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“The sacrifices I must make to stay dry and out of fountains.”
“Let’s pretend we’re looking at the view right now.”
Ellery laughed, but he cut it off by kissing her. They might be making a spectacle of themselves, but Ellery didn’t care. Derek’s family accepted her despite the mess she’d made, and she knew her ninja prince would never walk away from her or send her away. He’d proven he loved her above everything else, and she trusted him with her heart.
The Charming Prince and the Single Mum
Chapter One
Sophie Pederson hustled around the tented area of the gorgeous courtyard in front of the August family’s royal castle. Every food item had to look almost as fabulous as it would taste before it was sent out to the crowd celebrating the marriage of General Raymond August and his bride Macey Clifton. The American turned Augustine princess proclaimed she was a ‘geek,’ but Sophie thought Macey was smart and impressive. At least from what she’d observed from afar. If only they could be friends. Prince Raymond’s new wife appeared as sweet as Prince Raymond was tough.
She’d gotten some tender glimpses of the gorgeous couple as they circled the party, received congratulations, and stared at each other so lovingly it stirred the repressed longing inside Sophie for a man who looked far too similar to Prince Raymond. Malik was younger and not as thick through the chest as Raymond, but all the brothers looked far too much alike for her unsteady heart.
If social media was to be believed, the General Prince had stolen the gorgeous computer specialist from his formerly identical twin brother Crown Prince Tristan. Sophie would love to know the true details. The August family was as gracious and friendly as any family she’d met, but they were royals and wisely kept details sparse and positive where the media was concerned.
If she could let down her guard and spend more than half a minute in the glorious presence of the ‘Charming’ Prince Malik, she could probably ask him. He’d share the story with her. He’d once shared his heart, his dreams, his time, and his tender, all-consuming kisses with her. He’d seen her as far more than a waitress who loved to cook. He’d always believed she would be an acclaimed chef someday. Even after she had unwillingly dumped him, she’d clung to his vision of her achieving her dreams.
Against Sophie’s better judgment, she crept to the tent opening and peered out. Her gaze zeroed in on Malik as if he were a magnet and she a piece of metal that longed to soar through the air until she was firmly attached to him. Luckily, her feet stayed planted and she only feasted her eyes on his handsome face.
As if sensing her gaze, he looked away from the beautiful blonde flirting with him and zeroed in on Sophie. His blue eyes were instantly full of her, and his generous mouth curved in a cautious but welcoming smile.
Sophie could never forget the day she’d met him. She’d just graduated secondary school and was working for the summer as a waitress in downtown Traverse before she started culinary school. Prince Malik had walked in to Shady’s Grill with some friends, locked gazes with her with his beautiful blue eyes, strode right up to her, and said, “Pardon me. I seem to have my lost heart, and I am certain you stole it.”
She’d laughed, almost dropped the load of food she was carrying, and lost her heart to him in one fell swoop. “Would you like your heart back, Prince Malik?” she’d asked.
“No.” His blue eyes had swept over her, and his voice dropped to a husky whisper. “Just keep it safe for me, will you?”
Sophie smiled at the memory. As if he was remembering as well and her smile was a signal, Malik’s cautious look turned to determined, and he started toward her. Sophie’s heart raced and she found herself leaning forward, ready to fly to his side where she belonged.
Prince Derek and his girlfriend approached Malik. The connection was broken as he focused on the pair. Sophie wondered if all the rumors about the American Ninja Warrior stars Prince Derek and the ‘adorkable’ Ellery Monson were true.
Shaking her head, she went back into the tent and tried to dampen thoughts of Malik, the drama of her life and his family’s, and how instead of keeping his heart safe, she’d broken it. She sent a tray back for more chunks of tender steak on each kabob. Her instructions had been six pieces of steak on each kabob, not four.
It seemed the royal family had a lot of drama recently with Prince Tristan being burned by a bomb, Prince Curt protecting an American beauty from killers and then marrying her, and Prince Steffan falling in love with a murderer, the infamous billionaire heiress Hattie Ballard, before Hattie was killed. Just today, amid the royal wedding celebrations, Prince Derek’s girlfriend had been kidnapped by the scum Treven Rindlesbacher. There’d been an insane car chase and apparently an irreplaceable Lamborghini had been destroyed.
Sophie shuddered just thinking of that man’s name. She prayed the evil masochist hadn’t touched the beautiful Ellery before she was rescued. Her own thoughts turned dark, remembering.
Focus on the positive. Her mum’s voice.
Sophie took a deep breath. Thank you, Heavenly Father, that Treven Rindlesbacher is back in prison where he belongs. Thank you that my darling Sunny is safe with my mum and dad and such a delight to all of us. Thank you that Malik is still single and I might get to stare unabashedly at him tonight while he isn’t looking. Or, if I’m unreal blessed, grant me one more moment of staring into those blue eyes that I love and kissing those perfect lips.
Gasping, she stopped her prayer and hurried back to the prep counter. She’d help assemble hors d’oeuvres or check if they were running low on anything or taste test … something. Anything to take her mind off the charming prince she’d never be blessed to tangle glances or lips with again in this life.
He’d waited until her shift was over that first night they met. They’d gone for a long walk along the riverfront, and after that night spent every spare minute together. They’d fallen in love that blissful summer, in no hurry, their entire lives and happiness secure in a future together. Or so they thought.
Once upon a time, she’d thought their love story would go down in the tales of time, but then Treven had found her walking the streets of Traverse alone late one night, daydreaming of Malik, who’d been in Spain studying outdoor recreation while she finished up culinary school in Traverse.
She’d never told anyone who the father of her baby girl was. Treven had explained in vivid, terrifying, and revolting detail what he’d do to Prince Malik, and to her parents, if she ever revealed that he had raped her. To call the man a nefarious psycho was putting it far too mildly. Sadly, she believed him and knew he could hurt those she loved even from prison. His vulgar friends and demonic parents would do anything for him.
The other problem was Malik was such an honorable gentleman and protector of her. If she’d told him, he would’ve gone after Treven. He could’ve landed himself in prison or put a target on his back as the Rindlesbachers were nobody to mess with.
When Sophie had realized she was pregnant, she had been horrified. She hadn’t even wanted her parents to know who Sunny’s father was, lest it somehow slip or they acted off around William or Naomi Rindlesbacher. She couldn’t risk any mistake that could lead to that disturbing family getting anywhere near her daughter.
She’d accepted an engagement to her close friend Jonathon Lathum shortly after she’d shattered Malik and their future dreams, revealing she’d become pregnant with another man’s child while he was away at school.
Jonathon knew she was heartbroken over lying to Malik and pushing her true love from her life. He’d promised to take care of her and the baby and claim her child as his own. Her heart had ripped in two promising herself to anyone but Malik, but Treven hadn’t threatened Jonathon, and Sophie had prayed it would keep Malik safe if the criminal believed she’d moved on to Jonathon.
The horror of Jonathon being brutally murdered a week after they announced their engagement would likely never leave her. The perpetrator had never been found, but she’d discovered a note on her pillow one night with a message that had haunted her since.
