Holly Jacobs - Once Upon a King

She’d never have that particular fantasy again.

Now all she wanted to do was get some distance from Mike…Michael. The prince. Maybe once she got out of his vicinity she’d be able to think again.

She scanned the grand entryway. Her whole apartment would fit in it. Parker’s and Shey’s as well.

She’d been so excited to be visiting a castle, staying in one. And the impressive gray structure had barely blipped on the radar of her thoughts. All she could do was wonder what on earth she was going to do.

Her fantasy lover hadn’t deserted her. He claimed he’d been looking for her.

Her Prince Charming was a prince.

And she was carrying his child.

She had to tell him. She knew that much. But not quite yet.

Soon.

As soon as she figured out just what she was going to do.

Maybe she’d better wait until she was back in the States to tell him. Maybe he’d want to keep the baby. After all, the child growing in her womb was his heir.

What were the laws regarding parental rights in Eliason? And did a prince have to follow them?

She didn’t know.

Cara had thought being a single mother was as complicated as her life could get.

She was wrong.

“Cara Phillips, may I present my mother, Her Royal Majesty—”

“Cut it out, Michael,” his mother said sternly.

Michael and Parker’s mother didn’t look queenly at the moment. As a matter of fact, she was wearing a battered pair of jeans and a Mercyhurst sweatshirt.

“Cara, dear, I’ve heard so much about you. Call me Anna.” She enveloped Cara in a hug. “I’ve so longed to meet you. You’ve been such a good friend to my Parker.”

“Your Majesty—”

The queen cleared her throat.

“Anna,” Cara corrected herself with a sheepish smile. “I’m the lucky one. Parker’s the best.”

“Is she truly happy with her private investigator?” the queen asked with a motherly concern.

“Yes, I believe she is. When Parker and Jace look at each other, you can see…” She stopped. She wasn’t sure how to put it without seeming like a hopeless romantic.

“You can see the love?” the queen asked.

“Yes.” Cara couldn’t resist a small sigh.

“That’s all I ever wanted for her. That she’d find a place to belong and someone to belong with.” The queen looked toward a dark-haired man in crisply creased Dockers and a dark blue polo shirt striding toward her. “There’s nothing more important.”

“Is this her?” the man asked.

“Yes. Paul, this is Parker’s friend, Cara. She’ll be working with Michael and me on the wedding details.”

Paul.

The king.

Darn. Cara wished she’d asked Parker the proper protocol. Should she bow, curtsy?

She was saved trying to figure it out when the man thrust his hand in her direction. “Cara, we’ve heard so much about you from our wayward, stubborn daughter.”

Cara shook his hand and smiled. “And I’ve heard a lot about you.”

He chuckled. “I imagine you have.”

From what she’d heard from Parker over the years, she knew any stubbornness Parker possessed was genetic, inherited from her father.

“Now, Cara, let’s get you settled and then I’ll show you what I’ve already accomplished,” the queen said. “Michael’s been my errand boy, and we’ve really made some progress. We’ll—”

“I think,” Michael said, interrupting his mother, “that it would be better for Cara to take a rest rather than jumping into work. She passed out at the airport.”

“What?” the queen and king said in unison.

“I’ve sent for the doctor,” Michael assured them.

Cara caught the look of triumph he shot her. The ha-ha-I-won-this-battle sort of look.

“It was simply a long flight,” she said. “I don’t need a doctor. I don’t need to rest. I just want to get down to the details.”

The queen shook her head. “Oh, no. Not until you’ve been checked out. What would Parker say if she arrived and found you ill?”

“I—”

“Don’t argue,” the king instructed. “My daughter would blame me if something happened to you, and I can get in more than enough trouble with her without your assistance. So, you’ll see the doctor and get his clearance before you lift a finger or look at one wedding plan.”

“Really, I’m fine,” Cara protested, though no one seemed to notice.

“Dr. Stevens will be the judge of that. Now, come with me, dear. We’ll get you settled,” the queen said, putting an arm over her shoulder and leading her down the hall.

Michael, the big tattletale, smirked at her as they walked past him, as if he’d gotten one over on her.

Cara had the overwhelming urge to stick her tongue out, but she resisted. She was a grown-up, after all.

She’d see their doctor. He’d give her a clean bill of health, of course, then she’d get on with planning the wedding of the century, then go home to Perry Square.

Parker’s mother led her through a maze of halls and up a set of stairs.

“I may need a map,” Cara murmured.

The queen laughed. “I felt the same way when Paul first brought me here, but you’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”

She stopped in front of a door. “This will be your room.” She opened the door with a flourish.

“Oh, my.” Cara tried to take it all in.

It was the room every little girl dreamed of. A room fit for a princess.

A canopy bed, a huge bay window, complete with window seat…and a wall full of bookshelves. For a lifelong bookworm who owned a bookstore, it was the perfect room.

She just stood in the doorway and took it all in.

“Parker suggested you might enjoy this room the most,” the queen said.

“It’s lovely.”

