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The heart that had squeezed painfully at his first words lurched in anxiety at the reference to Mendez. ‘Yes, I did.’
‘I sent the opening salvo yesterday. He’s desperate to recommence talks.’
She continued to wave as she’d been instructed and glanced at Reyes from the corner of her eye. ‘What about the new council? Will they back you?’
‘Yes, I have people in place I trust. I don’t intend to stop until a new treaty is signed.’
She nodded, feeling miserable inside. Trust was important. Would he ever trust her enough to let himself feel more for her?
Not likely.
Her hand drooped. Thankfully, they were going through a long archway that connected San Domenica to the palace, where the wedding banquet was being held.
‘Are you all right?’
Her breath huffed out before she could stop it. ‘I’m an ex-juvenile delinquent who’s just been crowned Princess of one of the most influential kingdoms in the world. I’m very, very far from all right.’
She startled as he picked up her free hand and placed it on his thigh. ‘You’ve overcome the adversities thrust at you many times before. You’ll rise to the challenge this time, too.’
Her limbs weakened and, against her better judgement, hope sprang in her chest. It bloomed when he picked up her hand and kissed the back of it.
The roar vibrated against the glass, and she became painfully aware of the reason for the gesture. Pain slammed into her. She couldn’t pull away, not without thousands of eyes witnessing the withdrawal.
She kept the smile on her face until she feared her jaw would crack. ‘So the honeymoon is over even before the ink has dried on the marriage certificate?’ she demanded waspishly.
His eyes gleamed. ‘I’m sure you’ll agree that ours hasn’t been a straightforward route to the altar.’
If it hadn’t been for the baby, they wouldn’t have found themselves in front of an altar at all. ‘No. I guess not.’
His lips pursed, an infinitesimal motion no one else would’ve caught. But she saw it.
‘Can I suggest, however, that we make the best of it?’
When his gaze dropped to her stomach, and an intense emotion passed over his face, Jasmine’s world greyed further.
‘Of course.’
She tried to breathe, but there was little room in her wedding dress for such frivolities. The lace-and-satin gown cupped her breast and torso and dropped to flare in a long dress and train. Isabella had called every fashion house in Europe and had started a bidding war on who would design the Crown Princess’s wedding gown. The two-day deadline hadn’t daunted even one of them.
Jasmine had finally settled on a Milanese couturier who’d worked magic with fabric right before her eyes. The material was heavy without being oppressive and the lace provided her with means of keeping cool in the hot Santo Sierran sun.
Now her crown was a different story. It weighed a ton, decorated as it was with ninety-nine diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
She touched it, felt the sharp bumps of precious gems beneath her fingers, and hysterical laughter bubbled from her throat. ‘Is it true the crown designer stopped at ninety-nine because the palace decreed at the time that a hundred was too ostentatious?’
One corner of his mouth lifted. ‘You’ve been learning Santo Sierra history.’
‘I thought I should, seeing as I have no choice now.’
His smile dimmed. ‘Sí, we all have our crosses to bear.’
* * *
The wedding banquet carried on much like the wedding. Except where several priests muttered homilies, Jasmine had to sit through several speeches from well-wishers from around the world.
Numerous toasts were also raised in honour of the absent king, whom she’d met for the first time that morning.
So very like his son in stature, but with a defeated look in his eyes that made him seem...less. He’d haltingly given them their blessing before his medication had kicked in again.
She’d watched Reyes kiss his father’s forehead with tears trapped in her throat. The love between father and son had been palpable, and Jasmine could just imagine what the turbulent period had done to them.
The clear love in his eyes when he gazed down at his father had given her a little more hope. Hope that was very quickly dwindling as the distance between them grew with each hour.
She smiled for a solid hour. Then smiled some more. Finally, she couldn’t stand it any more. They’d finished with the formalities and those guests who wished it were getting into the dancing session of the evening.
