Alejandro had been talking about his family when he’d spoken those words to her. Jules hadn’t realized how much the words spoke to her soul until now.
Being true to one’s self had more power to improve lives than she realized. Alejandro had taught her that. And she wanted to teach that to any children she had, both sons and daughters.
It was time for her to wake up for good. She needed to stand up for herself and go after what she wanted. She wanted to be the person her mother wanted her to be, the kind of person the women of Aliestle could be proud of.
She squared her shoulders. “La Isla de la Aurora might be more progressive, but you and Alejandro are as selfish as the men in Aliestle. Neither of you value women for who they are, but for what they can provide you.”
“Why are you so surprised?” Enrique asked. “You agreed to an arranged marriage. Did you think this would turn into a love match?”
“Yes. I hoped it would.” Ridiculous fantasy that it was. “Like my parents’ arranged marriage.”
Enrique laughed. “Love is a childish notion that royalty cannot indulge in.”
His words strengthened her. “I appreciate you wanting to marry me, but I can’t marry you. I ask to be released from our arrangement.”
His eyes flared with surprise. “Because of Alejandro.”
“No. He doesn’t want me.” The knowledge bit into her, but she refused to give it any measure. She’d awoken to possibilities thanks to Alejandro for which she would always be grateful. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t find love, a real love I can count on.”
“What have you done?” King Alaric looked as if one of the blood vessels in his forehead might burst. “You march back in there and tell Enrique you were mistaken.”
“I’m not mistaken about this, Father.” All she’d learned while on this island paradise empowered her. “Enrique only wants my dowry.”
“So?”
She boldly met her father’s gaze. “So I want more from a marriage than that.”
“You’ll see what you end up with when we return home and you marry an Aliestlian.”
His words unleashed something deep inside of her, something lying dormant for too long. “I’m not returning to Aliestle,” she said with a new sense of conviction. “I’m not going to be forced into a marriage I don’t want.”
“This is your duty.”
“Perhaps once, but no longer. I believe my mother would’ve understood.”
“I will not stand for this impertinence.” He stood, his nostrils flaring. “You will obey me or I will disown you. You will lose your title, your home, your allowance. I will strip you of your passport. You will have nothing left. No money. No home. No country.”
The thought of losing everything hurt, but she had to follow her own path. Her own heart. Jules didn’t need to be claimed by a man or rescued. She could take care of herself. “If that is what you must do, Father, go ahead.”
“You are dead to me,” he screamed.
Tears stung her eyes. She felt an odd mix of sadness and joy. But she held firm. For the first time in her life, she was completely free of duty. Until now, everything in her life had been planned out, dictated by others. “Father…”
He turned his back on her.
She would have to make her own way, create a new life for herself. She was in charge now. She got to decide who she would be.
But Jules already knew.
She was like her mother, Queen Brigitta. Jules was a sailor, and a sailor sailed. She needed to get back into the Med Cup race even if Alejandro didn’t want her. She needed to do it for herself, her mother and for all the women in Aliestle.
“I’ll always love you, Father.”
And she walked out of the room to an uncertain future.
Alejandro barely slept. Early the next morning, he wandered through his villa, unable to shake his uneasiness and loneliness. Strange, given he was back home, free to race and do as he pleased.
Boots meowed, sounding sad as if he knew Julianna and her treats were gone.
Gone.
He’d let Julianna go so she could be happy. Now he was miserable.
Alejandro dragged his hand through his hair. He missed her already. He’d done everything on his own for so long and been self-reliant, but this past week and a half, he’d been in a partnership. One, he realized now, he didn’t want to end.
Everything in his life—Boots, La Rueca and his plans for the island—had become built around Julianna. He cared what she thought about things. He valued her opinion. He was happier than he’d ever been when he was with her. She was happy, too.
That had to count for something.
Would it be enough?
He hoped so because he realized that he was willing to fight for it. For her.
Letting Julianna go had been the wrong decision. One he regretted with his whole heart. Somehow he had to show her happiness and love were as important as her sense of duty.
I love her.
His heart pounded a ferocious beat. Feelings he’d tried to ignore burst to the surface. He staggered back until he hit the wall.
Alejandro wasn’t sure when it had happened, sailing or on the beach, but he loved Julianna. Body, heart and soul. He loved the way she could be so prim and proper, but yearn for adventure at the same time. He loved the way she sailed as if her life depended on it. He loved her smile, her laughter and her tears. He loved the way she made him want to be a better man.
He struggled to breathe.
Love might not always last, but they weren’t his parents. Julianna was too important not to at least try. The life Alejandro wanted wasn’t going to work unless she was a part of it.
“I’ve got to go after her,” he said to Boots. “I have to convince her we have a future together.”
Boots meowed.
Alejandro ran out the villa’s front door.
The sun rose as he drove up the windy road to the palace. No red sky this morning, just golden-yellow and orange rays. The beginning of a beautiful day, he hoped.
The only other car on the road was his security detail following him. No matter what time of day, they were always right there behind him. His father must have forgotten to tell them their services were no longer required.
