Chapter Thirteen

 

 

“Are you sure I look okay,” Jenna asked. “I mean, I’m meeting the king and queen of Durham tonight.”

“You look perfect,” Kelly said. “Besides, Nanna Grace has already gone over this with you. And I know you’ll wow them. Don’t think of them as royalty. Think of them as students.”

“I’ve never had students. Only the research associates I’ve trained. And unless they’re all wearing lab coats and safety glasses, I couldn’t picture them like that.”

“Then just imagine they are naked. The whole emperor’s new clothes thing.” Kelly laughed.

Jenna snorted. “That makes it even worse.” But in truth, the suggestion had her relaxing a little. She double checked her appearance and tucked down a stray hair then checked her phone to see if Andrew had arrived yet.

She’d finally gotten him to agree that he could just text her when he’d arrived instead of having him come to the door. Though he was still by the car door ready to open it for her the moment she approached.

“Thank you, Kelly,” Jenna said, as she gave her a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here to talk me down from my freak out ledges. I couldn’t do this without you.”

“No problem. I’m just glad I get to be here for this. You have to tell me everything. I’m gonna be living vicariously through you.”

Jenna shook her head. “I’m just praying it’s all boring with nothing noteworthy to tell you about. I need things to be easy.”

Her phone buzzed and she looked to see that Andrew had arrived. “He’s here. Wish me luck.”

“Luck,” Kelly said. “Not that you’ll need it.”

Jenna stepped out of her flat and walked down the hall to the elevator, glancing back to see Kelly still watching her.

When she reached the door leading to the outside, she took a deep breath. She could do this. They were just people. And they weren’t her royal family. They never would be. She wasn’t prepared for the disappointment that filled her at that thought.

Before she knew it, Andrew had stopped the car and opened her door. They’d gone through the security gate with no issue, being waved forward by the guards on duty when they saw Andrew at the wheel. When she stepped out of the car and looked up at the private entryway of the Durham Royal Palace, she took another calming breath. It didn’t help as much this time.

Good thing her dress wasn’t too tight. And thank heavens she didn’t have to wear a formal gown or anything. Just a nice cocktail dress and low heels. Nanna Grace had assured her it was going to be fine.

It’ll be fine. It’ll be fine.

She could do it for an evening. She could do anything for a few hours. When she reached the door, a guard met her there and asked for her information, but before she could say anything, Andrew joined her and spoke. “This is Dr. Owens. She’s here by request of Prince Stefan.”

The guard nodded and opened the door and Andrew walked in with her, leading her down a hallway she hadn’t seen the last time Stefan had shown her the palace. When he reached a closed door, he opened it and motioned her to go in.

“I’ve messaged Prince Stefan of your arrival. He’ll be joining you shortly.”

“Thank you,” Jenna said as Andrew stepped out of the room and closed the door. She looked around the little sitting room, taking in all the beauty and decor. It wasn’t overly fancy, but still so much wealthier than she’d ever seen in her entire life.

She didn’t have long to wait before a side door opened and she was joined by Stefan, breathing quickly as if he’d hurried to meet her. She smiled at the thought and met his eyes.

“It is good to see you, Jenna,” Stefan said. “It has been too long.”

It had been less than a week since she’d talked with him last, but it was true, she missed being in his presence when he was gone and resented the fact that he was so busy. “Yes, it has.”

Yet another reason it would never work between them. She had grown up in a family where her parents were nearly inseparable. They had always been the example that she had looked for in what she wanted in a relationship. And no matter how much her heart fluttered and her fingers tingled when she was in Stefan’s presence, those superficial emotions couldn’t be what she based her love life on.

She was here to use him for his money. The research was her top priority. And if impressing his family and the rich people he knew was what it took, she’d do it.

“Thank you for coming. Are you ready to meet my family?”

Jenna smiled at the images that phrase brought. They weren’t dating, so it meant something completely different than where her mind took her and she forced it back to the task at hand.

“I’m ready.”

Stefan offered his arm to her and she placed it carefully on his forearm, feeling the strength of his muscles beneath his jacket. He walked her to the door, then led her down a small hallway toward a room with giant mahogany doors. Her heart pounded in her chest and she took more deep breaths, but tried not to make it obvious to the man beside her.

