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lives. This became evident when they didn’t put up a fuss about my working in Africa. I was crushed when they sounded happy about my doing charity work there. They didn’t miss me, not at all. Marusha’s parents have been more like parents to me than anyone.”

      Her suffering had to be infinite. “That’s tragic about your parents.”

      “I was afraid you’d say that, but I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. They were warmer to me at the wedding, especially Mother. You asked for the truth and I’ve told you. As for believing in destiny, despite my pain, I was happy with my life in Africa and decided I’d probably live there forever. The ability to help other people brought me a lot of peace I hadn’t known before.”

      “Until I turned your world upside down,” he bit out in self-deprecation.

      “It wasn’t just you, Antonio. Elena had already become family to me. When she got into real trouble, I felt her pain. Like you, she led a life of isolation being royal. I can understand why she took up with guys from my world. In your own way, you and Elena have led a life of loneliness. It’s a strange world you two inhabit and always will be. But I was lucky enough to be the friend Elena let in. If I could have had a sister, I would have wanted her.”

      “You’re very perceptive, Christina. I originally went to San Francisco to learn business. It was there I worked with normal people. Zach became a true friend and I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want to go home. My parents’ lifestyle was a personal embarrassment to me. But when I heard of the trouble Elena was in, I couldn’t turn my back on her. Forgive me for using you.”

      “By phoning you, I used you too,” Christina came back. “Did you really have a choice to do anything but try to draw the paparazzi’s attention away from her? I was the perfect person to help. After all, we were an unlikely threesome, yet no one knew me or knew about me. What I want to know is, why didn’t you break off our engagement a few years later and ask the woman you loved to marry you?”

      His jaw hardened. “I wouldn’t have done that to you.”

      “You see what I mean?”

      Her sad smile pierced him.

      “You tried to be like everyone else, but in the end, the prince in you dominated your will. The princess in Elena let you fall on your sword because you were both born to royalty and knew your duty. She wanted you to be king one day.

      “Before I phoned you, did you know she wanted to admit everything to the police and take the blame so there’d be no reflection on you or your family? But I wouldn’t let her. I told her I was going to phone you because I knew you could fix things and you found a way.”

      “Which involved you.” His voice throbbed. His emotions hovered near the surface. “Let me ask you a question. Why didn’t you tell me to go to hell when I called you to give you the wedding date? You would have had every right.”

      She breathed in deeply. “Because your royal dust had blown on me years before. I’m not a Halencian for nothing. My country means everything to me. The engagement we entered into was very bizarre, but it made a strange kind of sense. In fact, the only kind of sense that would satisfy the people.

      “I’m positive it would have been hard for them to accept your marriage to a woman from a different nationality as you pointed out. But if you’d wanted it badly enough, you could have made it happen.”

      He eyed her for a moment. “When it came down to it, I didn’t want her badly enough to break my commitment to you.”

      “Thank you for saying that. I want you to know I’m not sorry, Antonio.”

      His heart skipped a beat. “Do you honestly mean it? Even though it meant ending an important relationship with the doctor you met in Kenya?”

      “It wasn’t that important. I didn’t want to break my commitment to you either. You and Elena have trod a treacherous path all your lives. You always will because you were born to the House of L’Accardi.

      “Elena and I were friends from the age of fifteen. I knew her sorrows. She bore mine. Her greatest fear was that you might end up living in California one day and giving up the throne so she would have to be queen. That was one of her greatest nightmares.”

      Good heavens. So much had gone on that he hadn’t known about behind the scenes because of his selfishness in pursuing his own dream. “I didn’t realize…”

      “How could you if she never said anything? At our reception, Elena acted so happy we got married that she could hardly contain herself.” Even though there was still something she seemed to be holding back.

      “Her happiness went much deeper than that because it meant she wasn’t going to lose the best friend she’s ever had.”

      Christina flashed a full, radiant smile at him, stunning him. “Now she’s got both of us and our threesome can go on forever.”

      Forever.

      * * *

      Antonio turned around and started paddling again. There’d been a time when the thought of being married forever stuck in his throat. But no longer. When they returned to the hut, Manu had served their dinner on the deck.

      “Tonight you are eating freshly caught mahimahi with coconut rice and mango salsa.”

      “It looks fantastic, Manu.”

      After he left them alone Christina said, “They’ve gone all out for us. Now I know the true meaning of being treated like a king.”

      His blue eyes glinted with amusement as they sat down to eat.

      Christina took her first bite. “The fish is out of this world.”

      “This is Bora Bora mahimahi,” he quipped. “We won’t be getting anything this good in Halencia. If I could put off the coronation for a while, I’d like us to stay here for a month at least! I’m thinking our first-year anniversary. What do you say?”

      “But we’ll fly commercial. And we’ll stay in a little bungalow over the water and play tourist like everyone else.”

      “And climb the mountain and scuba dive. Have you ever been?”

      “No.”

      “Then you’ve got to take lessons. I’ll go with you.”

      “You mean you’ll take time out of your busy day?”

      “You’ll need a buddy. I don’t want anyone else buddying up with my wife.”

      The possessive tone in his voice thrilled her.

      Once dinner was over Christina showered and washed her hair. After toweling it, she used the blow dryer until it swished against her shoulders. She put on a pale lemon-colored nightgown. Her skin had picked up some sun, adding color to her complexion. To her relief her injury was barely noticeable.

      Her lamp was the only light on in the room. There were more brochures for her to read on the side table, but she wasn’t ready for bed yet. Antonio had turned on more romantic music. The thought of him made her heart thump out of control. She’d just spent the most heavenly day of her life with the man who was now her husband.

      Before long he came into the bedroom wearing a robe. Without a shirt he had an amazing male physique with a dusting of dark hair on his chest. Her mouth went dry just looking at him. When he came closer, she could smell the soap he’d used in the shower. “The night is calling to us. Let’s go out on the deck. I want to dance with you.”

      He grasped her hand and they walked out into the balmy night. Christina gasped softly to see millions of stars overhead. “Antonio—have you ever seen the heavens this alive? I just saw a shooting star.”

      “We don’t need a telescope when the universe seems so close. It’s even in your eyes. They are shimmering like newly minted silver. Combined with the red gold of your hair, you’re an amazing sight. A new heavenly body to light up this unforgettable night.”

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