DR. KOSTAS DRAKOS slid into his first-class seat and immediately put on his headphones. The first leg of his journey from Washington State to his home island of Palaío was almost six hours, and he had no desire to spend any of it talking to a stranger. He had almost twenty-four hours’ worth of flights before he got home. Twenty-four hours before Dr. Kostas Drakos reverted from obstetrician to prince. A day before the man he’d become over the last twelve years was thrust back into the royal spotlight full-time.
He pulled up his phone and reread the email from his brother. Ioannis had asked him to return following the retirement of the capital’s primary obstetrician. Another might have been able to refuse, but Ioannis wasn’t really asking. It was a brother’s question couched to hide the summons from the king.
When Ioannis had taken the throne last year, Kostas had returned to the island only long enough to fulfill his sanctioned duties. His brother’s son already three, Kostas was currently second in line to the throne. Ioannis’s delightful wife, Queen Eleni, was pregnant, and he suspected he’d fall several more spots given the love between Eleni and Ioannis on display for the entire country to see whenever they were ever together.
And that was fine with Kostas.
However, his distance from the crown did not mean he didn’t have obligations, as Ioannis’s request had gently reminded him. Rolling his shoulders, Kostas tried to get comfortable, though he doubted it was possible, no matter how nice the first-class area was. He was returning to Palaío...returning to the palace...and to the press.
That he’d never sit on the throne hadn’t stopped the island’s press outlets from speculating about his princess prospects. They’d run headlines for his entire trip about the Prodigal Prince and whether he was finally home to choose a bride. Only his brother’s coronation had briefly kicked his name from the front page.
His brother was Palaío’s golden child, put on an elevated pedestal at birth. Kostas...well, Kostas was less respected.
Eleni had offered to introduce him to one of her friends so he wouldn’t have to attend the coronation alone. She’d told Kostas that the woman was kind and understood that he wasn’t staying. No need to worry about a long-term connection.
It had been thoughtful, but there were no short connections with a royal. Royal life had destroyed his mother, and it had burned the one girl he’d gotten attached to as a teenager. Both had left the island following the press’s sensational lies.
As the prince, the one born into the family, the press often speculated but kept their cruelest words couched in flowery language. To the best of his knowledge, the one time his teenage love, Maria, had come home, the reporters had met her at the airport. A simple visit to her parents a decade after their connection had resulted in questions about their supposed teenage pregnancy and loss. It was a salacious rumor, made up by a jealous acquaintance, that the media had devoured. He’d been raised to expect his life to belong to the public, but Maria had simply made the mistake of thinking a young prince was cute.
And it had nearly ruined her life.
Kostas had no intention of putting another person in the same position.
When he was on Palaío, he was Prince Kostas. The rebel son, who’d really just wanted to be a regular teen, but they’d thrust microphones in his face and he’d said terse things about his father, about wanting to leave the island, about hating being royal. It had made headlines on the usually quiet island, which meant that his life wasn’t truly his. He’d never inherit the throne but he’d always be royal, and that also meant that if he fell in love, the woman would stand beside him in the gilded cage.
He’d serve the clinic for a while, find a new obstetrician, and then head back to Seattle. A year, no more, on the island was all he needed.
A hand touched his shoulder and Kostas jumped, his headphones sliding. He looked up to find a dark-haired beauty staring at him. Her hazel eyes captured his as she held his gaze.
“Can I help you?” The woman was stunning, but she seemed out of place. Her patched-up backpack, her jeans and oversized sweatshirt were not the designer styles he typically saw in first class. Have I been recognized?
British royalty fascinated Americans, but they rarely recognized royals from other countries. Still, occasionally someone would know him, and a few women had foolishly hoped the connection might lead to a fantasy ending.
But real royal life wasn’t the stuff of television movies. Happily-ever-afters were for other people.
“Um...” She looked at her ticket then up at the seat numbers and back at him, color tinging her cheeks as she bit her lip. “I think you might be in my seat.”
“What?” Kostas reached into his back pocket as he saw the flight attendant start toward him.
“I’m 2F, or at least I think I am.” She bit her lip, her eyes darting to the flight attendant.
