Czytaj książkę: «A Very Merry Princess»

CHAPTER ONE

DE-PRINCESSING ONE’S life wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. There were the obvious items to leave home—tiaras, scepters, ladies-in-waiting. But there were also actual problems. For Bethany Archer, otherwise known as Princess Bethany of El Bahar, the complications included her passport. As in, which one to take on her trip.

She had her American passport by virtue of being born in California and spending the first nine years of her life there. But once she and her mom had moved to El Bahar and her mother married Crown Prince Malik, who two years ago had become the king, Bethany had become an honest-to-goodness princess, with an El Baharian passport. One that under Occupation actually said Princess.

She looked at the two official booklets on her bed, then groaned and shoved both in her backpack. She would enter and exit the United States with her American passport, but have the El Baharian one with her just in case. Because where she went, complications followed.

If only her mother had fallen in love with an ordinary man. Someone as wonderful and loving as King Malik, but less...royal. Not that Bethany hated living at the famed El Baharian pink palace. Or working in the royal stables, or being with her three younger brothers, or her mother, Queen Liana. As for her adoptive father, the king, Bethany had loved him from their very first meeting when she’d been nine years old. But the monarchy thing really, really sucked.

Bethany’s late biological father had raced cars for a living. Looking back, she had no idea how her parents had ever thought they could make their marriage work. After their divorce, Chuck had been far more interested in maintaining his cars than paying child support and he’d forgotten to spend time with his daughter.

In an effort to provide a home and college fund for her daughter, Liana had taken a job as a math teacher at the American School in El Bahar. The well-paying position was to be a temporary thing—just long enough to provide the two of them with a little financial security. But Liana and her daughter had caught the eye of the then-Crown Prince and within a matter of weeks, the couple had been married and Bethany had become a princess.

Bethany added her e-reader to her backpack, along with a few protein bars. The flight from El Bahar to the small airport near Happily Inc, California would take nearly seventeen hours, including one fuel stop. While meal service would be offered, she couldn’t know if she would be able to leave the back of the plane for more than short bathroom breaks. That all depended on Rida and how he handled the journey.

She’d already packed her two duffels. She wasn’t going on vacation, or traveling officially, so she wouldn’t need much. Jeans, shirts and boots should do it. Her entire skin care regimen consisted of soap, water and sunscreen. Her idea of nonprincess makeup was mascara and lip gloss. The second duffel held her sleeping bag and a pillow.

“Are you ready?”

She turned toward the door and saw her mother walking into her suite. Queen Liana of El Bahar was a beautiful woman in her forties who dressed stylishly and always looked perfectly pulled together. Bethany supposed it helped that famous designers were forever dropping by with new clothes for her mother to try.

Her mother never forgot where she’d come from. One of her favorite charities helped women get an education so they could raise themselves out of poverty and take care of their families. In addition to serving on the board of the charity, the queen purged her wardrobe every year and sold the pieces at a fund-raising auction.

One day, Bethany promised herself. One day she would be as smart and gracious and pulled together as her mother. As of yet, that day had not arrived.

“I see you’re packed,” Liana said as she hugged her daughter. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”

“Me, too, but there’s no way Rida can go by himself. He’ll need me along.”

“You’ll miss Thanksgiving dinner and I’ll miss you.”

Bethany tried not to smile. “I’ll miss you, too, Mom, but Thanksgiving dinner? Seriously? Do you want me to remind you about last year?”

Her mother’s mouth twitched. “I would prefer you didn’t. It wasn’t my fault.”

“Yeah, those wily calendar people tricked you.”

El Bahar, known diplomatically as the Switzerland of the Middle East, was a multicultural haven of many faiths. There were always myriad holidays to celebrate and the royal family enjoyed all of them, including Thanksgiving.

After nearly twenty years away from California, and with no in-palace turkeys and pilgrims to provide a reminder, Thanksgiving occasionally took a backseat to other events. Last year Liana had forgotten completely until two o’clock on the very day. The staff had been uncomfortable watching the queen run shrieking through the palace, begging for a turkey with stuffing and gravy, along with pumpkin pie, all by seven that evening.

The family had agreed to celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday instead, with Bethany’s three younger brothers not understanding the big deal. Of course they had been born and raised in El Bahar. Their knowledge of the United States was limited to a few visits and what their mother told them. Plus none of them especially enjoyed turkey.

“I have the holiday on my calendar now,” Liana said with a sigh. “I was planning on a big turkey dinner with lots of leftovers. What will you do? I might have forgotten last year, but you’ll be in the States. It will be all Thanksgiving, all the time. I don’t want you to be lonely.”

