Page 40 of Forbidden Prince
"Love is all that matters..." The door opened and Kristin stopped speaking. Renee also quieted once she realized they had company. Henri gave her a scowl as he carried a tray. Another man came into view and all of her attention went to him. Kristin offered her hand and said, "Oh, Lucio is here. Renee, this is Lucio. I don’t know if you formally met at mywedding."
"We talked briefly when Marco introduced us, Your Highness." Renee glanced at his black shoes that shone, keeping her head down. Her sandals had scuffs on them. Kristin's Antonio always struck her as handsome but nice, Marco was sexy and hot, but there was something formidable and brooding about his brother, Lucio. Renee immediately realized Marco's personality was part of his perfect package because there was no way she'd ever have spoken to either of hisbrothers.
Lucio said, "I was looking for mybrothers."
"Lucio, have you heard the news?" Kristin placed her hands on her hips. Renee glanced at her friend. Without waiting for a reply, Kristin said, "Renee and Marco are about tomarry."
Lucio bowed slightly. "I assumed the announcement was forthcoming the day wemet."
Brooding was an apt description Renee surmised but she wasn't sure that was his only reason for being so quiet. She looked into his brown eyes. "You sounded a little like Marco on the phone, but in person you’re all sodifferent."
Marco and Antonio popped their heads in the room. Lucio walked over to them and Marco asked, "Mind if we steal our brother? Soon he’ll be the only one left with the threat ofbanishment."
"No problem," Kristin said. "We’re going to continue our girltalk."
Marco met her gaze and Renee tried to believe everything would be fine. She also hoped the queen understood and that her parents hadn't upset her. A headache formed in her temples. The men left and the two of them retook their seats. Renee said, "Marco doesn't know how Tom disappeared after meeting mymother."
Kristin opened the water bottle and filled two glasses. "Tom clearly wasn't the one for you. Marcois."
"I get you're in love with his brother." Renee accepted the water gratefully and drained it in twosips.
"I told you I didn’t like Tom the day I methim."
True. The water lessened the pressure on her forehead and she couldthink.
Kristin leaned closer on the sofa. "So just relax. I'm here. Marco's here. Queen Anna Camilla's here and we're all rooting for you andMarco."
Renee sat back and crossed her arms. "I know this is stupid and that I shouldn't worry. Logically you make sense, but the logic isn't flowing to my emotionalstate."
Kristin blinked, clearly surprised. "Why?"
Right, her friend had no parents. She slipped her swollen feet out of her sandals and tried to prop them up on the table, but it didn’t seem proper. "My parents were sickly happy with each other and generally liked being together more than anything else. We planned trips on what they'd want to do or not do. My brother Neil is the perfect son and a replica of my father, but me... I'm the screw up. I'm the one who got stood up on prom because my parents talked my boyfriend into going with someoneelse."
All those tears she shed in high school replayed in her mind, but this time she felt no tears form on her cheeks. She’d not let them bully her into losingMarco.
"I'm sorry,Renee."
Kristin pressed a button and a second later Henri returned. Kristin pointed to Renee's feet and he nodded. Renee tried to put her shoes on, but another servant carried in an ottoman and placed it under her feet, like she was aprincess.
Renee pressed her lips together, and let the feel of having servants hit her. Marco had said it was no different than hotel staff. Another servant replenished their liter of water and then they both left without looking up so she couldn’t thankthem.
Kristin poked her arm. "So? You were huge on telling me to take a chance and believe in love, when I didn't believe love was possible. Your prom date, Tom, none of them is who you love,right?"
"Love is possible. That's not my issue, Kristin." Renee fixed her gold cross around her neck that she'd worn today. "I can feel my parents here and judging me through thewalls."
Kristin scooted closer and smiled teasingly. "Actually, I think they are on a tour of the royalgrounds."
Renee shook her head. "I wish I was more logical about all ofthis."
Kristin sipped her water and Renee did the same. "I guess I should get going and stop delaying the inevitable. I just hope we're friends when this isover."
"Always." Kristin lowered her voice. "And your wedding will be the talk of the newspapers for years. But I sense there is something else botheringyou."
The possible pregnancy had to be a secret. Only Kristin would see past the initial wall and assume there was more to it. "The truth is, I don't want to be controlled. While my mother was happy that my father made all the decisions, I'm not like her. I've only ever dated men I thought were stronger, but everyone elsefailed."
Kristin nudged her shoulder. "You can't give up. I know you believe in love. Look what happened for me, with yourencouragement."
Antonio's affairs had all happened before he’d met her best friend. Every news article about the two of them now showed the idyllic royal couple in love. Renee had read those stories too and hoped Kristin was always as happy as the pictures made her seem. Renee already knew her mother would have an opinion on Marco's many exes. "I'm going to find Marco. Thanks for beinghere."
