A Royal Baby on the Way Read online

  ‘‘We’ll start with something simple,’’ she said as she dealt the cards. ‘‘Five card draw, one-eyed jacks wild. Oh, and Mitch? I want to head over to The Sunshine Home tomorrow. I’ve heard back from the owner and they’re finally ready to let me go through their old records.’’

  He studied his hand. Two ladies and a pair of fives. Not bad. ‘‘If you can wait until the afternoon, I’ll go with you.’’ He passed her his lone three, facedown.

  ‘‘You don’t have to do that.’’

  She dealt him another card. A third five. He had to hold back his grin of pleasure.

  ‘‘I don’t want you going alone.’’ When she gave him a questioning glance, he shrugged. ‘‘I know, it’s a little town and nothing is going to happen. But I would feel better if you weren’t by yourself. Besides, with the two of us there, the work will go faster.’’

  ‘‘Thanks. I appreciate that. Your help will be welcome.’’ She spread her cards on the table. ‘‘Three tens.’’

  He tossed his hand down. ‘‘Full house.’’

  When she pressed her lips together in minor irritation, he laughed. ‘‘Could be worse, princess. This way you’re only losing money, but if I’d set the rules of the game, you’d be taking off that dress right about now.’’

  She looked at him calmly. ‘‘Strip poker?’’

  ‘‘Game?’’

  ‘‘Why don’t you see how the next few hands go. Then you can ask me that question again.’’

  *

  ‘‘I can’t believe how much money you won from me,’’ Mitch grumbled the next afternoon as they drove into the parking lot of The Sunshine Home.

  ‘‘I can’t believe you’re still complaining,’’ Alex told him good-naturedly. ‘‘I warned you that I was very good.’’

  ‘‘But I won the first three games.’’

  ‘‘It takes me a while to warm up.’’ She tried to control her expression so he couldn’t tell she was secretly gloating. ‘‘Now aren’t you glad we didn’t play strip poker? That chair would have been very cold on your bare bottom.’’

  ‘‘You’re forgetting you lost the first three hands. I might have been the first one to get naked, but you would have had to undress some yourself.’’

  ‘‘Shoes and earrings,’’ she said as she stepped out of his car. ‘‘Actually, just one earring. After all, I only lost three games.’’

  ‘‘That’s cheating,’’ Mitch complained.

  ‘‘No, it’s sensible.’’

  He muttered something she couldn’t hear and led the way to the front of The Sunshine Home. She smiled at him as he held the door open for her to allow her to enter first. ‘‘And here I thought you’d be a gracious loser.’’

  ‘‘I’m gracious about many things, but not that, princess.’’

  ‘‘Want a rematch?’’

  ‘‘Maybe.’’

  They were, she realized with a start, flirting. She wasn’t sure she’d ever allowed herself to flirt with a man before. There were so many times when she had to be careful, so that a casual remark wasn’t misunderstood. Her belief that she would marry for the good of her country had kept her from forming close friendships with many men. To make the problem even more complicated, very few men felt comfortable just being themselves around her. Mitch was a rare and very special man. She was fortunate to have met him.

  Twenty minutes later, she was even more grateful. As she surveyed the large, dusty storage room with its piles of boxes, her stomach sank. ‘‘This could take weeks,’’ she said as she read the different labels indicating the types of information stored inside.

  Mitch looked around at the hundreds of files and records. ‘‘You’re probably not going to find out what you want today,’’ he admitted. ‘‘They weren’t kidding when they said they hadn’t gotten everything on the data base. At least they had the boxes delivered here so you didn’t have to dig around in the various storage facilities they’d been renting. One place is easier than three.’’ He shook his head at the mess. ‘‘Tell you what. Let me get the files in order so they’ll be easier for you to go through.’’ He flexed an arm. ‘‘Might as well take advantage of the muscle while it’s here.’’

  Alex looked at the tall stacks. There had to be over a hundred boxes. ‘‘I’ll help,’’ she said, motioning to her jeans and long-sleeve shirt. ‘‘I dressed to get grubby. Besides, it will go faster if we do this together.’’

  ‘‘Works for me.’’