“I’ll be fine,” Bethany promised. “Rida and I will try to make sense of American football. You know he’s a fan.”

“Very funny.” Her mother looked around the room and smiled. “I still like that you’re living in this suite.”

The huge apartment was the same one Liana and her daughter had been given when they’d first come to the palace, all those years ago. The furniture had changed, but the view of the Arabian Sea was still the same, as was the decoration on the wall.

The mural of beautiful Arabian horses galloping across the desert had been the first thing that stirred Bethany’s interest in their new home. Then she’d seen the Crown Prince’s large stable of beautiful horses and she’d been a total goner.

When her mother had married Malik, Liana and Bethany had moved in with him. On her eighteenth birthday, Malik had presented Bethany with this suite to be her own.

“It brings us back full circle,” she told her mother, then shook her head. “Mom, I’m going to be fine.”

“I know. You’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself.”

Bethany knew there was more. With her mother, there was always more. “But?” she prompted.

“I just want you to be happy.”

“I am happy.”

“Fine. Then I’ll be more specific. I want you to fall madly in love and I want grandchildren. There, I said it. Now you can hate me forever.”

At twenty-six, Bethany kind of wanted the same thing. All right, not grandchildren, but a man who loved her and a couple of babies would be really, really nice.

“Not that I’m trying to pressure you,” her mother added primly. “You have to make your own decisions.”

Bethany laughed. “Right, Mom. No pressure.” As for making her own decisions, to date, she’d done an excellent job of making bad ones. Especially when it came to men.

“I’ll always have my career,” she said, trying to smile so her mother wouldn’t worry.

“Your career won’t keep you warm at night.”

“It will if I sleep in the stable.”

“How you love to torment your beautiful mother,” King Malik said as he swept into the room. “I will not complain because you are the daughter of my heart and can do no wrong, but know that she worries about you.”

King Malik—relatively new to the title since his own father stepped down a mere five years ago—was tall and handsome, with dark eyes and dark hair. He wore a stylish business suit, with a shirt and tie. He saved his traditional El Baharian garb for his frequent trips into the desert. The country might be incredibly modern and financially successful, but it never forgot its desert roots and neither did the king.

“You are leaving us again,” Malik said, kissing Bethany on the cheek. “We will be heartbroken.”

“I’m the one whose heart is shattered,” she said, only half kidding. “I can’t believe you sold Rida. You rarely sell your stallions and technically he’s still a colt. He’s only four. And to sell him to some guy I’ve never heard of in California. What’s up with that?”

Malik shook his head. “You dare to question the decision of your king? I have failed you as a father.”

Bethany groaned. “Dad, this is serious.”

Malik’s eyes brightened with amusement. “I agree. I am the great and powerful king of all the land, yet you speak to me so impertinently. A punishment must be arranged.”

“She’s missing Thanksgiving,” Liana said with a sigh. “That is punishment enough.”

“Ah, so we will be remembering it this year, will we, my sweet?” he asked, taking Liana’s hand in his and kissing her knuckles. “I am beyond delighted.”

“You two are weird,” Bethany said as she picked up her backpack. “I have to go get Rida so we can head to the plane.” She looked at her father. “All kidding aside, I’m still not happy you did this, Dad.”

“I know, my child. I think Rida will do well in America, but if you are not satisfied with the facilities, then you have my permission to bring him home. I will not question your decision.”

“Thank you.” She knew she could trust his word. Not once had Malik ever lied to her.

Her father glanced at her mother, then back at her. “As you requested, the stable manager in Happily Inc has been informed that a Beth Smith will be accompanying Rida on his journey and will be staying with him until he is settled.”

“I appreciate that.”

She knew her parents didn’t understand why she sometimes preferred to be a regular person rather than a princess, but they respected her wishes. As her father had never been anything but a Crown Prince and then King, he didn’t know any differently, but she did. Despite her occasional appearance in gossip magazines, she was a relative unknown and preferred to keep it that way. Rather than use her before-being-a-princess-real-last-name, she went with an alias to avoid being found on the internet. Plain Beth Smith could move easily through life, unnoticed by all. Princess Bethany of El Bahar took up a lot more room on the stage.

It was like her job at the royal stables. Had she even hinted she was interested, her father would have given her some lofty position, simply because she was his daughter. But Bethany preferred to earn her place, so she was a (somewhat) lowly groom, assigned to a few horses at a time. Rida being one of them.

“You’ll be back by Christmas?” her mother asked anxiously. “You have to be.”

“Mom, I promise. Rida will need a few weeks to get settled. I’ll know long before Christmas if I can leave him or not. Either way I’ll be home.”