He could see concern floating through her. Great, a nervous flier. Hopefully, she’d be all right for their long flight. He didn’t really want to deal with the questions and concerns that sometimes came from individuals who rarely took to the skies. It was selfish, he knew it, but Kostas was trying to prep himself for stepping off the plane in Palaío.
“Is there a problem?” The attendant smiled at Kostas as she looked at the woman standing in the aisle, not trying to hide the judgment in her eyes. She saw what Kostas did: a woman out of place.
And they were both assessing her.
Kostas mentally kicked himself. He wasn’t in Palaío yet. There was really no reason for his suspicions.
“I...” She looked down at her ticket and then back at the numbers above.
Kostas looked at his ticket and wanted to kick himself even harder. He was in her seat. “No. There isn’t a problem. I wasn’t paying attention. I’m in 2D not 2F.”
He started to stand when the woman held up her hand. “You can stay there. It’s okay. Unless you want to move?”
“Can I see your ticket, ma’am?” The flight attendant took a quick look and nodded. “You a standby?”
“Yep,” the woman responded, her tone overly bubbly, the kind he heard some of his nurses use when they were trying to put their patients at ease. “Weather canceled my flight, and they told me I could head to New York tomorrow or try to get on tonight as a standby—” She cut her words off and slid into the seat as the attendant wandered off to continue getting ready for takeoff.
Kostas nodded and slid his headphones back on.
“Should have worn something besides the old sweatshirt and comfy jeans, Calla. Maybe then you’d look like you belonged in first class.”
The whispered words weren’t meant for him. He was sure Calla had assumed he had music or something playing in his headphones. But Kostas had caused the incident that had made her so uncomfortable.
Pulling his headphones off, he turned. First-class seats had more room than business or coach, but he was still uncomfortably close to the woman next to him. She had her eyes closed, and a few tears ran under her glasses and down her cheek, over the freckles dotting her nose.
“I’m sorry.” Kostas kept his voice quiet. She was upset, and he knew that when he was upset, the last thing he wanted was an audience. “I am going home. My family’s expectations...well, I am a little tense about returning to prying eyes. I took that annoyance out on you. Which is more than a little unfair. There is nothing wrong with how you look.”
She wiped her hand across her cheek and offered him a smile. “You’re headed home and I’m leaving mine.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Which is the reason for the tears. Not the flight attendant or you thinking I didn’t belong in first class. Tonight is hardly the first time someone has judged me.”
There was a story there, but not one that two perfect strangers shared.
“But thank you for apologizing.” She offered him a smile then turned her head toward the flight attendant as she started giving the mandatory safety instructions.
His seatmate clearly wasn’t expecting any further conversation, which wasn’t surprising given his initial rudeness and headphones. He typically hated flying with a chatty seat neighbor, but he wanted to know more about the woman beside him.
Maybe it was her statement about being judged; he understood that better than most. It was a driving need he couldn’t explain. “I’m Kostas. Will you be away from home for long?”
Her hazel eyes studied him and she looked like she was weighing her answer. A skill he’d developed while living in the royal household, though he wondered where she might have learned it and if it was part of the judgment she’d experienced.
“Calla Lewis,” she sighed, shrugging as she pulled her legs into her lap.
He was a little jealous that she could adjust her frame in the uncomfortable seat. At six feet five inches, even the legroom in first class was a tight fit.
“I took rotation assignment for a year. I’m a replacement for a woman on maternity leave.” Calla pursed her lips, “Anyways...hopefully, I’ll be back after that. But life—” She blew out a breath and pushed a strand of hair that had escaped her messy bun out of her eye. “Life has a way of changing any carefully made plans. At least, in my experience.”
“Mine too.” He laughed.
Calla let out a soft chuckle. “The best laid plans are no match for life’s chaos.” The plane started forward and she leaned a little closer. “Would you mind if I looked out the window? I’ve never left Seattle.”
“Of course.” Kostas wished they could switch seats now. Wished he’d not taken the easy answer of staying in place during their awkward exchange. But they couldn’t switch while the plane was taking off.
