Should she admit she could speak German and had heard the slip-up?
If she did so, would he leave because he was afraid she would call the paparazzi and alert them to his presence on the ranch? Even if she reassured him that she would keep his secret, he might make other arrangements, maybe even take the whole KWB board with him.
No, she had to act as though she didn’t know about his royalty. There would be nothing wrong with that, especially because that’s what he wanted.
She nodded at him. “Everything is in perfect order.”
2
This remote place was just what he needed.
Max unbuttoned his suit coat, shrugged out of it, and tossed it over the back of one of the chairs in the cabin’s cozy sitting room. He moved in front of the wood-burning fireplace that welcomed him with its warmth, and he held out his hands toward it while taking in the home that was to be his getaway for the next week.
Already, he could feel the stress of his life falling off his shoulders, like a knight shedding heavy armor. He was away from the battles with his father and mother and parliament. Maybe here he could finally think about what he ought to do with the looming deadline of his thirty-fifth birthday in just two months and especially the ultimatum to get married by that thirty-fifth birthday or abdicate his right as firstborn to become the next ruler of Karltenberg.
“The bedroom is rather small,” Braun called in German from the loft above the sitting room.
Winzig, who was tromping up the stairs with Max’s luggage, halted.
Max waved a hand at his protection agent, who also served as his driver. “It will be fine for one week.”
The lovely young woman who was overseeing their group stood near the door, having followed them to the cabin. “I do hope you’re finding the cabin satisfactory.” Without a coat and boots, she didn’t seem to be in the least affected by the cold andsnow, not even in her heels, which she’d worn as she’d led them down a secluded pathway away from the lodge to the cabin.
Braun responded before Max could. “We would like to move to one of the houses we passed. A cabin simply will not do. Especially one named Antelope.”
The woman shifted the clipboard in her hand. “I’m sorry, but the houses are already booked for the week.” She didn’t sound too terribly sorry. Surely her lack of groveling was a good sign—a sign that she didn’t know his identity.
It wasn’t as if he was as recognizable as Prince Harry and Prince William. Not at all. Especially in a remote part of the United States like Colorado. But Max had gained press attention after he’d called off his engagement to the duchess, and ever since then, paparazzi had been hounding him. So far, however, no one seemed to realize that he was Prince Nikolaus Constantin Maximillian of the House of Karltenberg.
During all the correspondence with the board members of the KWB Group over the past week, he’d emphasized his desire for privacy and that they should only refer to him as Max and abstain from using his royal title. The gentlemen did most of the time anyway, so it wouldn’t be too much of a switch for them. As long as Braun didn’t make any more blunders, especially while speaking English, his identity would hopefully remain hidden.
“This is our best cabin and has two rooms,” the woman was saying. “The loft has the canopy king bed, and the room on the first floor, behind the kitchenette, has a bunk bed. It has a cedar sauna as well as a hot tub. The porch is heated and provides some of the best views of the wilderness, and is just feet from the river.”
Braun’s brow furrowed. “It is not sufficient.”
If Braun continued to ask for more, the woman would begin to suspect something was different about Max. Either that orconsider him a spoiled elitist, which he didn’t want to be true, even if it was at times.
Max leveled a stern look at his assistant. The cabin wasn’t as glamorous or luxurious or big as he was accustomed to, but it was nice enough.
“We shall stay.” He spoke first to Braun, then nodded at the woman. What had she said her name was? Kimberly? “Thank you, Kimberly.”
“Emberly.”
“Pardon me. Emberly.” That was an odd name. “We are grateful for the accommodations.” Especially because all the other men were staying in suites in the lodge with less privacy.
“You’re welcome.” She didn’t move to leave. “If you have any needs during the week, you may contact me directly. I’ll be your personal concierge, also known as an ambassador here at the ranch.”
“There is no need for your service, especially since you have proven useless.” Braun was starting down the stairs now that Winzig was up in the loft. “I am Max’s personal assistant, and that is all he requires.”
“No worries.” Emberly lifted her chin at Braun. “You can continue to do all the complaining and pampering for Max, since that seems to be your arrangement... but my duties go well beyond that.”
Braun halted midstride, his mouth open but not moving.
Max stopped rubbing his hands together in front of the fire and spun to face Emberly.
The woman crossed her arms and shifted to pin her gaze on him.
As with the introduction to her in front of the lodge, he was struck by her loveliness. Her hair was a vibrant red and styled in a fashionable knot. Her features contained a classic, timelessbeauty. And her body was sculpture perfect, as if formed by a master artist.
