The Cinderella Princess (19 page)

“This isn’t something I planned. Maybe your mother did.” Maria-Therese sounded worried.

He squeezed her hand. “I’m sure it’s some formality or custom I don’t remember.”

They climbed the steps to join his parents on the dais.

His father smiled proudly. “I want to thank you for attending our youngest son’s engagement party. Queen Lisbeth and I are thrilled with his choice. Welcome to the family, Maria-Therese.”

She curtsied.

“We’ve recently discovered an activity of Luc’s that he’s been keeping secret from us,” his father continued.

The crowd tittered at the hint of scandal.

Luc stiffened. Given the two weeks he’d spent with Emily, he fought a rising panic. He didn’t want to hurt her more or cause any pain to Maria-Therese.

She patted his upper arm.

He appreciated the support.

His father raised his hands to quiet the crowd. “Viral photos, scantily clad women, and champagne are not involved, but my son’s Dream Big Alvernia foundation is.”

What the…

“I’d like to share engagement wishes from a few special Alvernians,” his father continued.

The lights dimmed. A screen lowered.

Luc had no idea what was going on, but he didn’t like the attention his father was focusing on the foundation.

The words DREAM BIG ALVERNIA appeared, followed by a princess, Addie wearing a pink costume and a sparkling tiara. Smiling, she kneeled next to a familiar looking hospital bed. “What would you like to say to Prince Luc and Countess Maria-Therese?”

The camera zoomed in on Vivianca with a big smile on her face. She wore the tiara Luc had given her. “I want to say I love you, and I hope you live happily ever after.”

The audience sighed.

A video from of one of his visits played. He was telling Vivianca a story about a beautiful princess while she painted his fingernails. Gretchen must have filmed that on her cellphone.

An interview with Gretchen came next. She spoke about the many nights Luc spent at the hospital never leaving Vivianca’s side. About living on the third floor of an apartment building without an elevator and how Luc had moved them into the one level cottage. About how grateful she and Vivianca were to Dream Big Alvernia and Prince Luc.

“I’m so happy you found your princess.” Vivianca beamed and waved a toy wand. “You deserve so much happiness for all you do and give.”

A video with a second child he’d helped played. And another. And another. They followed a similar format, but each one touched Luc’s heart. He might not share the same blood or name with these children, but each one was family—his family. He wiped his eyes.

The final shot showed his staff outside their office at his estate. Each one held balloons and signs. They shouted congratulations and welcomed Maria-Therese to the team.

Emily.

She’d done this. No one else knew about the children and his staff. No one else had use of a film crew and Addie.

But Emily had promised him…

“I had no idea you did all this for children and their families.” Maria-Therese leaned close and whispered into his ear. “Perhaps you are Prince Charming.”

Luc realized why Emily had done this.

Imagine how happy my future wife will be when she finds out about it.

She’d done this for him and Maria-Therese. That made his empty heart hurt more. “I’m just a man trying to do a little good.”

“By giving yourself to those children and their families. Loving and helping them.” Maria-Therese kissed his cheek. “You’re amazing.”

The clips continued. So much care and time must have gone into making the video. He couldn’t imagine when Emily would have had time to—

After they’d returned from the villa.

After she’d said goodbye.

After he’d lost her respect.

After he’d lost her heart and her love forever.

Oh, Emily…

The video ended. The audience clapped.

His father quieted them. “This video was delivered to the palace. A private gift to Luc and Maria-Therese, but I wanted to share what Dream Big Alvernia does with everyone here tonight.”

Luc understood how his father had ended up with the video. As a precaution for the royal family’s safety, every package was opened by security.

“I couldn’t be more surprised, impressed and proud of Luc. What he’s done for these children and their families, and what he will continue to do with Maria-Therese by his side, needs to continue. Queen Lisbeth and I are donating ten million dollars to the Dream Big Alvernia Foundation as an engagement present to my son and his lovely bride.”

Luc’s mouth gaped. Marie-Therese gasped.

“I hope you agree this important work needs to continue and will support their Dream Big Alvernia foundation.”

All eyes were upon him. The cameras filmed.

Luc searched for the right words to say. He settled for the basic of sentiments, all he could manage at the moment.

“For all the children served by Dream Big Alvernia, I thank you for your generosity, Your Majesties, from the bottom of my heart.”

The next hour, Luc was besieged with questions and donations. He’d left Maria-Therese in the capable hands of his brother, Leo, and his two children, then went to find Brad.

“You made the video,” Luc said to the producer.

Brad beamed. “Came out nicely, but I can’t take the credit for Emily’s hard work. She was the brain and the driving force, as usual. She made us promise no one would know about the video except you and Maria-Therese. That’s my fault. I didn’t know how deliveries at the palace worked.”

“I understand, and I’m grateful.”

“Emily deserves the thanks. She gathered the videos from families and sent Addie for interviews after your engagement presentation. She just finished yesterday. And now…” Brad shook his head. “We’re going to miss her. She’s one of a kind.”

One of a kind.

Luc’s kind.

Emily was the one he thought about before closing his eyes and when he woke up. Her kiss was how he wanted to start his day each morning and end each night.

He returned to the ballroom. Maria-Therese was dancing with Leo while his two children ran around them in a circle.

She would be the perfect princess, an asset to Alvernia, but he loved Emily. He couldn’t deny the truth any longer.

He needed to talk to his fiancée and tell her how he felt. His love for Emily might not make a difference to Maria-Therese, and if not, he’d stand by his proposal to her. But if it did…

His heart pounded so loudly he was certain the entire ballroom could hear.

