Page 16 of The Duke's Brother

“Sort of. I’m worried about everyone. The news this morning was one disaster after another. I went searching for all of you until finally a staff member told me where to find you.”

He should have texted. Especially after the way they left things. But he was swamped all morning, up before the sun. And it’s not like she was family. This was a family breakfast. But she didn’t know that. And he would be kidding himself if he tried to think he wasn’t pleased she was here with all his family. “I’m sorry. I should have texted you this morning. Or last night.” He tried to show his sincerity with his eyes.

She glanced at him, nodded and lifted her fork. “Any news from Grevena?

“No, the mayor has yet to call. I’m considering driving down there to take a look around after breakfast.”

“Oh yes, we should.” She blazed red. “If I might come?”

“I’d love the company. And I’m happy to give you a ride to see your store.”

She nodded. “Would it be all right if mother stayed here for the time being? I hate to move her…”

Tripp’s mother rested her cup on the table. “She must stay with us as long as she would like. The wife of Stefano is a celebrity as far as the Valdez family is concerned. We would be pleased to have her.”

Jenneca’s features softened and a few of the worry lines eased. “Thank you. My mother always said all of the Valdez family were as kind as the oven was hot.”

They chuckled. Then the phone rang. Tripp’s phone. It was the mayor’s line. “Hello? Mayor Tenney?”

“No. I’m sorry your highness.” A small female voice answered. “The mayor was injured last night. He went straight to the hospital. I wanted you to know. The deputy mayor is taking over.”

Tripp cleared his throat, stunned by the news. “Will he be all right?”

“They are uncertain. I know he was in critical condition. A section of a house fell on him while he was trying to clear debris.”

Tripp shook his head. “OK. We will be right over.”

“Thank you, your highness.”

He looked at the group and shared the news.

Jenneca gasped beside him. “Oh dear. Might we…” She looked uncertain. “This is so difficult to not be able to function on my own.”

Tripp felt for her. He started to reach for her hand but she slid it away. Lucan lifted an eyebrow but Tripp ignored him. “I was thinking of paying him a visit. Would you like to come?”

She nodded, the gratitude in her eyes warming him.

“And call this number for a car to take you anywhere you need.” He slid a card across the table to her.

“Thank you.”

They cleaned up their notes from breakfast and everyone made plans to separate to their various assigned parts of the island. Luckily the palace remained unscathed. Thanks to their emergency procedures, the strength and support in their buildings, they were sturdy against most storms.

Tripp agreed to meet Jenneca down by the cars. For the first time that morning he had time to think about last night. He was frustrated about what had happened. For one quick moment, when Jenneca had leaned into him, he saw Jorge sitting just as close to her in Austria, and then he doubted her. The last he’d seen of them together, Jorge had her hand and she had let Tripp walk away. The two of them seemed pretty tight. And then for her to come on to him like she was, he wondered about her intentions. He didn’t want a short term thing, nor did he want her to feel obligated towards him.

And then he’d felt ashamed, showing her so much attention right after she had been through something traumatic, doing all these things for her family, rescuing her store and then inviting her to sit in a hot tub. It was as if he were trying to take advantage of her. He didn’t want her to think he’d expected anything at all in return for his gesture. He wanted to show he cared. And he did care. He cared for her, but he also cared for the village. And the bakery. He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t know how to get out of the awkward mess they were now in.

And they had too much to do to spend much time on it.

Their driver pulled up in one of the tougher SUVs. Good thinking. Who knows what kind of debris they would encounter. The four wheel drive could come in handy. He leaned back against the door, waiting for Jenneca. Perhaps they could just behave normally. He could pretend she was any other woman he knew, doing important work together.

She approached through the front door, down the stairs and out onto the circular drive in front of the palace. His mother watched through an upper window. He nodded to her when she smiled and waved at him. Then his eyes found Jenneca again. He couldn’t look away if he tried. Her fabulous curls blew around her in the still windy day, framing the round lines on her face, her pert nose, the lovely dip on her upper lip. She was something special and he didn’t want to lose what small strides they had made.

She approached and nodded to him, her air of professionalism shutting down any ideas he had about being something other than distant. But he still wanted to try. “You look lovely.”

“Thank you.” Her small smile looked patient more than anything.

His responding inner sigh would have echoed across the courtyard were he to let the sigh be audible at all. He held the door open for her and she climbed in. Then he stepped around to his side. By time he had joined her in the backseat, she was giving instructions to the driver.

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