Virgin Princess, Tycoon’s Temptation / The Secret Child & The Cowboy CEO: Virgin Princess, Tycoon’s Temptation

“Of course. Come along, Muffin.”

Muffin just stood there looking back and forth between them.

“Breakfast,” Geoffrey added, and Muffin scurried excitedly after him.

Forgetting about her tea, Louisa hurried back to her room and dialed her brother’s cell phone. As soon as he answered she asked, “What’s wrong? Is Melissa okay? Are the babies all right?”

Chris chuckled and said, “Relax, everyone is fine. Melissa started having contractions last night.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

“There was nothing you could have done and Melissa didn’t want you to worry.”

“Is she in labor? I thought it was too early.”

“She was, but they gave her a drug to stop it. Unfortunately she’s already dilated two centimeters, so she’s on complete bed rest. They’re keeping her in the hospital until she delivers.”

“Oh, Chris, I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

“Actually, yes. Melissa made a list of things she needs. Makeup and toiletries and things like that. Could you gather everything and bring it to the hospital?”

“Of course.” She grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and jotted down the list. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“I want to stay here as often as possible, so I’d like you to meet with my assistant about taking my place at a few speeches and charity events.”

For a second she was struck dumb. He never would have trusted her to a task like that before. She almost asked, what about Aaron or Anne, but caught herself at the last minute. She didn’t want him to think she didn’t want to do it.

“Of course I will,” she told him instead. “Anything.”

“Thanks, Louisa. I’ll see you soon.”

She hung up and was turning to leave her room when she remembered her date with Garrett and stopped dead in her tracks.

Bloody hell.

Well, as much as she wanted to see Garrett, family always came first. Especially now, when Chris seemed to be seeing her as a capable adult. She would just have to call him and reschedule. Maybe they could see each other later in the week.

She picked up the phone, mumbling to herself about bad timing, but as she put it to her ear there was no dial tone. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a deep male voice said, “Hello?”

“Garrett?”

“Well, that was strange,” he said.

“What just happened?”

“I called your number, but before it could even ring, I heard your voice.”

“Seriously? Because I just picked up the phone so I could call you!”

Garrett chuckled. “We must be on the same brain wave or something.”

“I guess. Why were you calling?”

“Regrettably, something came up and I have to break our date for this afternoon.”

Louisa laughed and said, “Seriously?”

Garrett paused for several seconds, then said, “Well, that wasn’t exactly the reaction I’d been expecting.”

“I’m laughing because I was calling you to say that I have to cancel our date.”

“Hmm, that is pretty weird, isn’t it?”

“I thought maybe we could get together later this week.”

“We could do that. The first half of the week will be a little hectic for me, but maybe Thursday evening?”

That seemed so far off, but at least it would give her time to visit with Melissa while she adjusted to being confined to a hospital bed. “Just to warn you, if you want to take me off the palace grounds, Chris will need two days’ warning to arrange for security.”

“Well, then, I guess I’ll call you Tuesday.” There was a commotion in the background, and what sounded like a voice over a PA system, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. “I’m sorry, Louisa, but I have to go. I’ll talk to you Tuesday.”

Before she could say goodbye, he disconnected, and she realized she hadn’t even asked why he had to cancel today. Oh well, she was sure that it must have been very important. They could talk about it Tuesday.

She hated the thought of having to wait until Thursday to see Garrett again, but the anticipation would make their next date that much more special.

Seven

Sunday morning became a blur of doctors and nurses and representatives from the private home care facility that Garrett was hiring to look after his brother while his leg healed. And since Ian was being released tomorrow morning, there wasn’t much time to get everything squared away.

Though Garrett wasn’t too keen on the idea of his brother staying in his house for another six weeks or so, at least this time Ian would be physically incapable of running off with his belongings. The only time he was allowed out of bed was to bathe and use the loo, or he risked the bones shifting and healing incorrectly, leaving him with the threat of more surgeries and possible permanent disabilities. And while Ian could be irresponsible and self-absorbed, he wasn’t stupid.

It was going on three when all the arrangements were completed and the appropriate paperwork signed. Garrett was walking down the hall to the elevator when someone called his name. He turned to see Louisa standing behind him, flanked by two very large and ominous looking bodyguards.

Oddly enough, his first instinct was to pull her close and kiss her, and he might have were it not for the risk of being tackled by her security detail.

“I thought that was you,” she said, breaking into a wide smile. “What are you doing here? Did you come to see Melissa?”

“Melissa?” he asked.

She walked toward him, and with a subtle wave of her hand the guards fell back several steps. “Princess Melissa, my sister-in-law.”

“No. Is she here?”

“In the family’s private wing,” she said, gesturing behind her. “She was brought in last night for early labor. That’s why I had to postpone our date.”

“I had no idea. I’m here visiting … an associate. He was in an accident yesterday.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Is he okay?”