Page 57 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

Ari led her over to one restaurant and the owner came out when he saw them. He surprised Maddi by clasping Ari by the shoulders, looking him up and down as if checking he had all his limbs intact, and then kissing him on both cheeks. Maddi had never seen anyone greet Ari so affectionately.

And then Ari was standing back and saying, ‘Alfredo, I’d like you to meet Princess Laia.’

It was stinging harder and harder now, every time someone called her Princess Laia. And yet there was nothing Maddi could do about it. She’d put herself in this position and she couldn’t afford to reveal her identity until Laia did. But in a way she had to be thankful, because this trip had shown her that she really was ready to embrace her destiny of being a princess. As scared as she still was, the people of Santanger had shown her that she might just be able to do it.

Ari hadn’t mentioned the wedding in days now, and she was too cowardly to ask him if he’d finally realised it was not going to happen. Because then he would have no need of her. She couldn’t let herself indulge in a fantasy where she told Ari who she really was because it was too seductive. Too dangerous. And her fantasy always played out the same way in the end—it turned into a nightmare. Rejection. Her worst fear.

‘Princess Laia, you are so welcome to Santanger and to my humble establishment.’

Alfredo’s greeting stopped the spiral in Maddi’s head and she welcomed it. He took her hand and charmed her by kissing it. She smiled. He led them into the restaurant, which looked small and cosy from the outside but opened up inside into a beautiful airy space.

The diners were all well-heeled and elegant. Maddi felt distinctly underdressed, and was glad when Alfredo led them to a booth near the back that was secluded but gave them a view of the room.

Ari said, ‘The food here is astounding. Alfredo comes from generations of chefs and bakers. His family have continued the tradition and this restaurant is renowned all over the world as offering one of the best Mediterranean menus. His wife is from Turkey and she’s brought with her a Middle Eastern fusion.’

Maddi’s belly gave a low rumble at that exact moment and she smiled ruefully. ‘I could pretend that I’m not that hungry or interested, but what’s the point? You know my healthy appetite.’

Ari smiled. ‘That’s why I know you’ll love it here.’

Maddi’s heart clenched.

Please don’t smile like that.

A waitress approached with two delicate flutes of sparkling wine. She said, ‘Compliments of the house.’

Maddi smiled at her, and the waitress blushed and scurried away.

Ari lifted his glass and said, ‘This is from a grape native to Santanger—we’re busy cultivating our wine industry.’

Maddi took a sip. It was light and dry, with just the right amount of sweetness. ‘It’s perfect.’

And it was. All so perfect. All so seductive. And the more she enmeshed herself in this reality that was not reality at all, Maddi feared she’d never find her way out.

He might not reject you...just tell him, whispered a rogue little voice.

But Maddi ignored it. It wasn’t her truth to tell yet.

Then the food started to arrive, and Maddi let herself be distracted by a selection of starters—including calamari, crisp on the outside and beautifully tender on the inside. There was a selection of mains to share—in particular a tender chicken tagine with couscous and olives and hummus and flat bread...

Maddi was in food heaven.

She glanced at Ari at one point and saw he was just looking at her indulgently, taking a sip of his wine.

She wiped her mouth. ‘I’m sorry. I know you’re not used to seeing a woman really eat.’

‘It’s very sexy.’

Maddi’s insides liquefied. She took a hurried sip of her own wine to cool down. It was the perfect accompaniment. Crisp and light and fragrant.

‘I may never leave this place,’ she warned Ari.

‘I used to work here.’

Maddi nearly choked on her wine. She put down the glass. ‘You what?’

He nodded. ‘For a couple of summers when I was a teenager.’

‘Was it your father’s idea? To try and teach you the ways of humble normal people?’

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