The Wicked Prince Page 13

  “I thought I was challenging you to stretch your wings and grow.” Against his better judgment, he curled one arm around her waist and spun her toward the very center of the dance area. “I should have known better, given that you’re friends with Sophia. She didn’t exactly stay out of trouble while she was in college.”

  “Sophia was fine.”

  Frannie’s hand went to the space between his bicep and shoulder. It felt natural to spread his palm across her lower back, drawing her into an embrace as they continued dancing.

  “Maybe by the time you met her. Her first year or two weren’t the easiest. She found more trouble than she could handle.”

  “She’d never lived outside the palace. Maybe she was testing the waters.”

  “Dangerous waters.” He moved his hips in time with hers, keeping the same polite distance between their bodies as Tommy and Irene did while they danced nearby. When the song hit its chorus, he twirled Frannie in a tight circle before catching her in his arms again. He didn’t want to talk about his sister. He didn’t want to think about his sister, or Sarcaccia, or ballrooms. He wanted only to enjoy this moment: the tropical sunshine, the breeze off the Pacific, the lighthearted atmosphere, the radiant woman before him.

  Every day he spent with Frannie, he found himself more and more fascinated by her. By the simple things, like the way she circled her fork to corral her coleslaw before she ate it. By the more complex things, like the faraway look on her face as she talked about her upbringing, particularly in light of her parents’ divorce. As they danced, warmth filled his chest and he found he couldn’t tear his gaze from her face. He couldn’t identify the emotion, only that he had a sense of belonging, of attraction that went beyond the physical. Of being right.

  Frannie’s dark, carefree eyes met his. For a split second, her grin widened, then a deeper emotion filled her gaze and her hand twitched against his shoulder. She didn’t miss a step, but in that moment, he knew Frannie felt it, too. The sense of belonging, of understanding. Of profound attraction. And, though she quickly masked it, he saw fear.

  “Banana cake!”

  As Pearl’s voice carried through the compound, Walter called, “First piece is mine, and make it a good one!”

  Kids stopped dancing and sprinted past them with the force of a typhoon, yelling, “Hurry, banana cake!” and “She’s already cutting it!” Even Tommy and Irene quit dancing to rush to the gazebo.

  Alessandro became acutely aware of the sensation of his hand at Frannie’s lower back. The warmth of her skin carried to his palm through her bright yellow sundress. Reluctantly, he let his hands drop from Frannie’s waist. “We’re going to be at the back of the line.”

  “It’s all right.” Her words were thready from the exertion of dancing. “Pearl made plenty. The whole point of banana cake is to share with as many people as possible.”

  “Good. Anything that gets such an enthusiastic reaction from Walter deserves to be sampled.”

  “He drove all over the island to collect enough eggs.”

  For a moment longer than was comfortable, neither of them moved. He noticed the rise and fall of her breasts as she caught her breath, saw the mixture of trepidation and attraction in her wide eyes.

  “I, um, haven’t danced like that in quite a while,” Frannie finally said. “I suppose I’ve earned a slice of cake.”

  He angled his head toward the food area. “Come on.”

  Frannie smiled and started to turn, but movement at the compound’s gate caused him to stop short. Frannie must’ve noticed it, too, because she paused and muttered, “Uh-oh.”

  A uniformed police officer raised a hand in greeting. “Have a minute, Frannie?”

  She nodded and turned toward the officer. To Alessandro, she said, “That’s Joe Papani. It’s supposed to be his day off. If he’s here, it’s important.”

  “I’ll save you a slice of cake.”

  “With that crowd?”

  “If I have to tackle them all. Promise.”

  * * *

  Clouds skittered through the night sky on a warm breeze as, one by one, the adults finished making rounds of the bunkhouse and nursery and made their way to the dining hall. They moved with the exhausted, happy ease of people who’d spent the day outdoors. Though Tommy had doused the fire nearly an hour ago, when the older kids headed to their bunks, the scent of wood smoke lingered in the air and on their clothes.

