Romance: My Italian Prince, Undercover Love: Sweet Romantic Comedy (3 page)

“You know Alex, the night we stayed at the yacht after the Gala,” she said almost whispering.

“Mm?”

“I heard something when I sat on the pool deck, I couldn’t sleep and went out to get some air. I accidentally overheard Brunetti talking on the phone with Mitch.”

“Go on,” Alex didn’t move but she could feel his breathing becoming faster.

“I heard him say some awful things about me, about you and me,” Vanessa paused, not sure on how to proceed. How was she supposed to tell him his guardian and father figure wanted him miserable, wanted to split them up so he could get Alex to marry someone with a royal status, just to be sure not to lose his privileges as a prince? Maybe it was too much to take in for him right now with everything going on with Mitch.

“I’m listening,” Alex said, “what did you hear?”

There was no turning back, she had to come clean about what she'd heard.

“Gian-Carlo wanted me to leave you and go back to NY without you. He doesn't trust me being with you for who you are but seems to think I'm in it for the money.”

There, she finally said it, at least parts of it. Alex didn't say a word. He probably needs some time to take it all in, Vanessa thought when she heard a strange noise coming out of his mouth. Oh my god, he’s having a heart attack. What have I done?

She sat up and looked at Alex in alarm who was now on his knees, rolling around in the grass in convulsions. Was he crying? No, the guy was laughing. Alex was laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe and had to sit up. Vanessa just looked at him. Had he gone completely mad? This was no laughing matter!

“Oh Vanessa, my sweet, sweet Vanessa, you think I don’t know Gian-Carlo´s ways by now. He’s always been this way. He just keeps going on and on about me marrying a princess so I won’t lose my title. This damn title, I couldn't care less, for but it's so important for him. It’s all about his promise to my parents before they died. He’s an old man who takes his word very seriously. But he would never do anything to jeopardize my happiness. Trust me he would never do that.”

“Oh,” Vanessa felt a bit stupid. Perhaps she had overreacted after all and if it was as Alex said she had nothing to worry about, and maybe, but just maybe Brunetti wasn’t as bad as she had thought.

She looked at Alex who had laid down again with a smile on his face. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too, and don’t you ever worry about Gian-Carlo again. He’s harmless. It’s you and me now and he just needs to accept that.”

“You know I think I will set up a dinner for us three so we can talk and get him to relax. Yeah, that’s what I should do,” Alex seemed pleased with himself.

“Ok if you think that will work, I’m in,” Vanessa said and laid down next to him again.

Chapter 4

“What wine do you prefer?” Alex looked at her over the large menu he was holding.

They sat in the garden of the village restaurant, run by two brothers, which age was impossible to define, they could be 50, or they could be 102. It didn’t matter, as the food was impeccable, not to mention their dessert of chocolate cakes and strawberries. It was lovely.

Alex phone buzzed. He took a quick glance at it and then put it back in his pocket again.

He saw Vanessa's look and just shook his head.

“Nothing to worry about, it's Gian-Carlo, but he will text me if it's something important. And if it’s not a matter of life and death, he won’t. He hates it, he thinks the phones is too small these days and that his fingers can’t write a message on those tiny digits. He misses the old telegraph I guess,” Alex smiled.

As an answer to that, his phone buzzed again; “What now?” Alex mumbled a tad annoyed.

Vanessa watched him as he read the message and then read it again.

“What’s he saying? Is it Mitch?” She asked worried that something bad had happened.

“Maybe, it’s not clear but it’ seems as if I need to fix a few things,” Gian-Carlo is writing that Mitch needs some paper transferred and I need to sign them.

“What kind of papers? That sounds strange!” Vanessa looked at Alex who stared at his phone with frowned eyebrows. He looked worried.

“Yeah, but it’s probably nothing. I will just get Gian-Carlo to sign them and send them over.”

“Ok, great,” Vanessa was relieved. For a second she thought Brunetti would ask Alex to come to the city and she was starting to get quite tired of being interrupted at all times by that man.

Alex tapped in a message and then put his phone away again.

“Let’s see what’s for dessert shall we?” Alex sounded keen on not letting Brunetti destroy their romantic dinner.

Just as, their hot chocolate cake was about to be served, his phone buzzed once again. Alex ignored it and took a spoonful of cake, smiling at Vanessa.

It buzzed again.

“Alex, please just answer him. He won’t stop if you ignore him, you know that.”

Alex looked relieved, took his phone up again, and dialed Brunetti.

“Just a second babe, I’ll be right back to you and that chocolate cake,” he blinked at her and went up to make his call.

“That was quick,” Vanessa said as Alex approached just a few minutes later. “What did he want?”

Alex sat down on the chair next to hers, he playfully took her spoon, and fed her some of the chocolate.

“I have to go, Vanessa. Trust me when I say I don’t want to but I have no choice. It’s regarding Mitch. Apparently, he’s had some sort of breakdown at the facility over in the states and he’s ushering me to sign some legal documents stating I will be making all decisions regarding his medical situation in case he ends up on life support.”

“Life support?” Vanessa was shocked. Was Mitch in such a bad state he was considering suicide?

“I’m sure this is just one of these times when Mitch is being over dramatic, but I must sign the papers otherwise he will never calm down and might even run off from the program.”