She leaned across him and energy seemed to race across his skin as her light scent invaded his nose. He took a deep breath, trying to control the unusual response. He didn’t react...especially to strangers.
“No way to do this without invading your personal space.” Calla smiled as she glanced at him yet he could see the unshed tears in her eyes.
She was a stranger, but he’d left home before. Fled was a more accurate term. He remembered the mixture of excitement, dread and homesickness that had accompanied that first flight. “What’s your favorite thing about Seattle?”
“The rain.” She put her hand over her mouth as the lights of the city became smaller. Then the entire landscape disappeared below the clouds.
Calla leaned back in her seat, though she kept her body shifted toward him. “I love the rain. I know people come from elsewhere who complain that it feels like it’s always raining—which it’s not.”
“But it happens enough to feel like it’s always.” Kostas grinned.
“Statistically, we get less rain than much of the US. It just happens on more days than most places.”
He laughed and leaned a little closer. Discussing rain shouldn’t be invigorating, but he enjoyed seeing the hint of fire in Calla’s eyes. “That sounds like something only someone born in Seattle would brag about. There is moss growing on the buildings.”
Calla opened her mouth but instead of defending her home city, she clicked her tongue and pointed to him. “I supposed you’re headed some place sunny and warm.”
“Sunnier and warmer than Seattle. But that is a low bar to climb over.” He winked, answering the question, but not directly. He loved the island of Palaío, but he didn’t want to talk about home. Didn’t want to think of the responsibilities waiting for him.
“Is New York your final destination?”
If Calla noticed him shifting the topic away from himself, she didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she shook her head and yawned. “No. Though part of me wishes it was. It’s the first stop in my four layovers. From New York to London and then on to progressively tinier airports.”
“New York to Paris for me. Then on to one tiny airport and a ship.”
“Adventure!” Calla smiled, but he could see the worry in her eyes as she looked toward the window. Seattle was far behind them; with the speed of the airplane, they were likely two-thirds across the state by now.
The airplane shook and Calla grabbed his hand. Her cheeks colored as she immediately pulled back. “Oh, my. Sorry. I... I have clearly never been on a plane.”
His fingers ached to take her hand back. To touch her. It was such a dangerous thought. He didn’t know Calla, and their paths were only passing on this one flight, but part of him felt like he should want to know her. Should want to hold her hand. It was an uncomfortable sensation, but one he didn’t want to push away.
“I don’t mind.” He put his hand on the shared armrest and winked. “It’s here in case you need it. But I hope the plane doesn’t experience any real turbulence.”
“Have you ever experienced that?” She twitched her nose before hitting her palm against her head. “Chalk that up as questions a nervous flier shouldn’t ask their seatmate. Especially since there is no chance we will be on the same flight once we hit our destination.”
She pursed her lips as she shifted in the chair. “Though even if we were on the same plane, we wouldn’t be seatmates since I am very much flying coach the rest of the way. But this is nice!”
It was nice. He knew she meant the extra legroom and quick service. But he’d flown around the world since he was a small boy, and Kostas had never had such a fun experience. She let out another yawn and he knew their banter was ending.
That was the problem with red-eye flights. This one was supposed to land in New York at four in the morning. His plane left for Paris at six and he’d never see the woman next to him again.
A touch of sadness ran through him as she covered her mouth for her third yawn in less than five minutes. He reached up and flipped off the small reading lights above them. “You should get some rest. You’ll be exhausted with all the travel, but sleeping now will help with the transition. Trust me.”
“Well, you seem to be a travel expert...or as close to one as I can ask now. Thanks for making me feel better, Kostas. The last year...” She paused as she looked at the window before letting her eyes wander to his in the darkened cabin. “It’s been rough. Anyways...thanks, again.”
“Anytime.” It was a phrase so many people threw away. A conversation rejoinder that really meant nothing. But for the first time in forever, Kostas wished it truly meant that she could reach out to him anytime. That they had a connection.
Clearly, his nerves were more frayed at the thought of returning home than he wanted to admit. But at least Calla had given him a few minutes of relief.
Midwife Calla Lewis was tired, but she didn’t think she could sleep. The exhaustion floating through her body refused to take over her brain’s wanderings. She was really on the first leg of her twenty-four-hour-plus journey to the small island off the coast of Greece.