“Your luggage has already been sent up.” She gestured to Cara’s suitcases that were sitting next to the bed. “I can help you unpack, or send someone to help you if you prefer.”

“No, really, I’m fine, no matter what Michael says.” Some of her pleasure over the room faded as she remembered the total mess she’d gotten herself into.

“If you’re fine it won’t hurt to let the doctor take a look, will it?” the queen asked gently. “It will ease my mind.”

Cara admitted defeat. She could fight Michael, but not his mother.

“I’ll see him,” she said. “But only if we can get to work after he laughs at all your worries and assures you I’m fine.”

“You’ve got a deal,” the queen said with a smile. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed my daughter and hope you’ll fill me in on her life and about this man she’s so taken with.”

“I’ll tell you what I can,” Cara promised. “You’re going to love Jace, I promise. When you see them together, it’s so obvious that they’re right for each other. It sort of shimmers there for anyone to see. She’s happier than I’ve ever seen her.”

The queen smiled. “Her happiness is all I ever wanted. Now, go rest and I’ll send the doctor up as soon as he arrives.” She left and closed the door softly.

Cara took in the room.

It was beautiful. She walked up to the shelves and admired the books. Leather-bound volumes that begged to be held and admired for the sheer beauty of their construction, as well as their content.

Normally Cara wouldn’t be able to wait to get her hands on them. But right now she had too much on her mind to enjoy them. She sat down gingerly on the bed. It was warm and inviting. Too inviting to resist. She lay back and closed her eyes.

How on earth had she gotten here? The small-town daughter of two academics was now in a castle, surrounded by luxury.

A castle that was the family home of her own child’s father.

A loud knock on her door awoke Cara with a start.

She had a momentary attack of where-the-heck-am-I? before she remembered she was in Eliason to plan Shey’s and Parker’s weddings.

And that she had found Michael, or rather, he had found her.

Someone knocked on her door again.

She sat up, smoothed her hair as best she could and said, “Come in.”

A man with beachboy-blond hair that looked as if it could use a cut, bright blue eyes and a ready smile rolled a very sporty wheelchair into the room.

“Cara Phillips?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m Dr. Stevens. Tommy Stevens.” He wheeled right up to her bed and extended his hand.

Cara took it and shook. He had a firm grip.

“Nice to meet you,” she said. “And I’ll apologize up front for the inconvenience. I’m absolutely fine, Doctor.”

“Call me Tommy. And I’m sure you’re right, but why don’t you let me do a brief check just to put your hosts’ collective minds at rest. Additionally, you’re doing me a favor. I love having a reason to make a house call to the castle. They always offer me something to eat on my way out, and if you’ve ever eaten hospital food, you’d know what a perk having access to the royal kitchen is. Marta, the cook, has a crush on me, and spoils me with treats.”

Despite her annoyance at being forced to see a doctor, Cara couldn’t help but laugh. “So, basically you work for food?”

He grinned. “Exactly. And you wouldn’t want to deprive me, would you?”

“No,” she assured him. “You don’t work exclusively for the family?”

“No. They’re a very healthy bunch. I have a private practice. I make house calls because it’s easier than having their security clear my office for a visit. So, now that I’ve charmed you with my winsome bedside manner, do you think I could convince you to have a seat over here, please.”

Giving in to the inevitable, Cara sat in the chair next to the bed, which placed her eye to eye with the doctor.

Not sure how intensive his exam would be, Cara had a sudden worry and asked, “Before we start, I need to know that patient-physician privilege works the same here as it does in the States? I mean, you can’t go divulging my health concerns without my permission, right?”

Tommy smiled reassuringly. “Yes, we do have the same rules here. I won’t say a word about you or your health without your permission. So, I take it that you have a condition I should know about?”

“Yes,” she said, hesitating, not sure how to say it. She hadn’t told anyone yet, not even Parker and Shey. She wanted them both to enjoy their weddings without worrying about her. And she knew they’d worry a lot.

“Well, you see, I’m pretty sure I know why I fainted, and it really isn’t anything to worry about. I’ve had periods of light-headedness the past few months, and I think this one was worse simply because of the length of the flight.”

He waited, not pushing or prodding, just waited for her to finish.

Cara had always trusted her gut feelings. She’d trusted them when she’d met Parker and Shey. She’d trusted them when they’d decided to open Titles and Monarch’s, their bookstore and coffeehouse respectively, after graduation. She’d trusted her feelings the night she’d met Michael.

And she realized she liked this doctor and once again relied on her gut feeling. “I’m pregnant.”

Tommy Stevens didn’t even blink an eye with surprise. “About how far along?”

“Three months. I saw my physician before I left Erie and she said there was no reason I couldn’t make the trip. She put me on a prenatal vitamin and I promised to see her again as soon as I get home next month.”

“Well, that could explain things, but I’d rather take your pulse, blood pressure and such, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t,” Cara said, realizing that having some assurance that everything was all right would be a relief. “Whatever you think is best. But I’d prefer that no one knows about the pregnancy. I haven’t even told the father yet. And I didn’t want to take anything away from the wedding.”