The Park's Empire: Handsome Strangers...: The Prince's Bride

“Would you like to have it served at your wedding?” Emily set the exquisitely cut wineglass on the parquet table that separated her chair from Lazhar’s and took a small notebook and gold pen from her bag.

Lazhar shrugged. “Yes, of course. If you think it’s appropriate.”

“I think it’s an excellent choice. I’ll make a note to request that the caterer use it. What is it called?” He told her, his deep voice smoothly switching to Spanish. She wrote down the name, vintage and year, then closed her notebook and placed it on the table, her pen next to it, before picking up her wineglass once more. She took a sip and observed him over the rim of her glass. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going for dinner and if the menu will be Spanish to match the wine? Or must I wait until we get there.”

“We’re having dinner aboard the plane.”

“Aboard the plane?” Confused, Emily stared at him.

“But tomorrow,” he continued, “we’ll have lunch in Daniz. I’ll have the palace chef uncork another favorite vintage for you to taste.”

“I beg your pardon?” Emily was certain she’d misunderstood him. Daniz was at least a ten-hour flight away from San Francisco.

“By lunchtime tomorrow, we’ll be in Daniz.”

Emily was speechless. His gaze didn’t flinch from hers, he seemed to be waiting for her to react to his blunt statement. Her surprise quickly gave way to anger and she returned her wineglass to the table with a snap.

“Are you telling me that this plane is flying to Daniz?”

“Yes.”

“With me on it?”

“Yes.”

“Without your asking me if I were willing to go to Daniz?”

“You told me this afternoon that you’re willing to go to Daniz. It was only a question of the timing.”

“I also told you that it would take at least two weeks to clear my calendar.”

“Which is why I discussed the situation with your assistant, Jane, and why the staff from my embassy in San Francisco will be reporting to your office tomorrow. They’ll do whatever your assistant requires of them until you return. They’ll also install the necessary equipment to link your office to the palace media room so you can be in touch with your staff at any hour of the day or night, whenever you feel it necessary.”

Emily was furious. “How kind of you. But that doesn’t change the fact that you failed to ask for my permission to do any of those things. Nor did you bother telling me about your plans when you lured me aboard this plane.”

“I can only apologize. When I spoke with Jane she assured me that she would be happy to take your appointments over the next couple of weeks. She also told me that the chance to combine a holiday in Daniz with work was something that she firmly believed would be good for you.” Lazhar paused, eyeing her. “She seemed quite taken with the idea, in fact, she volunteered to go to your apartment to pack your bag and get your passport this evening.”

“Jane helped you with this conspiracy?”

“She assisted with the arrangements, yes.”

Emily fumed, silently wondering what on earth Jane could have been thinking.

“I know you might not like my method of getting you to come to Daniz, Emily, but I’m sincere about the limited time frame. I don’t know how familiar you are with Daniz politics, but the news reports about my father’s health are true. He’s not well. We don’t know how much time he has left and he wants to see me married as soon as possible. I want your firm to handle the wedding plans but I can’t wait two weeks—not because I’m being difficult and high-handed, but because I don’t know how long my father will be with us. And I’ll do whatever is necessary to give him what he wants,” he added grimly.

His words defused Emily’s anger as little else could. She didn’t have a good relationship with her own father, but she could understand a son’s wish to please a dying father. “Very well,” she said. “When you put it that way, there’s little I can say. However,” she added when she saw relief ease the tense lines of his face, “I want to talk to Jane about the office arrangements before I agree.”

“I thought you might.” He lifted the tabletop between them, revealing a telephone in the cabinet beneath. “While you’re talking with her, I’ll check with the pilot about our flight time.”

Her temper still simmering, Emily pointedly waited until the door closed behind him before lifting the receiver and dialing, tapping her nails impatiently against the arm of her chair while she waited for Jane to pick up.

“Hello?”

“I’m going to fire you for this, Jane.”

“Hi, Emily.” Jane’s voice held a smile, despite Emily’s grim tones.

“I can’t believe you did this—what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that a) You’ve got a genuine shot at planning a royal wedding that would send Creative Wedding’s status through the roof; b) You’re so conscientious that you would never want the Benedicts or Katherine Powell, or any of your other clients, to feel that you gave royal wedding arrangements priority over theirs; and c) You can’t miss this opportunity. It’s just too good.”

“I know all of this, Jane. I took it into consideration when I told Prince Lazhar that I could fly to Daniz in two weeks, after I cleared my calendar.”

“But the prince made it very clear that he can’t wait two weeks,” Jane said. “And although I know you want to be there for each and every detail for your clients, Emily, I looked at your schedule for the next two weeks and I really can handle your appointments till you come home.”

“What about your own work?”

“Most of what I’ve booked as priority for the next few weeks is glorified errand-running and double-checking details for the Andersen and Heaton weddings next month.”

“Hmm.” Emily sighed, still not totally convinced.

“Emily,” Jane’s voice coaxed. “We’ve known each other since high school. Have I ever lied to you?”

“No.”

“Then trust me, going to Daniz is the best opportunity you’ve ever had to build your business. It’s like found money. This could make Creative Weddings the most important bridal consultant firm in the U.S. Not to mention,” Jane added persuasively. “That you’re going to spend a week or more in one of the most beautiful countries on the Mediterranean. And you’ll be staying in the palace. You haven’t had a vacation since we left high school—this is the perfect chance.”

“You’re sure you won’t be buried under at the office?”

“Positive. Besides, your prince said he’s sending over staff from the Daniz Embassy. They’re accustomed to dealing with diplomatic receptions and galas and they can do all the errand-running on my calendar while I’m free to deal with your appointments.”

“All right,” Emily said reluctantly. “You’ve convinced me. But I’m still not happy with the fact that neither you nor the prince asked me if I was willing.”

“Hon, you would have refused,” Jane said with an affectionate chuckle. “I can hardly get you to go out to dinner on a weekend because you’re working. Getting you to agree to anything that takes you away from the office is difficult. You really need this break.”

Emily sighed. “Brenda told me last week that she was worried that I was working too many hours.”

“Brenda’s right,” Jane said promptly.

“I’ll expect you to stay in touch, daily,” Emily said.

“Absolutely,” Jane replied.

They discussed a few items on the morning’s schedule before they rang off, after Jane promised to check in with Emily each day while she was in Daniz.

The receiver had barely settled onto the phone base when the cockpit door opened and Lazhar strode into the room.

Emily waited until he sat down next to her before she spoke, answering the unvoiced question in his eyes. “Jane will handle my schedule while I’m in Daniz but she’ll be in contact every day, and if something comes up that needs my attention, I’ll fly home immediately.”