When she’d first talked to the recruiter for her international travel nursing program, Calla hadn’t really expected it to lead anywhere. It was just one of the many options she’d explored to pay off her debt as fast as possible. But then the recruiter had let her know there was an opportunity on the small island nation of Palaío; one of their midwives was on her twelve-month maternity leave. It was a posting that came with a furnished apartment and an excellent salary to compete with the international shortage of nurses.
She’d been warned that the clinic was going through some changes. The main doctor was retiring after serving nearly sixty years, according to the recruiter, and there were only two other midwives plus a traveling OBGYN.
The island community was small, but the women deserved the safest option when they were delivering. And the king of Palaío was determined to recruit the best for his subjects with the understanding that the nurse she would be replacing planned to return from maternity leave. It was a year rotation with the opportunity to stay on, if the clinic needed it. But one year was all she needed. One year to get back on her feet.
Calla still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that the king of Palaío was taking such a close interest in the clinic. He’d not been able to attend the interview panel that had met with her and the agency representative, yet had sent along his apologies. It was a little overwhelming.
But overwhelming didn’t really matter. She owed Liam almost forty thousand dollars.
Liam.
In another world, today she was supposed to be honeymooning in Jamaica. She pinched her eyes, as if she closed them tighter the memories would float away. Her thumb wandered to the missing ring on her left finger.
It had been gone for almost a year. At first, she couldn’t believe that after five years together, after planning a life, after supporting each other...after she’d done everything he’d asked of her to impress his impossible parents, he’d still chosen his family money over her. Then demanded she repay the “loan” he’d given her for her masters in midwifery program. Loan...
She hadn’t asked him to pay off her student loan. He’d done it because his parents had already thought she wasn’t good enough for their son. It had taken her three months after her broken engagement to realize that Liam had never thought she was good enough for him, either.
That stung. Not that her ex was a jerk, but that she’d let him control her. Done her best to fit the mold he’d wanted. Dyed her hair when he’d said he preferred blond, dressed the way he and his parents preferred. The only thing she hadn’t done was give up her career.
And that had been the deal breaker. That was fine, but asking for repayment on what he’d called a gift was the reason she was on this plane. The reason she was traveling thousands of miles away from the only place she’d known.
The salary included room and board. With any luck and some thriftiness, she’d repay him and have her life back on track by the end of the contract.
The plane shuddered again and Calla almost reached for Kostas’s hand. She wanted to, so badly. He’d offered, and she’d thought the offer was genuine, but then, it had taken her over five years to realize who Liam was. She wasn’t sure she could trust her gut anymore.
Luckily, the plane stopped its tremors after a few seconds. It was just the normal bumps that, supposedly, accompanied air travel. With any luck, by the time she landed in Palaío, she’d feel like a true travel veteran. But she doubted it.
She yawned again and shifted in her seat. Her shoulder connected with Kostas’s and her body heated at the simple touch. That was the thing she missed the most about being in a relationship. The little touches.
Hand-holding, hugs after a rough day, bumping another’s hip at a joke, falling asleep on someone’s shoulder. It had been a year since she’d shared those simple pleasures. A year of loneliness.
Still, she’d take lonely to the control she’d let Liam exercise over her. Every single day for the rest of her life, if necessary. Calla liked who she was, and she wasn’t changing for someone again.
She yawned for what felt like the hundredth time since she’d stepped onto the plane, but her brain finally drifted away. She sighed as her body slowly lost its fight against exhaustion.
It didn’t feel like she’d been asleep for long when the pillow under her shifted and her lopsided glasses dug into her cheek. It took a moment to realize that she didn’t have a pillow and for mortification to creep up her spine as Kostas moved beside her.
Dear God. She’d fallen asleep on his shoulder. The man was gorgeous. Tall, with dark, curly hair and a five-o’clock shadow. He wore slacks and a loose shirt that screamed designer goods. A model compared to her sloppy travel gear. And she’d fallen asleep on him!
“I’m sorry to wake you. They’ve put out a request for a doctor.” Kostas’s voice was warm as he hit the button to call the flight attendant.
