Chapter Two

To Graciela's immense relief, Princess Kat and Princess Madison came to meet their flight. This wasn't an official state visit to Monterra and she hadn't expected to be met at the airport by anyone other than a chauffeur. But sharing a limousine with them back to the palace meant that she didn't need to be alone with Alejandro.

A raise indeed. Alejandro's obtuse offer would be funny if it didn't make her so sad. But maybe he'd done her a huge favor by demonstrating how completely unaware of her feelings he was. Now the proverbial ball was in her court. She could spend forever with things as they were now, or she could make the choice to cut her losses and...and what? Leave Santa Rosa? Leave the winery? But the alternative was to grow old loving Alejandro from a distance. This her heart couldn't take.

Alejandro's voice pierced her private thoughts. "Well, did we or didn't we, Graciela?"

Startled, she looked over at him and saw an expectant look on his face. A quick glance at Kat and Madison confirmed that they were all waiting for her to answer. "I'm sorry, I was thinking of something else. What was the question?"

"Did we bring formal wear for the gala on the twenty-third?" Alejandro repeated.

His expectant expression tugged at her heart. He sounded like a man who'd just asked his wife the simplest of questions. But she wasn't his wife. Or his mistress, or even his girlfriend. "Your dress uniform was on the packing list I gave your valet, so I imagine it's in one of your luggage bags. Jorge is nothing if not efficient."

The awkward silence in the limousine continued until it pulled to a stop in front of the Monterran palace. Graciela welcomed the cold blast of air that assailed her as she was helped out of the limo by a member of the palace staff. She'd barely had a chance to move away from the vehicle so the rest of the party could alight before a tiny body slammed into hers. Caught off guard, she staggered back a few steps.

"I'm so happy you're here." Princess Serafina, the youngest Fiorelli sibling, wrapped her arms around Graciela's waist and hugged her.

Graciela smiled. "That's a funny coincidence because I'm so happy to be here too." She leaned down and kissed the little girl's cheek. "How are you, preciosa?"

Serafina's eyes sparkled. "I'm excited it's Christmas."

"Me too." She glanced over at Alejandro. He stood with his back to her, engrossed in a conversation with Kat and Madison. She turned back to her companion. "Let's head up to my suite."

"Can we ring for some hot chocolate while we wait?"

Graciela nodded. "Superb idea, and I wouldn't say no to a cookie either."

Monterra's youngest princess grinned. "I like the way you think."

Once upstairs, with a plate of warm peanut butter cookies and a pot of hot chocolate between them, Graciela began to relax.

Serafina leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "What do you want for Christmas?"

Graciela laughed. "I haven't really thought about it. But I bet you have. What are you hoping that Babbo Natale brings you?"

"Oh, any old thing would be nice," Serafina said. After a thoughtful pause, she added, "A camera, a cell phone, and a sparkly piece of jewelry."

"Oh, I love sparkly jewelry too."

"Maybe Prince Alejandro will give you a diamond engagement ring for Christmas."

Graciela picked up the pot of hot chocolate and refilled their cups while her mind raced to find an appropriate answer. Her companion was only eight years old. What could this child possibly understand about unrequited love? Nothing. Graciela issued a silent but fervent prayer that it would always be so. "That's not going to happen, sweetheart. Prince Alejandro and I are just friends."

"Um, okay. If you say so." Serafina's eyes sparkled mischievously. "But I still think he's got a crush on you."

Graciela got to her feet. It was time for a change of subject. Romantic notions of secret crushes, diamond rings, and Christmas engagements were fine for an eight-year-old, but she was too old to entertain the notion for even a second. It was high time she came up with a plan to change her world. She was going to build a life for herself that involved family, friends, children, and work she enjoyed. Basically, everything she loved. Except Alejandro.

***

A fine layer of powdery snow covered the highest mountaintop in Monterra. Alejandro appreciated the quality of the snow as he raced downhill through the slalom course. Skiing was one of his true passions in life, a time when he felt free of worry, free of responsibility, free of all cares. But as he zigzagged through the poles, his mind kept returning to his last conversation with Graciela.

