When the knock came, Megan hurried to answer before she lost her nerve. A bellboy bowed slightly – she guessed he was ill informed of her drop in status – and came inside to get her bags. She followed him to the front entrance where the limo waited. Glancing back, she felt her heart rip in two. Ryan deserved a proper goodbye and guilt riddled her as she escaped.
Rejection! Megan saw the words as if they’d been posted on the doorpost and slapped her in the face on the way by. She settled in the backseat of the car and looked straight ahead. Megan was a mess; a prime candidate for the therapist’s sofa. This vacation had offered no peace and Megan lashed out blaming the matchmaker Ms. Claus for lousing this one up. Yet she knew it went deeper, back to her mother’s death and father’s escape with his enterprising young woman. Two years and she still harbored love’s ultimate brushoff between father and daughter. Now add the rejection of a whole country, or at least the nobles. Would she find the long sought-after peace back in America or would the hurt fester till the day she died? She knew one thing for certain; the pain would not be swept under the rug again and one way or another, she’d create harmony with her father. At least he was reachable – Ryan was not. She straightened and looked toward the driver who seemed at a loss to gain her attention.
“To the ferry, Miss?” he said with a louder voice.
“Yes, please.”
“You’re in luck. The last one sails at eight o’clock and I can get you there in time.”
“Thank you.”
In her haste, Megan hadn’t thought about that. The sun was sinking on the western horizon and she realized she had no plane ticket when she reached land. She debated staying at the Belfry Hotel until she could make arrangements but decided against it. She needed to leave before her courage failed and she begged Ryan to take her back. It was a long ferry ride and she’d search online while they traversed the evening waters. If she had to sleep at the airport, so be it.
The transition between land and sea went smoothly. Megan’s cases were labeled and packed in the storage area while she retreated to the cafeteria. With a warm cup of hot chocolate in hand, she sat at a table beside a full-paned window facing the water. The waves lapped at the sides of the Edstrom Queen – the vessel’s name the final slap in the face – as they pulled away from shore. As they turned about face and plowed into the open sea, she allowed her mind to drift, mesmerized by the continuous lull of the engine. It felt good not to think about the chaos she’d left behind, or reason if she’d been right or wrong to pass judgement on the lousy cards the dealer had played her during this Christmas adventure. Her head began to nod, and she laid it to rest in the hollow of her arms on the table. The warm drink did its job, and soon Megan found peace in sleep.
Megan awoke with a start. People crowded against the window all around her and were gazing into the sky. The bright lights of a helicopter beamed onto the deck of the ship and a voice from above ordered the vessel to halt.
Great. The police must be after some passenger attempting to skip the country with unclaimed goods or worse, someone might have gone berserk, tossing the Queen Mother’s theory of total sanity reigning throughout her kingdom out the window – although it could be a visitor like herself. Edstrom appeared to have that effect on unguarded individuals. She shook her head free of the strange conclusions a half-groggy mind could conjure up.
She stood and threw her purse around her shoulder. The view from the deck would be better to watch the commotion unfold. As she stepped onto the top-deck, she heard what she assumed was the pilot’s voice. “Clear the deck below. His Majesty, Ryannaus Edstrom is on his way down.”
No way! Ryan? Megan peered into the blinding light as the ship staff pushed the gawkers to the inside wall where they’d be safe. From out of the brightness, she watched a man appear and continue his descent while tied securely to a cable. When his feet landed on the wooden planks, he unhooked and it retracked to the helicopter. The pilot killed the blaring light that caused those looking on to squint and Ryan scanned the passengers, stopping when his eyes met Megan’s. His stern intentions bored into her being as he walked toward her. The crowd parted in awe of this surprise visit of the new King of Edstrom still dressed in his evening finery.
Ryan reached for Megan’s hand. “I believe we have unfinished business, Miss Fairchild.” She placed a timid hand in his and caught the familiar twinkle in his eye. He tore his gaze from Megan and addressed the captain. “Do you have a place where I can speak with the lady privately?”
The man sped into action.
