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CHAPTER THREE

IT WAS A drastic plan. One Zach took no pleasure in. But he’d do whatever necessary to ensure his friend didn’t suffer the frigid existence his parents called marriage. Antonio was already sacrificing his life for his country; selling off his business interests in America to Zach. He shouldn’t have to give up all chance of happiness, too.

Zach reluctantly agreed to be best man. He didn’t believe in big, lavish weddings. And he didn’t approve of Tony’s insane sacrifice. So why would he agree? Because Tony was the closest thing he had to a brother. Of course, he had to support him.

And of course he felt compelled to talk him out of throwing his future away.

Zach knew the circumstances of Antonio’s marriage and it made him sick to think of his honorable, big-hearted friend locked into a miserable existence like his parents had shared.

He wasn’t thinking of doing anything overt. Certainly nothing that would embarrass the royal family, especially his best friend. But he could cause a few delays. And earn enough time to talk his friend out of making the biggest mistake of his life.

Tony had a lot on his plate taking on the leadership of his country. Halencia had reached a state of crisis. Antonio’s parents were gregarious, bigger-than-life characters madly in love with each other one moment and viciously in hate the next. There’d been public affairs and passionate reconciliations.

The country languished under their inattention. The king and queen lived big and spent big, costing the country much-needed funds.

The citizens of Halencia loved the drama, hated the politics. Demands for a change had started years ago but had become more persistent in the past five years. Until a year ago when the king was threatened with a paternity suit. It turned out Antonio wasn’t getting a new sibling. It was just a scare tactic gone wrong.

But it was the last straw for the citizens of Halencia.

The chancellor of the high counsel had gone to Antonio and demanded action be taken.

Antonio had flown home to advise his father the time had come. The king must abdicate and let Antonio rule or risk the monarchy being overthrown completely.

The citizens of Halencia cheered in the streets. Antonio was well loved in his home country. He lived and worked in California, but he took his duty as prince seriously. He returned home two or three times a year, maintaining a residence in Halencia and supporting many businesses and charities.

Everyone was happy. Except Tony, who had to leave everything he’d worked to achieve and go home to marry a woman he barely knew.

Zach knew the truth behind Tony’s impromptu engagement four years ago. He was one of a handful of people who did. And though it was motivated by love, it wasn’t for the woman he’d planned to marry.

Tony was a smart man. Zach just needed a little time to convince him that marriage was drastic and unnecessary.

Lindsay seemed like a nice person. She’d understand when this all played out. Surely she wouldn’t want to bring together two people who were not meant to be a couple. Plus, she’d get paid either way. And have a nice trip to Italy for her troubles.

Once he was in Halencia and had access to Tony and Christina, he’d subtly hound them until one or the other caved to the pressure. And maybe cause a snag or two along the way so the whole thing just seemed like a bad idea.

Of course he’d have to distract the pretty wedding planner with a faux flirtation to keep her from noticing his shenanigans. No hardship there. He was attracted enough to the feisty pixie to make it fun, but she was way too picket-fence for him so there was no danger of taking it too far.

He saw it as win, win, win. Especially for those not stuck in a loveless marriage.

She lifted her glass again. “And thanks again for this program.”

“I hope you like puzzles, because there’s still a lot of work there.”

“Not near what there was.” She picked up a strawberry, dipped it in her flute and sank dainty white teeth into the fruit. The ripe juice stained her lips red and he had the keenest urge to taste the sweetness left behind. “In fact, I may actually watch the movie.”

“Excellent.” He all but had her eating out of his hand with that act of kindness. And he’d needed something after stumbling onto the plane half blind with a migraine and sitting on the blasted dress. He’d popped some over-the-counter meds just before boarding. Thank the flight gods the headache had finally eased off.

He needed to stick close to her if this sabotage was going to work. He’d do his best to protect her as he went forward, but if it came down to a choice between her job and the happiness of the man who meant more to him than family, he’d choose Tony every time. No matter how pretty the wedding planner.

He’d revealed more about himself than he meant to, than he ever did really. But her attitude toward parental problems appealed to him: do what you can and move on. How refreshing to find someone who understood and accepted that not all parents were perfect. Many people didn’t get along with their parents but most loved and respected them.

He tolerated his parents, but he wasn’t willing to make a total break, which probably meant he harvested hope for a better relationship at some point. He couldn’t imagine what might bring it about so he pretty much ignored them except when he was on the east coast or at a family function requiring his presence.