When he opened the door, the noise level surprised her. There were six people surrounding a table that could easily fit a dozen and their conversations sounded just as easy and normal as any she’d heard in her life. After a few seconds, a young woman in her early twenties spotted Stefan and stood.

“She’s here.”

Stefan placed his hand on Jenna’s back and gently guided her forward. “This is my sister, Charlotte.”

“A pleasure,” Jenna said wondering if she needed to curtsy or bow or do something, but Charlotte saved her by taking charge and giving her air kisses on both cheeks.

“We are so happy to meet you. Stefan has told us a lot about your work and I am dying to hear more. Come sit by me.”

“Give over a little, Charlotte,” a deep voice said. Jenna turned to see who had spoken and was surprised to see King Geoffrey standing and approaching her.

Jenna swallowed as discreetly as possible and smiled.

“You’ll have to forgive our Charlotte. She can be a little eager.”

Jenna glanced at Charlotte and then looked back to the king, all the while feeling the reassuring pressure of Stefan’s hand on her back. She was almost afraid that if he removed it, she might fall like a puppet with her strings cut.

The king held out his hand and Jenna gratefully accepted it, returning the firm handshake.

“Though my daughter has requested your presence, I must claim my right as king and insist you sit near myself and my darling wife.”

Stefan added a little more pressure on her back, guiding her gently forward as the king returned to the head of the table. When they reached the empty chair at the right-hand side of the king, Stefan pulled it out and Jenna tried to manage not to mess up as he tucked the seat underneath her.

In all the practice she’d done with Nanna Grace, that was one thing she hadn’t really mastered, but Stefan did it so well, she barely felt it hit the back of her knees.

Jenna met the queen’s gaze across the table and after receiving a smile, Jenna relaxed even more. They were regular people and she didn’t even have to imagine anyone naked.

Stefan sat to the side of her and the two young men who had stood at her entrance sat as well. She recognized the one nearest the queen as Stefan’s cousin Oliver, but knew Prince Alex was not there. After his second public breakup, she doubted he’d want to be out and about with others.

She had never met the other young man, but was almost certain it was Stefan’s younger brother Henry. And he looked every bit the ladies’ man his reputation indicated he was. Yet he didn’t give her any creepy vibes and she hoped he wouldn’t do anything she’d have to worry about.

Stefan introduced the others at the table as his cousin, Emma, Oliver’s sister, and proved Jenna right in her assumption the other man was Henry. “I’m sorry Alex couldn’t make it tonight, but he had something to take care of.”

Henry chuckled. “Yeah, our boy is nursing his broken heart.”

Jenna watched the interactions and knew there was something beneath the surface, especially with the look Queen Nicolette gave Henry. But before Jenna could dwell on it, Queen Nicolette turned her attention to Jenna.

“So tell us a little about yourself.”

Jenna had no doubt they had already heard most of her history and background since they would have done a thorough check on her to be sure she’d be safe enough to invite to a family affair. She was glad she had no skeletons hidden in her closet, but she didn’t know what to say.

“I’m an only child, and my parents are on a humanitarian mission in South America. I’ve been working with Dr. Holland for about six years now and was lucky to be with him when he made some amazing breakthroughs in his research.”

She was pleased her attempt to steer the conversation to the research worked when King Geoffrey asked her to detail the process for him.

That was something she could talk about at length, and not even the arrival of the plates for dinner interrupted the conversation for long. She was impressed at how much they all knew about the process and how on target their questions were as they asked for clarification. It was nice to not have to explain every little detail about how cancer cells grew and took over healthy cells.

By the end of the second course, she was well into her stride and the family was still very much engaged in the conversation. Even Emma put down her phone and asked for more details. When Jenna had finished the basics of her research, the conversation easily shifted into the best ways to get backing to fund it. The king and queen talked of how many friends and companies would be interested in it and the best ways to approach them, making Jenna feel it might actually be possible to reach her dream of finding a cure.

