
This was a bust.
Pieter knew it, but he'd hoped, really hoped, that his mother would come out of hiding if she saw him in one place long enough. Especially after all the messages he'd left on her voicemail.
He pulled into the hotel parking lot after his brief conversation with the police officer. He remained in the vehicle and dug his phone out of his slacks’ pocket. McKenna was programmed to be the first number he saw, and he dialed her.
"No luck?" she asked after a sweet greeting.
"None."
He took a deep breath, but the pressure behind his sternum didn't ease.
"It's not your fault," she said softly.
She was a doll to say so, but he’d been the one to commit Mother to the hospital. He’d left her there, trusting they’d take care of her. He’d left the country, left her vulnerable to escape.
He desperately wanted to be able to make it right. Maybe if he did, he'd feel more accepted by his cousins. Feel like a real part of the family.
At least with McKenna, he didn't feel the awkwardness of not-quite-fitting in.
"I've been thinking," she said now, "about withdrawing from my last two pageants and going back to Glorvaird with you until school starts in January."
His heart leapt up into his throat.
"With you," she repeated when he couldn't find words fast enough.
"Yes," he said quickly, lest she think he didn't want her near. The opposite, in fact. "I would love that. But—?"
"With the two wins I had earlier this year, I'll have scholarships enough for tuition, books, and room and board for a year. That's enough of a start for me, and I'll find a job once the semester starts. So we can have the rest of the autumn together."
He'd take it, and work at convincing her that a scholarship from the royal family of Glorvaird wasn't charity.
"You know I'd love to spend as much time as possible showing you all my country has to offer."
Before she could respond, the passenger door opened, and a slender figure slipped inside.
His jaw dropped. "Mother?"
McKenna gasped on the other end of the open line. "What's happening? Do you need the police?"
He looked his mother up and down. There was no sign of any weapon, though she had on a cardigan and slacks and could possibly have something hidden away. Her eyes were clear and alert, which sent a slight frisson of relief through him.
"My mother is here," he said into the phone. "I think everything is all right. I'm going to ring off and speak to her."
"If you don't call me back in ten minutes, I'm calling the police," McKenna warned.
Her concern warmed him, and he was smiling as he hung up, even though he had to face the most manipulative person he knew.
"Who was that?" she demanded haughtily.
"My future wife." Maybe it was a bit presumptuous, since they weren't technically engaged, but she had accepted his family crest ring as a promise. And he was determined to win her forever.
Mother's eyes widened.
But he didn't want to give her a chance to trick him into giving her information about McKenna. He didn't want McKenna to be a target and didn't want his mother trying to turn him away from the best thing in his life.
"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded. "I've been worried sick about you, and you've hired a killer?"
Her eyes clouded slightly. "I've told you before—the House of Glorvaird betrayed us—"
"I've met them," he interrupted her. "The princesses. They aren't evil. And we've been able to reconcile."
She tapped her fingers on her knee, a sign of agitation. "The King betrayed me—"
"The King is dead."
Her mouth fell open slightly. Had she been so sequestered that she'd missed the news entirely?
He dared to reach out and let his hand rest over hers.
"Your brother is gone," he said, more softly now. "and it's time for old wounds to be healed. The princesses are willing to forgive what's happened with the killers—but you must call them off."
Her eyes clouded. "Pieter?" she asked. "Where are we? What's going on?"
Was she faking? He'd seen her lose chunks of the present before, as if waking up and restarting. But he wouldn't put it past her to try and put him off his guard.
He sighed. "Do you want to go back to Glovaird, Mother? I can make it happen, but you've got to help me."
Kylie checked the overnight bag stashed next to th
e door leading out from her suite. She'd agreed to wait until after the press conference before she headed back to the States. To Nick.
She checked her reflection in the wall-mounted mirror, still surprised to see the tailored silk blouse and elegant slacks she wore. Mia had insisted on several shopping excursions in the days after Kylie’s arrival. Kylie had never worn such expensive clothing before and the quality fabrics still felt foreign to her. A nice kind of foreign. She darted a glance to the tattered cardboard box tucked in one corner of the room. Nick had shipped a box of her things to her, items recovered from the campsite crime scene. She didn’t have time to think about Nick right now.
