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“You have no idea how precious they are to me, but she knew what they would mean to me. What a darling boy you were! No wonder you captured their hearts. I’m going to have each one framed.” She stared into his eyes. “Tonight, I’m putting in an order for a baby who looks just like you.”
“I already put in one earlier today, for an enchanting princess with hair of gold and jewel blue eyes, but I’m more than eager to accommodate you this very minute.” He got up from the table and pulled her after him.
Nico could see she’d already inhabited his bedroom. Her feminine items draped around had turned his apartment into a love nest. Giorgio had come out of the closet and sat on the chair. Overcome with emotion, he crushed her to him. He’d never imagined happiness like this was possible.
“I need you, squisita—I want to love you and never let you go.” In the next breath they lay down together. Throughout the hours of the night they gave in to the passion consuming them. His ardent lover thrilled him.
Enzo had called her adorable. Fausta was that, and so many other things—he was blown away by her womanly magic. He would never be able to get enough of her. Toward morning they both fell asleep with their legs entangled, her face burrowed against his shoulder.
When he heard a phone ring, he knew he couldn’t ignore it. A patient might be calling who needed him. But Fausta was one step ahead of him.
“It’s my phone, Nico. I’ll get it. You sleep.” She reached for it on the bedside table, but by now he was awake. For someone to call her at five thirty in the morning concerned him.
She sat up to talk. All he heard her say was “Lanza.” After a minute, she thanked her and hung up.
“What’s going on, Fausta?”
“I think you can guess.” She put the phone on the table and returned to his arms.
“So, our secret is out.”
“Yes. My bodyguards saw us go in with your doctor’s bag. Then they saw the priest leave the castello and knew something was wrong. They caught up to the priest and said they were on the king’s business. He told them he’d performed a marriage service for you and me. That’s all they needed to hear.
“Lanza wanted to give us a heads-up that the parents are now in the know. They wanted to find out what she knew. I’m glad she couldn’t tell them anything.”
“So am I, Fausta, but we need to talk to them before I have to leave for the office. My first appointment is at nine. Let’s get dressed right now and drive to the palace. What we need to tell them has to be said face-to-face. They deserve to know everything. I want them to know how much I love you.”
She threw her arms around his neck. “It’s going to be all right, Nico. I promise.”
“I’m not worried about me, tesoro. It’s you.”
“Don’t worry about me. I have you.”
Her faith in him was humbling. He recalled a certain conversation with Felipe.
I’m thankful I’m not in your shoes. When the time comes, I don’t envy you. But for what it’s worth, I defy the king to find a better man for his daughter than you.
* * *
“Mamma? Papa? I’d like to introduce you to my husband, Dr. Nico Barsotti, who is a family practice physician at the Hospital of the Three Crosses.”
Fausta’s parents had been waiting for them in the salon following her phone call to them.
Nico bowed with infinite composure. “Your Majesties. It’s a great honor to meet you at last.” With his tall, rock-solid build and dark hair, he looked fabulous in his tan suit and tie. She loved him so terribly, her heart hurt.
“How do you do, Dr. Barsotti.” Her patrician father and mother made imposing figures, but she could always count on them to be kind. They’d faced difficult situations with her sisters’ marriages. “Why don’t you and Fausta be seated.”
“Thank you.”
She reached for Nico’s hand and they sat on the love seat opposite her parents.
“Lanza phoned us at Nico’s apartment earlier this morning. We imagined the news would leak out but hoped to have a chance to tell you before you heard it from anyone else. Since it’s too late for that, we want you to know why we didn’t come to you before now. Nico has an amazing story to tell. I’m going to let him explain.”
Fausta’s beloved husband sat forward and began his incredible tale, starting with life at the orphanage. As the revelations continued to unfold, she watched her parents’ somber expressions change to ones of disbelief and eventual awe.
Her father was the first to shake his head. “You’re the son of King Carlo and definitely look like him. How amazing, and how sad that you didn’t get to meet him.”
“As Signor Bruno explained, he didn’t dare bring me out of hiding until he felt there was no threat.”
