The Crown Page 8

“Before our vacation, I had voiced a possibility of me returning home to care for my father.”

  She nodded slowly. “And your thoughts on the matter now?”

  “When we heard the news, I promised I would stay, to be here for whatever he might need.” A loud until hung in the air, but no one voiced it.

  She nodded. “Then perhaps it would be best to move forward with the nondisclosure plan. You can be seen with the family during all the proceedings but not necessarily seated as family.” A coldness descended over their conversation, and Jo felt very much like she was being dismissed.

  “I’m not deserting him, your highness. I’m here forever, if need be. Please understand. I love him.”

  She nodded, but had begun scrolling through her messages from the assistant on her tablet. She looked up, as if surprised that Jo still felt the need to sit with her. “I’ll have your assistant update your schedule with times and locations you will be needed. And Marguerite can aid you with wardrobe. If anyone asks your relationship, just tell them you are close. And leave it at that.”

  Jo nodded. “Thank you.” She stood, feeling more awkward. “I’ll just get back to my room.”

  The queen smiled absentmindedly and then returned to her lists.

  As Jo walked away, her assistant dinged her phone. The first event was this evening. Dinner with all the gathering family and close royals and people of title in Torren. It was a huge affair and was hosted here at the palace. She was to sit at the head table at Nico’s side. A whiff of relief loosened her chest. At least she wasn’t relegated to a distant table with strangers.

  Nico reached for Jo’s hand under the table. “Thank you, Jo.” His face a mask to all the guests, but his pulse pounded at his neckline.

  Her heart went out to him. “I’m here for whatever you need. I love you, Nico.”

  “I know.” He didn’t look at her, and even as he said the words, they felt colder than they ever had coming from him. But she told herself he didn’t have room for any other emotion right now than the ones coursing through him for losing his father, as he contemplated becoming the new king of Torren. She couldn’t even comprehend what that must feel like. In a distant sort of way, she recognized she too might become queen, a monarch of this beautiful nation she had grown to love.

  But all the scandal surrounding her father weighed on her. Could she do a good job? Win the people over? Was she biased, and an outsider, coming at them with issues that weren’t best suited to their nation? She vowed to study more and to spend more time with their people. And to seek advisors. She needed a team, a committee, hand-selected.

  After a few speeches and welcomes, the room seemed to focus more on their food and the guests at each individual table. Nico turned to her, his eyes full of love. “Come to my room tonight.”

  She swallowed. “Are-are you sure?” She had become so hesitant in her thoughts about him she no longer knew how to behave.

  He chuckled. “Yes. We are adults. It’s more an apartment than a room anyway. Come. I will have soft music, a fire. We can dance a little. I need you Jo. Let’s talk through things.”

  “Thank you. I need to know how best to stand with you.” She sipped her water. “And I miss you.”

  His eyes filled with concern. “I’m sorry. Has it been difficult?”

  She nodded. “This is not about me at all. But I’ll be counting moments until this dinner is over and I come to you.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “You’ll have to get by Julian, my mother, and any number of staffers. Perhaps I’ll come get you. I have some secrets to share about this palace.” For a moment his old sparkle of adventure made an appearance.

  “Ooh. Like secret passageways?”

  “Even better.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ll come find you later.”

  Relief filled her and she had to temper the smile that wanted to spread across her face. They needed to be together. She needed to understand how to proceed, what to do to help. And she needed him.

  14

  Nico made it through the funeral, but only barely, clinging to Jo’s hand. He cursed his dependence. Even on Jo. Could he not learn to stand tall and strong like his father had always done? He had fought every impulse to run to Jo with every new influx of devastating news, with every moment of devastation that hit in waves, knowing his father was no longer with them. Jo had her own troubles to deal with and he had to be strong for both of them. But he treasured the moments she was at his side.

  And now, as soon as his father was in the earth, he was slammed on every side with plans for the coronation. With press releases. With public relations appeals to inspire confidence in his citizens. And this morning, a chilling visit with his mother.

  “She sounded like she was still planning to leave, Nico.”

  His heart stuttered to a stop at the words and then slammed back into function. “I don’t believe it.” He had allowed himself to ignore her previous concerns, the ones that would take her back to Shady Lakes. “She said she would stay.”

  “She did, but is she staying for good or just until you feel comfortable?” His mother’s eyes held concern. He knew she preferred Monique, or any other local girl who understood the Torren ways. But she also supported whatever Nico wanted to be happy. And the idea that Jo might still be considering leaving was perfectly plausible. He better talk with her. Unfortunately this past week was not a good example of his undying love and promises for a happy life with him.

  He scrolled through his schedule. They would have no time to talk or to even pass each other in a hallway until four o’clock this afternoon. He texted his assistant to add her to his day then. The immediate response was that she was booked. Irritation swelled. He texted back in caps, “Clear our schedules so that we may have a moment.”

  “Yes, your majesty.”

  So, it was possible to carve out time. He made a note to do so every day. He knew things would slow down a little bit. They had for his father, but he also know he would have to demand his priorities make the cut on the ever growing schedule.

