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But when Mel went to whip back the sheet, Isabelle sat back on the bed and grasped her wrist to prevent her getting up, a strange expression on her face.
‘Mel, it’s okay. You don’t need to go to work today. That’s not why I’m here…’ she began, her gaze softening with sympathy.
‘But…of course I do,’ Mel began, confused now as well as wary. Why was Issy looking at her like that? As if she were fragile and needed protecting, when their relationship had always been the other way round. ‘There’s so much to do. Now you’re married to Lord we can finally get started on all the infrastructure projects prevented by the conditions of your father’s will.’
Isabelle had come up with the scheme to marry the US champion snowboarder-cum-billionaire businessman in desperation, so she could circumvent the conditions her father had insisted on. That when he died, his daughter—who had only been eight at the time of her parents’ death—must be married before she could make commercial decisions about the huge tracts of land owned by Androvia’s royal family.
Mel had never been convinced that pretending to be madly in love with a total stranger was a good idea.
Added to that, Lord was a self-made billionaire who had come from nothing, had no respect for monarchy and exuded the kind of animal magnetism which would burn most women to a crisp at fifty paces. Even women who hadn’t been impossibly sheltered, as Issy had been her whole life. But Mel had been unable to refute the fact that Isabelle had to marry someone to get control of the land, and as Issy had insisted that someone definitely wasnotgoing to be Rene she had eventually been forced to support Issy’s wild scheme.
‘Now you’re finally free to develop the land and stimulate some much-needed economic growth in Androvia, we need to figure out which projects to prioritise, not to mention getting the negotiations for Lord’s resort on the White Ridge finalised, and the press release issued,’ Mel rattled off. The leasing of the land for Lord’s resort was the lure Issy had used to get him to agree to the marriage, so that needed to be a priority. ‘And we’ve only got a year before the divorce, so time is…’ She trailed off though when her friend laughed and she noticed the sparkle turning Isabelle’s green eyes to a bright emerald.
‘It’s okay, Mel,’ her friend murmured, the colour on her cheeks surprising Mel even more. Isabelle was a serious person—she always kept her emotions controlled because she’d had to, becoming Queen while still a child—but right now she looked… Well, not serious at all. ‘There’s not going to be a divorce,’ Isabelle said.
Mel simply stared back at her. ‘There’s… There’snot? But… Why not?’ she managed, hopelessly confused now. ‘Wasn’t that the deal you made with Lord?’
Issy took Mel’s hands in hers and squeezed, then shook her head. ‘Not any more.’ The secretive smile that curved her lips grew until it brightened her whole face—and made her look happier than Mel had ever seen her, as if she were lit from within. ‘I’ve fallen hopelessly, completely in love with him, Mel.’ She laughed, the sound so full of joy it was almost a giggle. ‘And, unbelievably, Travis has fallen in love with me, too.’
‘Why is that unbelievable?’ Mel replied instinctively, because she had always been the Queen’s biggest ally, her greatest supporter, her closest friend… Although maybe she wasn’t that person any more. Was that Travis Lord now? After only a few weeks? Mel tried to force a smile to her lips and dismiss the panicked thought. Not to mention the jolt of panic at the thought of being replaced in Isabelle’s affections.
Isabelle deserved to be happy after dedicating so much of her life to her country and her people. And if her friend had genuinely found love with her fake husband, and if the man deserved her, that would be amazing. But what if Travis Lord wasn’t that man? What if he was simply exploiting Issy’s sweet nature and her inexperience with men? Wasn’t it Mel’s job to make sure?
‘You’re incredibly lovable, Issy. I’ve loved you ever since I met you,’ Mel said, wishing she could believe her friend’s revelation. ‘But are you sure? It seems awfully fast. You’ve only known him for a couple of weeks…’
She didn’t want to burst Isabelle’s bubble. But her own experience of hot, charismatic men was that you should never make the mistake of relying on them. Or being blind to their faults. And you certainly shouldn’t risk falling in love with them, because that would tend to make you do both.
Oddly, the thought reassured her. She couldn’t possibly have fallen in love with Rene because she was still very aware of his faults. Most notably, his ability to seduce her into thinking she was special to him, when she knew she wasn’t. And walking away without saying goodbye!
The sparkle remained in Issy’s eyes, though, even as her expression became astute and considering. ‘Actually, I got to know him during our stunt date and the months afterwards, while we were planning the wedding on different continents. We…’ she looked down at their joined hands, a sure sign she was nervous ‘…we were texting each other—a lot—during that time.’
‘Really? But why didn’t you tell me?’ Mel asked, then wanted to grab the words back. How needy did she sound? And how jealous and insecure.
But how could she help it, when she suddenly felt as if everything was changing too fast, and not for the better.
Isabelle shrugged, the blush brightening. ‘Honestly, I think I was embarrassed at how excited I was about those texts.’ The uncomplicated grin returned. ‘Perhaps I should have realised I was already falling in love with him.’ She chuckled. The light, effervescent sound was one Mel hadneverheard come out of her friend’s mouth—itwasa giggle. Should she be charmed by it, though, or even more disturbed?
‘Travis called it sexting!’ Issy added. ‘Which might explain why, as soon as we were alone together on our wedding night, well…’ the blush deepened ‘…we discovered we had alotof chemistry.’
‘Okay…’ Mel nodded. ‘That’s…exciting,’ she said carefully, trying to get a handle on this sudden change in her usually serious friend—and control the panic. Because these revelations signalled a fundamental change in their relationship, too. Isabelle hadneverkept secrets from her. But then, Mel thought miserably, she had kept several from Issy. Not just her night with Rene four years ago, but also what had really happened between them in the cabin.
‘Yes, it was,veryexciting,’ Issy said with considerable fervour. ‘I had no idea I even had a sex drive. But listen…’ Her expression sobered. ‘I actually didn’t wake you to talk about me…and Travis.’ She sighed. ‘Even though he is one of my favourite topics. LOL.’
Whoa. What the heck?
Mel’s surprise was turning to astonishment. Had the Queen of Androvia just made a joke about her husband and said‘LOL’, like the teenager she had never been allowed to be?
Before Mel could process her astonishment, though, at this novel new playful side of her friend, the Queen squeezed her fingers again.
‘But seriously, that’s enough about me. We need to talk about you…’ Issy swallowed heavily, her gaze softening again ‘…and Rene,’ she continued. ‘Because a situation has arisen, and Travis and I think you should take a break for a couple of weeks in his house in Colorado until it all blows over.’
‘What…? What about me and Rene?’ Mel managed as guilt consumed her.
Did Issy know, somehow, about what they’d been doing in that cabin?
‘Mel, there are pictures,’ Issy said gently, her expression becoming pained but her tone losing none of the sympathy and concern.
‘What p-pictures?’ she whispered, the bottom dropping out of her stomach.