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She didn’t mention that Brad Rivera was back in Augustine and half of her protection detail. Her dad loved Brad like a son, had expressed concern and worry about him many times after he disappeared, and had no idea Arianna had kissed him and would’ve willingly handed her heart over if Brad had been inclined to stick around.
Arianna didn’t sleep well despite the huge, comfortable bed and high-quality linens. It was great that the castle staff rotated through silk sheets in the cooler months and Egyptian cotton when it was warm out. She did the same thing at home, and she and Malory had chatted about those details before. She loved that lady and had appreciated a mum hug and caring concern tonight.
Her mind spun recalling the horror of the attack from an infamous serial killer. The way that awful man had licked his lips and grinned as he’d attempted to murder her. The fact that General Ray thought the man would come after her again was chilling … nauseating … terrifying, truly.
Then her mind churned with ways to make the wedding perfect without attending to the final details in person. She groaned and prayed for help and inspiration. This was her crowning performance. She couldn’t let King Nolan or Madeline, truly the entire country of Augustine, down.
Finally, her brain spun—and stuck—on Brad.
Brad Rivera. She could not believe he was here. In Augustine. At the castle. Her protection. And she’d been able to hold him close. His arms around her were the only part of the evening she wanted to savor.
She should hate him.
She didn’t.
She should be very careful not to fall for him again.
Would she?
Had she ever stopped loving him?
Arianna gave up on sleep around four-thirty in the morning, prayed, stretched, used the bathroom, brushed her teeth, washed her face, put in eyedrops, and dabbed peppermint essential oil on her forehead, neck, and the tops of her toes to counteract little rest and too much stress. She dressed in some Lady Fit casual gear, compliments of Faith and Hope, and wondered if the big, wonderful fitness center, swimming pool, and spa would be available this early. The royal family were generous to a fault, but she didn’t want to interrupt their time in their own workout facility. At her small home in Traverse, she would walk outside when the weather was nice and use her elliptical machine and favorite Pilates workouts when it wasn’t.
Oh well. She didn’t have time anyway, and she’d survive without the endorphins and stress release of a workout. Maybe. Stress had already been at a high level prepping for last night’s ball, Christmas, and especially the king’s wedding. Now she had to accomplish everything on her list using only her sense of sight and her people skills. She wanted to touch, smell, taste, compare, contrast, get up close and personal, dive into every last essential detail. She supposed not flying to Milan, Sicily, Paris, Rome, and driving to the other appointments would save time, but this was what she did. And she did it right and with flair.
Arianna shuddered, said another prayer, and grabbed her laptop out of her oversized Gucci purse. Mason had brought everything to her late last night. He’d been kind and funny as ever. She wished he was the one whose handsome face she couldn’t get out of her head. But no … Brad Rivera. Were their mums plotting together from heaven as they’d always done here on earth?
She focused on her emails to shut out her worries, responding to various questions and fine-tuning the details. Then she had to start sending out requests to change the meetings from in-person to video chats. Ugh. Nobody would like this, most of all her. She was composing the first email when she realized she had no idea what to tell them. The general hadn’t told her to keep her attempted murder a secret, but she doubted anyone in Augustine needed another horrific scare like a serial killer on the loose broadcasted to the world.
Setting her laptop on the side table, she rushed across the bedroom and flung open the door. The main area had all the lights on. The huge windows didn’t bring in much light because of the blizzard outside blocking the sun.
She stopped in her tracks. Brad was on the floor, between the couch and recliners, pounding out military-precise pushups. Thankfully he had a shirt on, but that couldn’t hide the well-built musculature of his back and shoulders.
He leaped to his feet. “Ari? Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Well, Iwasfine.” Until she’d glimpsed how perfectly built he was. He hadn’t been scrawny the last time she’d seen him when he was nineteen, but he hadn’t been this … delicious-looking.
“That is a very … nice jogging suit.” He looked her over as well.
Arianna smiled. “Hope and Faith’s creation. Those ladies make me look fabulous.” She snapped her fingers and twirled for emphasis.
“I cannot argue with suchtruthfullogic.” His eyes grew warm, hot even.
Arianna had no words. The castle had always been a beautiful workplace, but it had never felt like home before. Everything was more comfortable and yet exciting with him around.
She was thrown back to how easily they’d bantered throughout their lives. How she’d looked up to him. How she loved him. As children he’d let her tag along on adventures, but they hadn’t been close during their teenage years. He’d always been kind to her, but two years older in school and busy with sports and leadership positions. She’d longed for him to notice her and look at her like he was doing right now.
Then they’d reconnected a couple years after he graduated secondary school when his mum passed and especially the night of his mum’s funeral. Before he disappeared. She’d longed for him, and she had been ticked and hurt.
Suddenly, she needed a buffer. “Where is Mason?”
His brow squiggled, his golden eyes filled with angst. He rubbed at his stubbled jawline, and the motion made her heart ache. That mannerism was still the same after all this time. “I was trying to fit a workout in. Mason is in the shower. Do you wanthim?”
Was their time together going to be like this? Him second guessing if she wanted Mason? Her wanting to tell him she wantedhimbut she had to be smarter this go-around? She’d been a needy seventeen-year-old when he’d left. She’d wondered for years what she’d done to push him away, or if it was all tied in to losing his mum. In her immature mind, he hadn’t loved her enough, had still seen her as a younger cousin of sorts, that her kiss hadn’t rocked his world like his had rocked hers. She’d hoped he only needed to go see the world, then he’d come back for her and settle down.
She’d finally grown beyond those foolish dreams and worked into her current position in a rather intriguing way. Five years ago, she’d worked hard and achieved a sales position at a high-end clothing store in the Inner Stadt—Akris Vienna. She’d missed her dad and Augustine, but the job had been ideal.
Queen Anne had traveled to nearby Austria for an exclusive showing. Arianna had been blessed to work with her. The queen had been as genuine and loving as the rest of the August family. The lady had been impressed with Arianna’s knowledge, fashion sense, and her desire to move back home to Augustine. Within a week, she had a job offer at the palace. A dream come true.
