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As she headed to the parking garage, her eyes clouded with tears. She was broken inside and there was no way to repair her. Taking on Mr. Tanaka’s account would be a good distraction. She’d focus on work for the next few weeks and the terrible ache in the pit of her stomach would eventually go away.
She got in her car and glanced in the mirror. She looked a wreck. With the tips of her index fingers, she smoothed away moisture under her eyes. “No more,” she whispered. She had to put on a happy face. It was Jasmine’s birthday today and she was taking her to dinner to celebrate the big three-oh.
Ten
Juan Carlos ran a hand down his face. He stood at the bar in the study of his living quarters in the palace and poured himself a double whiskey, straight up. “It’s impossible.” He lifted the glass to his mouth and took a sip.
“What’s impossible?”
He turned, a little shocked to find Maria standing beside him. He’d been so deep in thought, he’d almost forgotten about his dinner date with the Ramons tonight. Normally his senses were keen and no one could sneak up on him. Especially not a woman wearing a pretty dress and heels and smelling like something exotic. It served to show him how off he’d been lately.
“Sorry if I startled you. Your staff assured me I was expected.”
“No, it’s okay. You are.” It was good to see a friendly face.
“Alex is running late. He’s meeting me here.”
Juan Carlos nodded. “That’ll give us a chance to talk. Let me get you a drink. What would you like?”
“Just a soda, please.”
He dropped two ice cubes into a tall glass and poured her a cola. “Here you go.”
She took the offered glass and sipped. “So what were you mumbling about when I came in?”
The corner of his mouth crooked up. It was the best he could do. He didn’t have a smile for anyone these days. “My life.”
“Your life?” Maria’s aqua eyes opened wider. “Your perfect, kingly, marrying-a-beautiful-princess life?”
He lifted his whiskey glass and pointed with his index finger to the bone leather sofa. “Have a seat. I have something to... I need some advice.”
Maria arched an eyebrow. “Advice? About your wedding?”
He waited for her to sit and then planted himself on the other end of the sofa. “Maria, uh, there isn’t going to be a wedding.”
It was hard getting the words out, and seeing Maria’s mouth drop open only added to his discomfort. “That’s why I asked you here. I haven’t told a soul yet. I can hardly believe it myself.”
“But you and Portia seemed so perfect together. What happened?”
Perfect. He was beginning to really hate that word. Portia had accused him of demanding that everyone and everything around him be perfect. Was he guilty of that? Did he expect too much?
“We’re not perfect. Far from it. We’ve broken up and I don’t know what to think about it.”
“Why? What happened, Your Majesty?”
“She came back to Del Sol almost two weeks ago to break it off. She claimed she didn’t want to get married and move to Alma. She loved her career and didn’t want it to end. She claimed all we had was a fling, and that she, we, were high on romance. Finding the hidden artwork and being on the adventure together made it all seem possible but when she got back home, she was hit with reality.”
“Do you think she was running scared?”
He hung his head, staring at the ground. “Initially, that’s what I thought. I believed I could convince her that we could work out logistics and that we belonged together.” He met with Maria’s eyes. “I was fool enough to go after her. I was in love.”
“Was?”
He shrugged. “From the day I met her, something inside me told me she was the one. I pursued her like crazy. She didn’t make it easy and now that I’m home, putting the pieces together, I think I know why.”
There was a beat of silence. Maria was waiting for him to continue. It was difficult to admit to anyone how wrong he’d been. “When I went to Los Angeles, we...connected again. And it was as it had always been—amazing. I thought I’d relieved her of her cold feet. But in the morning, I found her quietly crying. She said she wished that I hadn’t come for her. I was confused and didn’t know why she’d had a change of heart.”
“Why did she?” Maria asked.
