Please Be Mine

Chapter Sixty Three

Determined to keep busy, Selena threw herself into her public engagements and wrote as many letters and cards she received. She discovered that if she kept herself busy she didn't think so much and that was a good thing because her thoughts frightened her.

She didn't want to think what might happen if Nick didn't love their baby.

And, since that couldn't be immediately resolved, she pushed the thought away.

When the baby was born she'd worry. Until then, she'd hope.

And in the meantime she fussed in the nursery, as if being born into perfect surroundings might somehow compensate for deficiencies in the other areas of the baby's life.

She was sitting in the hand carved rocking chair, reading a book about childbirth one morning, when one of the palace staff told her that she had a personal visitor.

Not expecting anyone, Selena put the book down and walked through to the beautiful living room with the windows overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean.

Logan stood there, looking awkward and out of place.

"Logan?" Shocked to see him, Selena walked quickly across the room. "What are you doing here?"

"What sort of question is that? We were friends once." He gave a twisted smile. "Or can't you have friends now you're a royal?"

"Of course I can have friends." Selena blushed, feeling really awkward and uncomfortable and not sure why. "But obviously I was not expecting to see you—how are you?"

"OK. Doing well, actually. The job's turning out well."

"Good. I am pleased for you." And she was, she realized picking over her feelings carefully. She wasn't angry with him. If anything, she was grateful. If he hadn't broken there engagement, she might well have married him, and that would have been the biggest mistake of her life—because she knew now that she didn't love him and she never had.

Loving Nick had taught her what love was, and it wasn't what she felt for Logan.

"I was owed some vacation time." Thrusting his hands into his pockets, he walked over to the windows. "I'm spending a week in the Italian lakes, but I'd thought I'll call in here on the way. Booked myself a room on that nice hotel on the beach. Stunning view. Can't imagine Lake Como being any prettier than this." He took a deep breath, rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, and turned to face her. "I came here to apologize, actually. For going to the press. I—It was a rotten thing to do."

"It's OK. You were upset." Touched that he's bother to apologize, Selena smiled. "People do funny things when they are upset."

"I didn't mean to make things difficult for you." Logan shrugged sheepishly. "Well, I suppose I did. I was angry and jealous and—" he cleared his throat "—I wasn't sure if you wanted to see me to be honest. But I need to say sorry. I've been feeling guilty."

"Please don't give it another thought."

Logan seemed relieved. "It was really hard getting in to see you. Layers and layers of security. It was the big fellow that fixed it for me."

"Kevin?"

"That's him. The prince's henchman. Not that the prince needs him. From what I can gather, he can fire his own gun if the need arises. Is he treating you well?"

Selena thought about the diamonds and the long nights spent in sexual ecstasy. And she thought about the fact that he didn't love her.

"He's treating me well."

"Just thought I'd check." Logan gave a lopsided grin. "In case you changed your mind and wanted to escape." He waved a hand around the there luxurious surroundings. "I might not be able to offer you a palace, but—"

"I never wanted a palace Logan," Selena said softly, resting a hand protectively over the baby. "Family, being loved—those are the things important to me."

"I was going to say that I was a bit too ambitious for you, but then I realized how stupid that sounds now that you're living with a prince in a palace!" He pulled face. "We weren't absolutely right, were we?"

"No, we weren't," Selena said honestly. "And ambition had nothing to do with the reason I'm living here. Nick is my baby's father, Logan. That's why I am here."

"To begin with I was so angry with you. I thought you tried to make a fool out of me—"

Selena frowned. "I'm not like that."

"I know you're not," Logan said a bit too hastily. "I hope the prince knows how lucky he is. Anyway, I ought to be going."

"Already? Don't you want coffee or something?" Selena walked across the room to him and held out a hand in a gesture of conciliation. "It was sweet of you to come and see me. I appreciate it. And sweet of you to apologize."

He hesitated and then took her hand. "I just wanted to check you're OK. If you ever need anything..."

"She has everything she needs." A harsh voice came from behind them, and Selena turned to see Nick standing in the doorway, his eyes glittering like shards of ice.