by Leddy Harper
Suddenly, her demeanor changed. Her posture became softer, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. And she no longer appeared uncomfortable at all. It made me wonder if she truly thought I had followed her here, and after hearing me out, she believed me and could finally relax.
“Listen, Ryan”—I couldn’t lie, the fact that she remembered my name was the ego boost I needed—“what you do with your time is none of my business. How you choose to locate random strangers is your thing. I’m not judging.”
I quite enjoyed this teasing side of her, and had someone not interrupted us, I would’ve tried to enjoy it longer. But unfortunately, I couldn’t. What I could do, though, was hope I’d get another chance to see her before the end of the week.
“You’re needed inside, Mo.” A young woman, who looked to be around Moira’s age, approached her while eyeing me. She studied me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, like she was trying to figure out who I was and how close she should get.
Moira offered the woman a short nod before gaining my attention by gently touching my arm. “It was nice seeing you again, Ryan.”
“I just got here yesterday, so I’ll be here all week. Maybe we can meet up again? Technically, you owe me after standing me up last time.”
She briefly winced and then fluttered her lashes as she rolled her eyes. “Well, if we don’t run into each other before you leave, maybe we will in another country. I’ve always loved Greece.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Moira slid around me and headed toward the woman who had come for her. And right before they stepped inside, they both gave me a backward glance.
Yeah, I would make it my mission to find her again before I left.
I returned to the room with two bagels and a carafe of orange juice. Right on time, too, considering Amara had just woken up.
“Dad, did you know that there will be a king and queen here tonight?” Amara’s eyes were wide and filled with excitement. “I wonder if there’s a prince my age.”
I shook my head at her, amazed at her imagination. “Yes, I did know that. I actually found out about it downstairs. They’re already getting set up, and from the looks of it, it’ll be a nice event. But unfortunately, Amar-Bear, we can’t go.”
“Why not?”
“It’s black-tie, sweetie. We didn’t bring the right clothes to attend a party of this magnitude.”
“Speak for yourself,” Mandy said as she sat next to Amara at the table.
“You brought a dress worthy of a royal gala?”
“Of course. I’m a woman—we come prepared for anything. It’s practically instinctual.”
I wasn’t sure if she was serious or joking; her expression gave nothing away.
“It doesn’t matter anyway.” She waved me off and began to smear cream cheese onto her bagel. “The invitations have names on them, and it specifically states that you must show identification to get in. Which means I can’t go, because guess what name is on my invitation?”
I’d changed the names on the plane ticket, but I hadn’t thought to change them on our room reservation. It wasn’t like I knew we’d receive invitations to a royal function.
“I’m sure I can talk to the woman at the front desk and get that fixed for you. If you want to go, that is. No matter what, I can’t get in, so if you go, it’ll just be you and maybe Amara…providing she has that same pack-a-ballgown instinct that you do.”
“I’m not old enough.” Amara’s shoulders hunched forward. “You have to be at least sixteen to get in. There goes my hopes and dreams of a handsome prince falling in love with me.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her.
“Give me your invitation, Mandy, and I’ll take it to the front desk to see what they can do.” I would call downstairs, but they didn’t have phones in the rooms. “I can stay up here with the dreamer. You deserve to enjoy this vacation, too.” I held her stare for a moment, hoping she would accept my offer of a night off.
“I was just kidding about having something to wear. I packed dresses, but I don’t think any of them would be nice enough for a royal event. We can all just do something together. Let’s wander around the island for a bit, maybe find a spot and have lunch, and then come back to rest up before dinner. How does that sound?”
Honestly, I would’ve preferred to sit in front of the TV and watch sitcoms all day, but I wasn’t about to tell her that. She’d barely let me sleep in this morning, so I knew that would be out of the question. Instead, I agreed and then readied myself for a lot of walking.
I was so exhausted when we got back to the room that I didn’t even bother to get off the couch to answer the knock on the door. Although, when the man wheeled his rack of suits into the room, I kicked myself in the ass for not being the one to shoo him away.
“What’s this?” I flicked my gaze between the older gentleman and Mandy.
Mandy shrugged while the smiling man shuffled his feet toward me. “I am here to fit you for a tuxedo, young man. I was told you need one for the gala tonight.”
“Oh, I don’t know who told you that, but I’m not going.”
“Yes, yes. She said you didn’t plan to attend due to lack of attire. Which is why I am here.”
“I see that…” I glared at Mandy, assuming she was the she he spoke of. But then she adamantly shook her head, and if there was one thing Mandy couldn’t do, it was tell a lie. So I was back to square one. “Listen, I really appreciate this, but I can’t afford a rental at this time.”
“Oh, no no no.” He waved his hands in front of me, his face askew as if I’d offended him. “No payment for this. She made it very clear that this would be on the house, and that I am not to charge you a penny.”
I couldn’t take it anymore; I needed to know who this woman was. “Who told you this? Who sent you here? All you keep saying is she, except I have no idea who she is.”
