The Royal Affair (The Palmera Royals) (7 page)

“Right, sister dear, I think it’s time for you to go.”

Jonas’s sister offered them both a sheepish grin. “Oops, sorry. Come on, kids. How about we stop at the store and get some popcorn?”

Squeals of delight echoed around them, and Suzie untangled herself from Marina. Hand in hand, Suzie and Lizzie raced for Emerald’s vehicle.

Jonas grunted. “Food does it every time.”

“Sure, they’re kids and are bottomless pits.”

After they left, silence reigned, Suzie’s words erecting an invisible barrier between Marina and Jonas. Stay. Be a mother. A wife. The trouble was Marina couldn’t find one word to subjugate Suzie’s suggestion.

Finally, Jonas turned to face her. “I think we should get going.” He glanced up at the burgeoning sun. “It’s hot now, but it can get a bit cooler down by Mount Ruapehu. There might even be a bit of snow on its peaks. I’ll store the picnic stuff and fire up the chopper while you get a sweater.”

Leaving him, she headed back upstairs. She stared at her reflection in the bedroom mirror for a moment. She didn’t look any different, but she sure felt different. Felt…liberated. Excited, she determined she would focus on the day ahead. After grabbing her sweater, she headed back downstairs. Nothing on earth could dissuade her from going on this ride with Jonas. She was going to enjoy being bad.

Jonas had the chopper up in the air within minutes, giving her a few brief instructions in the process. “We’re heading south. It’ll take us an hour and a half. Most of the countryside is undulating farmland, but we’ll take a slight detour and fly over Rotorua and then head west toward Ohakune.”

“Roto what?”

Jonas chuckled, the light in his eyes returning at last. How she loved it when he laughed, loved the way his face crinkled, and the glint in his eyes could match any star in the heavens.

“Yeah, I thought that’d get ya. Rotorua. Its nickname here is Roto-Vegas, though really it’s nothing like Vegas. It’s kind of the cultural center of New Zealand, and very touristy because of all the thermal activity. Mud pools, geysers, that kind of thing.”

Marina’s excitement flowered.

“You’ll get a good bird’s-eye view, but we can’t stop, won’t have time because I need to get back and pick up Suzie.”

Marina stemmed her disappointment. “That’s okay. I understand.”

He gave her a quick glance. “The foibles of being a single parent.”

“It can’t be easy.”

“Coping alone never is.”

“And you’ve never thought to remarry?”

“No!” His reply came succinctly and instantly. No meant no way and reinforced what she already knew. No way. Never. Ever. Determined to put those what-ifs out of her mind, Marina concentrated on the landscape below.

The views of Rotorua with the spirals of steam rising from the land, even in people’s backyards, proved spectacular and captured her attention as they neared the thermal city. She leaned forward in her seat, eager to see as much as she could.

“I bet this beats hotel views any day,” he said.

“Oh yes.” Laughter and joy flourished in her heart and voice, and without thinking, she reached over and kissed his cheek.

Jonas never uttered a word, and silently, she cursed her stupidity. Shifting away from him, she fixed her attention firmly ahead. Part of her wanted to say sorry, that she didn’t mean it. But how could she be sorry for kissing someone? And she had meant it!

Schooled in the art of diplomacy and etiquette, Marina normally knew how to deal with awkward social occasions. Today that ability disintegrated.

Leaving the volcanic city behind them, they headed southwest toward the horses. Finally, Jonas spoke, the sound of his voice shocking Marina back to life. “You didn’t have to say what you said to Suzie earlier, you know.”

“Why not?”

“I’m sure lots of people tell you you’re beautiful.”

“They have,” she admitted truthfully without a hint of conceit, “but they don’t say it with the simplicity of a child. That’s what made Suzie’s words so special.”

“Kids say the darnedest things.”

They sure did. Suzie said she wanted Marina to be her mother, but Jonas never mentioned
that
particular “darnedest thing”.

A short time later, he pointed to the left. “There’s Ohakune, famous for growing carrots. They’ve even got a giant carrot statue in town.”

“Impressive. I bet they can see in the dark.”

“At least someone can.”