Next to him Lindsay sipped champagne and flipped through the movie choices. The dim lights caught the gold in her light brown hair. She had the thick mass rolled up and pinned in place but soft wisps had broken free to frame her face. He wondered how long the confined tresses would flow down her back. Her creamy complexion reminded him of the porcelain dolls his mother collected, complete with a touch of red in the cheeks though Lindsay’s was compliments of the champagne.

She shot him a sideways glance, a question in her pretty baby blue eyes.

He realized she’d asked a question. “Sorry. I got lost in looking at you.”

A flush added to the red in her cheeks and a hand pushed at the pins in her hair. “I asked if you preferred the comedy or the World War One drama.” She turned back to the screen, fidgeted with the buttons. “But maybe I should just go back to my seat.”

“No. Stay. This is my celebration, after all.”

She glanced at him through lush lashes. “Okay, but you’ll have to behave.”

“I’ll have you know my mother raised me to be a gentleman.”

“Uh-huh.” She made the decision for them with the push of a button. “That might be reassuring, except I doubt you’ve been under your mother’s influence for quite some time.”

He grinned and reached up to turn off the overhead light. “Very astute, Ms. Reeves.”

Lindsay came awake to the rare sense of being wrapped in warm, male arms. She shot straight up in her seat, startling the man she cuddled against. His whiskey-brown eyes opened and blinked at her, the heat in his slumberous gaze rolling through her like liquid fire.

Escape. Now. The words were like a beeping alarm going off in her head.

“Can you let me out?” She pushed away from him, gaining a few inches and hopefully reinforcing the message to move. Now.

“Is the movie over?” He reined her in with an easy strength. His broad chest lifted under her as he inhaled a huge breath and then let it go in a yawn.

“Yes. This was fun.” Too much fun. Time to get back to the real world. “But I need to get past you.” He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear instead of moving. The heat of his touch called for desperate measures. “I’ve got to pee.”

He blinked. Then the corner of his mouth tipped up and he stood. “Me, too.” He helped her up and gestured for her to go first.

“You go ahead,” she urged him. “I want to grab a few things to freshen up with.”

“Good idea.” He opened the overhead compartment and grabbed a small bag. “Can I help you get anything?”

“Thank you, no.” She waited until he wandered off to gather what she needed from her tote.

The attendants had performed her turndown service so both beds were down for the night. She automatically checked the garment bag holding the royal wedding dress. It lay nicely in place, undisturbed since the last time she checked. She bent to retrieve her tote from under the seat in front of hers and decided to take the bag with her. Strap looped over her shoulder, she hurried down the aisle.

It was after one and the people she passed appeared to be out for the count. Even the attendants were strapped in and resting. Good. Lindsay intended to take her time. She wanted Zach to be back in his seat and sound asleep when she returned.

He was too charming, too hot, too available for her peace of mind. She hadn’t needed to hear his views on marriage to know he was single. From her research she’d already gathered he had commitment issues. The only hint of an engagement had been back in his college days.

She’d found that snippet of information because she’d been researching his history with the prince. They’d both been going to Harvard’s school of business but they’d met on the swim team. They both broke records for the school, Zach edging out Antonio with a few more wins. Antonio explained those extra wins came from Zach’s longer reach. In the picture accompanying the article it was clear that Zach had at least three inches on all his teammates.

Tall, dark and handsome. Tick, tick, tick. The stereotype fit him to a tee, but did little to actually describe him. He was brilliant yet a terrible flirt. Could apologize when he was wrong and laugh at himself. But it was the touch of vulnerability surrounding his desire for his parents’ approval that really got to her. She understood all too well the struggle between respect and love when it came to parents.

Bottom line: the man was dangerous. Way out of her league. And a distraction she couldn’t afford. She may be headed for one of the most beautiful places on earth, but this was so not a vacation. She needed to stay sharp and focused to pull off the wedding of the century.

Face washed, teeth brushed, changed into yoga pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt, she glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes had passed. That should be enough time. She gathered her clothes and toiletries and tucked them neatly into her tote before making her way quietly back to her seat.

Zach lay sprawled on his bed. He was so tall he barely fit; in fact, one leg was off the bed braced against the floor. No doubt he had a restless night ahead of him. For once she’d sleep. Or pretend to. Because engaging in middle-of-the-night intimacies with Zach Sullivan could only result in trouble. Trouble she couldn’t afford.

Climbing into her bed, she pulled the covers around her shoulders and determinedly closed her eyes.

She had this under control. She’d just ignore the man. If she needed something from the groom, she’d get it from the palace representative or Christina. There was no need for her to deal with Zach Sullivan at all. That suited her fine. She’d learned her lesson.

No more falling into the trap of self-delusion because a man paid a little attention to her. But more important—work and play did not go together.

