Expecting the Prince's Baby (Harlequin Romance\Princes of Europe) (5 page)

Abby hadn’t been able to tell anyone about her pregnancy except Carolena. But she knew she could trust her best friend with her life, and that news hadn’t been something she could keep to herself on that day of all days.

When she went to work on the day she’d found out she was pregnant, Abby visited with her gorgeous, fashionable Italian friend, who stopped traffic when she stepped outside. Carolena had worn her chestnut hair on top of her head in a loose knot. Though she didn’t need glasses, she put on a pair with large frames to give her a more professional appearance.

She looked up when she saw Abby and smiled. “
Fantastico!
I’ve been needing a break from the Bonelli case.”

“I’m so happy you said that because I’ve got something to tell you I can’t hold in any longer. If I don’t talk to you about it, I’ll go crazy.” She closed and locked the door behind her before sitting down in the chair opposite the desk.

“This has to be serious. You looked flushed. Have you settled the Giordano case already? Shall we break out the champagne?”

“Don’t I wish! No, this has nothing to do with the law.” She moved restlessly in the leather chair. In fact there’d be no champagne for her for the next nine months. “What I say to you can’t ever leave this room.”

Carolena’s smile faded before she crossed herself.

Abby leaned forward. “I’m going to have a baby,” she whispered.

Her friend’s stunned expression said it all before she removed her glasses and walked around the desk in her fabulous designer sling-back high heels to hunker down in front of her. She shook her head. “Who?” was all she could manage to say.

The question was a legitimate one. Though Abby had been asked out by quite a few men since joining the firm, she hadn’t accepted any dates. No on-site romances for her. Besides, she wanted to make her place in the firm and that meant studying when she wasn’t in the office so she could stay on top of every case.

“Their Royal Highnesses.”

Carolena’s beautifully shaped dark brows met together in a frown. “You mean...as in...”

“Prince Vincenzo and Princess Michelina.”

There was a palpable silence in the room. Then, “Abby—”

“I realize it’s a lot to swallow.”

A look of deep concern broke out on Carolena’s expressive face. “But you—”

“I know what you’re going to say,” she broke in hurriedly. “It’s true that I’ll always love him for saving me from drowning, but that was eleven years ago when I was seventeen. Since then he has married and they’ve suffered through three miscarriages. The doctor suggested they look for a gestational surrogate mother for them.”

“What?”

“His logic made total sense. Gestational surrogacy, unlike adoption, would allow both Vincenzo and Michelina to be genetically related to their child. Even better, they would be involved in the baby’s conception and throughout the pregnancy, so they’d feel a total part of the whole experience.”

“But you can’t be a surrogate because you’ve never had a baby before.”

“There are a few exceptions, and I’m one of them.”

Carolena put a hand on Abby’s arm. “So you just nominated yourself for the position without any thought of what it would really mean and threw yourself into the ring?” She sounded aghast at the idea.

Abby had hoped for a happier response from her friend. “Of course not. But I wasn’t able to stop thinking about it. I even dreamed about it. The answer of how to repay him for saving my life came to me like a revelation.
A life for a life.
”

“Oh, Abby—despite the fact that you push men away, you’re such a romantic! What if midway through the pregnancy you become deathly ill and it ruins your life? I can’t even imagine how awful that would be.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me. I’ve always been healthy as a horse. I want to give them this gift. I didn’t make the decision lightly. Though I had a crush on him from the time I was twelve, it had nothing to do with reality and I got over it after I found out he was already betrothed to Michelina.”

Those famous last words she’d thrown out so recklessly had a choke hold on Abby now. She adored him, but had to hide her feelings if it killed her.

By the time she and Vincenzo had climbed in the limousine, she realized her due date was coming closer. In one regard she wanted it to get here as quickly as possible. But in another, she needed to hug the precious months left to her, because when it was over, she wouldn’t see Vincenzo again. She couldn’t bear the thought.

* * *

When Abby’s eight-week checkup was over, Dr. DeLuca showed her into another consulting room, where she saw Vincenzo talking with the psychologist, Dr. Greco. Both men stood when she entered. The prince topped him by at least three inches.

