"Something like that."
They all started for the house. The king continued to rage, but no one paid attention.
Once they were inside, Brenna opened bottles of Marcelli wine. The Grands did another of their instant meals-on-demand tricks. In a matter of minutes food covered the kitchen table. Mia sat with Rafael on her left and Danny on her lap.
"Are you really staying?" Danny asked tentatively.
"Yes," Rafael said. "I will always be in your life."
"Are you going to live here?"
Mia wasn't sure how he would answer the question, but Rafael jumped right in.
"Not for a while. Your mother and I have to get to know each other again. That takes time. But we're still a family. You're my son and I love you very much."
"Do you love Mommy?"
"Yes."
Mia still had trouble getting her mind around that one.
"You abdicated," she said.
"I am aware of that."
"How could you? You're supposed to rule your country."
He shrugged. "I'm not losing you, Mia. I have waited my entire life to find you. What is a kingdom when compared with that?"
"It's a kingdom! It's being king. Your face on stamps and having buildings named after you."
"None of that is important."
"Fine. Then it's about fulfilling your destiny. You were born to rule. Your people deserve a good leader. Do you really think Quentin is up to the task?"
"He can learn."
"But— "
Rafael leaned in and kissed her. "Stop. If I am an ordinary man, you will see me as someone worthy of a second chance. As Prince Rafael, I will always be the man who deceived you. I am content."
She found herself getting lost in his eyes. On a scale of one to ten, abdicating had to at least be in the twenties.
He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. "I will court you, Mia Marcelli. I will be here no matter what. I will love you with a devotion that leaves you breathless. When you are ready to trust me again, tell me, and then I will convince you to marry me."
There were five other women in the kitchen and Mia heard every single one of them sigh. She would have, too, except she was already breathless.
"Rafael," she whispered. "You know I never stopped loving you."
"I know. I was a fool to let you go and a bigger fool to try to trick you. My time would have been much better spent realizing what was in my own heart and then convincing you we belonged together."
"I'm sort of convinced."
"Good."
Grandma Tessa reached for Danny. "What would you like to eat?" she asked. "Some pasta? It's your favorite."
"That one," he said, pointing. "Mommy? Daddy? Where are you going?"
"They're just going upstairs," Grammy M said as she pulled out a chair for the boy. "To, ah, talk."
Katie poured him some milk. "They'll be talking awhile. But that's okay. After we eat, we can watch a video. Or play a game."
"Can I go talk with them?"
Francesca smiled. "Not this time. It's grown-up talking."
"Talking, huh?" Brenna said with a grin. "Who would have thought it would come to this?"
Grammy M sighed. "I always liked that man."
Tessa rolled her eyes. "If the devil had a title, you'd like him as well."
"That I would."
Hours later, when the house was quiet and stars filled the sky, Rafael leaned over Mia and kissed her.
"You're not saying much," he told her.
"I don't know what to say. You abdicated, said you loved me, proposed, and then walked out on your father in a matter of twenty minutes. My head is still spinning."
He kissed her again. "Good. I always want to make your head spin."
She rubbed her hands across his bare chest. "Do you mean it? The not-being-king part?"
"Yes. I have no desire to change my mind." He smiled. "I love you, Mia. I would do anything for you."
"Even walk away from everything you are?"
"I am more than just a prince. It is time to discover the man."
She believed him. There were no doubts, no questions. She opened her mouth to tell him so but what came out instead was, "You have to be king."
He laughed. "Mia, no."
She sat up, not caring she was naked. "Rafael, I'm serious. You have to be king. It's what you were born to be. Plus I think you'd be a good king."
"No. I'm serious about wanting to study medicine. Besides, you don't want to be a queen, do you?"
She grimaced. "Not really, but I would. You owe yourself, and your people. And Danny."
He pulled her down next to him and bent over her. "I think it would be best to discuss this later."
She sank back onto the bed. "Fine, but don't think for a moment I can't change your mind."
He lowered his head. "Mia, I have long since learned never to doubt you."
Epilogue
One year later
"I swear, if anyone from the press tramples through my grapes, there will be hell to pay," Brenna muttered as she adjusted the front of her dark green sheath. "I will kill anyone who so much as bruises a grape."
Francesca rolled her eyes. "Mia, I told you to wait until after harvest. Brenna, you're like an old woman about those grapes."
"I am a protective bear mother of twins," Brenna muttered. She walked to the window and stared out toward the vineyards. "I can feel them inching closer to the grapes. I hate the press. Have I mentioned that? Mia, you should have gotten married in the spring."
"I suggested that, too, but Rafael didn't want my law school graduation eclipsed by wedding plans. He wanted both days to be special."
"I think I liked him better when he was a jerk," Brenna said. "He's so nice now. So caring and thoughtful. It's not natural."