 

***

 

When dinner was over, Stefan led Jenna out to the back gardens. Though he knew it was foolish to follow his impulsive wishes, he wanted to get her away from his family. They had treated her well. So much better than what Libby had gone through, yet he didn’t want them to monopolize her attention anymore. He wanted time with her on his own.

“Your family is nice,” Jenna said.

“Nice?” Stefan repeated hoping she’d elaborate.

“Yeah, nice. Not mean. Not scary. You know, nice.”

Stefan smiled. “Good to know. I’ll bet they’ll be pleased to hear of your approval.”

Jenna looked at him and after seeing the humor in his eyes, she relaxed. “Yeah, well it’s a little intimidating for a girl like me to have dinner with the royal family. And it turned out a lot better than I expected. They were nice. And normal. Nothing scary at all.”

“I’m glad you approve. They were impressed with you. Believe me, I know.” After how his mother had treated Libby, Stefan was more than relieved Jenna hadn’t been grilled or looked down on.

“Do you bring women to dinner a lot?” Jenna asked.

Stefan looked at her, trying to gauge what her question meant. “Not a lot. In fact, I haven’t brought a woman to a family dinner for a few years.”

“You don’t date much?” Jenna asked so softly Stefan wasn’t sure he’d actually heard the question.

“Not much.” He paused a moment, knowing she was probably wondering why and instead of forcing her to ask the question, he decided to answer it on his own. “Too many women of my acquaintance only want me because of my title or money. I got tired of it and decided to forgo dating and instead focus my attention on more important matters.”

“Probably a smart move,” Jenna said.

“I thought so. And here I am, fortunate to have found your brilliant mind. I’m glad that you are here to help me work on a true passion of mine.”

“Glad I could help.”

“How about you?” Stefan asked.

“How about me, what?” Jenna said, glancing at him.

“Do you date much?”

Jenna sighed. “Not really. Most guys don’t like it that I spend so much time in the lab. They think I should be available at their beck and call to go do whatever they want, whenever they want. Yet none of them wanted to reciprocate. So I figured it was better to just push them all out of my mind and focus on my work.”

“And look at what you’ve done. I’d say that is a noble sacrifice.”

“Yeah, well dating wasn’t any good anyway. And no one has ever really held my interest for long.” She paused and glanced at him, then looked out across the hedges of the garden in front of them. “Science is always there, though. Nothing to worry about regarding that.” After a moment she spoke again. “It doesn’t let me down.”

“Have you been let down a lot?”

Jenna looked at him as if surprised at the question. Maybe she hadn’t meant to say it out loud, though it was quiet, yet he knew at times it helped to have a listening ear so he waited. She shrugged. “Just the once.”

“I’m sorry you were hurt.”

“It wasn’t so bad,” Jenna said. “I learned from it I guess. So there’s that.” She moved toward a trimmed path lined with dark green foliage. “Who does all your landscaping?”

Stefan looked at the private gardens and paused for a moment. “I don’t think I’ve ever met any of the caretakers. They just do their job and move on to the rest of the grounds. It’s a service that has been employed here at the palace for decades.”

“They do a wonderful job,” Jenna said. “I always wished I could have a huge yard, but my parents always lived in places with tiny lots. They still managed to grow their own gardens in planter boxes and pots most places, but to see all this beauty just spread all over. It’s stunning.”

“It is,” Stefan agreed. “I haven’t thought much of it before, since it’s always been there. As children, we’d always come play hide and seek out in the mazes.”

“You have mazes?” Jenna asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Would you like to go see them?”

“Absolutely,” Jenna said taking a step toward him. “I won’t get lost in them will I?”

“It’s possible, but I know all the secret paths. I’ll come find you if you do wander off.”

“I’m not planning on wandering off alone. I want the grand tour and all the little stories you can tell me of when you were little. I’m curious if a little prince is different than any other little boy.”

“Oh, we got into our fair share of mischief. But we had some pretty serious consequences if we were out of line too much. Nanna Grace didn’t let us get away with much. She had a way of bringing out the truth no matter how much we wanted to keep it secret.”

“I can just imagine.” Jenna chuckled. “Nanna Grace is an amazing woman.” When they reached the entrance to one of the smaller hedges she paused and looked up at him. “I don’t think I’d get lost in this one. I can see over the top just fine.”

