Page 44 of Royal Agenda

“What did you find?” he asked eagerly. His whole life seemed to be more animated–it must have been the kiss. With it, Grace awakened his heart.

“Don’t get excited,” Mack warned as he slipped out of his diving gear and passed it to Liam on the swim deck. He pulled himself out of the water, flicking it from his red hair.

Sean came on board, salt water dripping from every part of him. “A space shuttle. I think we found a piece of a space shuttle. It was pretty cool, you know, except for the whole time suck of having to report it.”

“Time suck?” Ryker questioned as he helped stow gear.

“We’re talking at least a month, maybe two.” Sean climbed aboard. “Meetings. Official meetings. Hosting NASA divers.”

“Press,” Malcolm added.

“This just became a thing,” Sean finished as he stripped out of his wetsuit.

“We do not have time for things,” Ryker admonished them.

“I hate dealing with NASA.” Liam pulled out his phone. “I got this.”

Ryker’s hopes for a quick escape to his date tonight drowned. They could overlook reporting the find, but his friends were too honorable to do such a thing.

Liam cleared his throat to begin the phone conversation, “Hi. I’m out here diving on the coast, and I think I found part of a space shuttle. Yeah. My name is Titan Green. My HIN numbers are . . ..” he rattled off the information for the two black boots with chrome trim.

Sean threw his head back and laughed. Malcolm smacked Liam on the back for a job well done.

Ryker chuckled.

No doubt Liam would plant the sonar information into their computer, or send it from one of their email addresses.

Titan Marine Salvage would be wrapped in red tape for weeks. Unfortunately, they would get credit for the find, and their reputation would greatly improve. Not a good thing for Sean as his competition. Sean clapped Liam on the back. The man was a true friend and an ally to put Ryker and the secret mission over his company.

In a way, today was a victory in that they checked this site off the map and could move on to another one. However, he did not feel closer to his family’s jewels than he was when he boarded the boat this morning.

He had to face the reality that he could be here for ten years or more. While that was not ideal, it was what he had agreed to—for family, king, and crown. At the time, he had not given one thought to himself.

Perhaps he should have because he wanted more for his life than the sparse and often lonely situation he had carved out in Diamond Cove. And, he was not certain that he could have a home, wife and bambini, not when he could not even tell Grace his real name. Not unless she wanted to marry a ghost.

Sixteen

Pie-ology was the best pizza spot in North America. The outside was all red brick, and the inside was painted light cream. There was a definite 80s vibe going on with a flower trellis covered in fake flowers and draped in teal satin and tulle–like someone had held a wedding there, and they never took down the decorations. Michael Jackson, Guns N Roses, U2, and other classics crooned over the speakers.

Not only did it have a few bowling lanes and an arcade, the pizza dough was to die for. It was so good she’d considered ordering one without toppings. But then she thought of the slight kick in the marinara sauce and knew she had to have the whole package.

Grace watched Ryker cut a slice of pizza with a knife and fork. The whole process was something to behold. Such a strong man being so delicate with his dull knife. He wore a light blue button-up shirt rolled at the forearms. Man, she really liked those forearms. They had muscles and cords and all sorts of promises for what came after them. You know, if she was going to run her hands up his arms, she’d start on his forearms and then work her way up. The idea had her practically breaking out in a sweat.

She fanned her face. “I’m having flashbacks to etiquette school.” She reached for the red plastic glass and took a sip of soda, letting the carbonation roll over her tongue.

Ryker’s deep green eyes popped up to meet hers. “You went to a ladies’ college.”

She choked on her drink. “Heaven’s no!” She dabbed her lips with a paper napkin so thin she could see through it. “Grandma Nancy hired a woman to give us all etiquette lessons.” She rolled her eyes at the memories of sipping tea with her pinkie out and making small talk with her sisters and then crossing her eyes and sticking out her tongue when the teacher wasn’t looking. “I feel bad for her now.”

Ryker smiled as he brushed his hand over hers that was still holding her glass. “Now that you are an educatrice?”

The way he said educatrice, made it sound like a seductrice. “I am not an educator–I am a genealogist who teaches classes.”

“Spaghetti–Spaghetto,” he quipped.

She laughed at his twist on potato/po-tah-to. “They are not the same thing.” She picked up her slice and took a bite. The sauce was warm, and the fresh basil was incredible. “Where did you go to school?”

He grabbed his cup and took a long drink as if he’d eaten something spicy. She checked to see if there were hot peppers on the pizza. Nope. All clear.

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