About to ask him to explain what he meant, Marina stilled the question. Perhaps it was best not to know the truth of such a cryptic statement. Far better for today, at least, to put her questions firmly aside and enjoy the day for what it was—a chance to see more of this beautiful green paradise called New Zealand.

“How about we take another detour?”

“Do we have time?” Even as she asked the question, she knew the answer she really wanted to hear. Today she wanted to spend as much time with Jonas as she could, because the reality was it couldn’t last. Soon she had to return to her own world.

Jonas offered her a broad smile that shot an arrow right to her heart. It was a bull’s-eye.

“The heliport is just a few blocks on the outskirts of Ohakune. We can wander about, and you can get a look at small-town New Zealand, then we’ll head to the ranges.”

After landing the chopper, Jonas exited and walked around to open her door. “Come on.” He reached a hand out to her, and, without thinking, she took it. Warm fingers enveloped hers as she stepped down to the grassy landing pad. Jonas holding her hand felt simply natural, right, perfect.

Just as they entered the township, he suddenly halted and offered a small bow. “Welcome, Your Highness, to the Southern Gateway town of Ohakune.”

“Jonas, don’t! Stop! People are staring.” She cast a sideways glance at two passing teenagers, their mouths agape. She knew that look. They’d recognized her. The game was up.

Sure enough, they held up their cell phones and took several photos of her and Jonas.

Leaving the giggling teens, she and Jonas walked in convivial companionship. Jonas regaled her with stories about his country and childhood as they passed wooden houses painted all different colors. It was completely different from the typically brick or stone buildings of San Torrevna but gave the township character and individuality. In the middle of the township stood a rather rustic two-story building.

“Fancy a coffee at the Crater Bar before we take to the skies again?” He stood back for her to enter the café, and as she passed, his cologne teased her. Her nostrils flared.

Ignore him.

Gritting her teeth, she stared straight ahead and walked inside to be greeted by a quietly efficient hostess. She led them to a table which, unfortunately, was positioned squarely in the center of the room.

“Is there nowhere else?” Marina asked with a tentative smile.

“Afraid not.”

“This is fine.” Jonas pulled the chair back for her and took his seat opposite. “Do you want something to eat?”

“No.” Actually, what she wanted was to get out of there pronto. This was exactly what she disliked about her life. The public scrutiny.

Jonas gave his order, then fiddled with the sugar container on the table between them, his head tipped sideways, gaze quizzical. “You okay? You’ve gone all quiet on me.”

“I feel as if I’m on show.”

He looked around at the obvious interest in their arrival. “Thought you would be used to that. Doesn’t it go with the territory?”

“When you live your life in a fishbowl like I do, sometimes it’s nice to have privacy.”

A few minutes later, the waitress brought their coffees. She didn’t leave straight away and, disheartened, Marina knew instantly what was coming.

“We’re really thrilled to have you here, Your Highness.”

Marina dug deep and pasted on her princess face, a mask she knew intimately. “Thank you. It’s a delightful town.”

The waitress continued to hover. “Are you staying long?”

Marina shook her head. “Unfortunately not, just passing through.”

The young woman’s smile dimmed a fraction, then, after a shaky curtsey, she headed back to the counter, giggling as she whispered to the other staff.

Jonas leaned across the table. “Is it always like this?”

“It’s my life,” she answered truthfully with a slight shrug.

“I don’t remember it being like that when I was in San Torrevna.”

“That’s because…well…” She quickly took another sip of her coffee.

“Because we were busy doing other things.”

“That’s the past, Jonas. Like you said, you’ve got your new life, and I’ve got mine.”

Trouble was, the past had caught up with her.

The hubbub of the café patrons grew by the second as news of their visitor’s identity gained momentum.

Jonas emptied his cup. “Time to get outta here, I reckon. Drink up,” he prompted.

Marina didn’t bother finishing her coffee and replaced the cup, then followed Jonas’s lead as they headed outside.

Instead of walking back the way they’d come, he directed her to a more secluded path along the bank of the crystal clear stream meandering through the township. Along its banks, clumps of cream feather fronds fluttered in the breeze. Marina brushed her hand along one of the silky fronds; tiny fluffs of almost furry feathers took to the air. “What are these?”

