Not-So-Perfect Princess

by Melissa McClone

  “That’s for certain.”

  She swallowed a sigh. Once again he was only concerned about himself. “I’m just tired, Enrique. Don’t be concerned about catching germs, I’m healthy.”

  “I know.”

  Jules drew back. “You do?”

  “Our palace doctor spoke with yours.”

  She didn’t know what to say. Had all her fiancés been told about her medical record? Not that she had anything to hide, but still… She hated the lack of privacy. That would never happen to one of her brothers.

  Enrique glanced at his computer monitor, distracted by whatever had popped up on his screen. “Is there anything else?”

  No, you egotistical tyrant-wannabe, Jules would have said if she had a choice, but she didn’t say a word. Like it or not, Enrique was going to be her husband. She couldn’t spend the rest of her life fantasizing about his younger brother. She had to make this relationship with Enrique work. Somehow.

  “Perhaps we could go out,” she suggested. “Just the two of us. On a date,” she clarified, so he got the point.

  “A date. What a sweet thought. But that’s not possible with our upcoming nuptials.” He placed his fingers on his keyboard. “Don’t fret, my princess. We’ll have plenty of time for dates after we’re married.”

  Their first kiss would be at the wedding ceremony. Their first date would be on their honeymoon. The thought of her wedding night made her nauseous.

  She straightened. “I’ll leave you to your work.”

  Enrique didn’t look up. He didn’t mutter a goodbye. The only sound was his fingers tapping on the keyboard.

  So much for meeting her halfway. She walked to the doorway.

  Time to face facts. If not for the PR opportunity at the wedding, he’d send a proxy to stand in for him as groom at the ceremony.

  Enrique was going to have to have a complete change of heart about her and the marriage for things to work. Even then she wondered if love was possible.

  But Jules knew one thing. No longer would she feel any guilt for sailing. She’d tried to make things better, but Enrique had shut her down.

  Nothing was going to stop her from having the time of her life with Alejandro and the crew. Nothing at all.

  Alejandro couldn’t focus. All he wanted to do was look at the picture of Julianna on the cover of this morning’s newspaper. He stared at the black and white photograph.

  No one would call this vibrant, warm woman an ice princess. The smile on her face reached all the way to her eyes. Those same eyes looked brighter, more alive.

  Alejandro wondered if he—make that the sailing—had brought about those changes. Or had it been Enrique?

  He hadn’t seen the royal couple together in a few days. Enrique had skipped several dinners. Alejandro hadn’t minded one bit. He enjoyed spending time and talking with Julianna even with his father and Brandt there. The more Alejandro learned about her, the more he wanted to know. He couldn’t wait to see her tonight.

  He glanced at the clock. Only two.

  The thought of waiting until dinnertime to see Julianna didn’t sit well. If he returned to the palace early, he could see if she wanted to spend time with Boots. She enjoyed playing with the kitten.

  Alejandro liked playing with her. Or would, if he could…

  He’d settle for being alone with her.

  She might be on his boat every morning, but so was the rest of the crew. They couldn’t talk openly or in a language he was comfortable speaking. She had to play a role, and so did he.

  Leaving with her from the dock might raise suspicions, so she always headed back to the palace alone while he went off to the boatyard.

  He looked at the clock again.

  Why not take the afternoon off? He rarely did so.

  After a quick talk with the boatyard foreman about what needed to be completed today, Alejandro returned to the palace. He found Boots sound asleep in the apartment. The kitten didn’t stir when Alejandro picked him up. He went to Julianna’s room and knocked on her door.

  No answer.

  Alejandro knocked again. Nothing.

  Damn. He felt becalmed, as if all the wind had left his sails.

  “Are you looking for Princess Julianna, sir?”

  He turned to face one of the palace housekeepers with a feather duster in her hand. “Yes, Elena, I brought Boots by for a visit.”