“There must be some mistake.” Lindsay advised the car-rental clerk. “I made my reservation over two months ago.”

“Scusa. No mistake. My records show the reservation was canceled.”

“That’s impossible,” Lindsay protested. Exhaustion tugged at her frayed nerves. This couldn’t be happening. With everything she needed to do for the wedding, she absolutely required a vehicle to get around. “I had my assistant confirm all my reservations a week ago.”

The clerk, a harried young man, glanced at the line behind her before asking with exaggerated patience, “Perhaps it is under a different name?”

“No, it is under my name.” She gritted her teeth. “Please look again.”

“Of course.” He hit a few keys. “It says here the reservation was canceled last night.”

“Last night? That doesn’t make any sense at all. I was in the middle of a transatlantic flight.” Enough. Arguing did her no good. She just wanted a car and to get on the road. “You know it doesn’t matter. Let’s just start over.”

“Scusa, Ms. Reeves. We have no other vehicles available. Usually we would, but many have started to arrive for the royal wedding. The press especially. And they are keeping the vehicles. We have requested more autos from other sites but they won’t be here for several days.”

“There you are.” A deep male voice sounded from behind her.

She glanced over her shoulder to find Zach towering over her. Dang, so much for losing him at the luggage carousel. Assuming her professional demeanor, she sent him a polite smile. “Have a good trip to Monte Calanetti. I’ll keep you posted with updates on the arrangements. I’m going to be here for a bit.” She smiled even brighter. “They’ve lost my car reservation.”

“They didn’t lose it. I canceled it.”

“What?” All pretense of politeness dropped away. “Why would you do that?”

He held up a set of keys. “Because we’re going to drive to Monte Calanetti together. Don’t you remember? We talked about this during the movie last night.”

She shook her head. She remembered him asking her what car-rental company she’d used and comparing their accommodation plans; he’d rented a villa while she had a room at a boutique hotel. Nowhere in her memory lurked a discussion about driving to Monte Calanetti together. There was no way she would have agreed to that. Not only did it go against her new decree to avoid him whenever possible, but she needed a vehicle to properly do her job.

“No,” she declared, “I don’t remember.”

“Hmm. Must be champagne brain. No problem. I’ve got a Land Rover. Plenty of room for you, me and the dress.” He grabbed up the garment bag, caught the handle of her larger suitcase and headed off. “Let’s roll.”

“Wait. No.” Feeling panicked as the dress got further out of her reach, she glared at the clerk. “I want my reservation reinstated and as soon as a car is available, I want it delivered.” She snatched up a card. “I’ll call you with the address.”

Dragging her smaller suitcase, Lindsay weaved her way through the crowd, following in Zach’s wake. Luckily his height made him easy to spot. She was right on his heels when he exited the airport.

Humidity smacked her in the face as soon as she stepped outside; making her happy she’d paired her beige linen pants with a navy-and-beige asymmetrical short-sleeved tunic.

Champagne brain, her tush. What possible motive could he have for canceling her reservation if she hadn’t agreed?

This just proved his potent appeal spelled danger.

Okay, no harm done. She handed him her smaller case and watched as he carefully placed the garment bag across the backseat. It should only take a couple of hours to reach Monte Calanetti. Then she could cut ties with the guy and concentrate on doing her job.

“How long to Monte Calanetti from here?” she asked as he held the door while she slid into the passenger seat.

“I’ve never driven it, but I can’t imagine it’s more than a few hours.” He closed her in, rounded the front of the Land Rover and climbed into the driver’s seat. A few minutes later they were in the thick of Florence traffic.

The old world elegance of the city charmed her, but the stop and go of the early evening traffic proclaimed work-force congestion was the same worldwide. She could admit, if only to herself, that she was glad not to be driving in it.

“Have you’ve been to Tuscany before?” she asked Zach.

“I’ve been several times. A couple of times with Antonio and once with my parents when I was twelve.”

“So you know your way around?” She smothered a yawn.

“I do.” He shot her an amused glance. “Enough to get us where we’re going.”

“I was just going to offer to navigate if you needed me to.”

He stopped at a traffic light, taking the time to study her. “Thanks.” He reached out and swept a thumb under her left eye in a soft caress. “You’re tired. I guess relaxing didn’t help you sleep.”

She turned her head away from his touch. “I slept a little, off and on.”

“Disrupted sleep can be less restful than staying awake.” He sympathized. “Are you better at sleeping in a car?”

“Who can’t sleep in a car? But I’m fine. I don’t want to miss the sights. The city is so beautiful.”

He drove with confidence and skill and a patience she lacked. He’d shaved on the plane; his sexy scruff gone when she woke this morning. The hard, square lines of his clean-cut jaw were just as compelling as the wicked shadow. The man couldn’t look bad in a bag, not with a body like that.

