Summary: Riley has to decide if she’ll leave her life in New York to join the show and compete for the princes hand in marriage.
Riley was in a daze the whole way home. She walked into her apartment to find her roommate Sarah watching TV on the couch. Riley sunk down beside her.
“So how did your meeting go? Was it actually legit?” Sarah asked as she turned towards Riley. “Woah, you look like you just got some bad news.”
“The show is legit, but I just learned my life is a lie.” Riley proceeded to fill Sarah in on the details of the evening.
“Wow, I don’t even know what to say. Are you okay? Are you going to do the show?”
“Sarah, I can’t just up and leave my life here for some silly reality show. Like the crown prince of Cordonia is actually going to pick me. And even if he did, I was not raised to be a Queen living in a palace. I’ll be a fish out of water.”
“But is he cute? That’s all that matters,” Sarah teased.
“I have no idea what he looks like. I know nothing about him.”
Sarah grabbed her phone and pulled up some pictures. “Oh my god, he’s hot! Check out this one with his shirt off.” She held up the phone for Riley to see.
Riley rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that’s going to change my mind…but, uh…he’s not bad to look at.” The picture was of Prince Liam on the beach in low slung swim trunks, showing off his muscular chest and abs. His hair was a few shades darker than his deep brown eyes, which were lit up by his gleaming smile.
“Maybe it would be good for you,” Sarah urged.” You’ve been stuck in a rut since your mom died. Maybe this could be a fresh start for you.“
It hurt to hear Sarah say that, but Riley kind of needed to hear it. Riley dropped out of graduate school when her mom died two years ago, telling herself she would go back the next semester. As each semester came and went, she told herself she’d go back the next. 4 semesters later, she still hadn’t made a move to get back in, and was biding her time as a waitress in a shitty bar and grill. Maybe being pushed out of her comfort zone would get her back to being the person she wanted to be.
“You have a point. But this is still so much to wrap my head around. I’m going to call my aunt Susan.”
Susan was Riley’s mother Catherine’s sister and the only living relative Riley really had a relationship with. Susan’s children were a bit older than Riley and had both moved out of state for college and never moved back. Susan and Riley became closer after Catherine died, having only each other to lean on.
Susan picked up after a couple rings. “Hey sweetie, how are you doing?”
“Well…” Riley hesitated. “I’m not quite sure how to answer that. What do you know about my father…my real father.”
There was a long pause on the phone. “How did you find out?” Susan asked.
“So you did know all this time and never told me? Not even after mom died?”
“Honey, we really thought it would be best for you. Your mom met Barthelemy when she was backpacking across Europe after college. She didn’t know he was married. When he found out she was pregnant, he said he would support you your mom financially, but could never publicly acknowledge that you were his daughter because of his status as Duke. She decided it would would hurt you more to know that your father didn’t want anything to do with you than to think your father had died.”
“Well he is dead now. It would have been nice to know about him when he was alive, even if he still didn’t want to meet me…but I do still have two brothers.”
“How did you find all of this out Riley?”
“I’m not sure if you’ll believe me if I tell you, but I will anyways.” Riley proceeded to tell her about the show.
“You are right, that is hard to believe, but I don’t think you could make something like this up. So what are going to do?”
“That’s why I called you, Susan. What do you think I should do?”
“Why don’t you sleep on it, but I say why not? If nothing else you get to meet your brothers, and if all goes well, you will have the adventure of a lifetime. The last couple years have been hard for you. You need something like this Riley.”
“First Sarah, now you. Have I really been that bad?”
“You’ve been fine, pretty good given the circumstances. But you just aren’t quite back to the carefree, fun-loving Riley you used to be. I know she’s still there, right under the surface. Forget the stresses of daily life, and just go and have fun. You deserve it,” Susan encouraged.
“You’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ll decide for sure in the morning, but I think I’m going to go for it. Goodnight Susan.”
“Goodnight Riley.”
Riley woke up the next morning with a feeling of clarity. She really had nothing to lose. She called Kat to tell her the news.