  “Every day the princess tells me how much the kitten is growing.” Elena’s smile deepened the lines on her face. She’d been working at the palace for as long as he could remember. She used to sneak him food when he’d been grounded for some infraction or other. “The princess is right, sir.”

  Alejandro hadn’t noticed any changes in the kitten. He glanced down. Boots may have gained some weight. But they’d only been living at the palace a little over a week. That didn’t seem long enough for the kitten to grow.

  Then again Alejandro felt as if he’d known Julianna for years not days. He felt so comfortable around her. “The princess has been sneaking Boots treats. That’s probably why.”

  Elena nodded. “I saw the princess head down to the beach about a half an hour ago.”

  “Thank you.”

  Alejandro returned the kitten to the apartment and then headed to the beach.

  Clear blue waves rolled to shore. Off in the distance, Julianna sat on the sand. She didn’t seem concerned about her white Capri pants getting dirty.

  A seabird soared overhead. The white wings contrasted against the blue sky. Another bird swooped and dipped its feet into the water, but the talons came up empty.

  Julianna wasn’t alone. Her bodyguard, Klaus, stood back. Far enough to give the princess privacy but close enough to react if needed. Alejandro acknowledged Klaus with a nod before approaching Julianna.

  As he made his way toward Julianna, the wind caught in her hair. Strands went every which way. She pushed the hair off her face.

  He would have liked to do that for her. He remembered how her hair felt, soft as silk, when strands had slipped out of her wig. But with Klaus behind them, Alejandro would have to keep his hands to himself. “Hello, Princess.”

  Julianna glanced up at him. The combination of the sky and her short-sleeved shirt accentuated the blueness of her eyes. She smiled, looking pleased to see him. “Hi.”

  “Enjoying the peace and quiet?”

  “Yes. I was raised to fear being on my own, but I like it.” She raised a handful of sand into the air and let the granules sift from her fingers. A hill of sand formed. “Especially out here by the water.”

  “I don’t want to disturb you.”

  “You’re not.” She patted the spot next to her. “Sit.”

  He did.

  Julianna carved into the sand until a rustic castle took shape.

  “You need a bucket and a shovel to build a proper castle,” he said.

  She stuck out her tongue. “Who said anything about this being proper?”

  He laughed. “My mistake.”

  “This castle is different. Special.”

  Her wistful tone intrigued him. “Tell me about it.”

  “In this castle, you’re allowed to do whatever you choose. The only rule is to follow your heart.”

  Alejandro shoved his hands into the warm sand to help her dig a moat. “A good rule for any castle, proper or not.”

  She nodded. “Marriage is encouraged, but only if you’ve found your one true love.”

  His hands worked right next to hers. If he moved his left hand, he could touch her. The bodyguard would be none the wiser. Klaus couldn’t see past their backs or hear what they were saying. Alejandro inched his hand closer. “Weddings must be rare.”

  One side of the castle collapsed. She knocked the rest away and started over. “Divorces are rarer.”

  A little farther… Anticipation built.

  Alejandro wanted to touch her, to feel her soft skin against his once more, but doing so would be wrong. He moved his hand away from hers.


  “That would be a different kind of castle.” While she occupied herself making another mound of sand, Alejandro pulled out his phone, typed in a text message for Ortiz and hit Send. “What about royal duty?”

  “Royalty does not exist.”

  That surprised him. Sailing aside, she seemed so keen on being a perfect princess and having little princes and princesses to keep the royal bloodline going.

  “All people are created equal in my castle,” she continued. “Whether male or female, wealthy or poor.”

  “Sounds like a nice place to live.”

  “It would be nice.” Jules stared at the sand. “If I could build it.”

  The longing in her voice touched his heart. “La Isla de la Aurora isn’t perfect, but it’s an enjoyable place to live. Though you won’t have the kind of freedom here as you’d have in your castle.”

  She laughed. “It’s a fantasy. No place like that exists.”

  “True.” But the freedom he craved did. Her marriage to Enrique would give Alejandro what he wanted. No more pressure or orders to fulfill his royal duties and obligations. Yet was marriage to his brother what Julianna wanted?