Inside the palace, he ran through the hallway to her room. Yvette wasn’t sitting outside.
He knocked.
No one answered.
He knocked again.
“She’s not here.” Enrique slurred the words. He wore the same clothes as last night sans jacket and held a bottle of wine. “Julianna broke off the match. Alaric disowned her. She’s gone.”
Alejandro’s heart soared. If Julianna called off the wedding and gave up on doing her duty, that might mean she loved him. If she didn’t, he’d show her the feelings between them were real. “Where is she?”
“What is all the noise?” His father walked down the hallway in his robe and slippers. “Do you know what time it is?”
Enrique burped. “His fault.”
“Where is Julianna, Father?” Alejandro asked.
“I don’t know,” Dario admitted. “I offered to let her stay in the palace until she sorted things out, but she said it was time for her to start doing things on her own.”
“Is Klaus with her?”
“King Alaric forbid the bodyguard from going with her,” Dario said. “I thought Klaus was going to cry. Brandt is with him now.”
“Yvette?”
“She broke down.” Dario shook his head. “Elena is with her.”
“I must find Julianna, Father. I need to know she’s safe.” Alejandro had spent much of his life rebelling and retreating from his duty, wanting to be alone and doing everything himself. But not today. “I love her. I need to tell her that even if she doesn’t feel the same way.”
“She’s an ice princess.” Enrique swaggered down the hallway. “All that money gone. Gone. Gone.”
“Alaric took away Julianna’s passport so she’s on
the island,” Dario said in earnest to Alejandro.
“It’s a start.” But where on the island would she go? She didn’t know anyone that well.
His father placed a hand on Alejandro’s shoulder. “I was wrong trying to control everyone. That is what drove your mother away. I didn’t want to lose you, too, so I wouldn’t allow her to take you. But I fear I have lost you anyway, Alejandro. We don’t always see eye to eye, but I hope you know I love you and am proud of the man you’ve become.”
Alejandro choked up. That was all he’d ever wanted from his father. “I love you, too.”
“We’ll have to start listening to each other as a family. Perhaps you can show me your plans for the properties you’ve purchased.”
Alejandro nodded.
His father smiled. “Good luck with Julianna, son.”
“Thanks.” Alejandro ran to his car. The island wasn’t that big, but searching for her alone would take too much time. The crew was preparing for the race.
The race.
No, Julianna was more important.
He saw a familiar car and sprinted over to his security detail. “We must find Princess Julianna. I don’t care if you have to search every single hotel on the island. Find her.”
For the next two hours, Alejandro searched to no avail. He checked the tunnels, the beach, the dock and the yacht club that was sponsoring the race. The narrow streets grew crowded as the town came alive. Excitement about the Med Cup finals filled the air.
Text messages from the crew asking where he was and why he wasn’t at the boat preparing for the race, grew more frantic. They also wanted to know if J.V. was coming.
Alejandro didn’t want them to know Julianna was missing. He finally sent a reply he never expected to send: Go without me.
He’d regret not looking for Julianna more than he’d regret missing the race.
The race.
He’d checked the yacht club earlier, but she might go to the boat to race.
Hope glimmered, the first time all morning.
Traffic clogged the roads. Impatient, Alejandro parked on the side of the road, exited the car and jogged to the marina.
Up ahead, a woman with long, blond hair wearing the colors of his crew headed toward the yacht club.
“Julianna,” he yelled.
She didn’t stop. Alejandro ran after her, but was going against the crowd of people. He found himself being pushed back.
He had to reach her somehow.
Alejandro saw a narrow opening between buildings. He worked his way over, but a large hedge blocked his way.
Nothing was going to stop him from reaching her.
Looking around, he saw a crate. He dragged it over and climbed over the hedge. His team jacket caught on a thorn and tore. He didn’t care. He dropped down on the other side, jumped over some small plants until he made it to a paved walkway that led to the marina.
Alejandro ran, his legs pumping as fast as they could, but he’d lost sight of her. Julianna was…gone.
A bolt of grief ripped through him. His fault. He had no one else to blame.
He stared at the marina in the distance. A familiar mast caught his attention. La Rueca was heading out to the course to race.
Alejandro didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He pulled out his phone instead.
Good luck, he texted.
Sam replied: We’ve got J.V., no luck needed.
Alejandro read the message three times before the words sunk in. Julianna had been on her way to La Rueca. She’d made it onboard in time.
But he hadn’t.
He laughed.
Now he would have to wait to see how things turned out both with La Rueca and Julianna. But at least he knew she was safe. That was enough. For now.
He texted Sam, asking him to hand his mobile phone to Julianna.
What? she asked.
He typed, You OK?
OK. You?
Alejandro typed a message and hit Send.
That was all he could do now.
He called his security detail and his father then made his way to the yacht club. There, he could watch the race unfold. His boat was out there with the woman he loved at the helm. He didn’t want to miss a single minute of it.