  Mitch started clearing a space against the far wall. Alex picked up a box and read the label. ‘‘I suppose we should sort them by year. If we put all the ones that won’t help on one side of the room, that will cut down what I have to look through.’’

  ‘‘You’re the boss.’’

  While she carried boxes one at a time, Mitch picked up two or three each time he crossed the room. Unfortunately some of the containers had five or ten years’ worth of records, so the sorting wasn’t going to help all that much. But it was a start.

  As she worked, Alex wrestled with her conflicting emotions. The longer the job took, the more time she could spend at the ranch. In the past week she’d relaxed enough to enjoy the quiet and the rhythm of her days. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to get back to her regular life. The thought of hectic, event-filled afternoons and evenings, not to mention official functions, made her cringe. Until she’d had the chance to live without the constant scrutiny of her family, servants and the public, she hadn’t realized how high a price she’d paid to always be on her guard.

  Unfortunately, Alex wasn’t sure what to make of the revelation. Shouldn’t she be anxious to get back to her regular life? Shouldn’t she miss the palace, her family and her duties? She drew in a deep breath. In some ways she did miss her normal contact with her sisters and her parents, although they spoke daily by phone. But she would have expected to feel more out of place on Mitch’s ranch.

  ‘‘Here’s something,’’ Mitch said.

  She glanced up and saw him crouch down as he raised a lid on one of the boxes. ‘‘What is it?’’

  ‘‘I happened to notice the label when I set the box down,’’ he told her. ‘‘These are lists of the children adopted the same year as John. Now it might not say when they arrived, but it’s a start.’’

  She knelt next to him on the floor and took the files he handed her. They both scanned the labels on the aging and dusty manila folders. There were dozens of names.

  ‘‘I had no idea there were going to be so many children adopted from here,’’ Alex said.

  Mitch opened a couple of folders. ‘‘The good news is you can eliminate all the girls, not to mention the boys who are too old. That will cut the number down.’’

  ‘‘Not by enough.’’ Alex studied a file. ‘‘Here it lists a child’s age as anywhere from eleven to sixteen months. They’re guessing, which means we have to broaden the age range we’re looking at. So it would have to be boys under the age of two.’’

  He looked at her, his brown eyes dark with concern. ‘‘Are you discouraged already?’’

  ‘‘Not really, but I did have the unrealistic expectation that this would be a lot easier. Foolish of me, I suppose. It’s not as if the police or royal security detail were able to find James, and they’re trained professionals. What shot do we have?’’

  ‘‘They didn’t know about The Sunshine Home,’’ Mitch reminded her. ‘‘Don’t forget about the baby blanket. That has to mean something.’’

  ‘‘You’re right.’’

  She continued to flip through files, sorting them into different piles. Those to investigate, those that were unlikely candidates and finally those that didn’t fit at all. She glanced at the remaining boxes and wondered how many more records would need to be studied. The task was daunting.

  Mitch gave a low whistle. ‘‘Well, I’ll be. Who’d have known?’’

  ‘‘What are you talking about?’’

  He thrust an open folder toward her. ‘‘I know this guy. Bill
Lewis. He went to school with John. They were friends. But I never knew that Bill had been here, too. He came in the same year your brother disappeared. Looks like a month after the fire. He was adopted shortly after that.’’ He tapped the folder. ‘‘If you’re missing a prince, you need to take a look at this guy.’’

  She took the folder from him and studied the loose pages inside. ‘‘Why do you say that?’’

  Mitch raised his eyebrows. ‘‘You haven’t heard of Bill Lewis?’’ When she shook her head, he continued. ‘‘He’s an incredibly wealthy businessman. Self-made. He’s been on the cover of dozens of business magazines. He’s got the Midas touch and then some.’’ Mitch’s gaze narrowed. ‘‘I can’t tell if he looks anything like you, but there are enough similarities that it’s worth checking into.’’

  Alex reached for her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed the number of the Aspen house from memory, then asked to speak with Katherine.

  ‘‘We’ve found something,’’ Alex said when her sister came to the phone.

  ‘‘About James?’’ Katherine asked.

  ‘‘I think so. I’m at The Sunshine Home, going through old records. There was one child brought in shortly after our brother disappeared. His name is Bill Lewis. Apparently he’s a very successful businessman.’’

