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He dropped her arms. “Fond?”
She nodded.
“Then why are you crying, sweetheart?”
Her tears now were soaking her dress. She hated herself at the moment. “I don’t like hurting you.”
“Then don’t. Stay and we’ll talk this over. Give us time, Portia.”
“I can’t, Juan Carlos. It won’t do any good. We’re...over.” She sobbed now, unable to hold back any longer. “I’m s-sorry.”
He didn’t reach for her. Thank goodness. If he touched her again, she’d melt into his arms. But he watched her carefully, as if trying to figure her out. Skepticism lingered in his eyes. He didn’t believe her, but there was also resignation there and definite injury. She must have baffled him. He didn’t know what to say to convince her she was wrong.
There wasn’t anything he could say to her to change her mind. This was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do. She had to leave, to muster her strength and walk out the door. “I’ll never forget the time I had with you... It was...amazing,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes, shaking his head.
And that was her way out.
She turned her back on him and dashed away, leaving the palace and Juan Carlos and the love they’d shared behind.
Nine
“If you don’t mind me saying so, Your Highness, you could use some sleep. Why not close your eyes while we travel,” Eduardo said.
Juan Carlos sat facing his bodyguard in the reclining lounge chair on the palace’s private plane. Under normal circumstances, Juan Carlos wouldn’t travel so extravagantly; he wanted to be known as the king who flew coach. But it was imperative that this journey be kept secret and away from curious eyes. “Are you saying I look less than kingly, Eduardo?”
His bodyguard straightened in his seat. “No, I, uh, I know how hard this week has been on you, Your Highness.”
“Eduardo, I’m in total agreement with you.” Juan Carlos sighed. “I know I look like hell. I will fix that before we arrive in Los Angeles. The best I can, that is.”
Eduardo’s eyes softened. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Eduardo was quickly becoming his good friend and confidant. “Do you have a girl, Eduardo?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Is it serious?”
Eduardo shook his head. “No, not really.”
“Because of what you do for a living?”
“Yes. I cannot get serious with anyone while I’m away so much of the time. She understands.”
“Ah, an understanding woman. It’s lucky for me, not so fortunate for your girl.”
“Si, that is true. But I am twenty-eight and not ready to settle down.”
“I used to think that way. But sometimes fate steps in and knocks you over the head when a beautiful snow queen enters your path.”
Eduardo chuckled. “Princess Portia.”
“Yes, Princess Portia. And now I’m chasing her all over the globe.”
“She is worth it, I would say, Your Majesty.”
“Si, she is worth it.”
He lifted the tumbler of bourbon he held in his hand and stared into the golden liquid. “I wish you could share a drink with me, Eduardo. We’ll be in the air for five more hours. Surely the effects will have worn off by then.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, but no. I cannot drink while on duty.”
Juan Carlos nodded. “Coffee then and a pastry?”
“I’d never refuse a pastry from Chef Andre, Your Highness. He showed me his creations before packing them up for this trip.”
Juan Carlos pressed the button on the arm of his chair and ordered up coffee and pastries from his personal flight attendant. Then he rested back in his seat and sipped bourbon. Sleep was elusive lately and eating had become a chore. But he could tolerate a shot or two of bourbon when his mind wouldn’t shut down. It helped blur the pain of losing Portia.
It had been one solid week since she’d left Alma and he hadn’t heard from her since. What was she doing? Had she gone back to her work routine as if they hadn’t happened? As if the time they’d shared together was nothing more than a passing fling?
He couldn’t believe that. Something was up with her. He felt it deep down in his soul that something had happened to Portia to make her deny their love and break off their engagement. Juan Carlos had waited patiently all week to hear from her, anticipating a call that had never come, and his patience was at an end. Now he was taking matters into his own hands. He knew enough about relationships to know women liked to be pursued. They liked to have men come after them. Maybe Portia was testing him? Maybe she’d expected him to come running and convince her she’d been wrong?
