"You will do this for me." Sofia never usually used her authority with him, but this time it was called for. "You will put off your plans for a few minutes to welcome Ms. Carter to our home. That's not too much to ask for."
Tomas' face went stiff, his eyes cooling. "Is that a command?"
"Call it what you will, but if you disobey me on this, I will not forgive you."
His shoulders straightened, the regal bearing in every inch of his body.
"I'm not a child."
"Then for the love of God, stop acting like one!"
The silence that followed was strained with tension.
"As you wish, Mother. Is that all?"
"Yes. Tomas-"
"I will go and get myself, how shall I put it, appropriately turned out to meet this woman. Have a good day." With that, he turned on his heels and left.
Staring after him, Sofia found herself wondering why everything with him had to be so difficult.
*****
"Holy God!" Antoinette did not care if the driver thought she was gauche, but she could not help her reaction. A car had been waiting to whisk her away as soon as they landed. Now they were winding their way through what seemed like a maze with flowers and trees on either side of the narrow road.
The man, who said his name was Manuel, whipped around hairpin bends as if he was on a straight road. She pressed herself against the glass and took in the amazing sight. It truly was paradise, she thought in amazement. Acres of green trees waved in the wind, not to mention the profusion of flowers winding through the mossy green of the lush grass. It was as if someone, or whoever was in charge of taking care of the side streets, had decided that there would be nothing there to spoil the untouched beauty of the place. There wasn't a scrap of paper, a stray leaf, a bubble gum wrapper. Nothing. Everything was pristine.
The blades of grass were lined up like soldiers waiting for inspection. They had traveled several miles before coming to what she supposed was the community. One minute they were passing foliage with not a building in sight, and the next minute there were pink and white stucco buildings dotting the streets. They passed through what looked like a small, well-run town with shops, restaurants, business places and a park.
"We'll be there in precisely five minutes." Manuel flashed a smile at her as he slowed down. "Over there is the museum. Youshould take time out to see it. And right next to it is the most beautiful art gallery in the world." The pride in his voice also showed on his swarthy face. "We had Jackson Colby and his brother Jason visiting just last month for a showing. Ah, here we are."
The road was narrow and winding and went on for two miles. She had seen the photos in various magazines as Perez Paraiso happened to be a tourist destination. The towering building was white and reminded Antoinette of a bride decked out in all her glory. Flags flew from the conical-shaped roof, depicting the Spanish colors. It was breathtaking.
When the driver pulled up to the entrance of the building, Manuel jumped out and came around to open her door with a flourish. "Don't worry about the bags, Señorita, I will have them sent in for you."
"Thank you."
With a smart bow, he stepped aside for her to move past him.
As soon as she ascended the steps, the huge gleaming double doors were swept open by a uniformed maid with salt-and-pepper hair and a smile on her lined face.
"Señorita Carter." She bowed slightly. "Welcome. My name is Lucia and I'm the head housekeeper here. Please come in. Queen Sofia had to run out to an appointment but instructed the prince to be here to greet you."
"Oh, that's not necessary-"
"He's waiting in the gold salon. This way, please."
All she wanted to do was be shown to her quarters and lie down for a little bit. Meeting the damn prince in her travel-weary state had not been on her schedule. She felt rumpled and untidy, which should not matter anyway. She was just an employee, and he was the fricking prince.
Lucia swept open the double doors to reveal a room that was seriously done up in gold. The furnishings were of a pale gold color and shone in the lights seeping through the blinds. Lush plants made a perfect backdrop for the color, and she felt her feet sinking into the dull gold-colored carpet. The man standing by the hearth turned as soon as the doors opened and nodded curtly to the housekeeper. He did not look pleased. And she realized the magazines had not captured the incredible beauty of his eyes or the tone of his skin or how dense his hair was. Or even his height.
"Señorita Carter." His voice was deep and, like the rest of the people she had met since landing, had no trace of an accent. It was precise and rich. "Welcome to our home. I trust your flight was uneventful?" There wasn't a trace of a smile on his face, and it hit her that he might have been forced into playing host by his mother.
"It was."
"Would you like something to drink?" He turned as if to go toward a recessed cabinet when she stopped him.
"I'm fine. If you could have someone point me to my rooms, I'd be very grateful."