  Alessandro took a seat near Walter, then folded his arms on the table. In his mind, Alessandro could still hear the chorus of the elementary school kids’ final fireside song, one about a parakeet who dreamed of becoming a fish so he could swim beneath the waves, and of a fish who dreamed of flight.

  He’d have to remember the lyrics to share with Anna, his niece. Though Anna was older than the kids who sang tonight, she’d appreciate the quirkiness of the tale. He smiled to himself as he imagined Anna singing it to her new baby brother, Dario.

  It still shocked him that Stefano, who’d been happily single only two years ago, was now married to Megan and a father of two.

  “Frannie mention what this is about?” Walter asked. “Tommy told me she wanted all of us here as soon as the kids were down. Part-time employees and volunteers, too.”

  Alessandro shook his head. “I haven’t spoken to her since Officer Papani showed up this afternoon. She told Tommy he was in charge, then left in the officer’s Jeep. I didn’t see her again until it was time for s’mores. She talked to Tommy for a few minutes, then disappeared again.”

  “Joe dropped her off about an hour before that,” Walter said. “She went straight to her office. Had a bunch of paperwork with her and was on the phone for a while.”

  “You talking about Frannie?” Pearl slid onto the bench on the opposite side of Walter. “I saw her leave with Joe Papani earlier. Think there’s a problem?”

  “She didn’t seem bothered, so I doubt it,” Walter told her.

  “No one else seems worried, either,” Pearl observed as she took stock of the room. “Even Tommy looks like he spent his day lounging in a hammock.”

  Walter straightened and his gaze went to the rear of the dining hall. “Here she comes. Guess we’ll find out.”

  Alessandro watched as Frannie bent to ask Chloe a question, nodded, then moved to the end of the long table where the adults had gathered. Though she smiled, he could tell she was running through a mental checklist.

  “All here?” She looked around the table, then nodded to herself. “Great. Sorry for the mystery, but I have good news and bad news, and I wanted to discuss both with you before we talk to the kids.”

  She set two manila file folders on the table, put her hand on the top, then grinned. “Good news first. The Latu family finished the repairs on their grocery store on the north end of the island and started stocking the shelves. They’re hoping to open in another week. Yesterday, they moved back into their house.”

  Irene clasped her hands under her chin. “The twins are going home, aren’t they?”

  “They are. Even better, so are all three of their cousins. Mr. Latu’s sister and brother-in-law returned from the Marquesas yesterday. They’re going to work at the store until the Latus can afford to hire back their regular store employees. In the meantime, they’re going to move into the Latu’s house about a block from the store.”

  “Those are the Sapani kids?” Alessandro asked Walter, who nodded.

  “Both families will fit in the Latu’s place?” Chloe asked.

  “Seems so,” Frannie responded. “The north end of the island had less damage than we did. Sounds like they’ll only be under the same roof for a week or two. In any event, day after tomorrow, we’ll have five fewer kids here at the shelter. I plan to give them the good news in the morning.”

  “It’ll be a transition for them to go home after spending so much time living and sleeping with their friends,” Tommy said.

  “Mrs. Latu mentioned that when I talked to her on the phone this afternoon,” Fr
annie said. “Both families wanted to know if the kids could visit on the weekends until more of their neighbors are home. I told her it was a great idea.”

  She picked up one of the manila folders and looked at Walter. “I have documents that need to get signed regarding their schoolwork. Mrs. Latu’s going to take over their schooling until the public school reopens. She heard that the elementary school near them might be opening as soon as October. Can you organize it with the rest of the teaching staff?”

  At Walter’s nod, she passed him the folder, then put her hands on her hips. “Now…on to the bad news. Several of you saw Joe stop by during the barbecue. He’s been monitoring a tropical storm that’s formed in the Pacific. Normally, they turn to our north, but this one hasn’t yet. It’s still tracking in our direction. I’m no meteorologist, but my understanding is that if it doesn’t turn north in the next day or so, it’ll hit water temperatures that will cause it to increase in strength. It’s also less likely to move far enough to the north to miss us.”