  ‘‘All right. What do you think we should do?’’

  Alex hesitated. ‘‘Investigate. Is Elizabeth still…’’ Her voice trailed off.

  On the other end of the phone Katherine sighed. ‘‘Acting strange? Yes. I’m not sure why. I’ve tried speaking with her, but she won’t say if anything’s wrong. I talked with Serena, but you know how she is. Why do you ask?’’

  ‘‘Someone has to look into Bill Lewis, and obviously you’re the only one who can do that. I hate for you to go alone, but Serena would just be trouble, and with Elizabeth not herself I don’t see another choice.’’

  ‘‘I’ll be fine,’’ Katherine promised. ‘‘You’re surviving by yourself. Why should it be different for me?’’

  Alex didn’t know how to answer that. She’d always seen herself as more independent than her sisters. That probably came from being the oldest. No doubt they would tell her it was because she was bossy and insisted on getting her way.

  ‘‘I know you’ll do well. Just be careful and stay in touch every day.’’

  ‘‘I will. I guess this means you don’t have any news about John Colton.’’

  ‘‘Not yet,’’ Alex admitted. ‘‘Mitch has talked to his parents, and they’ll let him know if John contacts them. In the meantime, all I can do is wait—’’ she glanced around the room ‘‘—and go through these records. There are dozens of boxes. I might need Elizabeth and Serena to come help.’’

  ‘‘Just say the word. They’ll be there.’’

  ‘‘Thanks. I’ll do some more on my own and see how far I get.’’

  Alex shared the details about Bill Lewis that Mitch had provided, then she hung up.

  ‘‘That guy won’t know what hit him,’’ Mitch said with a grin. ‘‘I know I didn’t. How often does a regular guy meet a real live Princess?’’ He kicked the closed box with the toe of his boot. ‘‘Ready to get back to the salt mines?’’

  ‘‘If that means am I ready to look through more files, certainly.’’

  They worked until it was dark. The single bulb in the room didn’t give off much light, and when Mitch suggested they stop for the day, Alex agreed. ‘‘I’ll make time to come back later in the week,’’ she said.

  She glanced up and saw Mitch staring at her. He had the oddest expression on his face, and she couldn’t help reaching up and brushing her fingers against her cheek. ‘‘Am I smudgy?’’

  He grinned. ‘‘Nope. I was just wondering. It’s getting late and I’m hungry.’’

  Alex’s stomach growled in response to his statement. She laughed. ‘‘I guess I am, too.’’

  ‘‘So we can head back to the ranch and eat there, or we can eat here, in town. The local diner has great food, if Her Highness doesn’t mind dining with the little people.’’

  ‘‘I’ve never eaten at a diner,’’ she admitted. ‘‘That sounds like fun. And I promise not to make anyone bow unless he or she wants to.’’

  It wasn’t a date, Alex told herself firmly, but it was too late. Her heart had already started thundering in her chest, and she could feel her thighs getting weak.

  Dinner out with Mitch. If it wasn’t a date, it was close enough to make her wish the evening would never end.

  Chapter Eight

  ‘‘This was my favorite place to come for dinner when I was a kid,’’ Mitch said as he held open the door to Ruby’s Diner. He leaned close to Alex and lowered his voice. ‘‘They don’t get many of the royal set, so don’t expect much except good, plain food, okay? There’s not going to be salmon mousse or pâté on the menu.’’

  She glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled. ‘‘What? No pâté? Then I’ll just have to stamp my royal foot in a dainty manner and demand they buy some for me.’’

  Mitch was still grinning as he followed her into the diner. The large, brightly lit restaurant was just as he remembered. Booths lined three walls, their red vinyl seats as shiny as ever. Different-size tables filled the space between the booths and the counter seating. All the tabletops were red and gray Formica. Menus stood between metal napkin holders and bottles of mustard and ketchup. Country music blared out of the speakers, and the smell of grilled hamburgers and steaks filled the air.

  Alex paused to take it all in. She’d dressed casually for their trip to The Sunshine Home, and her still-too-new jeans outlined her slender hips and long legs. She’d pulled a navy jacket over her white shirt. Her hair was back in some fancy braid, and she didn’t have on much makeup. Even so, she was obviously high-class and incredibly beautiful. Mitch saw the interested glances in their direction and knew that he’d have some questions to answer.

