A Mediterranean Romance: The Capa Royals

By E. Hughes

The ultimate revenge after a bad breakup? Capture the affections of a prince! When Selena Capshaw's fiancé jilts her on her wedding day, leaving her with a half-ass excuse and a pair of plane tickets - she goes on what would have been their honeymoon alone, where she meets a dashing and enigmatic business

• Language: English
• Publisher: Love-LovePublishing
• Release date: Jul 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9781961823044

E. Hughes

E. Hughes is a screenwriter, novelist, and author of A Mediterranean Romance : The Capa Royals, Business as Usual, Disappear, Love, The Sapphire Chronicles: Broken Lair, Infatuation and Beyond the Plain with The Sixth Iteration and a follow up to her first book in the Sapphire series, coming soon.Hughes is also the author of the adorable children's books series, The Penelope books.Her nonfiction books includes, "Starting Your First Patio Garden: A Coffee Book", and "Family in a Time of COVID-19: The Truth About Coronavirus, How to Protect Yourself and Prepare."Hughes is currently writing what she calls fun and flirty suspense and romance novels "with an international flavor"...designed for the modern girl.Her writings includes, poetry, nonfiction, and children's books. You can find her print books via the link below:Contact author: http://ehughesbooks.com/contacthttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=B005KN82SEFind Hughes on the Hollywood Internet Movie Database here:http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3900799/and http://ehughesbooks.com

Book preview

A Mediterranean Romance

The Capa Royals

E. Hughes

Copyright

Copyright © 2014 E. Hughes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Any resemblance to persons living or dead, as well as any location, event, or entity is purely coincidental. This novel is a work of fiction.

Love-LovePublishing, Madison, WI

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-985-20152-4

eBook ISBN: 978-1-961823-04-4

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014916916

A Mediterranean Romance: The Capa Royals | E. Hughes.

Available formats: eBook | Paperback distribution

Any resemblance to persons living or dead, as well as any location, event, or entity is purely coincidental. This novel is a work of fiction.

Other novels by this author:

Fiction

Sixth Iteration

Disappear, Love

Business as Usual

A Mediterranean Romance: The Capa Royals

Infatuation

Hello

Pearls...

Beyond the Plain (Poetry)

Nonfiction titles

Time and the Multi-Universe: A philosophy of time and time travel

Starting Your First Patio Garden: A Coffee Book

Children’s books:

Penelope: Be Kind to Animals

Penelope’s Holiday Cheer

Penelope: Don’t be Afraid of the Dark

Penelope: Helps Mom and Dad

Penelope: Super Duper Spectacular Princess Ballerina

Garden of Secrets

Chapter One

W hat are you doing here? You’re not supposed to see me before the wedding you doof!

Marvin sat in a chair on the other side of our extravagant wedding suite and buried his face in his hands.

I’m not sure that matters now, he answered, focusing his eyes on the carpet.

I strode across the room and twirled to show him how lovely I looked. For the first time in my life, I felt beautiful. With my big almond shaped eyes, high cheekbones, milky caramel complexion, and heart-shaped face, I was what most people considered attractive, not pretty. Or as Marvin would say, the prettiest girl in the world to him. We were supposed to get married at Chalet Terrace, the same place my parents were married forty years ago to the very day. Thank heavens I was only wearing a petticoat and not my wedding gown as I stopped before the vanity to fix errant strands of my perfectly coiffed hair. Wedding dress or not, it was still a jinx to see each other before exchanging vows.

"What do you mean, ‘it doesn’t matter now?’ Will you get out of here already? I have to finish my makeup, and the girls will be back in a few minutes to help me into my dress. You’re not even wearing your suit for goodness sake. You need to get dressed."

I was standing before him then, with both of my hands cupping his quivering cheeks. It was the most exciting day of our lives and Marvin was on the brink of a pre-wedding breakdown. His body shook and his lips were chalk-white, like he had just seen a ghost.

I don’t think you understand, honey…

He finally met my inquisitive gaze, his dark handsomely sculpted face contorted into a combined look of anguish and guilt. He tugged my wrist and pulled me down to eye-level so that I was resting on my knee before him. For a moment I was more concerned about sullying the hem of my underskirt, than what he was about to tell me. He kissed me then gently stroked the back of my hair, I can’t do this.

