The Cinderella Princess (6 page)

“Who’s there?” a hesitant feminine voice asked.

“Luc.”

The door swung open. A twenty-something woman with dark circles under her eyes stood in the doorway.

“Oh, sir. I didn’t recognize the van.” The words rushed out in English. Her accent sounded Australian. She wore black yoga pants, a flour stained T-shirt, and mismatched socks. She looked more like a worn-out mom than the paramour of a prince. “I hadn’t heard from you and was worried.”

“I apologize for not calling.” He touched the woman’s shoulder. “When was the last time you slept?”

“It’s been a long day, after a longer night.” Weariness filled the woman’s voice. “Tonight will be better. I hope.”

Lines creased Luc’s forehead. “How is she?”

“Been asking for you since she woke.”

He walked into the house without an invitation.

Emily smiled at the woman. “Hello. I’m Emily Rodgers.”

“I’m Gretchen Barton. Please come inside.” She opened the door wider. “Any friend of Prince Luc’s is welcome, but excuse the mess.”

Emily didn’t consider herself his friend, but the less she said the better. She hadn’t a clue what was going on. She stepped inside, curious for answers.

Hand-drawn pictures made by children hung on the wall. One of fairies flying around a wishing well caught her eye. Lots of pinks and purples and sparkles covered the paper.

Toys lay scattered on the floor. Stuffing stuck out of the back of a well-loved pink bear. One of the eyes was missing. Just like Emily’s Miss Mousie cat.

The scent of freshly baked treats filled the house. Emily’s mouth watered and her stomach grumbled.

“You have a lovely home.” A crayon drawing of a girl holding a man’s hand captured Emily’s attention. A pink heart surrounded the pair. The word
daddy
was scribbled on the bottom. “I love the artwork.”

“My daughter Vivianca, is quite the artist.”

Daughter, huh? Emily had more questions than answers. “How old is she?”

“Seven.”

That explained the drawings and toys. “Are you related to the prince?”

“No, but he treats us like family. My daughter calls him our fairy godfather. His foundation helped us after my husband was killed and Vivianca injured by a hit-and-run driver. I’m from Australia and have no family locally. Prince Luc moved us into this house and has become a dear friend.” Gretchen’s respect and affection for the prince was clear in her voice. “I don’t know how I’ll repay his generosity.”

“I had no idea the prince was personally involved with his charity’s recipients.”

Gretchen nodded. “Very hands-on with all of us.”

Excitement shot through Emily. The prince’s foundation work would be a huge boon for the show. Princesses might be more willing to meet with Luc if they saw a caring side to him.

Gretchen continued toward the back of the house. “The prince checks in with Vivianca every day no matter where he is and he comes when she asks him to visit.”

A missing puzzle piece clicked into place. “Did your daughter ask Prince Luc to visit this week?”

“Yes. She was hospitalized with an infection. He couldn’t come immediately, but once he arrived, he stayed by her side until she was discharged yesterday. The man is a saint. So kind and patient with the children.”

Not child. Children, as in plural. Emily wiggled her toes. “Is he with your daughter now?”

Gretchen nodded. “In the dining room, though we’ve never eaten there.”

A minute later, Emily understood why. A hospital bed took up the space. A young girl with dark blonde curls and brown eyes lay on a pink sheet under a fuzzy pink blanket. Half a dozen stuffed animals surrounded her. A TV hung on the wall next to a video game system. A wheelchair was nearby.

Luc was sitting on the bed. His attention was focused on the girl, who smiled up at him like he was the center of her universe.

Vivianca touched his nametag. “Your name isn’t Otto.”

“This is my disguise so I could come see you.” He tilted his cap to one side. “What do you think?”

She giggled. “You don’t look like a prince.”

“That, my princess, is the point of the disguise. Though the cap is ridiculous, don’t you think?”

She laughed. “Very silly.”

Luc raised the girl’s hand and kissed the top of it. “I will do what it takes to see you.”

Vivianca sighed.

