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Four
With her pulse hammering in her ears, Noelle spent a full minute staring at the empty hallway after Christian had gone. What had just happened? Knees shaking, she retreated to her desk and dropped into her comfortable chair with a hearty exhalation. To her dismay, her fingers trembled as she dialed a familiar number. When Geoff answered the phone, his deep voice acted like a sturdy net she could fall into and be safe.
“Geoff, thank goodness.”
“Noelle, are you okay? You sound upset.”
“I’ve just done a terrible, cowardly thing.” Such drama wasn’t like her, and she noticed that several beats passed while Geoff adjusted to her tumultuous state.
“I’m sure it’s not as bad as all that.”
She closed her eyes, and his steady tone calmed her. She’d met Geoff shortly after moving to Paris. He’d been at a party her boss was throwing and they’d hit it off immediately. Both had been grieving losses. Noelle was fresh from her breakup with Christian and Geoff had lost his wife of fifteen years to cancer six months earlier.
“It’s really bad. I made up a serious relationship between you and me.”
Amusement filled his voice as he asked, “Couldn’t you just have told the guy you weren’t interested? That’s worked for you up to this point.”
Normally Noelle blamed her lack of interest in men on the demands of her skyrocketing career and being focused on her son. The truth was she didn’t find anyone as interesting or attractive as Christian. In the darkest hours of the night when she couldn’t sleep and got up to sketch or visit her workshop, she suspected that the love she’d thought had died when Christian cast her aside was really only buried beneath a thick layer of pain and disappointment.
“It’s not just a guy.” In her agitation, she snapped one of her drawing pencils in two. “It’s Christian, and he figured out Marc is his son.”
“Ah.” Geoff had been a shoulder to cry on when she’d first discovered she was pregnant. Seventeen years her senior, he’d been a combination of close friend and elder brother.
“I told you about the delicate political situation surrounding the Sherdanian throne. Yesterday Nicolas Alessandro married an American girl, leaving Christian the only brother capable of producing a future king. Last night he came to the house and met Marc. Now he’s got it in his head that we should get married so Marc can be his legitimate heir.”
“And he won’t take no for an answer?”
“He’s determined to win me over.” Noelle trembled as her mind replayed the kiss. She hadn’t forgotten the chemistry between them, but five years had dulled her memory of how susceptible she was to his touch. “I can’t let that happen.”
“So you told him we were dating?”
“I panicked. Which was stupid because he doesn’t believe me. I need to show him that you exist and that we’re very happy. Can you come spend the weekend with me? I’ll call and invite him to have dinner with us.” Silence greeted her announcement. “Geoff? I’m sorry, I know I’m putting you on the spot.”
“Noelle, darling, you know I’m happy to help you any way I can, but are you sure this is the best tactic? I don’t live in Sherdana. Even if I appear once and we give a great performance of being madly in love, he’s not going to be dissuaded by an absent lover.”
She thought back to Christian’s remark about long distance relationships. “You’re right. Call Jean-Pierre and ask him if I can borrow an engagement ring. A big one.” The jeweler owed her several favors for sending business his way.
“Our relationship is moving awfully fast,” Geoff teased, but concern shaded his lighthearted tone.
“I know and I’m sorry. I’m taking terrible advantage of our friendship, but I’m feeling rather desperate at the moment.”
“There’s no one I’d be happier to be fake-engaged to than you, but have you thought this through? Are you planning on staying engaged forever? What happens when we don’t actually get married?”
“Hopefully he will be under enough pressure to marry someone suitable that he’ll realize he can’t wait around to change my mind.”
“This plan of yours is full of holes.”
Christian had a knack for shredding her customarily sensible behavior. “We can talk about that when you get here.”
“Very well. I’ll see you Friday evening.”
Noelle disconnected the call feeling marginally less anxious. Pretending to be engaged to Geoff was a ridiculous ploy, but hopefully one that would buy her enough space to get her emotions back under control. Christian had been on the offensive since Brooke and Nic’s wedding. Every step he’d taken had backed Noelle into a corner. It was time she came out swinging.
Christian sat at his favorite table in Seillan’s, one of Carone’s finest restaurants featuring French cuisine. It was owned by a long-time friend of his, world-renowned chef Michel Seillan.
“Hello, P.C. Are you dining alone?” Michel gripped Christian’s shoulder in an affectionate vise. The two men had gone to school together since they were seven years old and had spent a great deal of time tearing up the clubs of London and Paris in their early twenties. The nickname P.C. had evolved when Michel had complained that addressing Christian as Prince Christian took too long.
“No, I’m expecting a couple of friends.”