Her vital signs had been in the normal range during her exam, but she doubted they were now. Vincenzo possessed an aura that had never made him look more princely. He wore a cream-colored suit with a silky brown sport shirt, the picture of royal affluence and casual sophistication no other man could pull off with the same elegance.

The balding doctor winked at her. “How is Signorina Loretto today, besides being pregnant?” She liked him a lot because he had a great sense of humor.

“Heavier.”

Both men chuckled before they all sat down.

The doctor lounged back in his chair. “You do have a certain...how do you say it in English? A certain bloom?”

“That’s as good an English term as I know of to cover what’s really obvious. I actually prefer it to the Italian term
grassoccia.
”

“No one would ever accuse you of looking chubby, my dear.”

Vincenzo’s black eyes had been playing over her and were smiling by now. The way he looked at her turned her insides to mush. She felt frumpy in the new maternity clothes she’d bought. This morning she’d chosen to wear a khaki skirt with an elastic waist and a short-sleeved black linen blouse she left loose fitting.

The outfit was dressy enough, yet comfortable for work. Her little belly had definitely enlarged, but Carolena said you wouldn’t know it with the blouse hanging over the waist.

Dr. Greco leaned forward with a more serious expression. “A fundamental change in both your lives has occurred since you learned the embryo transfer was successful. We have a lot to talk about. One moment while I scroll to the notes I took the last time we were together.”

Abby avoided looking at Vincenzo. She didn’t know if she could discuss some of the things bothering her in front of the doctor. Up to the moment of Michelina’s death, when she’d been through a grueling screening with so many tests, hormones and shots and felt like a scientific experiment, she’d thought she’d arrived at the second part of her journey. The first part had been the months of preparation leading up to that moment.

Abby recalled the smiles on the faces of the hopeful royal couple, yet she knew of their uncertainty that made them feel vulnerable. The three of them had seen the embryo in the incubator just before the transfer.

It was perfect and had been inserted in exactly the right place. The reproductive endocrinologist hugged Michelina and tears fell from her eyes. Vincenzo’s eyes had misted over, too. Seeing their reaction, Abby’s face had grown wet from moisture. The moment had been indescribable. From that time on, the four of them were a team working for the same goal.

For the eleven days while she’d waited for news one way or the other, Abby had tried to push away any thoughts of failure. She wanted to be an unwavering, constant source of encouragement and support.

When the shock that she was pregnant had worn off and she realized she was carrying their child, it didn’t matter to her at all that the little baby growing inside of her wasn’t genetically hers. Abby only felt supreme happiness for the couple who’d suffered too many miscarriages.

Especially
their
baby, who would one day be heir to the throne of the Principality of Arancia. Vincenzo’s older sister, Gianna, was married to a count and lived in Italy. They hadn’t had children yet. The honor of doing this service of love for the crown prince and his wife superseded any other considerations Abby might have had.

But her world had exploded when she’d learned of Michelina’s sudden death. The news sent her on a third journey outside her universe of experience. Vincenzo had been tossed into that black void, too.

“Before you came in, Vincenzo told me about the meeting with you and his mother-in-law,” said the doctor. “He knows she made you very uncomfortable and feels you should talk about it rather than keep it bottled up.”

She bit her lip. “
Uncomfortable
isn’t the right word. Though I had no idea the queen had such strong moral, ethical and religious reservations against it, my overall feeling was one of sadness for Vincenzo.”

“He feels it goes deeper than that.”

Abby glanced at Vincenzo. “In what way?”

The doctor nodded to him. “Go ahead.”

Vincenzo had an alarming way of eyeing her frankly. “When we went out to dinner the other night, you weren’t your usual self. Why was that?”

She prayed the blood wouldn’t run to her face. “Months ago we decided to be as discreet as possible. Since your wife’s death I’ve feared people would see us together and come to the wrong conclusion. But you already know that.”

“The queen put that fear in you without coming right out and saying it, didn’t she?”

This was a moment for brutal honesty. “Yes.”

