Not-So-Perfect Princess

by Melissa McClone

  The others didn’t say anything. They eyed her warily.

  Jules wasn’t offended. She understood their caution. Alejandro had given her the nod of approval, but she was an unknown quantity. She would have to earn their respect with her sailing. She only hoped she could.

  “Hi,” Jules said in the deepest voice she could manage.

  She shoved her bare hands in her jacket pockets. Shaking hands with anyone would be a bad idea. She’d trimmed her nails and removed the polish, but her hands still looked feminine. Maybe she needed a pair of sailing gloves.

  “I’m Phillipe.” The bald man with clear, blue eyes spoke with a French accent. She recognized him from races she’d watched on television. “Tactician.”

  Before she could acknowledge him, Phillipe walked away, unimpressed by her. Uh-oh. This could be interesting since they would have to work closely together.

  “I’m Mike. One of the grinders.” The burly, brown-haired man, whose job was to crank the winch, sounded like an American. He yawned. “I hope all our practices aren’t going to be at the crack of dawn.”

  Wanting to say as little as possible, Jules glanced at Alejandro.

  “J.V. can’t miss any of his classes at the university,” he answered. “The wind is good in the morning.”

  “This morning,” Mike agreed. “But these early wake-up calls are going to mess with my social life, skipper.”

  “Chatting on Facebook can wait until after the Med Cup, mate.” A bleach blond with a tanned face stepped forward. Friendliness and warmth emanated from his wide smile. “I work the bow. Sam’s the name. From New Zealand. Welcome aboard, J.V.”

  She smiled at him, feeling a little strange that no one could tell she wasn’t a boy. Okay, she didn’t want to be recognized, but it made her wonder. Were her features that masculine? Was that the reason her father had such a hard time marrying her off?

  “Dude, I’m not talking about Facebook,” Mike said to Sam. “This girl I met at the club last night is so hot. She’s interested, too.”

  Sam laughed. “In getting away from you.”

  “Yeah, right. That’s why she gave me her number,” Mike countered. “I’m texting her as soon as we finish practice. Talk about an amazing rack.”

  As a red-haired, Irish-sounding guy asked to see the woman’s picture, heat rushed to Jules’s cheeks. She turned her face away so no one would notice. Her brothers didn’t talk like that in front of her. Not even Brandt, who probably considered admiring “racks” a pastime.

  “No pics right now, Cody. We’ll finish the rest of the introductions later,” Alejandro said. “Let’s take advantage of the wind and have J.V. show us what he can do.”

  Jules swallowed around the anchor-size lump lodged in her throat. If she messed up…

  No, she shouldn’t imagine making any mistakes.

  The other crewmembers took their positions.

  Alejandro had put his faith in her. She couldn’t let him down.

  With her insides shaking, Jules boarded La Rueca. She removed Brandt’s sunglasses from her pocket and put them on. The dark lenses would protect her eyes from the rising sun, but also hide them.

  She was a world away from the life she lived, but her training would help her today. A helmsman needed to be cool, calm, calculating. Just like a princess.

  Shoulders back. Chin up. Smile.

  Jules did all three. As her fingers tightened around the wheel, she widened her stance. The position felt familiar, comfortable.

  “Ready?” Alejandro asked.

  She would prove to the crew Alejandro hadn’t made a mistake by giving her the helm. “Ready, skipper.”

  Her smile widened. She sounded like a German. Maybe she could pull this off.

  Julianna had done it. Pride filled Alejandro. She’d proved her worth as a helmsman with some world-class sailing.

  The three hours on the water went by faster than anyone expected. No one wanted to return to the dock. But Julianna needed to get back to the palace before anyone realized she wasn’t asleep in her bed as they thought.

  Standing on the dock, Alejandro picked up a line. He glanced at the cockpit where Julianna studied one of Phillipe’s charts. With her sunglasses on top of her hat, she looked every bit a teenager. No one suspected differently. Maybe people only saw what they expected to see. The disguise made her appear younger, but nothing could hide her high cheekbones, lush lips or smooth complexion.