“No. I’m sorry. I didn’t—” She stopped as the flight attendant stepped up beside them.
“Are you a medical professional?”
“I’m an obstetrician.”
The response sent the final fog of sleepiness from Calla’s brain as she registered the conversation.
“Oh, thank God. We’ve got a passenger in coach who thinks she’s in labor.”
Calla unbuckled her seat belt as she stated, “I’m a nurse practitioner and midwife.”
The flight attendant visibly relaxed. Having any doctor onboard was a gift, but having the exact right combination of needed medical professionals was a miracle.
Kostas nodded. “You’re perfect, aren’t you?”
Perfect. Calla tried not to flinch at the term. Perfection was what Liam had demanded, and she’d always fallen short.
“Not really. Want me to get washed up first while you check on the patient or do you want to wash up first?” An airplane was not the best place to sanitize one’s hands, and if she couldn’t deliver a baby in a hospital, there were at least a dozen other locations she’d pick before an airplane thousands of miles above the earth. But you worked with what you had.
“I’ll check the patient first. Hopefully, it’s strong Braxton-Hicks.”
Calla nodded to acknowledge she’d heard Kostas as she made her way to the bathroom. She hoped it was false contractions, but if it wasn’t, they needed to be prepared.
The attendant followed her and Calla turned to ask, “Once we’ve washed our hands, do you have non-latex gloves in case we need to check the mother?” Less than one percent of the general population had a latex allergy, but she’d prefer not to take any additional risks.
“Yes. I’ll grab them.”
Calla washed up as quickly as she could professionally manage in the tiny compartment. She quickly gloved and went to find Kostas and their patient.
Stepping into coach was like stepping into a different world. The whole back of the plane was awake, and she could see a few phones out. No doubt this would be on people’s social media platforms as soon as they landed. If not before.
She made her way to the woman sitting close to the front and noticed the small pool of liquid under the seat. Amniotic fluid?
Calla looked from it to Kostas and saw him nod.
“Becky, meet midwife Calla.”
Then he turned to the flight attendant. “Why don’t we move to first class? More room...” He nodded to the number of phones being held up. “And more privacy.”
“Of course.”
Kostas smiled at Becky. “Calla is going to go with you to first class and check you while I get cleaned up.” Kostas’s tone was soft but commanding. “Calla, this is Becky. She is thirty-three weeks pregnant with her second daughter. Contractions are steady at six minutes apart.”
So this was the real deal in the air! When she’d thought of this next step as an adventure, she hadn’t meant for it to kick off with such a bang.
“My OB cleared me to travel.” Becky’s bottom lip trembled as Kostas guided her to first class and then helped settle her onto a blanket on the floor.
“I’m sure he did. You did nothing wrong, Becky. Nothing.”
Calla wasn’t sure Becky registered Kostas’s words, but they were absolutely the right ones. She had done nothing wrong and preterm labor was not a punishment. It was just something that happened.
The good news was that at thirty-three weeks, Becky’s daughter had an excellent chance of being able to tell this story to all her friends as a teenager.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Becky. Let’s get you checked, so we know how far along you are.” Calla kept her tone level, trying to calm the scared mom despite the most unlikely situation.
She watched the flight attendants hold up blankets to give the women some privacy, though the other four first-class passengers were kind enough to look engrossed in their phones.
Calla smiled as she checked Becky, but she couldn’t stop the shift of her face as she felt the cord in the vaginal canal. Prolapse.
“What?” Becky’s face was white as she stared at Calla. “And don’t say it’s nothing. I can tell it’s not.”
“You’re right.” Calla kept her voice steady as she gently pushed the cord up to give the baby some relief. “The umbilical cord is prolapsed, which means...”
“I know what it means. I remember from birthing class. We’re on a plane. Oh, my God.”
“First, I know this is hard and scary. But I need you to take a deep breath. With me.” Calla breathed in and out then did it again as Becky followed her.
“Now, I am going to remove my hand. I want you to get on all fours, then put your head down on the ground.”
“Puppy pose.”
Calla raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask as Becky moved into position.
“I’m a yoga instructor. I...” She let out a soft sob. “What now?”