  Several hours into his hectic day, he rushed to his next meeting. Several other kings from nearby nations had stayed in the days between funeral and coronation so that they could meet with him. This first council with so many heads of state weighed on him. He needed to maintain a respected position on the committee so that he could work with them on future issues.

  And he was running late. He dreaded this negative first impression. Monique had texted him three times. Her name popped up again, and he turned off the screen. She was becoming a nuisance. At first she was very comforting. She understood more about what he was going through than most so he appreciated her kindness in reaching out, but her attention continued with a bothersome persistence.

  As he was about to enter the room, several heads of state having already seen him through the conference room window, Jo ran up to him, her face flustered, an urgency about her that alarmed him.

  “Jo, what is it?”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  He glanced in the room. The men were looking out at him with curiosity. “I have to get in here. Can you meet me after?” He had no idea what was next on the schedule but surely it could be pushed aside.

  “Yes, Nico, this is important.”

  Pain tore at him that he couldn’t drop everything and pull her into his arms. “I’ll be here.”

  But when he left the meeting, three hours later, his head pounded from trying to get the group to come to a consensus on ocean dumping. He forgot everything, except the need for a cool drink and a break in between meetings.

  He called in to his assistant. “I need fifteen.” Then he hung up.

  He stepped into the first dark room and sat in the nearest chair, closing the door with his foot.

  “I see we have found the same moment of cool peace.” Monique moved towards him in the darkness.

  He leaned forward, rubbing his head in his hands.

  “Here, let me help.” She pressed into his
neck and shoulders and the attention felt relaxing. It soothed and cooled him in just the way he needed. Then she took her fingers into his hair, rubbing his scalp and head with her fingertips.

  He felt uncomfortable and he almost shrugged her off.

  “I studied massage. Fascinating what can happen if you hit all the correct points.” As she kneaded his head, the pressures melted away. She ran her fingers up and down his neck. Then she slipped them down under his jacket, sliding it off his shoulders so she could work through the thinner fabric of his shirt.

  He groaned. “Thank you.”

  As difficult as it was to keep Monique at the distance she belonged, she really was a huge help through all this. He appreciated all she had done for him, and his mother mentioned how invaluable she was to her.

  They left together, Nico ready to take on the next meeting, when he stumbled into Jo. Her eyes went wide, looking from Monique to him and the dark room behind them. Then her lips tightened into a thin line and she turned to walk from him.

  “Jo, wait.” He caught up with her. “What is it?” Then he remembered her frantic request that they talk, how he had put her off, and then forgot all about her. His heart sank. He was failing the woman he loved. At the first sign of trouble or the first challenge, the one person he let down over and over was his soon to be wife. His father would be frowning from heaven if he knew. “Jo, I’m sorry. I forgot. Let’s talk. What is it? What can I do?”

  She only walked faster.

  “Please. Jo. Stop.” He reached for her hand, gently tugging.

  She whirled around, snapping her hand from out of his. “You forgot? You couldn’t find the time to talk and yet you can hide in dark rooms with Monique?” Her eyes flashed and she crossed her arms and then uncrossed them, pacing in front of him. “I came to tell you why I have to leave.”

  His heart bottled up in his throat. “Just like that?”

  “No, not just like that. We’ve been talking about this for weeks.”

  His heart hardened. Did she have no idea what he was going through? Surely whatever it was that concerned her they could fix. Could she not wait until they got through the coronation?

  “Jo, we don’t have time for whatever this is. Can you just hang on? We’ll put our people on the problem and fix this when we get everything else in order.”

  She frowned. “It’s not that simple, and no, this has to be addressed today, several hours ago.” She turned from him. “I’m leaving tonight.”

  She infuriated him. All the sorrow and stress of the past few days weighed down around him, and he lost patience with her. Instead of running after her, or trying to change her mind, he turned on his heel and stomped to his next meeting. Her concern, though real to her, seemed overly childish to him right now as he faced yet another crisis in dealing with a hostile nation to their East.

  15

  The plane ride home felt more frustrating than usual. The trans-Atlantic flight took all night, and she sat on a plane full of crowded people, bumping her arms and spilling crumbs on her legs. Her father and Nurse June sat across the aisle. Sierra had opted to stay. She and Julian would be married in six months.

  New tears welled in Jo’s eyes at the thought. She was happy for her friend, but felt completely lonely that she would be having a life Jo had thought would be hers.

  She hated leaving. She hated giving up everything that could be hers in Torren. But how could she stay when Nico so obviously cared for another, when he couldn’t be bothered to talk to her when her concerns were obviously so urgent. She needed a different kind of relationship when she got married. If she ever would. The worst part about everything was that she loved Nico so much that she couldn’t imagine ever feeling love again.

  She felt comforted though, knowing that her father would be shielded from ridicule and the nefarious designs of the press. She needed him lucid for the next few weeks and felt grateful for the medication that seemed to be working superhuman powers into his brain, preserving what was left.

  Now she must face this next challenge. Kevin. Their days as young college students in love at Vanderbilt felt like lies. She could roast him alive. In his letter from a lawyer, he had outlined all the changes to be made at the marina and the start dates of his many projects. Apparently, while he was visiting Jo this past summer, he had convinced her father to sign over a power of attorney to himself and to deed him half the property. Jo suspected that due to her father’s dementia, the dear man thought he was signing it over to herself.

