Slow Tango With a Prince (Royal Scandals) (35 page)

Alessandro spoke next, a wry smile pulling at the edges of his mouth. “The truth of the matter is that I never left Sarcaccia. Vittorio did. As children, we occasionally switched places for fun. This time, we did it for the betterment of our country.”

Once again, Vittorio took over the newscast. “As was covered in the press, I was shocked by the sudden loss of Carmella Rivas, my former girlfriend. I was deeply disturbed that a woman who had so much promise, a woman I thought I knew well, would find herself in such a dark place that she believed she had nowhere to turn. After establishing the Carmella Rivas Memorial Fund to offer free, confidential counseling for those contemplating suicide, I needed time away from the spotlight. First, to grieve, and second, to reassess my role as the heir to Sarcaccia’s throne. It became more imperative than ever that I make a difference. Alessandro offered to fill my role at my father’s side, literally stepping into my shoes so that I would have the privacy I needed. We stayed in frequent contact, as it was important to him to act as I would, and I believe he did a remarkable job.”

As she watched the screen, Emily’s heart went out to Vittorio. He’d endured so much more pain than anyone knew, more than anyone would ever know. She twisted her fingers in the side of her dress in an attempt to keep her emotions in check, only to have Vittorio’s hand briefly come to the small of her back. In that moment, she knew his thoughts followed the same track as hers. The touch was his way of thanking her for allowing him his privacy.

Onscreen, Vittorio’s expression brightened, as did his tone. “Now, I’m finally ready to share what I did during my time away. After a brief stop in Canada, I traveled to Argentina. While in Buenos Aires, I was fortunate enough to meet the producers of an American television show called
At Home Abroad
. The show gives its viewers a look at a foreign country’s culture through the eyes of an expatriate hoping to relocate to the country. I spent a great deal of time with the staff as they filmed their season finale. I was impressed by their professionalism as well as with the quality, entertainment value, and educational aspects of the show. More than that, I saw what a boon the show is for the country in which it is filmed. No doubt those who’ve watched the Argentina season will want to travel there to experience its wonders firsthand.”

The camera moved to Alessandro as he spoke. “Our brother, Prince Stefano, has been working the last few years to improve Sarcaccia’s transportation system in order to better serve both locals and tourists. Our country also recently opened a new conference center in the capital city of Cateri, a state-of-the-art facility that caters to organizations of all sizes. New hotels have been constructed along the waterfront in recent years, with expanded capacity to account for both tourists and business travelers. Given that modern infrastructure, we knew the time was right to show the world all Sarcaccia has to offer.”

“This week, I spoke with James Owens, the head of the network that broadcasts
At Home Abroad
.” Vittorio’s smile lit the screen, making Emily’s heart do a slow flip. It was as if he were smiling directly at her when he sat in front of the camera. “I made my best pitch, asking him to consider having the show film in Sarcaccia. I gave him an overview of our country’s rich history, our unique architecture, our picture-perfect beaches, and, of course, the real estate market for those who might want to purchase a vacation home or a more permanent residence. He agreed that our country would be the ideal location for season four of
At Home Abroad
. The first episode will be filmed in a few weeks, following the wedding of Prince Stefano and Megan Hallberg. And” —he winked to the camera— “I happen to know that the show will have access to some behind-the-scenes moments at the wedding that will give viewers a peek into our country’s traditions.”

Gasps and cheers filled the reception room as Vittorio finished with, “Alessandro and I hope you will be as excited to see
At Home Abroad
in Sarcaccia as I am. Thank you, and good night.”

Vittorio moved from Megan’s side to stand next to James Owens as the finale cut from the video back to the stage. Owens took the microphone and said, “Our time is short, but I ask that we all raise our glasses to toast Emily Sinclair, Rita Bragna, and the entire crew who brought us to Argentina this season. It was a joy to see Emily tango” —he accepted a champagne glass from a staff member, waited for Emily and the princes to receive theirs, then tipped his glass toward Emily in salute— “and to experience Argentina’s vibrant culture. We’ll see you again in Sarcaccia!”

