came that deep, vibrant male voice.
“ALEX—” Suddenly Darrell was wide-awake and sat up. “W-what time is it?”
“Midnight. I’m sorry to have disturbed you. Phillip and I needed to talk. He’s asleep now.”
She smoothed the hair away from her face. He stood a few feet away from the bed. Anyone looking in right now would be scandalized to see the king in her bedroom. But everything about their situation was unique. Her heart was beating far too fast to be good for her.
“Tell me what happened—”
She heard him exhale. “Our son was such a perfect gentleman, I hardly recognized him.”
Since Darrell understood exactly what he meant by that, she didn’t misconstrue his words. “He loves you so much, he obviously didn’t dare do anything you could fault.”
“Isabella wasn’t exactly herself, either, though she tried.”
“So all in all the evening turned into a disaster,” Darrell finished for him.
“That’s one way of putting it.” But he said it with a chuckle, which in turn caused her to do the same.
“I know it isn’t a laughing matter,” she said when she’d sobered. “Do you think they liked each other?”
“I think they will once the shock wears off. It’s one thing to have intellectual knowledge of each other, and quite another to sit across a table from each other face-to-face for the first time. Everything became real tonight.”
Darrell could second that!
She sat up a little straighter. “I’m sure you’re thankful this initial meeting is over. Tomorrow it will be easier.”
“She’s leaving first thing in the morning.”
Uh-oh. “Is Phillip upset you’re going back to San Ravino with her? If he is, I’ll have a talk with him.”
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. She wants to speak to her parents alone, and will send for me when the time is right.”
Alarmed, Darrell said, “They don’t know yet?”
“She thought it would be better to meet Phillip first.”
Darrell put her hands to her face. “It’s going to be horrible, isn’t it.”
“That remains to be seen.”
“I feel terrible for her, Alex.”
“So do I. Her parents are very decent people. But even decent people have their limits.”
Tears trickled out of her eyes. “Do you think Phillip has any idea how important tonight was?”
“Yes.” His voice grated. “That’s why we talked so long. I heard all about Steve and his divorced parents. We discussed what it was like for his friend to live in two different households with two moms. Our son is much more prepared to deal with this situation than I’d given him credit for.”
“He’s devoted a lot of thought to it. Too much,” Darrell murmured.
“Our son is terrific, but you already know that.”
“I do.” She wiped the moisture off her cheeks. “We just have to hope Isabella and her parents will be able to work through their pain. Is there any way of putting off the wedding another week or two? Just to give them a little more time to get used to the idea?”
“We talked about that possibility, among others.”
“What others?”
“Her parents will probably be able to deal with it as long as Phillip is never allowed to succeed me as king.”
“King—” she blurted incredulously. “Phillip?”
Until Alex had brought up the subject just now, the thought had never entered her head. “Did you assure her Phillip is the last person in the world who would want that job one day, let alone be qualified?”
The silence lengthened before he said, “Who knows what’s in store for our son.” Alex sounded so serious, she started to get nervous.
“I can tell you right now it won’t be that!” she cried.
He shifted his weight. “Did I mention his asking me if he was a prince now?”
She made a protesting sound in her throat. “He was just kidding around, Alex. You know how he is. Isabella has nothing to fear from him. When you two have children, they’ll be royals from birth. I hope you explained that to him. After I get him alone I’ll explain to him.”
“Let’s not worry about that right now. How would you like to go horseback riding after breakfast in the morning?”
He’d changed the subject too fast.
“I’m sure Phillip will love it.”
“Surely you realize I’m including you in the invitation,” he said in a voice that brooked no argument.
“Isabella wouldn’t approve of it no matter how hard she’s trying to be brave about this, so—”
“Be ready at nine,” he cut in on her abruptly. “Sleep well.”
Within seconds he’d disappeared from the suite.
Shivering with apprehension because the situation was growing more complicated by the minute, she burrowed under the covers. Five minutes later she was still wide-awake.
Not only their conversation but his presence had given her a serious case of insomnia. The time for gut-wrenching honesty had come.
She hadn’t wanted him to leave just now…
Frightened by her feelings for him, which were intensifying beyond her control, she pounded her pillow in an effort to get more comfortable so sleep would come. This insanity had to stop.
One way to cure it would be to leave Switzerland immediately. But how could she do that when nothing had been resolved regarding visitation arrangements?
Just saying the word “visitation” made her cringe.
The thought of leaving her son for any length of time was unbearable.
Yet he’d feel the same way when he had to leave his father.
She wept into her pillow.
What had she done?
Alex had just seen a sober Isabella off at the helipad when his mother phoned, asking him to come by