The race was in its final leg. Not having Alejandro aboard was strange, especially during such a tight race. La Rueca had made up distance since heading upwind, but couldn’t catch the lead boat.
Jules clutched the wheel, the wind whipping through her ponytail. The same frustration etched on the crew’s face must be on hers. “We’re going to run out of course.”
“We’ll never catch them this way,” Phillipe agreed.
“Alejandro will be satisfied with second place.” She thought about the text he’d sent as they headed out.
If we lose the race, we lose. But just being here, we’ve already won.
She’d already won her freedom. She’d lost her family and…
No. Jules needed to focus. “But he deserves a win.”
“We can still win,” Phillipe said confidently. “But it’s going to take the best tack of your life. You up for it?”
She grinned. “Just tell me what to do.”
“Not what, when,” Phillipe explained. “The rules make it hard to overtake a boat. But if we can tack below and come ahead.”
“We’d have luffing rights,” she said.
Phillipe winked. “Our helmsman has read the rule book.”
Jules nodded. Her hands trembled with excitement and nerves. She wanted to give Alejandro and La Rueca the victory.
“The lead boat is tacking on starboard,” Phillipe yelled. “Wait for my call.”
The crew readied themselves for the final maneuver. They were on port, left of the lead boat. Instead of passing behind their competitor, they were going to tack below them and try to gain the advantage and the lead.
“Now,” the tactician ordered.
“Tacking.” Julianna turned the wheel. She focused on her job. She knew the other crewmembers were doing theirs, everyone in sync. The wind seemed to be on their side as well.
“Faster,” Phillipe yelled.
Jules turned the wheel. Her hands and arms ached from three days of racing. She ignored the pain, thinking about Alejandro instead. This boat and race meant so much to him. Placing would give him more publicity so he could start turning the island into a sailing-centered tourist spot, but a win would be a huge boost to his boatyard.
He’d helped her. Jules wanted to do the same for him even if he didn’t want her the way she wanted him.
She pressed the boat closer to the wind.
Phillipe whistled. “That’s it. They’re getting our dirty air now.”
They edged out in front, taking both the lead and the wind.
“They’re falling away,” Mike called. “Looks like we can pull this off.”
A few minutes later, the prow of La Rueca sailed between the buoys marking the finish line. They had done it. They had won the race!
Laughter overflowed along with deafening cheers. Jules wanted to celebrate along with the crew, but the victory was bittersweet.
Yes, she had proven herself. But now that the race was over, she had no idea what would happen. What would she do next?
Exhilaration shot through her. At least she was the one who got to answer that question, not anyone else.
The boat arrived at the marina. Alejandro stood on the dock with champagne bottles. A jubilant smile graced his face. Approval filled his dark eyes.
“Good race.” He shook her hand, the pressure warm, secure, making her ache to have him pull her into his embrace. “World class sailing out there, Julianna. You won the race for us.”
For you, she wanted to tell him. But seeing him brought a rush of emotion. Tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t want to start crying because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop.
“Thanks.” She forced a smile even though his greeting broke her heart. Not that she expected anythi
ng else, but they had won the race. A hug would be…appropriate. “And it’s Jules, not Julianna.”
“Thank you, Jules,” he said.
A member of the yacht club led the crew to a platform surrounded by fans and press. Trophies were handed out. Through it all, Jules kept stealing glances at Alejandro. She forced her attention off him. When a bottle of champagne ended up in her hands, she took a swig.
The crew cheered.
Sam grinned. “Now that’s the proper way a princess should drink, mates.”
She laughed.
Alejandro pulled her aside. “We need to talk.”
Her heart beat as fast as a hummingbird’s wings. She followed him to La Rueca and climbed aboard. “I’m not going to marry Enrique.”
“I know.” His mouth twisted with regret. “I’m sorry, Jules. I thought you and Enrique marrying was for the best, but I was fooling myself. I’m miserable without you. I thought I had to rely only on myself. But I needed you to sail the boat. And then I realized I need you in my life. I love you.”
The air rushed from her lungs. “You do?”
“Yes. I do.” His tender gaze caressed her face. “I love everything about you. From the way you drive a sailboat to the way you kiss me until I can’t think straight. You can go from haughty royal to sweet young thing in about three seconds flat. That made it hard to know the real Julianna or Jules, but I realize she’s all of you. And that’s okay.”
Jules stared up at him. “I’m sorry for what I said to you. I was hurt. Angry. Wrong.”
“It’s okay now.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m here for you. I’ll take care of you. I can be a prince if that’s what you want. Though you’ll never be a queen.”
Joy flowed through her, filling up every space inside her. She touched his cheek. “I don’t care about being a queen. I don’t need you to be a prince. I love you, Alejandro. That’s all that matters. But we’ll have to take care of each other. Equally. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Fine by me, Princess.” He brushed his lips across hers. “You’ve already rescued me from being alone, from believing I was the black sheep who had to prove himself, from avoiding my problems with my family and running away from being a prince.”
“We rescued each other.”
Not-So-Perfect Princess Page 18