Her parents hugged her. As they held her close, she felt more like she was six rather than twenty-six, and leaving home for the first time ever. It was always like this, she thought to herself. The palace had become her haven and traveling outside its protective walls meant risking far too much. But Rida needed her and she would be there for him, no matter how much leaving home cost her this time.

* * *

BETHANY MIGHT HAVE a few complaints about her princess lifestyle but how she traveled on official business was not one of them. She arrived at the private airport before Rida, then inspected the large stall that had been set up in her father’s Boeing 757. A luxurious seating area and private cabins took up the front of the plane, but the rear had been converted to the aviation equivalent of a horse stable.

Thick mats under a generous layer of wood pellets would provide cushioned comfort for the horse. The water trough would sway with any movement, keeping splashing to a minimum. She had a couple of rubber trash cans with lids and the equipment she needed to take care of any bathroom issues.

Although the 757 offered every comfort imaginable, Bethany would stay in the back with her horse. She had a comfortable chair and her e-reader, which were all she needed. Rida had been taken on a couple of short flights to get him used to the experience, but he’d never been in the air as long as he would be today. Her job was to keep him calm and safe. As she’d been a part of his life since the day he was born, just having her around quieted him.

She walked down the long ramp and waited for the entourage that would signal Rida’s arrival. She’d already checked that everything necessary for his move to the States was on board. She was bringing her own hay, straw, pellets, blankets. The list went on. His new home would be unfamiliar, but everything that surrounded him would be known. She’d even arranged for fifty gallons of El Baharian water to accompany them so he could get used to the new California water slowly.

She supposed there were those who would say she was being ridiculous—that he was just a horse and would be fine. But he was more than that to her. Not only was it her job to take care of him, she loved him and she would miss him when he was gone.

A truck and horse trailer pulled up to the plane and behind it, a gleaming black Rolls-Royce with royal flags flying. Bethany might adore her equine charge, but she also understood her place in the world order. She walked over to the car and waited while her father stepped out.

“I thought we’d said our goodbyes at the palace,” she told him. “Not that I’m not thrilled to see you once again.”

King Malik smiled. “I could not bear for the daughter of my heart to leave without us having a few more minutes together.”

“And?”

“I’m checking on you. I sense something is wrong. Tell me what it is.”

Every now and then her father surprised her by being emotionally perceptive. Not a traditional characteristic in a male ruling monarch. Imperious, yes. Decisive, sure. But aware of the ebb and flow of his daughter’s emotions? Why now?

“Dad, I’m totally fine.”

“Of course you are. Would you prefer someone else to go with Rida in your place?”

“What? And leave him in the hands of a stranger? I don’t think so.”

“I doubt any of the groomsmen at the royal stable would be considered strangers,” her father said gently. “Is it that you will miss your brothers?”

Of course she would miss her brothers. They were sixteen, fourteen and twelve, and she adored them. Being a big sister was a lot more fun than she would have thought.

“I will miss all my family,” she murmured, glancing at the horse trailer. “Dad, we really have to get going.”

Her father stayed where he was. “They’ll wait.”

Right. Because, hey, it was his plane.

“Daughter of my heart, I know there have been difficulties as you have found your way to adulthood,” King Malik began. “Unexpected pitfalls.”

Bethany stifled a groan. She so didn’t want to have this conversation. Not now. Not again.

The unexpected pitfalls, as he’d called them, had been a series of hideous events that had left her feeling exposed and incredibly betrayed.

At fourteen, Bethany had been sent to a Swiss boarding school populated by the daughters of presidents, prime ministers and kings. She’d loved her studies and had made plenty of friends. Missing her family had been a drag, but she’d handled it.

At a coed dance with a neighboring school, she’d met a boy. It had been an innocent flirtation, completely age appropriate, and the night had ended with her first kiss. Only a frenemy had found out and had written all about it in an underground school blog. Someone leaked the blog to the European press and the story had grown into a scandal of sex parties and drugs.

Bethany had been humiliated. Her parents had offered her the chance to return to El Bahar and she’d taken it. Private tutors and her love of learning had meant she’d finished high school only two years later. She’d gone to college in Tennessee. Older and wiser, she’d been exceptionally careful about dating.

She’d fallen for a sweet guy—a slightly nerdy engineering major. They’d taken things slow. When they’d finally become lovers, he’d secretly taken pictures and sold them to a tabloid. While there hadn’t been actual frontal nudity, there’d been no confusing what—and who—was in the pictures. The headline—I Deflowered a Princess—had added to the clarity of the moment.