“I’ll take my car and drive down to Nice tonight. I’ll be back in a few hours. You can finish up your dessert and walk back to the B & B and I’ll be back in time to tuck you in,” Alex winked and placed his hands around her waist.

“Hmm, I guess I have nothing to say on this matter,” Vanessa said in a low voice, afraid if she spoke louder, he would hear how angry she was. She knew it was wrong of her and maybe even childish to be jealous of Mitch and Alex friendship. However, she couldn’t help it. He would do anything for that man, but he would he do the same for her? She must learn to trust him. If he says he loves me, he does, she said to herself in her head as she gave Alex a kiss and told him she would wait up for him.

Alex looked pleased and headed out of the restaurant.

“Drive safe,” Vanessa called out after him.

“The faster I’ll go the faster I’ll be back,” Alex answered, winked an eye at her and blew her an air-kiss. “Love you babe, and see you soon. Don’t eat all of that cake now,” and with a smile he was gone.

Vanessa rested her back at the chair and sighed. Well, here she was again. Full of strange thoughts about Alex not being as truthful to her as he should be, but why? Had he ever lied to her? Yes, he had actually and that was the case, she couldn’t forget about it no matter how hard she tried. It had been for her own good when Alex had pretended to dump her and then convincing her boss at the hospital to sign her off to go with him as his personal nurse to France. He had later confessed he had been in no need of any medical staff and the reason to bring her was just to be alone with her and get her away from the hospital. Brunetti had put him in that situation when he had threatened to tell the hospital about their love affair and in order to protect her from being fired he promised Brunetti to break up with her. It had all been a fraud and as soon as they were on his private jet on their way to Cannes, Alex had told her all about it. She couldn’t forget her pain, though. She had felt a pain in her heart she almost thought was physical, but she understood it was just her heart aching for Alex. She had been devastated.

However, it wasn’t only that. She had a hard time not thinking about Alex past as a playboy, hitting all the nightclubs around the world with Mitch and Victoria Secret Models in tow. If she were honest to herself, this was her main problem when it came to trusting him.

Deep in thoughts Vanessa walked through the village to the B & B and for the first time she didn’t even noticed the beautiful stone buildings, the small antique boutiques, and the bakery where they used to buy fresh baguettes in the morning. It all had lost its shimmering filter somehow when Alex wasn’t there to coo over it with her. She felt alone and sad.

Back at the B & B, Madame Dupont had made their bed with fresh linen that smelled of a lavender field. She felt exhausted, all her thoughts were tiring, and she lay her head on the pillow without even bother to undress. Alex would be back soon, he could get that honor she thought, and with a smile, she fell asleep.

Slipping back and forth into sleep and consciousness Vanessa woke up, her head ached, and she felt confused. What time was it? Why did she have all her clothes on? She sat up to look for Alex when she remembered. He had gone off to Nice, he had been called in by Brunetti and interrupting their romantic dinner to head back to the city to sign papers for Mitch. But he should've been back by now? She reached for her cell to check the time. It was three in the morning.

She felt a sudden hint of alarm in her belly as she dialed Alex´s number. It went straight to voicemail. What was happening, was he safe? What if he had been in an accident again? That’s how they had met.
Please don’t make this be the universe pulling a joke on me ending this in an ironical way the same way it all started
. Vanessa couldn't help but think the worse. She hated that she always did that, but it came so naturally to her it was a hard habit to let go. She had to call Brunetti. No matter how much she hated that man she had to. She dialed the number, no answer. Oh no, this wasn't happening how could this be?

Vanessa was in tears as she stumbled down the stairs only to find Madame Dupont standing in the kitchen area. The old woman in just her nighties and a silk robe, her hair neatly placed on several curlers. She had swept a large shawl around her petite frame and looked quite happy as she stood blending a mix of milk and honey to a tall man sitting at the kitchen table.

Vanessa halted in the door, not sure if she should approach or not. What if Madame Dupont had a lover and wanted to be alone with him? But as she turned around to leave the room without entering, the man at the table stood up.

“Mademoiselle Green?”

Vanessa looked at him, “Yes?”

“I have a message for you from Mr. Di Savoy,” he said in a voice resembling one of the king's men in a 1600-century saga.

“Yes?” she said impatiently.

“Mr. Di Savoy has the great pleasure of inviting you to his yacht in the…”

Was this a joke?
Vanessa felt angry, w
hy couldn't this man just get to the point?

“Right,” Vanessa interrupted him. “So what you’re trying to say is that Alex is staying at his yacht tonight and wants me to go there?”

“Pardon Mademoiselle, I have been ordered to make…”

Vanessa almost jumped on her spot by impatience and she cut him short. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’ll just gather my stuff and I’ll come with you.”

“Thank you, Mademoiselle.” The tall man said without even blinking at her dry tone. He just sat down on his chair and with a small nod at Madame Dupree, he finished the milk-and honey drink in about three slurps.

As they drove back to Alex´s yacht in Monte Carlo, Vanessa tried to gather her thoughts. Something had obviously happened that had made Alex send for her. Probably he was just getting so late after he finished his meeting it was no point in driving back tonight. But still, why had he rushed a driver to St. Augustine to bring her back?