her the perfect goodwill ambassador for the island.
It had been her mother’s job when she was alive. Vivienne Patterson DeSaunters had been the perfect champion for everything wonderful about Grand Serenity Island. She’d helped Rafe build the island’s tourism to the bustling hub of social and economic prosperity that it was today.
Forming the Tourism Board had been Vivienne’s idea, as well as bringing several social organizations she’d been part of in her hometown of Sugar Land in Houston, Texas, to Grand Serenity. Sam was a member of the Flower Circle, the Arts and Entertainment Society, and the Serenade Museum Board of Directors. But not because of her own interest in flowers or plays or the paintings that hung along the museum walls. No. As with so many other aspects of her life, these things Sam did in memory of her mother.
Twenty minutes later, when the car came to a stop and she looked across the cobblestone street to a little shop painted a bright and cheery blue with white-framed windows, she smiled. Even though lately every thought she had of her mother made her sad.
Detali Signorenson had been making dresses for Sam since Sam’s first middle school dance. She was a true talent when it came to design and manufacturing dresses, and Sam was ecstatic about the turn her career had taken.
It had started two months ago when Sam had brought Landry into Detali’s old shop, which had also served as Detali and her daughter’s apartment. During that meeting Landry, who at the time had been Malayka’s stylist, had commissioned Detali to design and make an original gown for Malayka.
Sam remembered well how Malayka had embarrassed the royal family. At a press conference she’d offended every dressmaker on Grand Serenity with her dismissive remarks about the quality of fashion on the island. But after Landry had tricked Malayka into wearing the Detali original to the Ambassador’s Ball, the gown had been photographed and featured on fashion blogs with Detali as a new and upcoming designer.
Today would be the grand opening of Detali Designs, the new shop that would display Detali’s original dresses. In another month or so, one of the old warehouses on the east side of the island would be transformed into a state-of-the art space for the clothes to be manufactured.
Landry had invested in Detali’s dream and was present today for the press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Sam wondered if Kris knew what a special woman he’d found in Landry Norris. She possessed one of the first traits to being a princess: a good heart. The business and fashion sense Landry brought to the small Caribbean island was a plus that Sam was glad to expose.
The opening of the car door jolted her from her thoughts and Sam stepped out without further hesitation. Her hair blew in the breeze as she took a step onto the cobblestone path. Gary touched her elbow immediately, a firm grasp that she doubted looked imposing at all from a distance.
“From this point on, there will be two cars traveling with every member of the royal family,” he said in what, to a passerby, may have sounded like a cordial tone.
Sam wasn’t certain what she should gather from his voice, she was too busy trying to squash the butterflies dancing happily in the pit of her stomach at his touch.
“Guards from the second car will enter the premises first and complete a perimeter check. Once Phillipe, or the other driver, receives the okay from the guards, he’ll let you out of the vehicle. You are never to exit the vehicle alone, nor are you to enter a facility that has not been pre-checked.”
He walked them across the street as he talked. Sam noticed the group of women that had been heading toward the shop. They stopped and whispered. Then one of them lifted her phone, aiming it toward Sam. Another one giggled and did the same thing. Falling easily into her role, Sam lifted a hand and waved. “Hello. How are you?” she said to them.
One of the women ran up to her, pulling a canvas bag off her shoulder and holding a marker in Sam’s direction. Sam immediately reached for it.
“I’m so happy to meet you, Princess Samantha. You’re much prettier in person.” The woman gushed.
Sam smiled. “Thank you. Ah...?”
“Oh, my name’s Kelly. Kelly Upton. I’m from Washington, D.C. Our cruise ship just docked this morning. I’ve been waiting all year to visit Grand Serenity. And now that I’ve met you, it’s the highlight of the trip!”
Sam wrote an uplifting message to Kelly and signed her name to the large black bag. The silver marker she used caused her writing to glisten in the sunlight.
“Thank you so much!” Kelly insisted.
“How about a picture?” Sam offered.
“Oh, my! Yes! Yes! Come on, y’all, she’s going to take a picture with us!” Kelly yelled to her companions.
The next second Gary was standing a few feet in front of Sam and the women, aimed not one, not two but four different cell phones at them and snapped pictures. He took one with them all smiling and then Sam yelled, “Now, let’s make a funny face!”
The women obliged and Sam stuck out her tongue. Gary snapped more pictures.
“And now we’ll strike a runway pose,” Sam continued, thoroughly enjoying the moment.
The women laughed and did as Sam instructed, all of them striking poses around her. When the pictures were finished, Sam hugged each one of them and wished them a great time while visiting the island. She waited as Gary gave them their phones back and hoped that he would once again take her by the arm and walk close beside her toward the shop. There was something comforting in that act. Something that didn’t seem quite the same when other guards had walked beside her.
“That should stop for the foreseeable future,” he said in a gruff tone, effectively jerking her mind from the pleasant thoughts she had, but taking her by the arm once again.
“What?”
“Impromptu autographs and pictures. From this point on everyone you come in contact with needs to be vetted and searched.”
They’d arrived at the door of the shop when Sam pulled her arm from his grasp and stared up at him.
“Are you joking?” she asked and then continued when she realized by the stern look on his face that he was not. “Look, I know that you have a job to do and you feel as if you’re doing it by being here with me. But I also have a job and I think I know by now how to best perform my duties without you showing up on my island and passing out instructions.”
It sounded harsh, Sam knew. She didn’t speak that way often, and yet, twice in one day, this man had taken her to this point. She’d think about why he was able to do that later. For now, she simply needed to set him straight.
He waited a beat before responding and then his words were just as stiff and cold as they had been before she’d spoken her mind.
“I’ll be by your side during the press conference. Phillipe will remain at the car. We’re all wearing earpieces so we can communicate with each other. At any time, if you feel uncomfortable, let me know and I’ll get you out of there,” he stated.
Sam could only stare at him. It was as if he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly—because others had begun to gather on the sidewalk around the store—she managed a small smile as she replied, “Thank you for your service.”
She