“Yes,” Stefan said, “but as children, we didn’t have the height. This was where Nanna Grace would let us wander. She was tall enough to see the tops of our heads just fine so she kept tabs on us. It took me the longest time to figure out how she could come find us so easily when we got stopped at a dead end. We’d do this multiple times a week. I had a favorite little spot toward the middle where there was a perfect little indent and I could hide in there until Charlotte or Emma went past and I’d jump out and scare them. They’d always run squealing to Nanna Grace, but other than reminding me to apologize for frightening them, she never reprimanded me too much. And I think the girls kind of liked it.”

“It sounds like so much fun. I didn’t have any siblings so I played with neighbor kids and that was all right, but it would be wonderful to have built-in playmates.”

Stefan nodded. “For the most part, it was wonderful. A few times I wished it was only Alex and I. Then the more he got involved in all his crown prince duties, the more I appreciated having my younger siblings.”

“And your cousins grew up with you?”

Stefan reached for her hand as she started going the wrong direction. “That one leads to a dead end.”

She placed her hand in his and they walked the right path for a moment, then Stefan let her hand go and returned to her question. “Yes, my Aunt and Uncle passed away in a car accident. Oliver and Emma were left alone so my parents took them in. They’ve been with us for so long it’s almost like they are my brother and sister. I don’t really remember much of when they weren’t here. I don’t remember my Aunt and Uncle very well.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, as well as theirs. I’m glad they have your family. They seem like such wonderful people.”

“Thank you,” Stefan said.

“What about your schooling?” Jenna asked after a moment. “What was that like?”

“We went to a private school, and had year-round tutors for when we did any traveling with our family. But we learned all the basics as well as a few languages you’d run into in Europe.”

“How much free time did you have?” Jenna asked, looking up into his eyes with her dark brown ones.

“Not a whole lot where we were left to our own devices. We always had someone watching over us, though they gave us space to make it seem a little freer.”

He had led them to the center of the maze where the gazebo sat.

“Wow, glad it was you and not me.” Jenna looked up at the white structure then climbed the two stairs until she was under the shade.

“What?” Stefan said. “You don’t think you’d want to be a princess?”

“As a little girl, I always pretended I was a doctor or a fire fighter or an astronaut. I don’t really remember playing dress up or even with Barbie dolls. I played with my friends when it was their idea, but never did it on my own. My mom seemed a little disappointed I was more tomboy than girly-girl. I didn’t like her doing my hair all fancy and for a while, had a pixie cut just to make things easier.” She moved over to the drinking fountain that had been placed in the maze to hydrate them all as children.

“Interesting,” Stefan said. “I would never have guessed you to be the tomboy type.”

She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows. “And why’s that?”

“You are definitely feminine with all the classic style and poise of an elegant lady.”

“Thanks,” Jenna said before leaning down to get a drink of water.

When she stood his gaze was drawn to her lips. They glistened with water droplets making him suddenly thirsty, but he wanted to taste her lips again more than the water. It was so tempting that he barely stopped himself at the last moment. Instead he took her hand in his and raised it slowly to his lips. “So much so that I find it hard to think of you in any way other than a fascinating woman.”

The surprise in her eyes and sudden hint of desire was enough to make him question his motives again. He thought of their stolen kisses in Washington more than he should and more than he thought of any other women he’d dated or kissed before. He wouldn’t say he was in love with her, but there was definitely something strong pulling at him. And as much as he wished he could act on it and kiss her again right now, he knew he couldn’t take advantage of her like that. She was his employee, no matter how he looked at it. He couldn’t cross that line.

Stefan dropped her hand and shoved his into his pockets to keep them safe. “But I’m glad you chose science as your field of study. Look at everything you are doing for the good of mankind.” He took a few steps to the edge of the gazebo. “Shall we continue?”

Jenna stared at him for a moment and shook her head like she was trying to figure him out. Maybe if she did, she could give him a clue. He felt so out of sorts with her, yet didn’t dare keep his distance. Or maybe he just didn’t want to. But he’d been trained to keep himself in control at all times. He would do all in his power to make sure things worked out the best for his country.

