Page 6 of The Prince

“No, Miss Harper—”

“Look, I can’t believe we are even still talking. I have no interest in conversing with anyone who would consider ripping up the most beautiful spot on the island just to add one more hotel to the world. You and your playboy brothers traipse all over the place with no care of where you are or who it’s affecting. Have you no appreciation for your homeland?”

The prince was silent. His eyes flashed but he said nothing.

A voice at the microphone said, “And now Prince Daniel Valdez will speak with us about long term consequences on our island if we destroy that particular strip of land.”

Her stomach clenched. Would he speak in support of the park? She thought of her words, spoken too rashly, and cringed.

Without a look in her direction, he rose and confidently stepped up to the microphone. Image after image of their beautiful park played across the screen, put to music. He had captured the most beautiful aspects, the things she had loved as a child, the reasons she went as an adult. The water rippled in a great calm. She recognized the shot right before she surfaced and felt an odd sense of disappointment the next shot was missing from his presentation.

Then he flipped through one image after another of the outsides of island resorts around the world, ten years after construction, twenty, thirty. The evidence was sobering. Though the hotels cared for the land, they grew older and more dilapidated and the areas directly outside the resort seemed to suffer the most. The grounds crew cared only for the space inside the resort and so often everything else was left to ruin. The older the resort became, the more torn down, until some went bankrupt as tourists sought out the newest and most enticing locations. “And then we would be left with an old and empty resort.”

The last image of a resort being bull dozed to the ground, rocks and cement all around, tore at her. Tears welled up. They could not do that to her precious park. What a waste.

He ended. “I would like to encourage forward thinking in Torren and recognize that way more than a fancy resort, the natural beauty of the island is what will attract tourists for many years to come. If we trade it for the temporary resort, we will soon have nothing left for visitors or even more importantly, ourselves and our children to enjoy.” He stood there in silence for a moment and then said, “Thank you.”

Melodia had never regretted words spoken in anger more. How wrong she had been. How very wrong.

When he finished, the audience rushed to him, everyone wanting to talk, taking pictures. His brother stood. “You will never find, even in your own lovely body, a heart as dedicated to the parks in Torren, as the one that beats in the chest of my brother Daniel. Good day, Miss Harper.”

Chapter 5

Daniel looked up over the heads of all the people who surrounded him and watched Melodia Harper walk out the back doors. And he told himself he was happy to see her go. Daniel did not get offended by too many things, but when she accused him and his brothers of exploiting Torren, their island, their country, the place they dedicated the last penny of their fortunes and their very lives to, Daniel could barely hold his tongue. She could not be more wrong.

He wished he could have seen her face during his presentation. He would have to ask Thad about it. He hated to gloat, but the smug feeling at the timing of his speech made him grin.

Judging by the positive response, Nico would be hearing far more voices encouraging him to save the park than to build the resort, and if Daniel could convince him of the longer term monetary value of safeguarding land, then Cliff Bluff Park would remain.

When he could finally pull himself away from the many people who wanted to talk to him and Thad, they pulled in front of the front circle drive of the palace. He walked up the white marble steps into his home. He appreciated the entry more than most areas of the home. The columns were perfectly symmetrical. Their stark brightness against the blue stained glass that rose up the walls of the palace sat beautifully contrasting each other. He always felt a bit more complete as his eyes travelled up the walls when he entered his home.

His phone dinged.Lucan. “Nico wants a meeting.”

Daniel was pleased. He was anxious to pass along the reactions to his message.

But when he entered the conference room, he stopped short, never more shocked to see someone in his home.

Melodia sat across from his brother, laughing.

She stopped as soon as she saw him and her face turned a deep shade of red.

Daniel didn’t know what to say besides, “What are you doing here?”

“Brother. I see you’ve met Miss Harper.”

“I haven’t ever been able to get an actual introduction out of her before her accusatory claims interrupt, so no. I have not officially met her.” He held out his hand. “Are we to be civilized now?” He couldn’t help it. He knew he sounded childish. But if there was one thing he detested it was needless contention, arguing. From the moment he met her she had been full of snark and bite and accusations.

For a moment her face looked contrite and then her eyes flashed. “I would love to continue in a more conciliatory manner as long as cameras aren’t aimed in my direction.”

He nodded. “I do believe we have settled that discussion to your satisfaction. Perhaps we could let it go?”

Nico looked from one to the other with an amused grin.

“I might be able to let it go.” She did look contrite.

“I would hope so. Someone of your beauty has much to offer the world.” Daniel had never been more struck by the beauty of another and it filled him in much the same way a walk through Cliff Bluff Park would. She must lighten people’s lives wherever she went, until she opened her mouth and her anger became evidenced by her lethal tongue.

But she stiffened again. “Well if that’s all you can see in a person, her beauty.”

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