Her Christmas Prince (Love in the Keys) Read Online Free PDF Page B

It was his custom, and even though he was
technically on vacation and had no agenda, he couldn't seem to break
it. He made some coffee and climbed up on deck to watch the sunrise
while contemplating the day. He also enjoyed some peanut butter on
toast. He could see why it was so popular in America, and wondered
why it hadn't caught on at home. I t
was delicious.

    When
he'd first arrived in Florida, he'd checked into a hotel. But he
soon realized the potential to be discovered was higher that way.
It wasn't easy to travel on your own and unobtrusively when you were
a prince. It helped that he could travel solo. Despite palace
protests, he was on his own. He'd been trained as a combat expert in
the military and was well able to look after himself. He conceded to
allow two bodyguards to remain in Miami and they would re join
him when he returned to his homeland.

    This
is one of the reasons Henry had reached out to Tom, his old friend
from Afghanistan. Tom had helped him rent a boat to live on and a
car to drive incognito. Tom was also pretty skilled defensively and
was like having a bodyguard around. But mostly, he really was glad
to be catching up with his friend and seeing the part of the world
Tom called home at long last. Tom had described it to him and Henry
had thought he'd been exaggerating, but every word was true. The
Keys were unlike any place Henry had been before. The area had its
own unique charm and mood. H e
could see why Ernest Hemingway had made it home, and why it had
inspired him.

    Tom
and Henry, though from different countries, had both served together
in Kandahar, and had gotten to be friends. He'd always liked Tom's
down to earth nature. H e was
one of the few soldiers who hasn't treated him differently because of
who he was, and they'd stayed in touch after their military service.
Tom was one of the few people outside his family that Henry c ould
count as a true friend. And despite their different upbringings,
their friendship was strong.

    He
considered the events of yesterday. And his impetuous actions.
Much as he hated to, he'd actually planned to honour his family's
wishes and go home for Christmas and had been scheduled to leave the
Keys in a few days' time. But there was something about Callie.
She was feisty yet vulnerable at the same time. And she'd looked so
sad sitting there watching the sunset, it made his heart break. When
her mother came in and gave her such a hard time, he just couldn't
bear it. He wasn't normally one to interfere in family matters, but
it was obvious she needed someone in her corner. And he was it.

    “ Permission
to come aboard?” Tom called up from the dockside.

    “ Of
course, mate. Any time. You're up and about early for a Saturday.”

    “ Thought
I'd go see if the fish were biting this morning before it gets too
crowded. Wanna come with?”

    Henry
pondered Tom's question. Could be his last chance to fish in the
Keys before heading home. “How long are you staying out? I
said I'd drop by and see Callie later.”

    “ Ah,
Callie. Yeah, we should talk about that, huh? Just a few hours.
I have to work later, too. If we go soonish, we could be back by
lunchtime.”

    “ Then
count me in. Do we have time for another cuppa?”

    “ I
was starting to think you'd never ask! I'd love one, sure. Black,
please.”

    Henry
went down to the cabin of the well-appointed cruiser that he was
renting. The kitchen was small but modern and met all his needs
while living aboard. He poured two cups of coffee and headed back up
to the deck.

    “ Cheers,
mate.” Tom took the steaming mug that Henry handed him and
took a seat. “It's going to be a beautiful day. Let's hope
the fish think so, too.”

    “ Indeed.
So ... Callie ...”

    “ Dude,
I could not believe what happened last night. That was crazy. I get
where your heart is and it's good. I've known Callie since we
started school and she's good people. She takes a lot of heat from
her mother, not sure why. Her mom's