 

***

 

Jenna couldn’t understand that man. Stefan sometimes seemed like he was all business, then he seemed flirty and cute. And right now, he’d gone between the one and the other so fast, she thought she might have whiplash, but she tried her best to push any thoughts of romance out of her mind.

Stefan was a prince, she was definitely not a princess and she had never wanted to be. She’d never been interested in all the things her girlfriends did in elementary or high school. She’d thrived in college because she could be who she wanted to be without feeling like she was being watched or judged as much. Though she doubted she had as much external scrutiny as someone growing up as a royal.

No thanks. She was fine being a hidden lab rat and working behind the scenes. All this preparation to ask for funding was making her nervous.

“Do you really need me to attend this event you’ve got going on? Don’t you think it would be better if you did all the smooth talking?”

“I don’t think it will have the same effect if I do it on my own. People are used to me and would find ways to get out of something or derail the conversation, but when they meet the actual brains behind the project, they’ll be smitten. Just like my family was. You saw all of them. It’s an important topic and one that needs more research. You are very much needed.”

The sincerity in his voice helped soothe her nerves. She had made a lot of progress with Nanna Grace and was feeling much more comfortable speaking with those of high stature and authority. And maybe by the time the evening arrived, she might even manage to dance without any huge missteps. Of course, if they could all lead as seamlessly as Stefan had that day, she’d have nothing to worry about.

If only they could try it again. She would gladly step into his arms and practice the ballroom dances Nanna Grace had told her to expect. Her skin tingled at just the memory of where he’d placed his hands when they’d practiced and she had to force herself to return to the present. Living in the past or trying to recreate those feelings and memories did her no good. No matter how many times she replayed their kisses, she could never allow it to happen again.

She was only going to be here for a few more months at the most to get his lab running. She might possibly come back now and again to assist, or to carry through with more of Dr. Holland’s findings, but this was only temporary. She couldn’t start dreaming of a future that would never be hers. And if she was smart, she’d do well to remember that he was her boss and a prince.

They walked through another maze, this one made with different flowering bushes and she happily listened to him tell more of his childhood, offering a little of her history when it seemed right.

The sun had set on this early November evening and the night sky began to fill with stars before they started to make their way back to the palace doors.

“There is one more thing I want to show you,” he said. “Unless you’re getting too cold.”

“No, it’s actually not that bad,” Jenna said. She wouldn’t be surprised if Washington was getting drenched in cold rains, but Durham’s weather had been holding at a comfortable autumn range.

He motioned for her to follow him, but didn’t take her hand like he’d done before. The difference was obvious, and though it saddened her a little, she knew it was for the best.

They climbed a winding staircase made out of metal until they reached a secluded roof that had been hidden from view because of the trees and shrubbery that had been placed around the building.

“Look up,” Stefan whispered.

“Oh my, what a lovely view,” Jenna said. “The stars are amazing here. It’s like you special ordered them or something.”

Stefan smiled. “My great-grandfather loved the stars and he passed on that love to his son, my grandfather. When he started to figure out the whole light pollution thing, Grandfather decided to see what he could do to combat it out here. The trees help keep the pathway lights from getting too distracting, and all the lights of the city are blocked as much as possible by the buildings and the other trees around here. We have a perfect unfettered view.”

“It’s amazing,” Jenna whispered. “Out of everything I’ve seen today, this is hands down my favorite.”

He stood close enough that she could touch him if she wanted to. And she wanted to, but she kept her hands clasped in front of her as she looked up.

“I’m glad you like it.” He took a step to the side. “Would you like to sit down for a moment? It makes it much easier on the neck.”

“Sure,” Jenna said, following him to the reclining chairs.

He allowed her to sit first, then chose the seat next to her, scooting all the way back and placing his hand on a lever. He pointed at hers as he leaned back in a reclining position.

“Might I suggest this pose?”

Jenna chuckled. “You don’t have to say it twice.”

The two of them settled back to watch the night sky and though they didn’t speak other than a few words here or there as they talked of the stars, she felt like it was the perfect ending to a day spent with the royal family. Just Stefan and herself, staring out at the mysteries of the universe and lost in their own thoughts of how to find their place in it.