Prince and Single Mom (6 page)

“So they had horses in shining armor as well as knights in shining armor. Hey, that’s what you need, Mom. A knight in shining armor, and then old Mrs. Crawford across the hall wouldn’t dare call you names and make that sour face every time you passed her on the stairs!”

Catharine’s heart sank. She’d had no idea that Jamie knew of the way their across-the-hall neighbor treated her. Usually the old bat held her venom and her opinion of unwed mothers for when there was no one else—not even Jamie—about to witness it.

Concerned, she crouched down in front of her son. “Some people are just miserable, honey. I don’t think Mrs. Crawford has had a very happy life. It doesn’t matter what she says about me, and I don’t want you to give it another thought. And besides, there really is no such thing as knights in shining armor, sweetheart.”

Pure shock made her look up when she heard a newly familiar voice say, “Well now, Kate. That’s a challenge if I ever heard one. I think I’m going to have to prove you wrong.”

It had been, unequivocally, the best sex of his life.

Even as that sentiment made itself comfortable in his thoughts, Alex knew what he’d shared with Hannah today had been more than just sex.

Indulging himself with a rare soak in the Jacuzzi, he relaxed and reveled in the memory of the day. A tiny voice in the back of his mind nagged about what he hadn’t shared with her. Since the voice wouldn’t be quiet, he considered the situation.

He hadn’t known her even a full twenty-four hours yet. You didn’t learn a person’s entire life story in less than twenty-four hours. When that thought kicked him square in the conscience, he sighed and acknowledged that he really should tell Hannah the truth.

And he would. Soon. Part of him worried that when she learned his identity it would change how she felt about him. That thought, he affirmed, bore no reflection on her, it merely indicated insecurity on his part. He wasn’t used to being accepted simply as an ordinary man. The experience humbled him. He interacted with people every day who looked at him and saw the king of Boisdemer. Not for the first time, he wondered how the role he’d been born into supplanted him, as a human being.

Wouldn’t it be a better idea to strengthen this new and wonderful relationship with Hannah, first? To so sweetly seduce her into giving him her heart, that when he told her the truth, the fact of his role in life wouldn’t be nearly as important as who they had become together, and to each other?

Yes, he thought, as he stood up and turned off the tub’s jets. That would be a much more reasonable way to court Hannah. They could get to know each other without the barrier of his title coming between them, without the eye of the world’s media descending upon them.

“There’s a thought,” he said aloud as he dried himself off.
Two thoughts, actually
. He’d registered at the resort as Alex Cross. The resort staff knew his identity, of course, but would never reveal it to another guest. As well, members of Peter’s staff—the Royal Security Force—had been peppered throughout the place.
Security personnel who at this time reported not to him, but to Michael, his first-born
.

He tossed his robe on carelessly and went over to the phone. It took only moments for him to reach his eldest son.

“Good evening, Michael. I trust all is well?”

From across the line Alex could hear the smile in his son’s voice.

“You tell me, Papa. I understand you’ve managed to entertain yourself so far.”

“I imagine it would seem so, Michael. This has never happened to me before, and I feel somewhat uncomfortable speaking to you about such personal matters.”

“As I would, if our situations were reversed. I heard an unspoken but.”

Alex walked over to look out the wide window at the sea.

“But I do need to speak to you, not as my son, but as my appointed regent. I want the security people to pull back, to afford us a bit more privacy. And I want them to be especially diligent with regard to the media. Every year, at least once, some enterprising paparazzi manage to remember me and lurk about waiting for the perfect picture. Usually, they go away too bored to keep up their surveillance. This year, an untimely expose´ would be most unwelcome.”

“I’ll do what I can. I’ll ask the team to not report further on personal matters, and to be extra diligent with regard to any media.” In the pause that followed, Alex wondered what Michael thought. “Father, you need to know that I’ve already requested a background check on Mrs. Jones one level deeper than the standard done on all the guests registered at the Villa.”