Emily’s heart melted. Luc’s tender bedside manner contradicted what she knew—well, assumed—about him. Hard to believe an hour ago he was lying naked in bed with a hangover.

“Someone wants to meet you,” Gretchen said to her daughter.

Luc glanced over. “I brought a visitor with me today, Vivianca. I’d like to introduce you to Emily Rodgers.”

Emily approached the bed. “Nice to meet you, Vivianca.”

The girl stared up with wide eyes. Her pink lips formed a perfect o. “You must be a princess dressed in disguise.”

“No, I’m just plain Emily.”

Vivianca’s brow furrowed. “Prince Luc says all girls are princesses.”

Oops. Emily wasn’t familiar with children. She’d been an only child and never babysat. Well, except for her mother.

“I’m from America,” Emily said. “We don’t have royalty, but I’ve been told there are princesses everywhere else. Like here in this room. Am I right?”

Dark blonde curls bounced from the enthusiastic nodding.

“I have a tiara and a scepter. A dress and a hooded cap.” Excitement filled Vivianca’s young voice. “Oh, and sparkly pink shoes, but I can’t wear those until my legs aren’t broken anymore. I am a fairy princess, but I haven’t visited my fairies because they live outside and I’m stuck inside. But I see them flying by the window.”

“When the weather warms, you shall be outside with your fairies, princess,” Luc said without missing a beat. “Your subjects will cheer your return with fanfare and flowers.”

Vivianca’s narrow shoulders shimmied. “I love flowers. And I love you, Prince Luc.”

“I love you.” He kissed the girl’s forehead. “I wish I could stay longer, but Emily and I must get to the airport.”

The girl thrust forward her lower lip in an enormous, adorable pout. “When will you be back?”

“Two weeks, but keep your tablet handy so we can chat.”

“You must have important work to do.”

A beat passed. And another. “Very important. As do you. I cannot wait to see your progress when I return.”

“One day I will dance again.”

The gentle way he touched Vivianca’s face brought tears to Emily’s eyes.

“You shall dance again, princess,” he said. “We will dance together.”

Emily’s heart pounded in her ears. She had no idea what she was witnessing, but she didn’t want the moment to end.

Forget Italy. Bring the camera crews here. Any princess—make that any woman—who saw the prince with Vivianca would propose to him on the spot. Emily might have fallen for him a little herself. Her insides felt warm and gooey.

“So glad I had this chance to visit,” Emily said.

“Goodbye.” Vivianca’s lowered lip trembled. “I will miss you, sir.”

“And I you.” He pointed to his heart. “But you are here with me always. And I’m with you, even if we can’t be together.”

“Like Daddy.”

“Yes, like your daddy.”

A weight pressed against Emily’s chest. She couldn’t breathe. If only her father had said those words to her. He wasn’t dead, but he might as well be. He’d chosen to have another family, one where she wasn’t welcome.

“Thank you for coming.” Gretchen hugged the prince, then she handed him a paper bag. “We baked sweets for your trip.”

That explained the delicious smell in the house.

“I helped,” Vivianca said.

He handled the bag as if it held rare jewels, not homemade baked goods. “If you need anything…”

Gretchen nodded. “Nice to meet you, Emily.”

“You, too.” She forced the word out her tight throat. A jumble of thoughts rattled her jet-lagged brain. Who was Prince Luc really? Why did this child mean so much to him? What would be the best way to use this on the show?

He touched the girl’s cheek once more. “Sweet dreams, my princess. Until we see each other again.”

“That’ll be on-line tonight or tomorrow.”

Luc laughed. “You’re much too smart for me.”

Vivianca beamed brighter than the neon lights on the Las Vegas strip.

“We’ll see ourselves out.” Luc placed his hand at the small of Emily’s back.

She stiffened, unused to anything more than a touch on the arm or shoulder from anyone, but she quickly relaxed. The gesture wasn’t possessive, but seemed natural.

Emily stepped outside. The wind chime provided a song, and the floral scent seemed stronger. More birds chirped.

Luc followed her, closing the door behind him.