“Hey Kat. I’m in.”
“That’s fantastic. Okay…Kat paused for a moment…I can get you on the next flight out, so I need you at the airport in 2 hours. I flew back last night, so I’ll meet you when you arrive.”
“What?! That’s not nearly enough time to pack and get there.”
“Riley, trust me. You will need as much time as possible to prepare for the welcome ball tomorrow night.”
“I don’t even own a ball gown! I don’t know if this is going to work.”
“Don’t worry, we will get you set up with everything you need once you get here. Just pack the basics. I will email you your itinerary and all the details.”
“Okay, I’ll try to make it work.” Riley hung up the phone and started packing feverishly.
~~~~~
“48, 49, 50…I’m not even breaking a sweat.” Drake said with a cocky grin. “How are you hanging in there?”
“Oh, I’m feeling great,” Liam uttered breathlessly. A few moments later he collapsed to the ground.
“It was a good effort Liam. Maybe someday you’ll beat me at push-ups”
“Why don’t we see if you can finally beat me in a 5K?” Liam challenged back.
They hopped on the side by side treadmills and began to race. Liam ended up finishing a full 20 seconds before Drake.
“Well Drake, I would say your intensely competitive nature was annoying, but I wouldn’t be in the shape I’m in if I weren’t always trying to outdo you.”
“Someone’s got to keep the future King in fighting shape.”
“Whatever would I do without you Drake? Which reminds me, I do have an official request for you.”
Drake furrowed his brow. Official request typically meant Drake couldn’t say no, even if he wanted to, since he was part of Liam’s security team in the King’s guard. “What is it this time?”
“It’s actually a big opportunity for you…a promotion of sorts.”
“Of sorts? What exactly does that mean?” Drake questioned skeptically.
“Remember how I told you about the social season potentially being filmed for a TV show?”
“Yes, and you remember how I said that was a terrible idea?” Drake retorted.
“I respect your opinion Drake, but I decided to do it because of the beneficial impact it will have on tourism. I have to get engaged by the coronation in a few months anyhow. What’s the harm in having it filmed?”
“I’ve seen some of those shows and the crazy things they put people through…when there was nothing else on TV I mean…It’s not like I would actually watch those shows. Are they going to make you hand out roses to the women you keep each week?”
“Who knew Drake Walker was a closet fan of The Bachelor? To answer your question though, no I wont be handing out roses. It will be Cordonian Ruby apple blossoms.”
Drake doubled over laughing. “You’re joking, right? And what’s it going to be called? Something cheesy like ‘My Prince Charming?’”
“Queen of My Heart,” Liam mumbled.
“What?! It just keeps getting better. This is one of those times I’m so glad I’m not you…but what does the show have to do with your request?”
“It’s a long story Drake, but it turns out the Beaumonts have a half sister who lives in New York, and she will coming to court for the social season.”
“Wow, did Bertrand flip his lid when he found out?…I’m still waiting to hear how this concerns me.”
“Being that is such short notice, the Beaumonts won’t have the time to set up security for her, and to be quite honest, I’m not sure they have the funds.”
“Liam, are you asking me to be her security detail? You know I’d rather stab myself in the eye than guard a noble lady. I like working on your team. Plus, nobody even knows her. Why does she need her own guard?”
“Drake, this is your chance to be lead security and work your way up in the guard. Nobody knows her now, but once the first show airs, I’m sure her story will gain a lot of attention. There have been too many assasination attempts in recent years. We can’t be too careful. She grew up a commoner. It’s not as if she will be like one of those ‘stuck up’ noble women you like to complain about.”
“Her being a commoner might be even worse…make my job harder. But I’m guessing like all of your requests, this is more of an order,” Drake stated with resignation.
“I wouldn’t word it that way, but I would be very disappointed if you said no. Maybe you’ll get lucky and we won’t have a connection, and I send her home right away.”
“With my luck you’ll end up marrying her. Now let’s go grab some food.”