Alex winced. Each year, prior to his vacation, such basic security precautions would be undertaken. He was, after all, the reigning monarch of his nation. Yes, Boisdemer being a small country, it held no great prominence on the world stage. But in this age of enhanced world security, such measures needed to be taken.

“Are you concerned that Hannah may have skeletons in her closet?” He wondered if Michael heard the edge in his voice.

“No, Your Majesty. I’m simply doing my job.”

“Forgive me, Michael. I’m not handling this at all well.” Then, because he felt he needed to make amends, he confided, “She doesn’t know who I am.”

“Is that wise? From a relationship point of view?”

“I don’t want the specter of my title to intimidate her. I just want a chance to see what’s here.”

“One of the things I’ve wished for a long time, is that you have a chance to experience what I have with Helene. I’ll speak to the team leader there, as I said, and demand discretion. And unless some unexpected emergency comes up, you’ll have mine, as well.”

Alex was a little steadier when he disconnected the call. One matter he’d needed advice on, but didn’t feel he could broach with his son, was protection of a more personal sort. He still didn’t know how he would go about getting a supply of condoms without drawing attention to himself.

* * * *

“Did you follow us?”

Philip smiled at the indignant look on Kate’s face. “Absolutely not. I simply decided to spend the rest of my day off from the hospital by taking in the fair.”

“Hi, Philip!”

“Hi, Jamie.”

As Philip watched, Jamie looked at his mother, winced, then said, “Sorry.
Doctor
Philip. Mom said I’m supposed to call you that, cause it’s your title.”

Beaming at the look of chagrin on Kate’s face, he hunkered down. “Moms can be sticky about things sometimes. I like it that you call me ‘Philip’.” Then he got to his feet. He addressed Kate as if they hadn’t just
bumped
into each other.

“So what do you think? Is this your first Medieval Fair?”

“No.”

He waited, one eyebrow raised. He could see she was having trouble deciding how to treat him, how to behave. She looked down at her son, then back up at him. And he knew, in that instant, that she would relent. At least here, at the fair.

“We went to a Medieval Fair last year back home.”

“In Canada?”

“Yes. They’re quite popular across Canada and the United States.”

“But in North America, in medieval times the population consisted of aboriginal tribes, yes? I think I would very much like to see such an exhibition.”

“Ah. Well.”

Philip kept the expression on his face guileless.

“No, it wasn’t Natives, Philip. It was sort of like this, but there wasn’t a big stone building. Just tents in a field. But they had horses, and knight training, only there weren’t any jugglers. This one is better.”

Jamie’s natural enthusiasm and candor made Philip smile. The little guy continued to worm his way into his heart. Crouching down again, he asked, “And did you receive any knight training at the fair back home?”

“No, cause I was too young. How come all the neat stuff in life has to wait until you’re either older, or taller?”

“You know, I can remember thinking the same thing when I was a kid. That hasn’t changed, then?”

At Jamie’s solemn headshake no, Philip said, “Well, that’s not fair. Let’s see what we can do about that.” Standing, he put his right hand on Jamie’s shoulder, and looked over at the knight’s training area. As he’d hoped, it didn’t take long for one of the knights to notice him. Philip signaled him over, then looked at Kate. “This is Robert, today Sir Montrefort of the Knights of the Citadel, but actually a major in the Royal Boisdemerian Army. I’ve known him all my life.”

“My liege,” the knight bowed low, his language and actions in keeping with his role of the day.

“Sir Montrefort, we have here Master James of the house of Jones, who wishes to train as a knight. He has a particular fondness for our equine forces.”

Philip tried to keep a straight face, but Jamie’s eyes had widened when the strapping man in light chain mail approached.

“By your command, my liege. Come, young Master James. We’ll make a knight of you!”

As Philip watched, Jamie curbed his eagerness and turned to his mother.

“May I, mom? Please?”

“I’ll take very good care of him,
madame
. We will be right here, where you can see us,” Robert said.

Philip remained silent, not wanting to intrude on Kate’s parental prerogatives. When she nodded and Jamie whooped in glee, he chuckled.

