The Prince's Pregnant Bride(42)

“We can’t stop him,” Lani mouthed back in barely a whisper.

Her mother-in-law ran out into the garden and grabbed her arms. “AJ’s heading for the airport.” Her long nails cut into Lani’s skin. “He can’t leave us. We need him.”

“I know we want him here.” Lani rose and spoke softly. “But he needs to leave and we have to let him.”

Priia’s eyes were still wide with shock. “I could call the airport and tell them to ground the plane.”

Lani shook her head. “You can’t keep him here by force. It has to be his choice.”

“But he chose to stay. He announced to all of us at the banquet that he…” The first tear rolled from Priia’s dark eyes.

You pressured him into it, Lani wanted to say. But she held her tongue. No need to pour salt on Priia’s already sore wounds. But this was exactly why it was a bad idea to go after him now. Trying to force the issue hadn’t helped at all. He was still leaving, and they were right back where they started.

Which wasn’t such a bad place after all.

She drew in a steadying breath. “We’ll be fine. The baby will be our next king or queen.”

Priia looked up. “The baby, yes! Oh, sweetheart.” She drew in a steadying breath. “And now I suppose we can tell people it’s Vanu’s child.”

Lani looked down. “Yes, there’s no reason not to.”

Her mother-in-law dabbed at her eyes with one of her embroidered handkerchiefs. “It is a blessing having his baby to remember him by. And you can rule in the meantime. It’s been a long time since Rahiri had a queen, because usually our people have so many boys ready to…”

Her voice trailed off, then she cleared her throat. “You’re right, of course, my dear. We must meet every challenge life throws at us with our heads held high. Thank the heavens for bringing you into our lives, sweet Lani. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

They hugged and Lani did indeed feel a tiny bit reassured. She’d gotten along just fine without AJ around before, and she’d be a-okay without him again.

At least she hoped so.





Eight





AJ had hoped that media coverage of Rahiri would cease now there was no longer a Hollywood director involved. Apparently, though, he was not the main attraction. He’d been back in L.A. two months and stories continued daily on the splashy entertainment shows and in the celebrity press, and blogs buzzed with the latest tidbits and speculations from the palace.

He’d underestimated the hold Lani’s beauty would have on the popular imagination. People couldn’t seem to get enough of her stunning face, which could not take a bad photo. Her slightly exotic features and unique coloring entranced and intrigued people and made them want to know more about her and her fabulous royal existence.

Which didn’t help, because AJ couldn’t stop thinking about her, either.

He strode across his foyer and grabbed the newest pile of mail off the hall table. He’d arranged for his clipping service to send him everything related to the palace, not because he felt personally involved, but so he’d at least know what was going on if someone asked.

He flipped through a thick file of fresh clippings, forcing himself not to linger on any pictures. There was one in particular they seemed to latch on to, a half profile shot that perfectly captured the adorable tilt of her nose and the sparkle in her golden eyes.

He knew what they’d cut out of the photo—him. She’d been gazing at him with that bright look on her face. Now he was the villain of the piece, the one who had let her down to pursue his big-deal career and go back to chasing designer miniskirts in L.A.

They were half-right, really.

But his dropping out of the picture had only seemed to intensify their interest in Lani and her predicament: the lovely princess, so recently widowed and now jilted by her presumed fiancé. Her pregnancy had hit the media like a neutron bomb. Poor lonely Lani, left to raise a child with no one to care for her.

Of course he knew better. She had a staff of nearly fifty and a mother-in-law who rarely gave her a moment’s peace.

One story told of the hordes of men who’d submitted details and photos in the hope that she’d choose one of them to be her husband. He was pretty confident the applications were being shredded on arrival at the palace, but he couldn’t help feeling a sting of envy.

Which was ridiculous, because eventually Lani would marry someone else.

He turned and strode back into the kitchen. His home used to seem so calm and uncluttered. Lately it just looked bleak. All the black and white furnishings looked garish and pretentious after the soft natural hues and hand-carved woods of the palace.