Eloise's media assistant, Jill, was coming to retrieve her any second to escort her downstairs, where a small stage and rows of folding chairs had been assembled in an empty ballroom.
And there was the knock she'd been expecting.
"I'll be back soon," she said, blowing a kiss to Snow, who raised her head from where she lay on one of the overstuffed sofas. The staff would care for Kylie's dog, and Mia had promised to check in and visit with the dog often until Kylie returned.
The big question was, would Nick return with her?
Kylie let her mind focus on that question, instead of the nerves bubbling in her stomach like a geyser getting ready to erupt. What if the people of Glorvaird rejected her? The King's indiscretion with her mom was a scandal. Though it had happened years ago and been kept a secret for so long, Eloise didn't believe the majority of Glorvaird citizens would hold it against Kylie or anyone in this generation of royals. Or so she'd said when they'd discussed it a couple of days ago.
She loved her sisters, even though she hadn't known them for long. They each had totally different personalities and related to each other differently, but it was obvious they loved each other. They'd caught her up on recent happenings, like when Alessandra had almost been killed and the search for their crazy aunt.
Days after Gideon had escorted Kylie home, Pieter had located his mother and settled her in a high-security mental hospital. Pieter and Gideon had coordinated with the FBI in an attempt to locate the hired assassins with the contact information Pieter’s mother had, but the two men had seemed to vanish without a trace. Gideon believed that with Pieter’s mother under a constant watch, without a way for the assassins to be paid for completing the job, and with the media attention all of it had drawn, they would give up and never return.
Things were safe for the princesses again.
And her sisters had made a special effort to include Kylie, to make her feel welcome in the castle. She'd finally found the home she'd been looking for all her life. She’d made peace with her mother, as much as she could with a deceased woman. She might never know why her mother had suffered from so much wanderlust, but maybe that was all right. Things were lovely in Kylie’s life.
But one thing was still missing.
Jill paused in front of the ballroom door, and Kylie knew a moment of blinding panic. She had to go in.
Jill pushed open the door and held it.
The lights were almost blinding.
Dozens of cameras clicked as she crossed the threshold. There was a hushed, almost expectant silence as she took the handful of steps to join Eloise at the podium.
"I'd like to introduce you to my sister, Kylie Winters." Eloise extended her arm to welcome Kylie to the podium.
She felt slightly faint as she stood behind the wooden box, and she gripped it tightly with both hands. Staring out over the group of unfamiliar faces, many with cameras or phones raised in front of them, she froze.
"Um, hi."
There was a moment of chaos as voices erupted. Jill moved to the edge of the stage to act as moderator.
The crowd quieted somewhat, though they still bustled with murmurs.
"Were you surprised to learn of your parentage?" The first question rang out, and she fell into the rhythm of questions and answers. It wasn't so bad with Eloise beside her and with the prep work they'd done with Jill.
Jill gave her the sign that they were about to wrap things up when a familiar voice sent her pulse tumbling. "Is there a special someone in your life?"
Nick!
He stood at the back of the crowd, hair rumpled and wearing a button-up shirt and jeans. One hand rested in his pocket, the other held a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, but his posture was more nervous than relaxed. Gideon stood slightly behind him, grinning.
"Do you mean other than my dog, Snow?"
The press chuckled at her silly answer—as she'd meant them to—but Nick's hopeful expression faltered.
"Yes," she said quickly, lest he get the wrong idea. "Yes, there was someone I left behind in the States."
His smile grew slightly bigger. He began edging around the back of the crowd, slowly making his way toward the stage by taking the unobstructed—but longer—route. A few of the reporters began to catch on that something was happening, and two cameramen turned their cameras toward Nick and snapped photos.
"If this special someone was to show up in Glorvaird today, would he be welcome?"
She felt her own smile growing, unable to hold in the joy that was pounding through her with every beat of her heart. "Very welcome."
She didn't want to mess this up, didn't want to do anything that would tarnish the crown. Kylie glanced at Eloise and Jill, who were conversing in hushed whispers. Eloise gave her a regal nod, and Kylie stepped away from the podium and walked across the stage to the steps.