“You’re very good to him,” she said when they were alone.

“He makes it easy to be good to him. He’s a great kid, Kate.”

“Yeah, he is.”

“Poor Kate,” Philip whispered the words as he turned to her, and couldn’t resist tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. She looked so forlorn. “You came across the ocean, looking for nothing more than a vacation, and what do you find? A man who wants to get to know you better, one who is having a damn hard time keeping his hands off you. And one who has nothing but admiration for the woman you are and the child you’ve raised.”

“You confuse me. I don’t have time for this. I don’t have time for you. My life is set for the next few years. Jamie starts school and I start college. It’s going to take all of my energy to take and pass that nursing course. And…”

“What kind of nursing?” He didn’t really need her to answer, because suddenly, he knew. But he wanted to hear her admit it.

“What does that matter?”

“Kate.”

“All right, so I want to be a pediatric nurse. The thing is…”

“The thing is that we have a lot in common, certainly enough to have one dinner together. Please, Kate. Have dinner with me. I’m not asking for a lifetime commitment.” I just want to have dinner with you.”

“Just dinner.”

Philip kept the triumph out of his voice, and tried to keep it off his face. “Just dinner.”

* * * *

From overhead, comfortably ensconced on a cloud of rose petals, Eugenia and Gwendolyn smiled down as Philip wended his way toward the parking lot and his car. Then they smiled at each other.

“What a nice man,” Eugenia said on a sigh. “So dedicated to his young patients, and quite taken by that young Jamie, if I’m any judge.”

“Quite,” replied Gwendolyn, nodding her head. “He’ll make a wonderful father, and what could be more important to that poor young woman? Ah, well, her difficult times are nearly over. Everything’s in place, and tonight when the charming young Prince and Catharine have dinner, why, it’s going to be the beginning of a real happy ever after!”

Eugenia turned to her sister, unable to keep the worry from her voice when she said, “Sister? You didn’t read the
Primer For Modern Romance
that I gave you, did you?”

“Oh, piffle. You know I hate to read, sister. Besides, it hasn’t been
that
long since our last case. I know it’s a different world, and we no longer need worry about horses and carriages, or castles for that matter. But modern technologies and conveniences aside, princes and young maidens couldn’t have changed
that
much.”

Eugenia opened her hands, and a book appeared. Holding it toward her sister, she said only, “Read.”

* * * *

Funny, I don’t look any different
. Hannah took another moment to examine herself in the full-length mirror. For a woman nearing fifty, she supposed she didn’t look too bad. Her breasts weren’t as perky as they once had been, and having given birth to three children meant her tummy was softer than when she’d been twenty. Then she smiled, and the sheer wickedness of her smile reflecting back at her nearly made her giggle. She would have thought that passing the day as she had—having sex
three
times and then swimming outdoors naked—would have left some sign on her.

She wasn’t any different on the outside. Only on the inside. Turning away from the mirror, Hannah slipped on her caftan and left her bedroom. Standing in front of the bay window that overlooked the ocean, she let her mind play over the day she’d just spent. There was a lightness inside her that hadn’t been there two days before. She never realized there’d been a part of her that had felt old and unattractive. Those feelings certainly had been banished.

No woman could reach multiple orgasms in a single day with a wonderfully handsome and elegant lover and feel unattractive.

She also never would have thought she’d be the type to indulge in an affair. Before feelings of guilt could even begin to form, she squelched them. She deserved whatever fun and excitement she could grab for herself, and damned if she would feel guilty about it.

This had only been the first full day of her two-week vacation. Alex had the same amount of time. Judging by his passionate kiss and the promise he’d asked for when she left—to meet him for breakfast in the morning—he wanted more of her. So she would give herself this gift. Two weeks during which she planned to enjoy as much time with Alex as she could grab.

In the next instant the door burst open.

“Grandma! We went to a farm and I got to ride a horse and then we went to the fair and now I’m a knight!”