His aging cheeks turned red and splotchy. “My apologies, sir. It was a personal request, so I assumed you were aware. Princess Elizabeth is the one who requested my services and sent me to you.”
I couldn’t move for what felt like a hundred years, and the whole time, Mandy stared unblinkingly at me, her eyes wider than I’d ever seen. At least I wasn’t the only one in complete and utter shock.
“I’m sorry, but did you say, Princess?”
I was beyond thankful for Mandy asking that because the question had been swirling around in my head, yet it just wouldn’t come out. My mouth wouldn’t move. Hell, I wasn’t entirely sure my heart was pumping blood to my brain.
“Yes, ma’am. Princess Elizabeth said there was a guest at the chateau who hadn’t brought the proper attire for the gala and asked me to supply a tuxedo. She gave me your name, and here I am. You are Ryan Astor, correct?”
Still, I couldn’t speak, but at least I was able to move my head enough to nod.
“Well then, let’s get you fitted, young man.”
“Wait.” I finally snapped out of the shock and held up my hand as if halting him. “That only solves one problem. I still wouldn’t be able to go because my sister doesn’t have a dress, and my daughter’s too young to attend. So even if I had a tux, there would still be other roadblocks in the way.”
Mandy came to my side, hooked her arm with mine, and in a very low and somewhat secretive voice, she asked, “Ryan, can I have a word with you for a moment? Please?” When we were safely in her room, she dropped the act—and slapped my shoulder. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“With me?” I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we couldn’t be overheard.
“Yes, with you. You are being handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, yet instead of graciously accepting it, you’re throwing it away! Why would you do that?”
“I’m not going to leave you and Amara here alone all night.”
She looked like I’d just slapped her, eyes wide and mouth hung open. “Dude, a princess has specifically requested your appearance to her party. Y
ou’d be an absolute fool to turn that down, regardless of the reason. And if you think I’ll be okay knowing that I’m to blame for you passing up this opportunity, then you’re dead wrong.”
“What about Amara? She’d be crushed if I went and left her behind.”
“Who are you trying to kid? If she finds out that the Princess of Ilunabarra requested your presence tonight and you turned her down to stay here with us, she probably wouldn’t speak to you for the rest of the trip. If nothing else, give her this. Go rub elbows with the royal family, and when you come back, tell her all about your fairytale evening. Give her something to daydream about.”
“How would that give her something to daydream about?”
Mandy crossed her arms, jutted her hip, and regarded me with a raised brow. “Really? I have to spell this out for you? She’ll be lost in the fantasy of you falling in love with the Princess and moving her here to live in a castle and wear a crown. Not only will this give her something exciting to think about, but it will give her a reason to dream of you being with someone other than her mother. Don’t you see? She needs to move on, too.”
That was enough to silence my objections.
We went back to the living room, where the grey-haired man practically assaulted me while fitting me for a suit. Mandy was right—Amara was ecstatic. She’d compared this to Cinderella, except backward. She wasn’t entirely wrong, though. That would be the best way to describe this entire experience.
After I had my tux and the man was gone, Mandy took me to get my hair cut.
A couple of hours later, I was downstairs with my invitation and passport, dressed to the nines with shiny shoes and a fresh shave.
The crowd wasn’t as big as I’d expected for such a monumental event, but then again, it wasn’t like the ballroom could’ve accommodated everyone on the island. While it wasn’t that big, it was decorated brilliantly. There were really tall glass vases filled with various colored flowers on every table, and smaller, matching arrangements in bronze sconces along the walls.
Men and women meandered through the room with trays of finger foods and champagne. There were several manned bars for those who didn’t want anything bubbly, but I didn’t bother with a drink. I was too out of my element to even enjoy it.
I must’ve been lost in my head, because out of nowhere, the crowd fell silent, all eyes cast toward the large double doors in the back of the room. I assumed an announcement had been made, yet I hadn’t heard it. So I stood there, on the fringe of the crowd, and watched as guards walked through the doors first, followed by men in red suits that were heavily decorated with military pins.
I had no clue who or what any of these people were, until the King and Queen made their way into the room. They were quite easy to spot, thanks to their fancy crowns and elegant attire. Assuming their daughter, the princess, would follow, I refused to look away from the doors. I was beyond intrigued by why she would be so adamant about my attendance tonight.
Then she came out.
A sparkling crown atop her perfectly styled hair.
Her long dress reaching the floor.
And her bright blue eyes shining brilliantly behind inky lashes.
I could barely breathe, but then someone near me said something about “Princess Moira,” and my lungs completely gave up. The room began to spin. My face felt feverish, yet my hands were cold and clammy.
This couldn’t be real.
Chapter 5
Moira
Just because I wore a smile on my face didn’t mean I was happy.
This was the last thing I wanted, and for two weeks, I held out hope that the elders would return to the hearing with some long-lost distant relative who would happily take the throne. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
They came back with the unanimous decision that I would wear the crown.
And now, I was being paraded around like something shiny that my family wanted to show off. As if it was some great feat that a female would take the throne. I didn’t do anything special to be in this position—it came down to a vote presented by the King.