Nick was closer now, and reporters were stepping out of his way, keeping their gazes—and cameras—on him.
She went down the steps, and two security guards materialized, nudging back the press and allowing Nick a clear path for those last few feet. How did they know Nick was welcome? Had Gideon been in on the whole thing?
He looked right at her, still approaching. "And if this special someone wanted to stay in Glorvaird—stay with you...?"
Tears pricked her eyes as he crossed the last step. She held out both hands, and he dropped his bag to clasp them in his.
"I'd say yes, please," she whispered.
The crowd murmured as the lucky few who were close enough to hear shared her answer with everyone else. More photos were snapped, flashing going off in her peripheral vision.
She didn't care.
"I was coming back," she said with a sniffle and a smile. "My bags are packed upstairs. I'll have to cancel my plane ticket."
Relief flashed in his eyes, and he pulled her into his embrace, looking into her eyes. "I love you, Kylie. Have since I beat you climbing to the top of Mrs. Chin's pear tree. After this long, I'm pretty sure it's a forever kind of love."
She beamed up at him. "I love you, too. But I'm pretty sure I won the race to the top of that tree."
"No evidence," he argued softly as he bent his head toward hers.
His kiss was full of promises for the future, and she didn't need his evidence to know he'd be a rock at her side for everything that was to come. He'd proved his love over and over, by protecting her life—and her heart.
The lost princess had finally found her way home. She'd inherited a family. She'd fallen in love.
She’d finally found her way home.
A Fairytale Christmas
1
"Your highness, this way. With a smile, please!"
Queen Eloise of Glorvaird obediently turned toward the approved royal photographer. But since they'd been at this for over two hours, her smile felt stretched thin. The small body in her arms was wriggling, making it hard to keep the eighteen-month-old boy still.
Cody's hand was warm at her lower back. "Almost done," he murmured. Having her conscientious husband near made the holiday PR event bearable. Almost.
The camera flashed, adding to the spots already blurring her vision. So many photos. Her face was starting to burn, which meant her scars would be on display.
A shriek from her niece Penny drew Eloise's gaze—and everyone else's—to the toddler, w
ho was having a tug-of-war with another little girl over a stuffed bear.
"I think she's had enough," Mia said, bending to scoop up her daughter.
"I think we all have." Cody escorted the photographer from the huge family-style living room, decorated for the season, at the Glorvaird orphanage. Her husband shook hands with the man and the photographer seemed especially grateful to accept a red and green envelope and a pat on the back.
The small boy in her arms wiggled again, turning his face up to Eloise. "Down," he said with a serious expression.
She set his feet on the floor. He was off in an instant, and the other orphans, released from having to sit still for the photoshoot, rushed the Christmas tree in the corner, shrieking with glee.
Gideon, Eloise's brother-in-law, stood nearby dressed as Santa. He was almost toppled by the crazy children.
Good. They deserved to be spoiled, even if it was only for one day. The orphans occupied a soft spot in Eloise's heart. She wished they could all find homes.
Cody rejoined her as she faded into a shadowed corner, taking a seat on the sofa. She hated the itchy, high-necked dress her stylist had chosen. She’d have chosen something more casual, slacks and a soft blouse, but her PR team had out-voted her.
It was tradition for the royals to spend Christmas Eve at the orphanage, but the event had never been publicized. Not until this year. Alessandra and Gideon, Mia and Ethan with their Penny, and Kylie and Nick were all here. Even Pieter attended this year for the photoshoot.
Without the little orphan boy, Eloise’s arms felt so...empty. She needed a distraction.
"Did you tip the photographer?" she asked.
Cody shrugged.
"Or should I ask, 'how much did you tip the photographer?'"
He linked their fingers together, his handsome face easing into a smile. "It's Christmas."
"He just got an exclusive with the royal family," she pointed out. "He didn't need a bonus."
He shrugged again, his eyes on the action nearer the tree. He chuckled when Penny got right in the middle of the kids. Mia and Ethan's daughter was a rascal who charmed everyone she came in contact with—children and adults alike.
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