  ‘‘Sit anywhere you’d like,’’ a female voice hollered from behind the counter. ‘‘The T-bone is better than the rib-eye tonight, and the mashed potatoes are so good they’ll make you cry.’’

  Alex pointed to a booth in front of the main window. When he nodded, she led the way over and slid onto the bench seat. ‘‘I’ve never cried over potatoes before,’’ she admitted as he took a seat across from her.

  ‘‘Then you’ll have to try them, won’t you?’’

  ‘‘I suppose so.’’ She slipped off her jacket and glanced around. ‘‘I like this place. It reminds me of that movie—American Graffiti. The one set in the early sixties. Did you see it?’’

  ‘‘Many times.’’

  ‘‘Me, too. It’s a favorite of mine and my sisters.’’ She took a menu and opened it. Her eyes widened as she took in the list of steaks and all the ways they could be cooked. ‘‘This isn’t a place for a nonmeat eater, is it?’’

  ‘‘They have salad.’’

  She grinned. ‘‘One salad. Amazing. And…’’ She paused to count. ‘‘Three dishes made with chicken. Four, if you count chicken-fried steak.’’

  ‘‘Hey, Mitch.’’

  He looked up and saw an older man standing next to the table. ‘‘Tom.’’ Mitch shook the man’s hand. ‘‘How’s by you?’’

  ‘‘Good. I haven’t seen you in town for a while. Keeping busy on the ranch?’’

  ‘‘Yeah. With my folks gone and John away, there’s plenty of work to fill my day.’’

  Tom Bucannan’s spread was about five miles from Mitch’s. Tom and his dad had always been friends, but unlike Mitch’s father, Tom would never retire. The rancher always said he didn’t see the point of leaving the one thing he’d worked for all his life. He was a tall man, strong but lean, with gray hair and a handlebar mustache that stuck out straight for nearly four inches before curving into graceful half circles. His sharp gaze settled on Alex.

  Mitch drew in a deep breath. How exactly did one explain the presence of royalty at Ruby’s Diner?
>
  ‘‘Tom, this is Alex. She’s a friend of the family and is staying with me for a little while. Alex, Tom Bucannan, our closest neighbor.’’

  She gave the rancher one of her best smiles and shook hands with him. ‘‘This is such a beautiful part of the country,’’ she said graciously. ‘‘I’m very pleased to have had the chance to see it.’’

  Tom continued to hold her hand in his. ‘‘If you’ve just been around Mitch’s place, you ain’t seen nothing. Ride on up to my spread. I’ll show you some countryside that will keep you talking for days.’’

  ‘‘I would like that very much.’’

  Mitch wondered if the older man was ever going to release Alex’s fingers. He finally did so, then tipped his hat and left.

  ‘‘We have some colorful characters up here,’’ Mitch said by way of explanation.

  ‘‘I liked him.’’ Her blue eyes danced with amusement. ‘‘Although you were glaring.’’

  ‘‘I was not.’’ Tom was old enough to be her father and then some. He hadn’t been glaring. He cleared his throat, then changed the subject. ‘‘I hope you don’t mind that I introduced you as a friend of the family. I didn’t think you wanted everyone knowing who you were.’’

  ‘‘That’s fine.’’ She rested her forearms on the table. ‘‘I liked that, too. No one has ever said that about me before. Probably because no one would be comfortable with that kind of familiarity.’’

  Mitch stiffened at her comment. He knew in his head that she was a royal princess, but with her exercising the horses and living in his house, he often forgot it on a day-to-day basis. Most of the time she was just a smart, intriguing, attractive woman who had taken up temporary residence on the ranch.

  ‘‘So how many rules of etiquette have I violated in the past week and a half?’’ he asked.

  ‘‘Nearly 750.’’

  ‘‘I’m being serious.’’

  Her smile faded. She reached across the table and touched the back of his hand. ‘‘Please don’t be.’’ She paused and drew in a deep breath. ‘‘You’re the most genuine person I know, Mitch. You treat me like I’m very normal. My guess is that you forget the princess part, and I don’t want that to change.’’