AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cause they’d definitely missed something while the man had Rob’s attention. Jane now leaned forward and brushed her napkin at the corner of Kensington’s mouth.
“There.” Jane patted the drop of sauce from Kensington’s lips, and then dropped her napkin onto the spread blanket.
The blanket he’d swapped for the nice plush one originally provided for their picnic.
“I think I’ve got it.”
“Thanks. I’d have had barbecue sauce on my face all evening. That probably wasn’t a great choice for a picnic.”
Jill smiled and patted her stomach appreciatively. “It was delicious.”
“Thanks. I brought strawberries and chocolate syrup for dessert.” He pulled out two more containers from the basket. Rob frowned. How had he gotten all that stuff into that basket? Next thing you know, he’d be pulling out a violinist for mood music.
On cue, the sound of crickets chirping filled the air.
Well, hell. Even Mother Nature wanted these two together.
He turned to the cameraman. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll be in my suite, as I’m not needed here. Just carry on without me however you see fit.”
Jane certainly seemed to be doing just fine as she was.
Damn it.
# # #
“What do you think about Kensington’s date?” JP asked the elegant blonde who appeared much as a bird trapped in a cage. Why she had insisted on staying at the castle when it meant not leaving the west wing he’d never understand. Only on a few occasions had she left the castle and then only for short periods of time.
Well, maybe he did now that he’d started putting pieces of the puzzle together.
“I do not think about it one way or the other.”
She lied. He’d made a point to show up during the date just to catch her reaction to Jane and Kensington. That’s why he’d let Rob talk him into accompanying the couple in the first place. Otherwise, he’d never have willingly let Rob go on that outing.
“You’re the woman Kensington met in Central America, aren’t you?”
Her gaze lifted. “Why would you ask?”
“Because it’s the only thing that makes any sense.” JP shrugged. “You know the network had to donate a hefty sum to his mission work to convince him to agree to come on this show? Then someone let your name slip and the report is he started packing his bags quicker than you can say undercover princess.”
“He did this?” Her eyes glimmered with interest.
Oh yeah, she’d been playing clandestine princess long before Jane Millionaire came on the scene.
“Yes.” JP twirled his cigar, wishing he could light the Cuban and take a deep puff. Isabella would have a fit if she knew he’d had more than one puff in his suite and again on the rare occasion in the studio. Still, what the princess didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. “Why do you think hearing about Princess Isabella Jane Strovanik would put the good doctor into a tail spin?”
“Perhaps he is a man who is excited at the prospect of spending time with royalty.” But she gave herself away by uncharacteristically clenching her hands.
“Or maybe he thought Izzy Strover, who just happened to be from the same small European country, was really an undercover princess?”
Her distressed gaze lifted to his.
“You truly believe he came expecting to find me?” She shook her head and walked across the room. “Why would he think that? I have not seen or spoken to Jeff in over a year.”
Did she realize what she was admitting?
“Too much time has past since I volunteered incognito at the clinic he operates in Central America.”
“Obviously he made an impression on you that withstood however much time has passed. Why shouldn’t you have made just as lasting an impression?”