Once again a devastated Bethany had retreated to the safety of the palace walls. Her father had threatened to hunt down the young man in question and throw him in the dungeon while deciding which of several horrible ways to punish him. Her normally even-tempered mother had agreed. When Bethany surfaced from the shame, she’d been more concerned about what she was doing wrong.

Other people managed to grow up in the limelight without so much as a misstep. Was it because she was just some kid from Riverside, California? Was there a whole “to the manor born” thing she was missing? Regardless of the reason, she’d accepted that she had to be even more careful. She’d withdrawn from much of what the world considered ordinary life. She could trust her family and the people in the palace and her horses. Everyone else—not so much.

Which was why she would travel as plain Beth Smith and not tell anyone in Happily Inc who she really was. While she helped Rida get settled, she would experience living as a normal, happy young woman before returning to the safety of the palace once again.

Now she looked at her father. “Dad, it’s not the pitfalls. It’s that you sold Rida. He’s wonderful. Fast and smart, with perfect form. He would have been a wonderful addition to our breeding program.”

“Yes, he would have been. However, in my stable every horse is perfection. He would have been one of many and I believe he deserves more. He deserves to be special. In America he will have a chance to fulfill his potential—to find out all he is meant to be.”

She narrowed her gaze. “We are still talking about the horse, right?”

Her father smiled. “Of course. What else?”

He had a point—it wasn’t as if she was staying in Happily Inc. Once Rida was settled, she would be returning home. In time for Christmas, as she’d promised her mother.

She hugged her father. “I’ll be okay, Dad.”

He held on tight for a second before letting her go. “You know how to get in touch with me if you need anything. If necessary, the El Baharian Air Force is at your disposal.”

“I’m going to pretend you never said that.”

Her father chuckled, then got back in his car and was whisked away.

With the royal distraction gone, Bethany turned her attention to the horse trailer. She helped unfasten the latches, then spoke softly to the huge, solid black horse.

“Hey, big guy. How are you feeling? Ready for an adventure? I think we should check out this little town called Happily Inc. It’s supposed to be really nice this time of year. What do you say?”

She walked into the trailer and untied Rida, then guided him down the ramp. She gave him a couple of minutes to adjust to being outside, before leading him onto the plane.

He walked confidently at her side and went directly into his stall.

Normally he was left loose, but given that they would be flying, she tied him securely. If she had to enter the stall while they were in flight, she wanted to know where his hooves would reach. Rida had a reputation for being stubborn and difficult—with everyone else. With her, he was docile and sweet. Still, he was a powerful animal who could be unpredictable if frightened or startled.

She stroked his gleaming black coat and received a nuzzle in return. “I still can’t believe my father sold you,” she murmured into his neck. “I swear, if you don’t love this place, you’re coming directly home. I promise.”

Rida leaned his head against hers, as if telling her he trusted her completely. She lingered for a second before stepping out of the stall. She picked up the phone by the door separating her section of the plane from the main passenger section.

“We’re ready,” Bethany told the flight attendant who answered. “Whenever the captain is ready to take off.”

“Yes, Princess...ah, Ms. Smith,” the woman said. “I’ll let him know.”

“Thank you.”

Bethany thought about asking her to remind all the staff that, as of now, she was just plain Beth Smith, an unremarkable groom accompanying an extraordinary horse on his journey. She decided to let it go. The odds of anyone addressing her by name once they reached Happily Inc seemed small. When she got Rida and his things off the plane, the crew would immediately return to El Bahar.

“Please let me know when you’d like meal service and if I can help in any way.”

“I appreciate that.”

Bethany hung up, then checked on Rida. The horse looked relaxed and sleepy. She settled in her seat and fastened her seat belt before closing her eyes and wishing the stupid trip was behind her. Not that being home was going to be much of a help.

She was twenty-six years old and basically working as a groom in her father’s stable. How pathetic was that? With all the opportunities given her, she should be doing something important with her life. Raising money for a cause, going to medical school and curing a disease. Instead she was hiding—afraid to go into the world because someone might pretend to be her friend only to find out something about her that he or she could sell to a tabloid or post on the internet.

She wanted to be useful and figure out what was important to her. She wanted to get on with her life, fall in love and have a family. Disappearing into the palace was getting her nowhere. It was time to grow up and take charge of her own happiness.

She promised herself she would use her time in Happily Inc to come up with a plan. Nothing was off the table—she could go back to college and finish her degree, go to work for a nonprofit, or join an online dating service. At this point the most important thing was to do something.

So first a plan, second implementation. She knew her parents loved her. Now she wanted them to be proud of her. And even more important, she wanted to be proud of herself.