Chapter Four
Overnight a fine layer of powdery snow dusted the palace grounds. The effect was utterly charming. Graciela thought it gave the royal residence an even more fairy-tale appearance than usual.
"It's like something out of a storybook." She inhaled the crisp winter air, finding it a balm to her bruised spirit. "I love it."
"It's beautiful." Robert looked around. "I'll give you that." He stopped walking and dropped the ropes to the sleds he was dragging uphill. "Now where on earth is Serafina? Didn't she just tell us half an hour ago that she was going to burst into flames if she didn't get to go sledding?"
Graciela laughed. Robert wasn't exaggerating. Serafina had insisted that she couldn't possibly go on if she didn't go sledding. Hence the fact they were now on top of the hill looking down on the palace. "She was right behind us." She looked around but the girl was nowhere in sight.
"You know the Fiorellis far better than I do," her companion said. "What do you think the punishment will be for losing their youngest child?"
"Banishment from the kingdom, would be my guess."
Robert laughed aloud. Graciela appreciated his sense of humor and ready laughter. He was so easy to spend time with, so easy to like. This was the kind of man she should have fallen in love with. But she couldn't imagine loving anyone other than Alejandro.
"Do you think Serafina's alright?"
Graciela nodded. "Just because we lost track of her doesn't mean that her security detail did the same thing."
"I forgot about the bodyguards." He gave a low whistle. "Crazy life for a kid."
Her response was drowned out by the roar of approaching snowmobiles. They both turned as two vehicles drew up alongside them.
Luis took off his helmet and waved a cheery hello. Madison was driving the second snowmobile. "I'm glad we found you," she said.
"Is something wrong?"
"No," Luis' wife reassured her. "It's just that someone from California has called several times to get a hold of Robert. Apparently it's not an emergency but they want to talk to you, Robert."
"Hop on," Luis motioned to the back of his snowmobile. "I'll give you a lift back."
"Go ahead," Graciela encouraged Robert when he hesitated. "I'm going to track down our little runaway princess."
"You're sure?" he asked.
She waved toward Luis' snowmobile. "Yes, absolutely. I'll catch up with you later."
No sooner had Luis and Madison's snowmobiles taken off than Graciela heard another one approaching. She whirled around, expecting to see Serafina with her security detail. Indeed, Serafina was on the vehicle, but the man with her wasn't her bodyguard. It was Alejandro.
As soon the engine cut out, the little girl hopped off and ran over to hug Graciela. "Did you go down the hill without me?"
Graciela returned the hug. "Where have you been? We were waiting for you."
Serafina's smile was apologetic. "I forgot to give Prince Alejandro back his cell phone yesterday so I went to find him. When I told him we were going sledding he asked if he could come too. Was that wrong?"
"No, of course not. I just didn't know that the prince liked sledding."
"Everyone likes to go sledding." Serafina ran over and settled herself on the smaller of the two sleds. "Okay, let's go."
"Hello, Graciela." Alejandro set his helmet on the snowmobile seat. He ran his fingers through his hair as he made his way over to her. "Where's your American shadow?"
"Very funny." She tried to hide her smile. "He's gone to make a call to the States." Her eyes greedily drank in the sight of him. "Thank you for bringing Serafina up here."
"I was happy to." He took a step closer. "You remember our last conversation? When I was trying to tell you what I wanted?"
Her breath caught in her throat. She nodded.
"I figured it out."
"You did?" she managed to say.
He nodded. "I want to spend the afternoon sledding with you."
Because this was the last thing she expected him to say, she couldn't help but grin. She should be annoyed that he was making light of what had happened earlier, she should also tell him to get back on his snowmobile and hit the trail, but irrationally, she wanted to be with him. She shrugged in what she hoped was a casual manner. "Suit yourself."
He smiled and reached for her hand. "Come on, let's show this little lady how it's done."
Graciela threw all caution to the wind as she followed him. She watched as he gave Serafina a push down the hill. She took her place in the front of their sled. When Alejandro sat behind her, he pulled her back toward him until she was nestled in his arms.
"Ready?" he asked, his warm breath grazing her ear.
She nodded, unable to speak. His proximity was intoxicating. She would think later, right now she was happy to feel the wind on her face and Alejandro's arms around her as they raced down the hill.
***
The sound of Graciela's delighted laughter stayed with Alejandro long after the trio had reluctantly trudged back to the palace, their sleds in tow. If he'd had any doubt when he'd gone in search of her that he loved Graciela beyond reason, he no longer did. She was the sun to his earth. He couldn't exist without her.
Not wanting their time together to end, he'd elicited a promise from Graciela that she'd join him for dinner that evening, just the two of them. Her reluctance had been clear but finally, to his relief, she'd acquiesced.