Perhaps this story could have a happy ending after all.

*

The next morning
in her hotel, Emily packed her suitcase, showered and dressed. She wore jeans and a T-shirt, the only non-work clothes besides pajamas she’d brought to Alvernia.

Not one tear fell. And hadn’t for eight hours. Progress.

Finally.

No more hiding away from reality. No more pity-parties. She needed to make the long journey home to San Diego.

And get her act together.

She checked her room one last time to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Satisfied everything was packed, she left a tip for the housekeeping staff, put her purse over her shoulder, and then wheeled her luggage out of the room.

Her heart might be broken, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t function. Okay, the past few days had been impossibly hard. Somehow she’d managed to finish the engagement video, and thanks to Addie and Nick, Emily hadn’t been alone. They’d provided food, an unending supply of chocolate, and shoulders to cry on. She thought about stopping by their room to say goodbye, but she didn’t want to wake them.

Emily rode the elevator to the first floor. The doors opened, and she stepped into the lobby.

People milled about. Chatting, laughing, living. Classical music played, but a sad ballad about broken hearts and new beginnings would better match her mood.

Hard to believe only two weeks ago, she’d arrived with Addie. So much had changed since then.

Everything really.

She was unemployed and broken hearted now. Two things she never would have imagined herself being.

Focus.

She walked to the front desk and checked out of her room using her personal credit card. Her corporate one no longer worked. At least the agency hadn’t canceled her airline ticket, but she’d received an email from Human Resources saying to pick up her personal belongings and return her ID badge, parking pass, and laptop.

The woman handed back Emily’s credit card. “We hope you enjoyed your stay.”

“Your hotel is lovely.” She didn’t know what else to say when a part of her wished she’d never heard of Alvernia or…him.

Luc.

Her eyes stung. She stared up at the frescoes on the ceiling and blinked the tears away. She’d cried enough.

She straightened. “Where do I wait for the taxi I hired to take me to the airport?”

“Take a seat. When your driver arrives, the bellhop will call your name.”

“Thank you.”

As Emily stepped away from the front desk, she heard her name being called.

Addie ran from the elevator and hugged her. “I was hoping you hadn’t left. You didn’t answer my texts.”

“I muted my phone last night and must have forgotten to turn the sound back on.”

“Did you sleep?”

“A little.” This morning had been the first she hadn’t watched the sunrise.

Addie’s gaze narrowed. “You look better.”

“I feel better.” Not a lie. Emily didn’t feel as hopeless this morning. She didn’t have an action plan, but the thought of making one no longer paralyzed her. More progress.

“Don’t go home. Come to Paris with us.”

She loved Addie and Nick, but Emily needed a break from seeing two people so much in love. For the first time, she knew what she was missing out on by being alone. She wanted to find love once her bruised and aching heart healed.

Someday it would. At least she hoped so.

“Thanks,” she said. “But I need to go home, turn in the things that don’t belong to me and pick up my personal belongings.”

“Don’t even think about writing a resume and applying for jobs. You need a break. A vacation.”

Emily nodded. That much she’d figured out in between sob-fests. “I’m going to take a staycation. I can’t remember the last time I played tourist in San Diego and doing that fits my new budget.”

“You’ll have fun.”

She was thinking her stay-at-home vacation would be more of a distraction than fun. “Thanks for coming to Alvernia. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”

“Thank you.” Addie grinned, then counted off on her fingers. “I got to travel to Europe, see my husband, stay in a fabulous villa, dress up like a princess and visit with cute kids. This has been the second best trip of a lifetime.”

“Your honeymoon in Fiji was number one.”

“Thanks to you. I’m sorry things with Luc didn’t work out.”

“I’ll put him behind me and be standing tall soon enough. Just need to wash my big girl panties and put them back on.”

Addie smiled. “That sounds more like the Emily I know.”

Good. The wussy, sad, heartbroken person she’d become wasn’t someone she liked being. “I’ll text you when I get home.”

“Ms. Rodgers,” the bellhop called.

“Time to go.” She hugged her friend. “Have a fabulous time in Paris. Send me a postcard.”

“Enjoy your staycation.”

Emily followed the bellhop outside. No cars were parked in front of the hotel. “I thought my ride was here.”

The bellhop pointed down the street. “It’s coming.”

She saw a carriage being drawn by four white horses. “I didn’t order that.”

“I’ll double-check.” The bellhop ran inside.

The carriage resembled a pumpkin coach, only white not orange and with royal blue cushions. The uniformed driver wore an old-fashioned white wig complete with a ponytail.

Romantic.

Like Cinderella.

A vise tightened around her chest, squeezing her heart like a fist. She struggled to breathe.

Oh, no. Don’t lose it.

The carriage stopped in front of her. A bride must be riding this to her wedding.

The thought cut Emily like a knife. She’d never been into fairy tales or one true love or happy endings. Damn Luc for making her want those things.

And more.

With him.

But this wasn’t entirely his fault. She accepted her part. She’d been sent to find him a princess bride, not fall in love with the intended groom. He’d put his foundation and his family first. She understood that he had a duty, responsibilities. But she was angry at herself for not being more careful. She was the only one to blame for losing her heart to the prince.

“I made a mistake.”

Luc?

That sounded like his voice. She glanced around, but didn’t see him. Maybe her lack of sleep had caught up with her.

He walked around the front of the white horses. He wore red pants with a gold stripe down the sides of each leg, a white uniform jacket with gold braids on the shoulders and a blue sash worn diagonally across his chest. Ribbons with medals were pinned over his heart. He carried a glass slipper.