  “How far out is it?” one of the nursery school teachers asked.

  “Three or four days.” Frannie took a deep breath. “That’s why I wanted to talk to everyone in here, after the kids went to bed. You’ll notice I closed the shutters so none of them can sneak out of bed and eavesdrop. Even the threat of a storm like this will alarm some of the kids, especially the younger ones. It’s likely they’ll associate high tides with the tsunami. I’d like to prevent that. They need to understand that this is an entirely different beast. Not only isn’t this as severe, we’re well-informed and we have time to prepare.”

  The adults around the table shared looks of understanding. The tsunami had been triggered by an earthquake deep under the ocean floor. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had issued an alert for Kilakuru over three hours before the first wave hit, but it took time for word to travel through the community.

  “What do you need us to do?” Tommy asked.

  “Our top priority is safety. If the storm hits, the greatest impact will be here on the eastern side of the island. The Latu and Sapani kids will be back with their families, which leaves us with fifty-one kids to protect.”

  She opened the second manila folder and began distributing sheets to the adults. “I’d prefer to remain here at the shelter, but if there’s even a remote threat to the kids’ safety, we’ll evacuate. In that instance, we’ll break the kids into four groups, each assigned to three adults. I’ve worked with Joe Papani to secure shelter for each group on higher ground and outlined the plans on these pages.”

  The adults fell silent as they pored over the sheets. Alessandro had been assigned to a group with Chloe and Sam Lameko, who taught science and bunked in the room beside Walter’s. It didn’t miss Alessandro’s notice that the kids with severe allergies or other medical issues were all in their group, likely so Chloe could keep an eye on them. Naomi and Remy were also in his group. Frannie had included a list of the essentials each child should pack and directions for reaching their designated shelter. He, Chloe, and Sam were to take the children to St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. Judging from the map, it appeared to be the one just visible on the mountain behind the shelter.

  “Hopefully, we won’t need to do any of this,” Frannie said after they’d had a moment to review the information. “The kids shouldn’t hear of it unless and until we decide to evacuate. Those of you who are part-time or have homes on the island will see that you aren’t assigned to evacuation duty. If the storm is that severe, you’ll need to protect your own homes and families. There are plenty of us to ensure the kids are safe.”

  Heartfelt thanks echoed around the table from the teachers, nursery, and kitchen staff who spent their nights at home. Given that many lost loved ones and had limited possessions in the wake of the tsunami, Alessandro could only imagine their level of concern.

  “That brings me to our second priority,” Frannie continued. “Over the next forty-eight hours, we need to secure the shelter as best we can. I want each of you to double-check the storm shutters on the buildings where you spend the most time. If there are any issues, let me know. We have wood to cover the windows without storm shutters, but I prefer to wait a day to do that so we don’t alarm the kids. In the meantime, Tommy has materials to reinforce the generator shed. Even if we end up staying put, the winds could be high enough to threaten the island’s electricity. I want to be sure the generator is secure. Alessandro, could you help him with that?”

  “Glad to.”

  She thanked him with a smile, then turned her attention to the group. “All right. Third priority is to protect our supplies. A lot of people have donated money and goods to the shelter, and we need to be good stewards of their investment. We’ll be forced to leave a lot behind if we evacuate and the less we have to replace afterward, the better. Everything needs to be tied down, locked up, or moved to wherever it’s least likely to suffer storm damage.”

  She turned to the kitchen staff and asked them to pull together a list of what they needed, given that they had the most equipment to handle. Her calm manner reminded him of his own father; Frannie listened to the staff’s concerns, made notes of tasks that required her assistance, and offered suggestions to make their work easier. She did the same with the nursery staff, the teachers, and Chloe.

  When they finished, she stepped away from the table and smiled. “Now, let’s hope for a boring week. I’ll keep in touch with Joe as the days progress, and I’ll continue to monitor the weather from my office computer. If anyone has concerns or questions, find me. And Pearl, if there’s any banana cake left over—”

  “You’re dreaming,” Walter said, which spurred a round of laughter.