He passed the microphone to Emily, allowing her to make a final toast, then the screen cut to black as the network moved on to its next show.
 

Vittorio murmured near her ear, “I need to talk to Owens before he leaves. Then I suspect Rita, Mike, and Ignacio will want a moment. Don’t disappear.”

“Believe me, I’ll be the last one out of the room.” Part of her wanted to pull him behind the curtain and throw herself into his arms, but another part wanted an explanation for all this. Was he doing it because he wanted to save her show? Because he was afraid she’d reveal his switch with Alessandro and wanted to control the flow of information by making a public speech before she could? Or was he truly hoping to improve Sarcaccia’s tourist business?

He certainly hadn’t apologized for the accusations he’d made in the alley the night of their scrapped date, when he’d all but accused her of being a tabloid reporter with no moral compass.

Emily made her way through the crowd, congratulating the staff on their hard work. Finally, she reached Rita near the refreshment table. They stood side by side in the food line, smiles on their faces, but they knew each other well enough to gauge each other’s tension.

“You had no idea about any of this, did you?” Rita’s voice was inaudible to anyone but Emily.

“None.” She glanced over her shoulder. Vittorio and Alessandro were near the stage talking to James Owens, who was about to take his leave. “It seems our editing didn’t affect the renewal one way or the other. Vittorio did.”

“I’m glad we made the changes, though. The show was fantastic, even without them showing up here” —Rita’s gaze shot toward the twins— “so our ratings should be good. Better yet, the network is bound to rebroadcast it, which should help our viewership for next season.”

“True.” Emily accepted another glass of champagne, then picked up a chocolate chip cookie. She’d earned them both this week. Once they’d moved a few feet from the table, she asked Rita, “Do you think we would’ve been renewed without Vittorio’s phone call?”

Rita’s lips drew taut. “Maybe we shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

“I want to know we earned it.”

“We did the moment you walked across the street in Buenos Aires and pursued a new guest. You worked hard on this episode. We all did, and we knocked it out of the park.” Rita emptied half her champagne flute in one long drink. “The bigger question is, what now? What happens when we’re in Sarcaccia?”

“We have a whole season to plan, and fast. And I’m worried that Owens might not give us as much freedom as he has. He did this without consulting us at all.”

“There’s that. There’s also the fact that you’ll be in close proximity to a certain tall, dark, and handsome royal. He wouldn’t have lobbied to have the show brought to Sarcaccia if not for you, and I think we both know why.”

“Don’t be too sure.” Emily took a bite of her cookie. It was decadent, but not enough to soothe her nerves. She didn’t know what she wanted where Vittorio was concerned. Despite what happened between them in the alley, she loved him desperately—she couldn’t deny it anymore, at least not to herself—but after her fiasco with Paul she wasn’t going to have her career dictated by a man, not even a man she loved. In Vittorio’s case, the issue was moot. Even if he loved her in return—which he’d never indicated—she couldn’t have a relationship with him. It would end the same way her relationship with Paul ended, and for much the same reasons. She refused to go through that heartbreak again.
 

“My husband just walked in,” Rita said, setting her half-empty glass on a nearby tray. “Must’ve taken him awhile to get past the traffic outside. Guess we know why the street was blocked. I’ll catch you when the crowd clears.”

She gave Rita a nod, then waved over the heads of the crowd to Rita’s husband as Rita went to greet him.

Emily turned back toward the table only to be faced by a tall, broad-shouldered man in a suit, one whose gaze was fastened on her with a mix of amusement and curiosity. He balanced a glass of champagne and a cracker topped with salmon, capers, and onion in one hand while gesturing toward the refreshment table with the other. “I’d offer to refill your champagne, but you seem to have beaten me to it.”

Extending her hand, she said, “Prince Alessandro, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He took her hand and raised it to his lips, his rich eyes never leaving hers. She should’ve been surprised by the gesture, but she wasn’t. Nor was she surprised it didn’t set her heart racing as it had when Vittorio did the same thing in the café the morning they met.
 

“You can tell us apart,” he said once he released her hand. “I doubt it’s because I’m wearing a different tie. How?”