  “Your castle may be a fantasy, but if that’s your dream I don’t understand why you want to marry Enrique.”

  “It’s my duty.”

  “You have a duty to yourself.”

  She stopped digging in the sand. “I was raised to do whatever is best for Aliestle. I’ve always known a marriage would be arranged for me. That is the custom. And marrying Enrique is what’s best for my family and my country.”

  She sounded genuine. Patriotic. Alejandro’s respect for her grew knowing the sacrifice she was making. “You hold duty in a much higher esteem than I do. You’re ready to dive headfirst into an arranged marriage knowing you’re sacrificing your dreams. I can’t wait to escape the demands of palace life. We are very different.”

  Her gaze met his. “You want what’s best for your country.”

  “Yes.”

  “So do I. We’re just going about it differently.”

  Julianna might think so, but he knew better. She was far more worthy than him. “My brother doesn’t deserve you.”

  She shrugged. “He would say I don’t deserve him the way I’ve been sneaking around behind his back.”

  Alejandro sprung to her defense. “You’re helping the island. Once we place—”

  “Win.”

  Her confidence pleased him. “Yes, win, I’ll be able to draw more attention to the sailing and tourism here. But my father and brother…”

  “They have different ideas.”

  “They have taken a completely different path,” Alejandro said. “Enrique thinks my efforts are too radical. He believes a royal wedding will accomplish the same thing as my plans.” Alejandro drew lines in the sand. He wanted to make his own mark somehow. “But I’m not going to let them stop me. I’ll turn this economy around and show them.”

  “I’m certain you will.”

  He appreciated her confidence. He also liked how her blond hair shone beneath the afternoon sun. So beautiful.

  One of the garden staff sprinted across the beach with his arms loaded with colorful buckets, shovels and other sand tools. He placed them on the sand. “Compliments of Ortiz, Your Highnesses.”

  Julianna’s grin lit up her face. “Please thank him for me.”

  The young man bowed before walking away.

  She shot Alejandro a suspicious glance. “You sent a text to Ortiz asking for all this.”

  “Sometimes being a prince comes in handy.”

  The gratitude sparkling in her eyes made it difficult for Alejandro to breathe. “Thank you.”

  He ignored the quickening of his pulse and handed her one of the shovels. “Let’s see if we can build you a castle that will last.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  THAT EVENING, Jules floated down the staircase on her way to dinner. Her sling-back heels felt more like ballet slippers as she descended and the hem of her cocktail dress swooshed above her knees. An afternoon with Alejandro had been exactly what she needed. Building a sand castle had been fun, but being with him had made her heart sing. He’d told her about growing up on the island and listened when she spoke. Something men in Aliestle, including her brothers, rarely did.

  Jules wondered if he was in the dining room. Anticipation danced through her. She couldn’t talk to him as freely as she had on the beach, but being with him during the meal would be enough.

  Realization dawned. She had a huge crush on him.

  She giggled like a schoolgirl. That would explain her growing affection toward him. Though crushing on her future brother-in-law probably broke every rule in the princess handbook.

  Well, she never claimed to be perfect. Besides, she’d never let the crush go anywhere.

  She entered the dining room to find Alejandro and Enrique involved in a heated discussion. As soon as they saw her they stopped talking.

  She saw three place settings on the table large enough to seat twenty-four. “Is no one else joining us?”

  Enrique kissed the top of her hand. He seemed big on that gesture. But he’d made an effort. She shouldn’t complain.

  “My father is dining with old friends,” he said.

  “Brandt is dining with new friends,” Alejandro explained. “He took Klaus with him.”

  No doubt with a push from Alejandro. She would have to thank him later. “Lucky me. I’m a fortunate woman to be dining with two handsome princes.”

  Enrique stared down his nose at his brother. “Though one of us is handsomer than the other.”

  Alejandro half-laughed. “In your dreams, bro.”