  Alejandro could watch her all day long and never get bored.

  “Skipper,” Sam called from the bow. “Toss me the line.”

  Alejandro did.

  “The kid’s good.” Sam hooked the end around a cleat. “Quiet, but he knows what he’s doing. The way he maneuvered around that buoy. Sweet. It’s like he’s got a sixth sense when it comes to wind shifts.”

  “Told you.”

  Sam nodded. “But J.V. seems a bit…soft. We need to take him out. Harden him up. Make him drink until he pukes.”

  Alejandro’s muscles tensed. Having Julianna out here without a bodyguard was bad enough. Granted, he could protect her. No doubt his security detail wasn’t far away given his sneaking out of the palace hadn’t been necessary this morning. But he wouldn’t put her in harm’s way, not even for a little hazing by the crew. “J.V. is young. He lives with his overprotective family. If we have some fun with him like that, he won’t be allowed to sail with us.”

  “Okay, but he’s wound pretty tight. Maybe a woman—”

  “Leave the kid alone,” Alejandro interrupted. “That’s an order.”

  “If you change your mind—”

  “The kid’s a natural. We need to mentor J.V., not introduce him to a life of debauchery.”

  “You’ve never had a problem with debauchery before.” Sam grinned knowingly. “Let me guess. The kid has a hot sister.”

  Julianna was hot. Alejandro smiled.

  “You dog.” Sam laughed. “I didn’t know you liked young pups.”

  Alejandro didn’t. “She’s a bit older than J.V., but I’ll take what I can get.”

  That was the case with Julianna until she married. Then he’d be free and she’d be with… He didn’t want to think about that.

  “Okay. I’ll put my plans to corrupt the youngster on hold.” Sam winked. “Until you’ve had your fill of his sister.”

  A good thing Julianna couldn’t hear them. She was huddled with Phillipe going over race strategy in German. No one knew the Frenchman was fluent. Fortunately Julianna was, too. Otherwise her cover would have been blown.

  Day one had been a success. Only time would tell what the rest of the days would bring.

  But Alejandro was…hopeful.

  Jules walked back to the palace through the dark tunnel. The four-footed creatures running alongside her beam of light didn’t bother her. Meeting the crew and being accepted by them exhilarated her. The image of Alejandro with his eyes full of pride, a wide smile on his handsome face and the dawning sun gleaming in his hair gave her a boost of energy.

  The darkness beyond her headlamp seemed to go on forever, but she didn’t care. Jules felt as if she’d already been crowned queen. The only thing she needed was a hot shower. Okay, a nap wouldn’t hurt.

  She reached the staircase to her closet and climbed the steep, narrow steps to the landing.

  Alejandro’s plan had worked. Relief flowed through her veins. Sailing on his crew was going to work out fine. She could race and then marry Enrique. No one would know the truth.

  Jules pressed on the latch. The secret door opened. She stepped out of the dark passageway and into the closet.

  She’d told Yvette not to disturb her this morning and allow her to wake up on her own. But Jules stood at the closet door and listened. No sounds. Yes! Her escape and return had gone off without a hitch.

  She closed the secret door.

  All she had to do was undress, hide the sailing clothes and—

  The closet door opened. Yvette dropped the towel in her hand and ga
sped.

  Stunned, Jules jumped back.

  No, no, no, no, no.

  Heart pounding, she lurched forward and placed her hand over Yvette’s mouth. “Shhhh. Don’t scream.”

  Fear filled Yvette’s brown eyes. “Waah wuh wah ma puhsa.”

  Jules struggled to comprehend the words. She hoped being in the closet would mute their voices. “I’m going to lower my hand. Do not scream. Understand?”

  Yvette nodded.

  Jules lowered her hand from the maid’s mouth. “What did you say?”

  “Please don’t hurt my princess.”

  Hurt. Princess. Yvette hadn’t recognized her. Jules could still escape.

  Her relief lasted no longer than a breath. Escaping into the tunnels wasn’t an option. An investigation into the mysterious closet intruder might reveal the tunnels’ existence. Worse, she couldn’t allow Yvette to be traumatized by this.