“Abby—our situation has changed, but my intention to go through this pregnancy with you is stronger than ever. You shouldn’t have to feel alone in this. I intend to do all the things Michelina would have done with you and provide companionship. I don’t want you to be afraid, even if people start to gossip about us.”

She shuddered. “Your mother-in-law is terrified of scandal. I could see it in her eyes. It’s evident that’s why Michelina was afraid to tell her the truth. The other morning I sensed the queen’s shock once she heard you’d saved my life, and that I’d lived on the palace grounds since the age of twelve.

“It wouldn’t be much of a stretch for her to believe that not only am I after an inheritance, but that I’m after you. I even feared she believes I’ve been your mistress and that the baby isn’t her grandchild.”

“I
knew
that’s what you were worried about the other night,” Vincenzo whispered.

“I wish Michelina had talked to her mother before the decision was made to choose a surrogate, Your Highness.”

“So do I. It grieves me that my wife was always intimidated by her and couldn’t admit she hadn’t told her mother first, but what’s done is done and there’s no going back.”

Abby was in turmoil. “Vincenzo and Michelina have broken new royal ground with my help, Dr. Greco. Unfortunately it’s ground that Queen Bianca isn’t able to condone. I’m half-afraid she’s going to demand that the pregnancy be...terminated.” The thought sickened Abby to the point that she broke out in a cold sweat.

“Never,” Vincenzo bit out fiercely. “She wouldn’t go that far, not even in her mind, but she’s going to have to deal with it since the time’s coming when people will know you’re the surrogate.”

The doctor looked at both of them with concern. “Vincenzo is right. I think it’s good you’ve already felt the fire by dealing with Michelina’s mother first. To my knowledge no other royal couple in the known world has undergone the same procedure. The situation involving the two of you is an unprecedented case, but a wonderful one since it means preserving the royal line.”

“Here’s my dilemma.” Vincenzo spoke up once more. “Before Michelina’s death I’d planned to keep a lower profile around you, Abby, but that’s impossible now and I can’t have you feeling guilty. Of course we’ll try to be careful, but only within reason. Otherwise I’ll be worried about the stress on you and the baby.”

“Vincenzo makes a valid point, Abby,” the doctor inserted.

She lowered her head. “I know he’s right. The moment I decided to go through with this, I realized it would be a risk, but I felt helping them was worth it. But with the princess gone...”

“Yes. She’s gone, but you still need to keep that noble goal uppermost in your mind. One day soon you’ll be free to live your own life again and the gossip will be a nine-day wonder. Do you have any other issues you’d like to discuss with me in this session?”

Yes. How did she keep her emotional distance from Vincenzo when he’d just stated that he intended to be fully involved with her?

“I can’t think of any right now.”

“You, Vincenzo?”

He shook his dark, handsome head. “Thank you for meeting with us. I’m sure we’ll be talking to you again.” Vincenzo got to his feet. “Abby needs to get back to work and so do I.”

The three of them shook hands before they left his office and walked out of the building to the limousine. Abby’s office wasn’t that far away from the hospital. When the limo pulled up in front of the entrance, Vincenzo reached over to open the door for her.

“Have you made plans for the evening, Abby?”

“Yes,” she lied. “Carolena and I are going to enjoy the festival before it ends.”

“Good. Be careful not to tire yourself out.”

She didn’t dare ask him what he was doing tonight. It was none of her business. How on earth was she going to get through seven more months of this?

* * *

Vincenzo watched until Abby hurried inside before he closed the door and told his driver to head for the palace. For the moment he had an important meeting with the minister of agriculture. That would keep him occupied until Abby got off work.

If she’d been telling the truth and had plans with her friend, then he was in for a night he’d rather not think about. But she didn’t make a good liar. He’d known her too long. He had the strongest hunch she would go straight back to the palace after work and dig into one of her law cases. If he was right—and he would find out later—he’d take her for a walk along the surf.

Incredible to believe that the girl he’d saved from drowning eleven years ago had become a gorgeous woman in every sense of the word,
and
was carrying his child. Even though Michelina had been the biological mother, Abby was now the birth mother.