"Ignore her," Katie said as she adjusted Mia's veil and fingered the tiara. "These are real diamonds, aren't they?"
"That's what I'm told," Mia said. "About thirty-five carats."
"Cool," Kelly said with a grin. "Can I borrow it when I get married?"
"Maybe."
Amber turned sideways in front of the large mirror that covered one wall of the bride's room. "I look huge."
Mia smiled at the pregnant woman. "You look beautiful. Radiant."
"You're barely showing," Brenna said. "At six months, I was a cow. Trust me, you're lucky."
"You were a beautiful mother-to-be," Colleen Marcelli said. "I'm a mother and I know about these things."
Darcy walked into the room, closed the door behind her, and leaned against it. "It's done. The president and the king have officially shaken hands. It was a beautiful moment. Joe looked surly, but he often does. I tried to get him to come up here, but he was afraid there were too many women in one place and the estrogen would asphyxiate him." She looked at Mia. "You're gorgeous."
"Thanks. I owe a lot to you guys."
"You're right about that," Francesca said, coming up to stand beside her. "Do you know how many hours of beading went into this thing? I bled quarts on your dress."
Mia stood in front of the mirror and tried to convince herself this was all happening. That she was really getting married to Rafael in front of eight hundred of their closest friends.
The guest list had been just one issue to be dealt with. There had also been the logistical nightmare of housing so many foreign dignitaries and their families. Something, the king informed her on a regular basis, that would not have been a problem had she been married in Calandria, like every other princess.
But then he'd smiled, because after all this time, he'd gotten used to the fact that Mia wasn't like other princesses.
Rafael had resisted revoking his abdication for nearly six months, but after the law had changed allowing Mia equal say in her children's future, he had agreed to once again be heir to the throne.
She stared at herself in the mirror, at the yards and yards of beaded silk. The design for the dress had come from a modified version of an eighteenth-century ball gown. The infamous Quentin had flown out himself to fit Mia. He'd directed the Marcelli women on the beading, which had taken months. Now it was finished and she was about to marry Rafael.
She smiled at the thought. He truly had changed. He was a good, caring father and supportive of her. He had moved into the house and taken care of Danny while she'd crammed for finals, and he had been patient as she had then tried to learn a thousand years of Calandrian history in just two months.
Her father walked into the bride's room. "It's time," he said.
The women collected their bouquets and hurried out. Mia's mother lingered.
"My baby is getting married," she whispered as she kissed Mia's cheek.
"Don't make me cry," Mia pleaded. "We don't have time to redo my makeup."
"Or mine." Her mother lowered Mia's veil over her face. "I'm glad you're happy. That's all I ever wanted."
Her father grinned. "Sure. We don't actually care about being related to royalty. Although I've been thinking. Now we have the perfect in for the European market."
His wife slapped his arm. "You will not discuss exporting Marcelli wines during the reception. Do you understand me?"
Marco grinned again.
Then Mia was alone with her father. He squeezed her hand. "You can still get out of this if you want."
She laughed. "Not even on a bet. I love him, Daddy."
"I've offered the same escape to each of my girls and you have all refused. I guess that means you're really in love."
"I am."
"You put him through the wringer. I'm not saying he didn't deserve it, but he came through."
"He did. He loves Danny and me."
"He's a good man," her father said. "I like that I can say that about all my sons-in-law. Come on, Mia. It's time."
They walked down the wide staircase and through the arched doors that led to the wide expanse of lawn. She could hear the royal Calandrian orchestra playing and smell the thousands of flowers arranged for the event. Then she and her father turned and she could see the dais where the ceremony would take place, the beautiful arch, and a seemingly endless sea of guests.
"Katie outdid herself," her father murmured.
Mia nodded in agreement. Her sister had worked with the Calandrian protocol officer to pull off a massive wedding in far too short a time. Everything looked perfect.
"I'm ready, Mommy," Danny said as he stepped in front of her. He held a pillow with two gold bands clipped in place.
"You look very handsome," she told him.
"I look like Daddy." He grinned and tugged at his miniature bow tie.
"All right, kids," Katie said, motioning Danny to join his cousins. "Let's go. Just like we practiced."
Mia watched her sisters' children begin the long walk down the aisle to where Amber, Darcy, and Kelly waited. The girls scattered rose petals. Brenna and Francesca stepped up next.
"Thanks for the great dresses," Brenna said with a grin.
"Thank Quentin," Mia told her.
The twins started their walk.
Katie squeezed Mia's arm. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Mia swallowed to hold back tears. "You did an amazing job with the wedding."
"I loved it. And there isn't a single daisy anywhere."
Mia laughed.
Katie turned to face the arch, then began her walk. Mia slipped her hand into the crook of her father's arm.