  Jules’s best choice, her only choice, was to come clean and hope for the best. A miracle.

  “It’s me, Yvette,” Jules whispered. “Julianna.”

  The young woman’s brows knotted, but fear remained in her eyes. “Princess Julianna?”

  “Yes.” Jules pulled off the baseball hat, wig and the nylon cap holding all her hair.

  Yvette gasped. “I just saw you asleep in your bed, ma’am.”

  “You saw pillows and a blond wig,” Jules admitted. “Not me.”

  Yvette stared at her as if she was an extraterrestrial with three eyes, two mouths and purple skin. “What are you doing in your closet dressed like a boy, ma’am?”

  The knowledge of the secret tunnels remained safe. For now. “I’ve been sailing.”

  Another gasp. “That is forbidden, ma’am.”

  “Which is the reason for my disguise.” Jules needed Yvette to understand what was at stake. “Please, I beg you. Keep my secret in your heart. Never repeat a word of this to anyone.”

  Especially the tabloids or her father. Fear of discovery made Jules’s stomach roll with nausea.

  “I don’t understand why you would disobey the king, ma’am.” The maid sounded dumbfounded. “You’ve never…”

  “I felt as if I had no other choice.” In for a penny, in for a pound. Jules needed Yvette’s help. That required honesty. Perhaps the truth would bring compassion. “Once I marry Enrique, my life will be the same as it is back home, with similar restrictions. Enrique has forbidden me from sailing again. I know I’m disobeying my father, but I need a taste of freedom. When Alejandro asked me to be on his racing crew—”

  “You’re sailing with Prince Alejandro?” Yvette’s eyes widened, as if scandalized.

  Jules nodded.

  “But his reputation—”

  “May be bad, but I assure you, Prince Alejandro has been a total gentleman.” Unfortunately.

  “If King Alaric finds out or Prince Enrique—”

  “Neither has to find out. Only Alejandro and you know what I’m doing. The crew thinks I’m a college kid from Germany.”

  Yvette said nothing. Her eyes looked contemplative. Maybe she was too stunned for words. Or maybe she was totaling how much she could make selling this story to the media.

  Jules knew her freedom, at least what little she’d found sailing with Alejandro, would vanish with one wrong word. She took the maid’s hands in hers. “I know what I’m asking is wrong, but please don’t tell anyone.”

  The seconds ticked by.

  “I’ll keep your secret, ma’am,” Yvette said. “I pledge my loyalty and promise to help you.”

  Her words nearly knocked Jules over. “Oh, thank you. I’ll find some way to make it up to you. I promise.”

  “That isn’t necessary, ma’am.” Compassion shone in Yvette’s eyes. “I understand.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’d love to escape my job as a palace maid, move to Milan or Paris and work in the fashion industry.” Wistfulness echoed in the maid’s words.

  A kindred spirit. “You have the talent.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  “I’m sure we aren’t the only ones who wish for something different.”

  Yvette nodded.

  “I can’t do much about Paris or Milan, but I can see about getting you a job here on the island.”

  “Thank you, ma’am, but my family needs me in Aliestle. I don’t want to hurt my sisters’ marriage prospects.”

  “I understand, but if you change your mind let me know.” Jules had more in common with her maid than she realized. She smiled. “Having your help, Yvette, is going to make sailing in the Med Cup so much easier. Here’s what we’ll need to do…”

  CHAPTER NINE

  AS THE DAYS FLEW BY, Jules juggled between playing the role of J.V. and being Princess Julianna. Whenever anyone wanted to see her in the morning, Yvette said the princess was sleeping. No one was the wiser, at the palace or on the crew, in spite of a close call when a strong gust of wind nearly blew her cap and wig off her head.

  Jules had found a way to do her duty, as was required by her father and country, and experience freedom, as her heart and soul longed for. But guilt niggled at her.

  Being on Alejandro’s crew was a crazy, fun adventure, but a temporary one. Her wedding day, however, was right after the Med Cup, yet she’d barely thought about it. Or her groom.