She glanced over her shoulder. “Is Vivianca part of your—”

“I know you have questions, but please, do not ask any in front of Nick and Addie. We’ll talk later. In private.”

“That’s fine. I won’t say a word.” For now.

Walking to the van, she pictured Luc as a husband and father. Something an hour ago, she would have never considered. If she felt that way, so would other women. The princesses and royalty on the list needed to see this side of the prince.

A bluebird landed on the wishing well, as if this were an animated princess film, not real life.

A sign?

She was the last person to get carried away with fanciful thoughts, but after witnessing the prince’s kindness and compassion the urge to make a wish was strong.

If one true love does exist, my wish is for Prince Luc to find his before filming ends.

There. She’d made the wish. Not that anything would come from it. But an unexpected thought pounded through her brain.

Too bad the glass slipper couldn’t fit her foot. The shoe would not only be a wonderful addition to her collection, but she had a feeling if anyone could make her believe in Prince Charming and happily ever afters, it just might be Luc.

‡

L
uc napped on
the drive to the airport. He slept during the flight. Now in the back of a limousine on the way to the villa, he stayed awake, watching his two female travel companions.

“I can’t believe we’re in Lake Como.” Addie stared out the window at the passing scenery with a genuine look of awe.

Her appreciation of new sights and sounds—from the captain chairs on the jet to the classical music playing in the car—reminded Luc of a fresh-faced teenager, not a married woman.

“There is much to see.” Though Luc noticed Emily had her tablet out again. She only wanted to work. He wondered when she relaxed. So far today, she hadn’t.

“If you like cathedrals, you’ll want to visit
Duomo di Como
.” He tried to imagine where tourists might want to go. “You don’t want to miss the number one attraction, the
Villa Balbianello.
A stunning location. A scene for a Star Wars movie was filmed there.”

Addie leaned forward. “The wedding scene, right?”

Luc nodded. He found her enthusiasm contagious. Perhaps Emily would enjoy a tour. “Let’s go sightseeing tomorrow. Take a boat ride. Ride the
Pigra
Cable Car. Stroll gardens. Explore museums.”

Emily didn’t look up from her tablet. That irritated him. A woman should find him more interesting than the words on a screen, even if her work would benefit him.

“Please, I’d love that. I want to see everything.” Addie tapped her feet. “George Clooney has a place here, right?”

“Yes, but stay away from celebrities. Paparazzi will be following them.” Nick’s voice held a warning. “If you and Emily want to sightsee, that’s fine, but you’ll have to go on your own. Luc needs to stay out of sight.”

Luc’s muscles tightened. He wasn’t used to being under house arrest. He couldn’t give up his freedom without a fight.

“A-list movie stars are at the top of the paparazzi’s lists and who they follow.” He used his most convincing tone, the one that had talked his parents into sending him to school in England. “Royalty from small countries like mine is near the bottom in a star-studded locale like Lake Como.”

“Not taking any chances.” Nick’s firm tone said this wasn’t up for debate or a vote. “Two more weeks, then you’re free.”

Luc wasn’t amused. “I hope to be engaged by then.”

“You will be.” Emily’s tablet lay on her lap. “But
free
could be a relative term, depending on your bride-to-be.”

He hadn’t expected her to make a joke, and he liked seeing she had a sense of humor.

“Ball and chain, baby,” Nick joined in.

Addie elbowed him. “Ha-ha. Not.”

Emily looked at Nick, then made a face. “I doubt any princess would want to be described like that.”

Luc grinned at the way the women teamed up. The best part? He wasn’t the one in trouble. But he couldn’t let his jailer face the duo alone.

“No, but the words fit a few,” he agreed. “Such as my oldest sister, Bettina.”

Emily’s smile brightened her face. Pretty, dare he say borderline beautiful without her serious eyebrows drawn together and her lips pinched in a you’re-kidding-me look.

Beauty and brains was a combination he ignored. Interesting, yes, but intelligent women were more complicated. Complicated meant less fun. He liked having a good time.