But now she was late. Alejandro glanced at his watch. A full ten minutes late, which was highly uncharacteristic of her. He paced the length of the private dining room, his mind racing through the possible reasons she was going to stand him up. If it had anything to do with that blasted American, he'd personally escort the man back to California himself.
Surely Graciela couldn't have feelings for Robert. Could she? He frowned. For so very long he'd taken her almost constant presence by his side for granted. Now he realized what a true gift it was that she'd bestowed on him. But what did he have to offer her? Besides his heart?
He whirled around as the door opened. A footman held the door open so that Graciela could enter.
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Alejandro." She crossed the room but stopped a few feet from him.
He took in her appearance, hardly able to find the words to express how incredible she looked. Her soft brown curls tumbled around her shoulders. She'd chosen a black gown with long lace sleeves. He knew little about fashion but he appreciated her elegance. He took a step toward her, grateful that she didn't back up as he brushed a kiss across both of her cheeks. "You are worth waiting for, my dear. You look exquisite."
To his amusement, she appeared slightly flustered. "I'd love a glass of champagne," she said, in what he took to be a rather obvious effort to change the subject.
"In a moment. First, I want to give you something." He reached into his tuxedo jacket pocket and pulled out a green leather jeweler's box with the name of a prominent Monterran jeweler embossed in gold on the top. "Merry Christmas, Graciela."
She stared down at the box for a moment and then lifted her gaze to his. "Alejandro, no."
This wasn't the reaction that he'd hoped for. He searched her expression for a clue as to what she was thinking, but he couldn't read her thoughts. "Christmas is only three days away. I wanted to have a private moment to give you your gift." He held the box out to her but she didn't take it.
"What are you trying to do, Alejandro?" Her words came out in a rush. "I don't understand. What's changed?"
He reached up and caressed her cheek with his fingertips. "What's changed is that I've realized that you-" but the rest of his confession, his declaration, was interrupted by the arrival of the Fiorelli's head chef and several waiters. He nodded an acknowledgment to them but by the time he turned back to Graciela, she'd already moved a few steps away. He slipped the jeweler's box back into his pocket.
He took two flutes of champagne from a footman and handed one to Graciela. He tucked a hand under her elbow and gently guided her away from the table where their meal was about to be served. "What shall we drink to?"
Graciela thought a moment. "To our friendship over the years."
He lifted his glass. "To our future."
They touched their flutes and both took a few sips.
"You certainly seemed to enjoy yourself on the slopes today," Graciela said, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I'd bet you enjoyed yourself more than Serafina did."
"I did." He grinned. "Tell me you didn't have just as much fun," he challenged her. "I dare you."
"Actually, I did."
"We should do it more often," he said. "Have fun, I mean. I realized that I've grown far too serious ever since my father passed away."
Her expression was clearly sympathetic. "That's understandable. You're a man with a great many responsibilities."
"I'm also a man with a very intelligent and hard working younger brother. I haven't allowed Luis to be the help to me that he's wanted to be for a long time. There's so much he can do for Santa Rosa. I'm going to give him as much free rein as he desires." He took a sip of champagne and then a deep breath for courage. "I want to make my personal life my priority."
The chef's approach kept Graciela from responding. Alejandro groaned inwardly. It was if the fates had orchestrated an interruption at each moment he was ready to tell Graciela that he loved her. Patience, he reminded himself, have patience. He wasn't a lovesick seventeen-year-old boy. He was a man who'd been given the gift of love, and for this, he was grateful.
As they dined on a six-course meal of Monterran delicacies, he made every effort to be gracious and put her at ease. This awkwardness between them was new, but he hoped it was simply a reflection of the fact that their relationship was evolving.
He pushed away his dessert plate. "I wonder just how hard it would be to convince Chef Jean-Pierre to leave here and move to Santa Rosa?"
Graciela laughed. "I don't think poaching their majesties head chef is the ideal way to repay their hospitality." She sat back in her chair. "Thank you for arranging this evening. I've enjoyed myself."
"The pleasure has been all mine, Graciela." He studied her for a long moment. "We haven't had as much time to spend together as I would have liked since we've arrived. Especially not with Mr. Ashton following you around."
"Oh, Alejandro, be fair. Robert hasn't been following me around. He's been keeping me company."
"I want to spend more time with you."
Graciela leaned forward and rested her hands on the table. "There's something I have to tell you, Alejandro."
He leaned forward and covered her hands with his. "There's something I need to tell you too." He couldn't believe how nervous he felt now that the moment to confess his feelings had arrived. "But ladies first." His smile was tender. "You can tell me anything, Graciela."
Her eyes grew moist. "Promise me that you'll understand."
"Anything, I promise you."
She took a deep breath and then exhaled. "I'm moving to California."