  Prince Enrique wasn’t the man of her dreams, but he was to be her husband and the father of her children. Their marriage would last for the rest of her life. She couldn’t ignore her fiancé, even if he’d been ignoring her.

  If love was to blossom, someone had to make the first move. That someone was going to have to be her.

  With her resolve in place, Jules walked to Enrique’s office. The sound of her heels against the marble floor echoed through the hall.

  Enrique’s assistant wasn’t behind his desk, but the door to the inner office was ajar.

  She tapped lightly. “Enrique?”

  “Julianna.” He rose from a large walnut desk. His gray suit, white dress shirt and red tie were a far cry from Alejandro’s casual boating clothes and sexy, carefree style, but Enrique looked regal and handsome. “What brings you here?”

  Jules entered the office. “I’ve hardly seen you this week.”

  She preferred sailing with Alejandro or her own company to being with Enrique. But she needed to make sure their marriage started out on a solid footing even if he saw her as nothing more than his royal broodmare and arm candy.

  “True, but I’ve been thinking about you.” Enrique smiled, but the gesture seemed to be more of an effort to placate her. “You must understand, my princess. There is much work to attend to.”

  “Yes, you have been busy.” She wanted him to show her she hadn’t misjudged him. She wanted him to do something to make her want to be with him the way she wanted to be with Alejandro. “Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?”

  Enrique hadn’t eaten with them the past four nights. Not even her father worked that much, and he was king. Aliestle was a small country, but wealthier and more influential than this island.

  “I regret missing dinners.” Enrique motioned to the papers on his desk. “But I am working more now so I can take a few days off after the wedding.”

  I, not we. Disappointment weighed her down. For their marriage to work, she needed Enrique to meet her halfway. “Just a few days for our honeymoon?”

  He nodded. “I can’t afford to be away any longer.”

  “I understand.” Look at the bright side, Jules thought. They hadn’t spent any time alone. Whenever they attended an official event, a security detail and the press accompanied them. And each time they were together, Enrique managed to irritate her more. A short honeymoon might be best. “Duty first.”

  He sat. “Your sense of duty appeals to me, Julianna.”

  Her obedience was second only to her dowry.

  Stay positive. Enrique might want to lead her around like a champion show dog on a leash, but their daughters
could be doctors and lawyers if they were raised on La Isla de la Aurora. Jules forced a smile. “Thank you.”

  “How is the wedding planning coming along?” he asked.

  The question struck her as odd. Enrique made most of the decisions about the royal wedding. Either he was trying to be polite or he thought her that clueless. Neither boded well. But she kept her pride in check. “The wedding coordinators seem to have everything in hand. But I manage to keep myself…occupied.”

  Her day started at 3:00 a.m. in preparation for the morning sails. Jules returned to the palace for more sleep before heading to town to make appearances and attend functions.

  “I love going into the capital,” she admitted.

  The coastal town looked like something from a postcard with its pastel buildings with tiled roofs, the coffee shops with umbrella covered tables and the open-air markets where people could buy everything from fresh fish to vegetables. Businesses closed in the afternoon for siesta. The relaxed pace reminded her of Alejandro.

  Don’t think about him now.

  “The people are charming,” she added.

  The citizens of La Isla de la Aurora embraced their Spanish heritage. They spoke English and Spanish with ease often mixing the two languages. Wherever she went, smiles greeted her. The genuine warmth of the people touched her heart. Jules felt accepted here in a way she’d never felt back home. That gave her another reason for wanting this marriage to work. She liked living on the island.

  “You’ve been tired lately,” he said with what sounded like a hint of concern. She was surprised he’d noticed.

  “A little.” Jules made do with what sleep she could squeeze in. “I’m working hard to learn my new role.”

  Here at the palace and on the boat.

  “You’re doing well.” He sounded pleased. “I saw your picture in the paper this morning. You were at the hospital.”

  She nodded. “I enjoy visiting the patients, especially the children. There’s this little boy. His name is—”

  “Stop visiting the hospital until after the wedding,” he interrupted. “You could catch a nasty germ there.”

  “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to get sick.” The words slipped out.