Unlike her, he hadn’t changed clothes, he still wore his black suit pants and white long-sleeved shirt, but the top two buttons were open and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. The suit jacket had been tossed onto the backseat.

“Florence is beautiful. The depth of history just draws me in. Halencia is the same. Since I’ll be here for a month, I’m really hoping to get a chance to play tourist.”

“Oh, absolutely. They have some really fantastic tours. I plan to stay after the wedding and take one. I’m torn between a chef and wine-tasting tour or a hiking tour.”

“Wow, there’s quite a difference there.”

“I’m not going to lie to you. I’m leaning toward the pasta and wine tour. It goes to Venice. I’ve always wanted to go to Venice.”

“Oh, yeah,” he mocked, “it’s all about Venice and nothing about the walking.”

“Hey, I’m a walker. I love to hike. I’ll share some of my brochures with you. There are some really great tours. If you like history, there’s a Tuscan Renaissance tour that sounds wonderful.”

“Sounds interesting. I’d like to see the brochures.”

“Since technology is your thing, I’m surprised you’re so into history.”

“I minored in history. What can I say? I’m from New England. You can’t throw a rock without hitting a historical marker. In my studies I was always amazed at how progressive our founding fathers were. Benjamin Franklin truly inspired me.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.” He sent her a chiding sidelong look. “I did my thesis on the sustainability of Franklin’s inventions and observations in today’s world. He was a brilliant man.”

“And a great politician,” she pointed out.

“I can’t deny that, but he didn’t let his political views define or confine him. I respect him for that. For him it wasn’t about power but about proper representation.”

“I feel that way about most of our founding fathers. So tell me something I probably don’t know about big Ben.”

“He was an avid swimmer.”

“Like you and Antonio. Aha. No wonder you like him—” A huge yawn distorted the last word. “Oh.” She smothered it behind a hand. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” He squeezed her hand. “Don’t feel you have to keep me company. Rest if you can. Jet lag can be a killer.”

“Thanks.” He’d just given her the perfect out from having to make conversation for the next hour. She’d snap the offer up if she weren’t wide-eyed over the sights. Nothing in California rivaled the history and grandeur of the buildings still standing tall on virtually every street.

Zach turned a corner and the breath caught in the back of Lindsay’s throat. Brunelleschi’s Dome filled the skyline in all its Gothic glory. She truly was in Italy. Oh, she wanted to play tourist. But it would have to wait. Work first.

Riding across a beautiful, sculpted old bridge, she imagined the people who once crossed on foot. Soon rural views replaced urban views and in the distance clouds darkened the sky, creating a false twilight.

Lindsay shivered. She hoped they reached Monte Calanetti before the storm hit. She didn’t care for storms, certainly didn’t want to get caught out in one. The turbulence reminded her of anger, the thunder of shouting. As a kid, she’d hated them.

She didn’t bury her head under the covers anymore. But there were times she wanted to.

Lightning flickered in the distance. Rather than watch the storm escalate, she closed her eyes as sleep claimed her. Her last thoughts were of Zach.

Lack of motion woke Lindsay. She opened her eyes to a dark car and an eerie silence. Zach was nowhere in view. Stretching, she turned around, looking for him. No sign. She squinted out the front windshield.

Good gracious, was the hood open?

She pushed her door open and stepped out, her feet crunching on gravel as a cool wind whipped around her. Hugging herself she walked to the front of the Land Rover. Zach was bent over the engine using a flashlight to ineffectually examine the vehicle innards. “What’s going on?”

“A broken belt is my best guess.” He straightened and directed the light toward the ground between them. “I’ve already called the rental company. They’re sending a service truck.”

She glanced around at the unrelenting darkness. Not a single light sparkled to show a sign of civilization. “Sending a truck where? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“They’ll find us. The vehicle has a GPS.”

Relief rushed through her. “Oh. That’s good.” She’d had visions of spending the night on the side of the road in a storm-tossed tin can. “Did they say how long before they got here? Eee!” She started and yelped when thunder boomed overhead. The accompanying flash of lightening had her biting back a whimper to the metallic taste of blood.

“As soon as they can.” He took her elbow and escorted her to the passenger’s-side door. “Let’s stay in the car. The storm looks like it’s about to break.”

His big body blocked the wind, his closeness bringing warmth and rock-solid strength. For a moment she wanted to throw herself into his arms. Before she could give in to the urge, he helped her into her seat and slammed the door. A moment later he slid in next to her. He immediately turned the light off. She swallowed hard in a mouth suddenly dry.