This was all too overwhelming, so as I stood in front of the hushed crowd, I closed my eyes and imagined my best life. I pictured myself walking down the street, strangers smiling at me as I passed, yet they had no idea who I was. In my vision, I had someone next to me, walking beside me. I could practically feel the warmth in my hand from the person’s palm. However, I had no idea who it was.
The announcement was made, “I present to you, the future Queen of Ilunabarra, Princess Moira Coldwell,” which forced me to abandon my best life and open my eyes to my reality. Except this couldn’t have been my reality, because as soon as my sight cleared, I locked eyes with Ryan. The same Ryan who’d told me he wouldn’t be here tonight.
The next ten or so minutes were an absolute blur. There were people to greet, hands to shake, and pictures to smile for. None of which I enjoyed. There wasn’t a single aspect of this entire ordeal that I was excited about—including the conversation I had to have with Ryan. If I ever made it to him, that is.
After practically elbowing my way through the ballroom, I found him standing by the bar. I wasn’t looking forward to this, but I knew it had to be done. There were a few things I needed to explain.
“Can you meet me somewhere to talk?” I had to keep my voice low so no one else could hear. Sneaking away was hard enough without a crown on my head and roomful of people who were there to see me. I didn’t need to make it any harder on myself.
Ryan appeared to be confused, though he didn’t reject me.
“Do you know where the indoor pool is?” I was relieved when he nodded. “Okay, good. Meet me there in five minutes. If I don’t show up in ten, that means I couldn’t sneak away.”
Rather than say anything, he blinked a few times and then nodded.
Luckily, my cousin was there. If I could count on one person to help me escape, it would be Libby. She understood me more than anyone. Not to mention, using the loo as an excuse to sneak away was perfect, considering women usually went in pairs.
“He wasn’t supposed to be here, Libs,” I whined as we hurried through the back halls toward the pool to meet Ryan. “He told me this morning that he didn’t have a tuxedo, so where did he get one this quickly.”
When Libby had found me on the balcony with Ryan this morning, she had a multitude of questions for me. Of course, I’d told her everything. She seemed slightly bothered by the fact that I hadn’t said anything about him after returning from the States, but if she was, she didn’t voice it. She just listened as I gushed about my time as a commoner.
“Who knows, but it’s pointless to focus on that right now. You don’t have long, so get in, say what you need to, and get out. Otherwise, we’ll both be busted.” She came to a stop outside the service door that led to the pool. “Good luck. And hurry.”
Ryan was perched on the side of a lounge chair when I made my way in. As I approached, he stood, his hands fidgeting at his sides. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Should I bow? I’ve never been in the presence of royalty before—well, knowingly, I should say.”
His nervousness made me giggle. “This is why I didn’t want you to find out.”
We each took a seat on the edge of a chaise lounge, facing one another.
Slowly shaking his head, he laughed to himself. “I’m sorry, it’s just really hard to have a conversation with someone who’s wearing a crown.”
A few hairs came loose as I removed the jeweled tiara. But then he began to smooth the fly-away strands, causing my breath to hitch. If he didn’t stop touching me in such a caring way, I’d lose my mind.
“I thought you said you weren’t coming to the gala.”
He sighed and dropped his hand to his lap. “I wasn’t, but then some guy came to the room and fitted me for a tux. He said someone personally asked for it.”
“Who would do that?”
“I have no idea. He told me it was the princess
, but clearly, it wasn’t you.”
Confusion blinded me for a moment, but then it dawned on me. “Libby?”
“No, that doesn’t sound right.”
With a huff, I corrected myself, “I mean, Princess Elizabeth?”
“Yes, that’s it! Who’s that?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the lengths she’d go to play cupid. “My cousin. She’s the one who came to get me this morning. She asked who you were, so I told her. I also mentioned that you wouldn’t be in attendance this evening because you didn’t have a suit. I guess she took it upon herself to arrange for you to have one.”
“Well, that was mighty nice of her.”
“If you say so,” I mumbled with a shrug. “So, now that you know who I am, I can explain why I didn’t come to the pier the night after we met. You see, I had snuck out of my hotel because I wanted a moment of privacy, and as soon as my security team realized I wasn’t in my room, they came looking for me. They found me on my way back, after I left the café. We were supposed to stay one more day, but they felt it would be safer if we came back that night.”
“Oddly enough, that makes sense.”
“I am really sorry, Ryan. When I realized that you didn’t know who I was, I didn’t want to change it. I was enjoying being a regular person, and even though I knew it would be even harder to sneak away from security two nights in a row, I couldn’t say no when you asked me to meet you again.”
With his eyes locked on mine, he nodded, and for a moment, it felt like he genuinely understood what I meant. As if he, too, had experience being seen as something he wasn’t. It was a fleeting moment, though, because a second later, he cleared his throat and asked, “Is that why you accused me of stalking you?”
It wasn’t funny, but it kind of was, which made me laugh to myself. “Yes. And as you can see now, it would be easier than finding a needle in a haystack. Especially with everything going on over here.”
“Yeah, what’s all this about?”