The question made her grin. “You move differently. And your eyebrows aren’t the same.”

“Our…eyebrows?” His shot up. “That’s a new one to me.”

“Yours have more of an arch.” She angled her head, studying him. “And you have a scar under your left eye that he doesn’t have. Didn’t see that until just now, though. But there’s something else—”

“I’m far better looking.”

That drew laughter from her. Alessandro’s entire demeanor differed from Vittorio’s. Where Vittorio studied and listened in order to learn, she suspected Alessandro would dive right in. “I’ll let you debate that with your brother. What I was going to say is that Vittorio wouldn’t eat what’s in your hand.”

Alessandro frowned. “You know him well.”

“We ate out once and he picked the onions out of his meal. Told me he despises them.”

“That’s an understatement.” A mischievous grin lit his face. “We’re alike in many ways, but my tastes are far more refined.
That’s
how you tell us apart.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She sensed he was about to move on to talk to a network executive who lingered nearby, waiting for the opportunity to meet the prince. Unwilling to let Alessandro get away without telling him what was in her heart, she lowered her voice and said, “He appreciates you a great deal. What you did for him…I know it was a great political risk for both of you, not only to switch places, but to admit to it on television with no idea what the fallout may be. I suspect your countrymen will fail to consider that you essentially gave up your life for five months so he could find his purpose again. If no one else thanks you, I will. That was uncommonly generous. Vittorio’s lucky to have you as his brother.”

“I’ve tried to convince him of that for years, but to no avail.” Alessandro’s tone was teasing, but Emily saw appreciation in his eyes and knew her gratitude meant more to the prince than he’d admit. “I suspect that he’s lucky to know you, as well. I look forward to seeing more of you when you get to Sarcaccia, Emily.”

He moved on, greeting the network executive while leaving Emily stunned by the sincerity in his voice. Had Vittorio told his brother what happened between them in Argentina? She went through the rest of the evening in a daze, accepting thanks and congratulations from staff members as well as their spouses and significant others, many of whom had come to join the celebration and were thrilled to discover themselves in the presence of royalty. Mike teased her about using the name Bob White, while Ignacio seemed genuinely taken aback that he’d spent so much time with a prince and that Vittorio had his head smashed against pavement while on their watch. Emily admitted her horrible name choice to Mike and confessed that she didn’t know he was a prince at the time, while reassuring Ignacio that all was well as far as Vittorio’s injury.
 

As she shifted from one conversation to another, she was bumped from behind. She twisted to look over her shoulder and was met with a smile from Vittorio that sent her stomach into a spiral. He leaned in close and asked, “How good is your memory?”

“Why?”

His words were low and deliberate. “The Plaza. Royal Terrace Suite, twentieth floor. The key is in the side pocket of your purse backstage. Easier to talk there.” One of his dark eyebrows raised fractionally. “You have it?”

She nodded just before he turned away and was swallowed by the sea of people.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Vittorio stood in the living room of his two-story suite looking out at the view of Central Park. He and Alessandro left the network’s headquarters nearly two hours ago, as the party was starting to wind down. Emily would stay until the end, but surely it had been over for a while now.

He ran his hands over his hair, then folded them against the back of his head, elbows akimbo, and closed his eyes. She wasn’t coming.
 

As the realization sunk in, he dropped his hands and muttered a choice four-letter word, then loosened his tie, having long ago tossed his jacket over the back of the plush sofa. He’d give Emily another fifteen minutes, then go upstairs and change for bed. In the meantime, he wanted a drink. He crossed the spacious room to the butler’s pantry, which consisted of a sink, microwave, refrigerator, and a full selection of liquor. It wasn’t lost on him that the suite was larger and better stocked than his palace apartment and a world away from the modest hotel rooms he’d occupied while in Argentina. Though his assistant reserved the smallest of the Plaza’s suites for Vittorio and another for Alessandro, they’d both been upgraded to far more luxurious rooms. When one held the title of prince, it was difficult to avoid preferential treatment, and the hotel had been keen on having an actual royal stay in their Royal Terrace Suite.