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“I can understand. Once upon a time I was a young man. Things can happen quickly.” The king stared off into the distance as
though he was caught up in memories. “I’ve watched Elena grow up, and there’s something very special about her. She’ll make you a good wife. You take care of that girl.”
“I will, sir.” This was his chance to get the conversation back on track. Please let him agree. “That’s why I’m trying to secure a deal for the lemon grove.”
“About that, I am sorry. But my son is right. We cannot grant new contracts right now. The kingdom’s records and finances are all under review. Everything is on hold at the moment.”
“I understand.” He might understand, but that didn’t make his situation any better.
“Once every file and account has been audited to make sure that criminal didn’t embezzle or sell any national secrets, our security will return to normal and new business will commence. If you could just wait, we will give your proposal due consideration.”
Luca couldn’t just walk away. Even though the king couldn’t help him now, he wanted to do or say something to help his uncle, or to just let him know that he wasn’t alone. “Sir, you know that what happened with my mother wasn’t your fault. And no one blames you.”
The king’s tired eyes widened. “How can people not blame me? That murderer worked for me. He was right here in this palace.” A sorrowful expression filled his face. “I am so sorry this happened to your mother. I can’t express enough my sorrow and regret that this happened.”
How exactly did he respond to that? Luca never blamed him. “I appreciate your words, but you don’t need to apologize.”
“I should have known something was wrong.” His fist pounded on the arm of his chair. “What kind of ruler am I if I can miss something so important?”
“You are human like the rest of us. Please believe me that no one in my family—or in the palace or, for that matter, the nation—blames you. But people do miss you.”
“Thank you. I will take that under consideration.”
After thanking the king again for seeing him, Luca made his exit. He was in no better position than when he’d arrived. But he was in no worse shape, either.
And yet, he could feel everything he’d strived for slipping away. His childhood home, his legacy—it all now hung in a very precarious position. And should he fail to save it, he imagined that he would lose contact with his father and sister once more. This was why he kept people at a distance. Letting them in just set him up for more pain.
Most important, he would lose all of his savings on this venture and have no way to support Elena and the baby. He raked his fingers through his hair. If this was the best he could do, then perhaps he didn’t deserve this family.
As he made his way out of the palace, he knew he would find a way to make this all work. He had to. Everyone was counting on him.
* * *
The deed was done.
Elena couldn’t believe she’d begged her father to let Luca speak with the king. She knew her father didn’t want to do it, but she’d pleaded with him and told him that her entire future was on the line. He’d asked if it was really that important, and she’d promised that it was. She knew that if Luca didn’t save his legacy, their marriage didn’t stand a chance of surviving—if it ever had.
She sure hoped Luca knew what he was doing. He seemed so certain the king would help that she wondered what would happen if the king’s hands were tied just as his son’s were. Elena didn’t know a lot about how the government worked, but something told her the king would not override the crown prince’s decision, not when the king was positioning his son to take over the kingdom—at least, that was what her father had led her to believe.
After stopping by to check on her mother, Elena retrieved her sketch pad and colored pencils. If nothing else, she could get some work done. Now that her modeling contract with Lauren Renard had been dissolved, Elena needed to focus on her new career path—designing her own fashions.
When she arrived back at the cottage, it was empty. Luca still hadn’t returned. She’d taken that as a good sign—the king was hearing him out. And though Luca didn’t go on and on about his family’s business being in danger and what that would mean to his father, she knew it had Luca tied up in knots. If it was possible to get the lemon grove on level financial ground, would Luca be more open about his feelings toward the baby? And her?
But Elena foresaw a problem with his plan. Luca was trying to take on this enormous problem all by himself. Granted, she wasn’t that familiar with the business world, but to her it seemed like the more people you had brainstorming ways to solve a problem, the quicker and easier the solution would be derived.
She grabbed her phone and selected Annabelle’s number. Elena hesitated before she pressed Send. Sure, Annabelle had invited her to her engagement festivities, but how would she feel about Elena inserting herself into family business? Would she be willing to talk to Elena about something so intrinsic to her family?
There was only one way to find out. Elena pressed the button. The phone rang once, twice...
“Hey, Elena, I was just thinking about you.” Annabelle’s cheerful voice came over the line.
“You were?”
“Uh-huh. I was wondering how the impromptu honeymoon is going.”
Elena paused, not sure what to say.
“Elena, is something wrong?”
