Magical nonsense.
Getting back to reality, I entered the castle and stomped toward Marco’s office. Shoulders straight, I shook off my nervousness. This wasn’t my first day on the job. We had business to discuss––or so he’d said. I knocked at the solid door so hard that I skinned my knuckles.
“Come in!” He sounded irritated.
My hand stinging, I pushed the door open.
“Milo– “ Seated at his desk, Marco peered at me over the tops of his glasses. His face flushed as he whisked them off. They disappeared into a desk drawer.
“Profesora. Come in. I was expecting Milo.”
“But you told me to come.”
“Yes, yes. Forgive me.” Waving a fistful of papers, he motioned toward one of the chairs in front of his enormous desk. “Please sit down.”
Stay cool, Christina.With a sigh, I sank into the chair and tried to still my mind.
“So what did you think of the party last night?” he asked as soon as I’d settled myself.
“My opinion doesn’t really matter, does it? More importantly what did you think of it?” Okay, I wasn’t keeping cool.
Marco laughed––one of those explosions of delight. “You surprise me all the time, Profesora. Sophia was very pleased to meet you.”
That coaxed a smile from me. I’d liked his sister-in-law. “She seemed very nice. Very easy to talk to.” But I’d felt a little guarded with her since she had a direct line to Marco, as well as Gregorio. After all, she was his godmother.
“Now, what did you want to talk about?” I’d stick with business no matter how distracted I became. No musing about his tousled hair or the hands that had toyed with my hair only last night.
He drew back, as if surprised. “I wanted your opinion on the prospects, of course. You know, the ladies you met last night.”
This was getting old fast. “Then I would only be judging them on their looks. And that is hardly the measure of a woman.”
My words had been sharp and one brow lifted. I hated that look on Marco. But only because I liked it too much. A tingling began in my chest. Maybe I was having a stroke or something.
“The measure of a woman?” His brow settled. Marco seemed to be struggling to get his mind around that concept.
“I’m not talking about how much she weighs or how tall she is.” I began to explain but the expression on his face told me I was only confusing him. “What are you looking for in your next wife?”
Next wife. How insensitive. The words might remind him of Bianca and his terrible loss. But wasn’t he the guy who put her in the tower? Watching him slump in his gilded high-back chair, I felt ashamed of myself. “The women all seem very nice.”
“Nice?” He looked perplexed.
I searched my mind. “Gabriella certainly hasn’t given up on you.”
“But you said she does not like Gregorio.”
The fact that he remembered my words touched me. “When she came for lunch that day, she didn’t seem to make a genuine effort with him. Gregorio is going into his teenage years and needs attention.” This felt so hypocritical. Hadn’t Lexi needed attention and hadn’t I failed to provide it?
“I see. Yes, of course.” He played with a pen on his desk.
My mind spun ahead. I did not want to even think about Gregorio getting lost in the shuffle if Marco had a second family. And that was sure to happen. It wasn’t difficult to imagine Marco marrying one of the many young women eager to sign on for that job.Fertile Turtles. That what they used to call young women ready to bear children. Together they’d create another royal family. What effect will that have on Gregorio? He might be crushed. On the other hand, if he were living and studying in America by that time, Marco’s new wife might not matter much to him.
My concern for a boy I didn’t even know existed two months ago stunned me.
Running a finger over his full lips, Marco seemed to be thinking this over. “Those are all good points. Besides, she seems to be a little silly…no?” He looked to me for agreement.
I opened my hands palms up as if to suggestup to you. No way did I want to get deeper into this. Rocking his head back onto his chair, he peered up at the chandelier.
My goodness, Marco had a strong neck. A neck that could cuddle a woman. A neck that had been very close to my cheek last night.