  Her father needed to be present to fight this power of attorney, and if Kevin wasn’t willing to back down, a lawyer and judge would also be needed.

  She cringed, thinking of what damage Kevin might have already wreaked on her beloved marina.

  Opening the door to her home, musty unused smells greeted her at the door. Memories of the open crisp marble rooms of the palace filled her with a sharp ache.

  She called their attorney, and he came over right away. After talking with him and signing several papers, she felt like they had done all they could for now, and at the encouragement of her father, went to her room, but sleep was far away. She flipped open her laptop to catch up on the Torren tabloid news. Someone had to tell her what was going on.

  An hour into images of her crazed father, her own stricken face, and plenty of Nico and Monique, Jo fell asleep to restless and unhappy dreams.

  The next morning Jo woke to her father’s shouts, “No, don’t take her! Leave me alone.”

  Nurse June’s calm voice followed him into his bedroom. Jo ran toward them. “What’s the matter?”

  “Jo.” Her father rushed to her. “I’m so happy you are here. They didn’t get you.”

  “Of course I’m here.” She looked over his shoulder. Nurse June shook her head and shrugged. “Father, what’s the matter. Are you feeling confused again?

  He pulled away. “I don’t know. I got so scared. It seemed so real.” He turned back to his room. “I need to go back to sleep.”

  She let him go, nurse following after. Jo knew the new medication would not maintain the good effects it had forever. But she had hoped she had more time. Perhaps she still did.

  The attorney called. Listening to him, her mood dropped further. There was a large chance the power of attorney would stand. Kevin might be her new Marina business partner. She cringed, in dread of the thought.

  Everything seemed terrible and getting worse. She moved to the kitchen for a snack, before turning on the television. The coronation was about to begin.

  The chapel of the church looked beautiful. They had hung flowers just as had been planned. The stained glass shone brilliant blues down on the faces of those walking up the aisle. Jo remembered her first day at the palace and those same hues. She hugged a pillow to her chest, tight pain making it difficult to breathe. How could she have left Nico? Her heart couldn’t keep beating. She knew any moment the pain would be too great. But how could she stay? Monique’s self-satisfied expression when they walked out of that dark room was enough to tell Jo her standing. And the marina. She couldn’t let Kevin just take it from them.

  At home on her couch, Jo watched people file in to their seats getting ready for the procession. And then the music changed and everyone stood. She sat forward, aching for the first sign of Nico.

  He entered, and she melted like she did the first time she saw him. She ached with missing him. His mother’s hand rested on his arm. Both regal in their bearing. Jo sighed. He looked like a king. His expression. His firm jaw, his bearing, and the strength of his gait. He reverberated power. His sister followed and each brother. Trane, the duke, looked especially handsome, and she realized for the first time, he was taller than Nico. And then her heart sank. At the back of the family group was Monique, on the arm of their youngest brother, Daniel.

  Seeing her there with the family was so shocking, she almost turned off the television, unable to bear the pain. The queen had even mentioned Jo coming in with a different group, Jo, the fianc�
� might have entered with another group. And here was Monique part of their cozy family. Tears began to fall.

  Monique had known their family forever. She had all the press connections. She knew what to say, to whom she should speak, and when to say it. She was beautiful, and Jo remembered from all the pictures earlier, she looked fabulous on Nico’s arm.

  Jo sank lower into the sofa. Thunder echoed above her house, and rain started to fall. As if on que. She laughed without humor, then turned up the television. The announcer was talking about each person in the procession. The Baldeez brothers and their parents entered. Each as handsome as the other. Jo shook her head. Criteria for being a royal: more beautiful than anyone around you. Check. But none of them could capture Jo’s heart like Nico. No one else ever would.

  When they had all arrived, and the priest stood at the front to open the ceremony, the speakers were announced. Nico would go last.

  The coronation ceremony reminded Jo of Francisco’s funeral. As with all funerals, she had listened and wished she had known the deceased better. He was a generous, kind, smart, wise king, and his citizens were going to miss him. Many of the remarks mentioned Nico, how he had learned at the hand of his father and how he had served and helped in the community. The country was preparing for its king.

  And then Nico stood at the microphone. Jo struggled to breathe, nervous for him and emotional at seeing him so close, she almost reached out to touch the screen. She was going to need to get a grip. But not today. Today was all about wallowing.

  “No one rejoices in the day they become King.” He paused and looked out over the congregation of the church. “Because it usually means someone we loved has died.” He paused and swallowed, his jaw tight and stiff. “But it is my honor to rejoice in the life of my father, our king.”

  Jo was so proud of Nico. Shortly after his own father’s funeral, so composed, so well spoken. He went on for many minutes about the beauty of their land, their people, about the crown and what it meant to the Torren family. He pledged his life and his heart to Torren. And then he stopped, and looked right in the camera. Jo felt his stare strike her deep inside and she knew he was about to talk to her. She didn’t know how she knew it but she did.