You can’t do what? I asked.

I’m sorry, but… I can’t marry you, Selena. I’ve been talking to Candace. She wants to get back together.

I felt like I had been kicked by a horse. The hell was going on here?

And you tell me this an hour before we’re supposed to walk down the aisle? How long has this been going on?

It started a week ago. She heard I was getting married and realized how much she missed me, how much she needed me.

And she just figured this out three years after you broke it off with her?

-she broke it off with me.

Is this your idea of a joke?

Of course not.

Despite his words, there wasn’t a look of remorse on his face. I stood, numbly smoothing the wrinkles out of my crinoline underskirt, trying not to crumble as I floated back to the vanity. I then gazed over my shoulder at Marvin through our reflections in the mirror.

So the past two and a half years meant absolutely nothing to you?

They meant everything to me, he pleaded.

Then why are you doing this? I bawled. Tears plunged from the corner of my eyes, leaving a trail of mascara running down my cheeks. My shoulders collapsed as I heaved up and down in a succession of full-on sobs. 

How—could—(sob!)—you do this to me? I wailed.

"I wouldn’t think of hurting you like this unless it was absolutely unavoidable. I love you… I’m just not in love with you."

He stood then, clenching his jaw.

I’m sorry, Selena, but it’s just the way it has to be.

My hands shook. I grabbed a hair brush and tried to brush my hair back in place.  

What am I supposed to tell people? That you walked out on me? Left me standing at the altar?

We never made it to the altar.

Thanks to you!

Would you rather I had waited until after we were married? Until I had an affair or did something awful?

This isn’t awful?

For both of us, yes. You were too good for me, Selena. I don’t deserve you…

Damned right you don’t.

I pulled my shoulders up, grabbed a handkerchief, and wiped my tear-stained face.

"You may have broken my heart, but you did not break me," I declared, pushing him aside.

Marvin reached into the interior pocket of his jacket and pulled out a slip of paper.

What is this? I asked.

Tickets to Capa Isles, for what would have been our honeymoon. You take them.

Thanks but no thanks.

I pushed him aside, damn near shoving him back into his chair as I strode to the closet, grabbed my suitcase, and stuffed my shoes, clothes and jewelry inside of it…everything except my $7,000, pearl white, crystal embroidered Vera Wang wedding gown. I wasn’t sure what to do with it. I could leave it for hotel staff to dispose of, take it with me, toss it in the garbage or set it on fire. At the last second, I grabbed it, and stuffed it into one of my bags.

Consider it a gift, he said, forcing the tickets into my luggage. You deserve it.

I mentally sneered at Marvin’s childish attempt to appease me. 

If it helps, I can tell everyone you left me, he offered.

I looked over my shoulder as I slid into a pair of jeans, and scoffed.

So I can look like an asshole? I don’t think so. Otherwise, tell them whatever you want, I don’t care.

It wasn’t easy, coming here to do this. I wanted to run, but decided the decent thing to do is tell you to your face. I didn’t expect you to be so immature about it. I was hoping we could handle the situation like adults.

"You actually have the balls to call me immature? You’re scared…you were always scared to stand up and be a man. I should have known you wouldn’t follow through."

Fully dressed in a t-shirt, a pair of old jeans and flip flops, exactly as I arrived to the bridal suite the night before, I hauled my suitcases to the door.

"I’m not the one running away. Relationships fall apart, Selena. You don’t even have the decency to tell our family and friends what happened, do you?"

That you dumped me an hour before the wedding? I think they’ll understand if I don’t. Have a nice life.

And with that, I marched out, closing the door behind me.

Chapter Two

The wind swept my hair into a state as I snuck through the back exit of the hotel to the busy sidewalk, sporting a pair of dark shades. The main entrance of the hotel was swarming with family, friends, and mutual acquaintances in town for the wedding. Marvin could deal with the fallout. He was the one who created the mess. It was a selfish choice, but under the circumstances who could blame me? I planned to send cards and thank you letters as soon