'I'm sorry but I have other plans,' was all she'd said when he'd invited her to join him on the slopes. Not that she'd needed an invitation. They always skied together when they visited Monterra during the winter. Was she unwell? Surely that would be the only reason she'd pass an afternoon on the slopes, wasn't it? Perhaps not. He frowned at the memory of her distant behavior during the flight and upon their arrival at the palace.

Graciela had avoided him at lunch, refusing to meet his gaze even once. In fact, she'd been far too friendly with one of the other guests throughout the meal for Alejandro's liking. He didn't know who the man was, although it certainly seemed as if Graciela did.

He reached the bottom of the slope to find his friends waiting for him.

"Took you long enough," Luis teased. "Old age slowing you down, brother?"

His only answer was a scowl. Ever since his brother had married Madison, he'd been incorrigibly upbeat. Alejandro didn't know how much longer he could put up with it.

"Who's up for another run?" Dante asked.

Luis quickly opted in but Alejandro shook his head. He was having trouble concentrating. Perhaps a hot drink in front of the fire was a better idea. "Go ahead. I'm going in to warm up."

He skied toward the lodge, grateful that while in Monterra he didn't have to worry about the paparazzi snapping pictures of him. Rarely was he in the mood to tolerate the intrusion, but most especially not today. Once his skis were handed off to an attendant, he headed toward the giant fireplace.

Alejandro's breath caught in his throat when he caught sight of a familiar face. Graciela, wearing a red cashmere sweater, black leggings, and knee-high boots, sat on a sofa in front of the fireplace with a mug cradled between her hands. The roaring fire cast a flattering glow on the golden brown highlights in her hair. The woman was beyond beautiful. She was stylish and elegant, with a spirit that no other woman could match. He could watch her forever.

But when she laughed, Alejandro realized she wasn't alone. The blond American was with her, his attention focused solely on Graciela. And whatever her companion had just said appeared to amuse her greatly. Alejandro blew out a frustrated breath. These were the 'other plans' that kept her from joining him?

For a split second, barely long enough to be measured in time, he considered leaving before Graciela saw him. But, no. Whatever was going on, he wanted to know about. After all, she was his...his...well, she was Graciela.

He approached the sofa where they sat, a little more closely than was strictly necessary he couldn't help but notice. The American saw him first. He broke off speaking and looked up at Alejandro. "Oh, hello." Then, as an afterthought, he hastily added, "Sir."

Alejandro nodded an acknowledged and then turned to Graciela. As a matter of royal protocol, he waited to be introduced rather than introduce himself. He well understood that the American might not know this but Graciela certainly did. But she stared up at him as if she couldn't quite place him. For some reason, this rankled. Badly.

"Graciela?" he prompted her.

Apparently this was enough of a verbal nudge to rouse her. She got her to her feet. "Good afternoon, Your Highness. May I present Robert Ashton?" She turned to the man who now stood beside her. "Robert, I'd like to introduce you to His Royal Highness Prince Alejandro of Santa Rosa."

Alejandro reached out and shook the man's hand. "Mr. Ashton."

"Robert is from the United States," she said.

"So I hear." Alejandro eyed his competition for Graciela's attention. He waited for the other man to excuse himself so that he could be alone with Graciela but instead an awkward silence ensued.

"Robert owns a vineyard in California."

Ah, so this tête–à–tête was work related. Strangely, that left him feeling a bit more predisposed to tolerating the American's presence. "If you're discussing wines, then I'm clearly not interrupting. I'll join you."

He watched as Graciela and Robert exchanged a started glance.

"Actually, Sir, we wouldn't want to bother you with chit chat." Robert place a hand on Graciela's back. "We should leave anyway. We're due back at the palace."

Alejandro's eyebrows rose. "Are you, indeed?"

Graciela met his gaze but then quickly looked away. "We promised to take Princess Serafina sledding."

"Right then, nice to have met you," Robert said as he gestured for Graciela to proceed him toward the entrance.

Alejandro watched in a state of semi-shock as the woman he'd spent untold hours a week with for the past few years allowed herself to be led away. What in God's name had just happened? Who on earth was Robert Ashton? And, far more to the point, what had happened to the Graciela that he knew and...that he knew?