“Toi Toi, though I think they’re called Prince of Wales feathers in other countries.” He squinted against the harsh rays of the sun and scanned the western horizon. “I think we’d better keep going. The day is disappearing on us.”

Five minutes later, they were seated in the chopper as he prepared for takeoff.

“Thank you for the coffee.”

“Even though you’ve been rumbled?”

“It happens.”

“Seems to me it’s a game of cat-and-mouse. You hide while the public and press seek you.”

Marina screwed up her nose at that particular truth. “It’s my life, that’s all.”

“But you have started your business, so I guess royal connections come in handy sometimes.”

Marina shot him a scathing glare. “Why do people—
you
—assume I haven’t done it on my own?”

“Whoa. I didn’t say that.”

“Yes, you did. You think I could only have done it with help.”

“And didn’t you?”

“No. Not exactly.”

His mouth quirked ever so slightly at one edge, and Marina had a devil of a time trying to stay angry with him. Blast the man.

“So how
not exactly
?”

“
Actually, Mr. Know-It-All, I brought my first two horses without telling anyone what I was doing. Caribou came second in the Dubai Classic last season, and Zanadu won all her local races since starting. Next season, she’ll move on to the international circuit.”

“Impressive.”

“It is. It wasn’t easy, but it’s
all
my own work.”

“And you’re darn proud of it.” He gave her a wink.

“Dead right I am.”

“Good, now you’ve got that little episode off your chest, I say let’s head toward what we really came down here for.”

Over the rugged landscape they flew, Jonas taking the chopper down lower every now and then as he pointed out things of interest. “We’re a volcanic land where the predecessors of the remaining volcanoes took out their ferocity on the land, wreaking havoc and creating these plateaus and the gouged-out gorges.”

“It’s spectacular, and look at all the sheep.” She pointed to the hillside dotted with white specks.

“We’re a country known for its forty million sheep and only four million people.” He pointed to a scraggly track on the far side of a plateau. “That’s part of the Old Coach Road used by our forefathers before rail linked up the growing cities.”

“It looks rather dangerous.”

“Before that, traveling was done mostly by sea, and our coastal highways were just as perilous.” Jonas banked the chopper southward, coming upon a herd of horses racing across the plateau beneath them a few minutes later. Suddenly, the horses diverted to a scarily steep path descending into the valley below. Marina’s heart lurched as she watched the leading horse, a milky chocolate with a white forelock. The animal plunged down the path, the others following in quick succession.

She leaned forward to watch. “They’ll break their necks.”

Jonas hovered fifty feet above. Horses came from all directions and converged onto that path, racing at breakneck speed down to the edge of the stream. The leader pranced into the middle and rose on its hind legs. For a fleeting moment, it looked as if it danced, then suddenly it was joined by a second horse. They faced off against each other, front legs clashing like swords, water spraying up around them as they swaggered back and forth.

“Is it for male supremacy, do you think?”

“Probably.”

“There are plenty of available mares down there. It’s like a harem. You’d think they have enough choice.”

A deep rumble of laughter erupted from Jonas. “It’s a guy thing. Whoever the girl is, she’s very lucky that he wants to fight for her.”

Moving farther south, they flew over several areas where horses grazed, idly glancing up at the helicopter as it passed overhead, but in reality not bothered at all.

“How about we land over there.” He pointed to a small valley hunkered down below the volcanic plateau. In the distance, the snow-capped peak of Mount Ruapehu glistened beneath the sun hanging in the clear blue sky. It offered the perfect panoramic spot for a picnic.

Once they’d landed, Marina purposely stayed seated until Jonas came round to her side and again offered her a hand out. She took it, reveling as his work-roughened fingers curled around hers. Goose bumps charged up and down her arms. She slicked the tip of her tongue over her lips, only to catch him watching her from beneath a hooded gaze.

How she wished she could read his thoughts.

“Cold?” he asked.

Definitely not.

In minutes, he had the picnic set up, Marina delighted with its contents. Her stomach rumbled.

“Sounds to me like we’ve stopped just in time,” he said.

“It’s all the fresh air.” She sat down cross-legged on the tartan rug.