  Jules wondered what Enrique would do or say. She hoped nothing.

  He ignored his brother and escorted her to the table. That pleased Jules. But his stiff formality overshadowed how suave and debonair he looked tonight in his dark suit. If only he would relax and not always be so…on.

  A footman pulled out her chair, and she sat. A server placed a napkin across her lap.

  Alejandro took his seat in one easy, fluid motion. He was definitely relaxed. Still he looked stylish in his own right wearing a button-down shirt and black pants. Not too fancy, but not casual. Just…right.

  Her admiring gaze met his and lingered. The temperature in the room seemed to increase. Her heart rate kicked up a notch.

  His mouth quirked.

  Oh, no. He must realize she was staring.

  Jules looked away. She took a sip of ice water, but the liquid did nothing to cool her down.

  Enrique sat at the head of the table in King Dario’s place. The ornate chair befit the king with his confidence and majestic splendor better than his son, who didn’t quite emanate the right amount of regality and power. In time that would come, Jules told herself. With more…maturity.

  The light from the chandeliers dimmed. Lit candles in foot-tall crystal holders provided a warm glow. Platinum-rimmed china set atop silver chargers stood out on the crisp, white linen tablecloth. A stunning bouquet of roses and lilies in an elaborate silver vase added a light floral fragrance to the air.

  A table fit for a future king. And queen, she reminded herself.

  “Romantic,” Alejandro said.

  Very. She forced her gaze off him and onto Enrique. This would be the perfect opportunity for her fiancé to show Jules he was willing to make an effort with their relationship. Oh, she wanted to dine with Alejandro, but if Enrique held out an olive branch, or a red rose in this case, she would gladly accept what he offered.

  “You know.” Alejandro pushed back from the table. “I’m sure you both would prefer an intimate dinner for two.”

  He glanced at Jules. She didn’t know whether to thank him for the suggestion or not. Her heart debated with her mind over the outcome each wanted. She looked at Enrique, holding her breath while waiting for his answer.

  “That’s generous of you, but the table is set for three. You’re already seated,” Enrique said.
“Please stay and dine with us. I’d like to finish our discussion.”

  Relief mingled with disappointment. Jules would get to spend more time with Alejandro, but Enrique should have taken his brother up on his offer. If he’d listened to her in his office, he would have jumped at the opportunity for them to share a romantic dinner alone.

  But he hadn’t, and he didn’t.

  Was he that dense or was he trying to make some kind of point? Did he want a chaperone present so rumors couldn’t start? No matter what the reason, his decision stung.

  She stared into her water glass, not wanting to participate in the brothers’ conversation about Alejandro’s most recent real estate purchase—a run-down hotel on the opposite side of the island.

  The servers brought out the first course. Gazpacho.

  Jules waited for Enrique to take the first sip, then did so herself. The cold tomato-based soup was one of her favorites. This version had a little more spices than she was used to, but she liked the tanginess.

  Enrique wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I heard the two of you were out on the beach building sand castles today.”

  Jules stirred uneasily. She didn’t want to risk saying too much so took a sip of white wine. The Albarino tasted crisp and fresh, a perfect complement to the acidity in the soup.

  “Yes, I bumped into Julianna on the beach,” Alejandro said much to her relief. “She was having trouble making a sand castle with her hands so I asked Ortiz to send out some proper tools to use.”

  “Tools.” Enrique snickered. “You mean, toys.”

  Alejandro didn’t look at his brother. He picked up his wineglass and sipped, the same way she had.

  Jules recognized the impatience in his eyes. He was trying hard not to say anything. She respected him for not losing his temper. It couldn’t be easy letting so much roll off his back. Maybe she could make it a little easier on him this time. He’d come to her assistance by speaking up before, now she could return the favor.

  “Having the buckets and tools delivered was a sweet gesture.” The afternoon had been a pure delight. The time had flown by with all the talking and laughter. She’d shared her dreams with Alejandro, something she’d never done with anyone else. Not even Brandt.