"Antonio, how is this woman you mettoday?"
His mother sounded stronger than the last time he saw her and she hadn't started with bad news. His gut churned, but he pretended all was normal. "If she says yes, then you'll meet her soon. Howareyou?"
"I'm holding on, but I need to know you'll keep our kingdom intact. The people are depending on you to leadthemnow."
The 24 hours, 7 days a week vigil she held at his father's sickbed was admirable, considering his parents had often acted more like partners than lovers. "I'll domybest."
"I know you will." She lowered her voice. "Your father isn'tdoingwell."
The chill in the air grew against his neck and he sank down on the small sofa that wasn't made for a man his size. If something happened to his dad while he was in the states, he’d lose his chance to say goodbye. "What'sgoingon?"
"He hasn't woken from his coma. I don't know how much longer he'll bewithus."
One more day for his father to give him advice that he'd usually ignored in the past. This time, if he had the chance, he'd write down every word. He rested his head against the wall behind him. "Mother, I will get on the firstflighthome."
"No! Don't leave us in a crisis. Come home with a wife. At this point, I don't care if you stop in Vegas and marry ashowgirl."
Sixty days ago, before the law regarding the inheritance of the crown had been discovered, his mother would have needed to approve. Now that his marriage was a political tool being used to undermine his father's legacy, and a reason for possible civil war, things hadchanged.
If Kristin said no, then he just might have to marry the first available woman he found. He stood from the couch, and stretched his cramped back and stiff shoulders. "I'm in Florida, notVegas,Mom."
"We can't lose everything,notnow."
Agreed. He'd have to marry. Kristin was the best option. "I have this handled. Let’s talklater."
Once he hung up, he went to his bedroom and took off his hot wool suit. Linen pants would keep him cool in this tropical heat, which he paired with a short-sleevedpolo.
A few minutes later, dressed more appropriately for the weather, he returned to the phone and pulled up the map application. Checking the address from Kristin’s file, he plugged in herinformation.
One way or another, he had to seal the deal with Kristin. He needed a wife and the sooner he was on a plane back to his father's death bed, the better. There was no time towaste.
Chapter3
The setting suncolored the horizon with an orange hue. Kristin turned off her car engine and stared into the clouds.Beautiful. As if anything was possible. Her gaze lowered from the sky to the black-tarred parking lot with yellow lines separating the many cars.Reality.
This was her normal life. If she said yes today she’d probably have a driver and wear designer clothes that would never touch the simple polyester that gave her skirt a little shine at the bottom of the black. And she wasn’t sure how a crown might feel on top ofherhead.
She parked and then went into her three-story apartment building that spread over a half-acre ofconcrete.
Green grass and trees were found a block away in a tiny park she sometimes walked around. Just like all the important things in her life, it was little and tucked away somewhere. Despite their issues with each other, her parents had loved her and provided for her untiltheydied.
After getting her master’s degree, she’d moved to the city in search of a better life. But here everything was too crowded and made her existence seem even more isolated than theoldfarm.
She craved a change. Kristin walked into her corner building and passed her neighbor, Greg, the thirty-four-year-old scuba diver and accountant, who wavedather.
She nodded and ran up the stairs to the third floor, hoping Renee wouldn’t be mad that shewaslate.
The clank of dishes in the kitchen greeted her as she went inside. Renee called out, "Where were you? The later we order, the longer it takes for the pizza toarrive."
Kristin put her pocketbook on the lamp table by the door and kicked off her borrowed heels, then went to the counter where Renee was making a salad. "I had my job interview with the Royal Prince Antonio Aussa from Avce thisafternoon."
Renee’s dark brown eyebrows arched with that quizzical expression she must give her students daily.I know there is more.It was how she cocked her eyebrow that made her expressive face so distinctive. "That was at three.You'relate."
Kristin began to feel normal as she nodded. "I was driving aroundaimlessly."
Renee's eyesnarrowed. "Why?"
Kristin stiffened and hugged her waist to ease herself into believing Antonio Aussa was real and that the contract in her pocketbook wasproof.