  “Then let’s get our beauty sleep. I’ll see you all in the morning. But before we go…a round of applause for the kitchen staff for the amazing work they did today.”

  They all cheered, then Frannie called for another round of applause for Tommy. “Chloe has declared you a miracle worker,” she told him. “The grill itself is beautifully constructed—”

  “With help from Alessandro,” he cut in.

  “With help from Alessandro,” she acknowledged. “And the chicken and pork were divine. Thank you. I know there will be a lot of memorable meals cooked on that grill in the months and years to come.”

  The entire room erupted into cheers for Tommy and Alessandro for their hard work, then the group broke up for the night.

  Alessandro stood and wished the others good night, but couldn’t bring himself to leave. Maybe the others hadn’t seen it, given the confidence with which Frannie set forth the storm plans, but when the cheers faded and everyone started to focus on their beds, her shoulders had sagged.

  Once Frannie cleared her papers from the table, she looked up and saw him standing there.

  “Hey.” The softness in her voice sent an unexpected wave of tenderness through him. She sounded like a woman who’d reached the end of a long, tiring, but satisfying day. “Is everything all right? Did I miss something?”

  Her response affirmed that he’d made the right decision in staying behind.

  He pointed to the back of the hall. “Your banana cake is in the second refrigerator. Top shelf, behind the pickles.”

  Confusion clouded her gaze. “What?”

  “When you met Joe, I promised to save you a slice of the banana cake. I hid it behind the pickles so Walter wouldn’t find it. Or anyone else, for that matter.”

  Her eyes glimmered and a smile lit her face. “You saved me a slice?”

  “Of course.”

  He was about to offer to retrieve the dessert from the kitchen when a patch of black under her right eye caught his attention. He stepped closer, then used his thumb to swipe the skin there.

  “You must’ve been near the fire at some point.” He showed her the dark streak on his thumb. “Soot.”

  Her fingertips went to the spot he’d just wiped. “I collected the skewers Tommy gave the kids for the marshmallows and put them
in the kitchen. One of the handles must’ve been dirty.” Her brow creased as she looked at him. “Was everyone staring at it during the meeting?”

  “I doubt it. I didn’t notice until now.” And he’d been hanging on her every word. His throat tightened at the sight of moisture clinging to one of her lower lashes. “Are you all right?”

  She waved off his question and laughed. “I’m fine. Just…I’m overtired and happy to have cake waiting for me.”

  “Stay right here.” He turned and strode to the kitchen, then returned with the cake. “A dose of butter, sugar, and banana before bed should fix everything.”

  “And eggs,” Frannie said as she took a seat on the bench and looked at the cake with the joy of a child looking at a stack of birthday presents. “You can’t forget Walter’s contribution. I don’t want to know how many homes he had to visit to collect enough eggs.”

  Alessandro set the plate before her, placed the fork alongside it, then fluffed out a paper napkin with a flourish and set it on her lap. He stepped over the bench with one foot and sat sideways, straddling it.

  “You’re going to watch me eat?”

  “I’m going to make sure you eat.” He gave the manila folder a pointed glance. “After spending your day doing all that work, you’ve earned it. I suspected you were smart and capable when I met you at Sophia’s party. Now I know you are. I can’t imagine anyone better to handle a crisis.”

  “You’d better not be referring to the storm as a crisis.” She knocked on the wooden table for luck. “We don’t know how it’ll develop.”

  “Crisis or not, my assessment stands. I’m astounded at how much you pulled together in only a few hours. You found multiple safe shelters, you put the kids into groups that make sense, and you even drew up lists to make life easy for the staff. You’re organized and reassuring, and that sets a good example for everyone who lives and works here.”

  She picked up the fork, then shook her head at him. “It wasn’t as difficult as you make it sound, but thank you. You are sweet.”

  He couldn’t help his burst of laughter. “Vittorio would die of shock if he heard you say that.”