“Now, I keep the cord lifted until we get you to the hospital.” Calla repositioned herself and found the cord immediately.
Before she could alert the flight attendants to the situation, Kostas peeked over the blankets. He saw the position Becky was in and Calla watched as his shoulders tensed before he calmly looked at the attendants.
“We need to be on the ground. As soon as possible, with an ambulance waiting to take us to a facility capable of performing a cesarean. Alert the pilot now. This is a medical emergency.”
Becky let out a sob and Kostas bent to her level. “I’m sorry, Becky. But we will get you the best possible help as soon as possible. Until then, if you feel the need to push, I need you to do your best to avoid it. Understand?”
“Yes.”
Kostas turned his attention to Calla. “They are going to perform an emergency landing. It will be a quick descent and air regulations require passengers in their seats.”
“We can’t do that.” Calla shifted her legs to brace them against the chairs on either side of her. She could feel the baby move against her hand. The little girl was still okay. If she moved or Becky sat in a chair, the cord compression could kill the child.
“I know. But they are going to ask.” Kostas looked at her and she saw the same determination she felt ripping through her. Becky and her daughter were their patients now. And they’d do their utmost to make sure she got the best outcome possible.
Directing her attention to Becky, Calla asked, “Are you willing to risk staying here on the floor? I have my feet braced against the seats to keep us from sliding.”
Becky reached out and grabbed the legs of the chairs beside her. “Anything for my daughter.”
Calla nodded and looked at Kostas. “You need to sit and buckle in. If something happens, one of us needs to take care of Becky and her daughter.”
He opened his mouth like he planned to say something, but no words escaped as he shut it and looked at the empty seat. The one where she’d fallen asleep on his shoulder...the one that was actually his. He buckled in just as the announcement started.
“Ladies and gentlemen. As many of you are aware, we have a medical emergency on board. We will land in Dayton, Ohio, in ten minutes. Flight crew, prepare for landing.”
The attendants holding the blankets handed them to the passengers opposite Kostas. The man continued to hold his end up as the flight attendants began giving orders.
The plane shifted and Calla braced herself. This was going to be the longest ten minutes of her career.
“Calla.” Kostas’s tone was steady as she met his dark gaze. “You’ve got this.”
She nodded, not trusting her voice to not wobble as the plane started its descent. She hoped he understood how much she appreciated the faith she heard in his voice.
They barely knew each other. Theirs was a passing connection now forever bound by a medical emergency. When the plane landed, she was going to the hospital with Becky. He was headed on to Paris.
Even if he wanted to treat Becky, he’d said he practiced in Washington, so he didn’t have permission to treat patients at whatever hospital they were headed to. It hurt to know that the handsome stranger who’d let her sleep on his shoulder, who’d offered a genuine connection—the first one she’d had since before Liam’s falsehoods—would disappear. It had been a balm to her soul she hadn’t known she’d needed.
As soon as the plane’s wheels hit the ground, she let out a soft cheer. The worst part was nearly over.
Kostas unbuckled and got down to Becky’s level. “How are you doing?”
“Still...here.” She let out a rough breath as another contraction took her.
He looked up at Calla and raised a brow. “And you?”
Calla offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “Still here.”
Kostas stood and looked out the window. “I can see the ambulance.”
The main door to the cabin opened and he bent for what Calla knew was the last time. She looked at him, desperate to remember his handsome features so she could recall them when she told the story in the future of the sweet and handsome physician who’d assisted her with the most trying delivery of her career. His dark eyes sparkled and there were a few freckles along his nose. It would have to be enough.
“Good luck, Becky.”
“Thank you.”
“It was nice to meet you, Kostas.” Calla hoped the few words contained all the emotions she was feeling.
“It was nice to meet you, too, Calla. Good luck on your assignment.”
“Good luck at home. I hope it isn’t as stressful as you fear.” She offered him a smile as the EMTs stepped up behind him.
Kostas nodded as he turned to tell the medics what was going on. Then he faded into the background of the plane’s chaos.
She was sad to see him go. There were other things to focus on, but a part of her felt bereft at the idea that she’d never see him again.