two days of meetings. But his insecurity over not knowing who his parents were made him feel less worthy of her interest. It was hard for him to believe she wanted to be with him.
The women he dated on occasion didn’t come close to her kind of compassion or understanding, let alone her beauty. She was unique in ways that made him hunger to know her better. Much better.
On Sunday evening he drove to the fifteenth century palace and followed her instructions that led him to the side entrance. She stood outside the doors next to a guard waiting for him, dressed in a wispy blouse and skirt in a heavenly shade of hyacinth.
Her flowery fragrance filled the interior of his car as he helped her inside. Within seconds he drove his car out of the parking area and the estate onto the street.
“Fasten your seat belt, Princess.”
“I will if you’ll do me a favor and start calling me Fausta.”
“You’re sure?”
She let out a gentle laugh he loved hearing. “Since we’re going to be seeing each other more often from now on at the hospital, it sounds too formal. Do you mind if I call you Nico?”
“Do you have to ask?” It didn’t seem possible that they were on a first name basis. Excitement shouldn’t have rippled through him.
“What do you ask the patients to call you? That is if they don’t recognize you.”
“Even if they do, I introduce myself as Fausta, as I did with Tommaso. My full name is Vittoria Eugenia Fausta Rossiano, but I prefer Fausta.”
He filed that information away for future reference and turned onto another boulevard, but the traffic was heavy everywhere. “With your many responsibilities as a princess and fund-raiser, how do you have time to volunteer too?”
She turned to him. “Mamma has always said that charity never fails. By balancing my priorities raising funds for the homeless shelters Lanza is in charge of, I have time to volunteer. I envy my friend Mia for working at the hospital. When she mentioned a new volunteer program being started a few months ago, I jumped at the opportunity to indulge myself if there was an opening.”
“Indulge?” he asked, full of admiration for her willingness to serve.
“Yes. You don’t know how much fun it is to listen to older people talk about their past or read stories to the children when they’re too sick to do anything else but listen. Lanza has an adorable baby boy, Ridolfo. He’s eight months now and I already read to him. As you know, she married Prince Stefano of the Kingdom of Umbriano. Luckily they live here.
“As for my eldest sister, Donetta, she’s married to King Enrico of the country of Vallefiore and is expecting. I’m excited about another niece or nephew coming along.”
He smiled. “I remember reading in the news about their marriages.”
She nodded. “Maybe they’ll have a cute little girl or a boy like Ridolfo or Tommaso.”
“You made his day. I listened while you finished reading to him.”
“I’m the one who loved it. He asked a lot of questions about Pompeii, especially when I told him I’d been there and described some of the things I’d seen. He said he wanted to go there. He’s a bright boy.”
“I agree. In the beginning, did he recognize you as Princess Fausta?”
“If he did, he never let on. Children are wonderful. They don’t set up boundaries.”
Like you have, Barsotti. The fact that he’d even asked the question revealed his amazement that she continued to want to be with him. “I think most every adult has that problem who meets a royal like you.”
“It shouldn’t be that way. From the first time I realized I was born a royal, I fought against it and wanted to be a commoner. Though I can’t change my heritage, I live my life like an ordinary person as much as possible.”
That revelation came as a surprise to him. “Why do you feel that way?”
“You don’t know how difficult it is to grow up not having your father around when you need to talk to him. It’s not natural to have to make appointments to see him. If you want to know the truth, I wouldn’t wish my royal life on anyone.”
“I had no idea.” She sounded so completely serious, he had to believe her. Yet it still didn’t change his wonderment that she wanted to be with him.
“I guess you’ve already noticed I’m always ready for a meal.”
He grinned. “By the lovely look of you, no one would guess. I’m starving too. What do you like?”
“Anything. Surprise me. I’d like to see where the renowned Dr. Nico Barsotti goes for a meal after an exhausting day.” Renowned? “I’m always looking for a good spot to eat.”
“That doesn’t sound like you spend much time at the palace.”
He felt her eyes on him as he headed for the old part of the city with its narrow cobblestoned streets. “How many hours a day do you stay in the place where you live?”
Nico knew where this conversation was going. Once again he’d left himself wide open with a statement that showed how off the mark he was over the life of a royal. “I sleep there. That’s about it.”
“You’ve just described my life.”
Except that her world was full of activity he knew nothing about and wished he didn’t want to know. There was no way he could ever have a romantic relationship with her. Though she insisted there was no one and she was free to be with him, he believed her parents would eventually prevail on her to marry some important prince. Again, he reminded himself that her sisters had married royalty. Why would it be different for her?
“There’s a small restaurant around the next corner that serves one of my favorite dishes. Have you ever eaten maialino allo spiedo?”
Her eyes sparkled like blue diamonds. “Roast pig? I’m sure I have.”
“But this recipe is different and you’re in for a real treat.”
After a minute he found a parking space along the ancient street, but it turned out to be a tight squeeze between cars smaller than his. He slid from the car and hurried around to help her.
Soon people were staring at her, but she seemed oblivious. He noticed that men couldn’t take their eyes off her. No doubt they wished they were in Nico’s shoes as he ushered her inside Prospero’s, a small dimly lit cantina over two hundred years old.
The owner saw Nico and hurried toward him with a wide smile. He couldn’t take his gaze off Fausta. “Dottore—are my eyes deceiving me?” he whispered.
Nico chuckled. “No, amico mio. Prospero Gallo? May I introduce Princess Fausta Rossiano?”
“I knew it! Benvenuto, Your Highness!” He beamed. “I’ve never been so honored.”
“Just call me Fausta, Signor Gallo, and
