Liam woke up early, put on his sports clothes, grabbed the usual energetic smoothie his servants prepare for him every morning and went straight to the gym. As he walked into the room, his MMA trainer already waited with a lively smile on his face. “Punctual as always. Good Morning, Your Highness.” Connor, his trainer, greeted him.
“Good Morning, Connor!” Liam replied with a smile and they shook hands.
“So…I saw pictures of you drinking and eating some fancy food filled with simple carbs,” Connor raised an eyebrow at the Crown Prince, who simply shrugged.
“It’s an occupational hazard.”
“Well, I hope you had a good night of sleep because you’re going to burn all those extra calories.”
“Told you Connor would make you pay. Morning, guys,” Drake said sardonically as he came in.
“Sure, you’re the one to talk,” Liam smirked.
“Good to know we’ll have intense training today. Let’s warm up,” Connor commanded. The warm-up session and first exercises went fine. But during a quick break, Liam looked at the window and his eyes immediately gleamed. He saw Jade. She was wearing a gray t-shirt, charcoal track pants, black sneakers, and earphones. Her beautiful ombré hair styled into a ponytail was flying in the wind as she ran through the palace backyard. She did mention she liked jogging in the morning with her roommate. Soon, he remembered the conversation they had in the garden maze just a few hours earlier.
“You’re fast. Are you one of those people who jog in the morning at Central Park?” Liam asked.
“Sometimes. Randal’s Island’s and Saint Mary’s are closer to my apartment, but I used to train with my team at Central Park.”
“Team?”
“Relay race team. I did track on High School.”
“I didn’t know I was talking to a professional athlete,” he playfully smiled at her and Jade shook her head laughing.
“I started it for fun, but it kinda grows on you. When I finished High School, I missed it. So I kept jogging with my roommate Julie since she was the only one on the team going to college in New York as well.”
“Did you go to college?”
“Yes, I’m a grad student, actually. Masters in Music Composition. I’ll have to divert for a year, though.” Jade looked away as if she wasn’t sure of what she just said. He noticed it seemed like a sensitive issue for her. Clearly, he was the reason she had to postpone her plans on getting a masters degree. Still, it was her choice. She was already there and he didn’t feel like he’d get a say about it. So he decided to change the subject.
“So you write songs, huh?” Liam’s smile was playful again and she giggled.
“Whenever I can find a good piano, a music sheet, and a pencil.”
“Will you play one of your songs for me?”
“Only if you promise to make time for me, Your Highness,” a coy smile crossed her lips as they exchanged yearning gazes at each other.
“Then I will certainly hold you to that, Lady Jade.”
“Wow… this window view must be amazing!” Connor’s loud voice interrupted Liam’s thoughts.
“Pardon me?” Liam replied, still a little inattentive.
“Dude, break was over ten minutes ago,” Drake grumbled.
“Oh. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Connor and Drake approached the window and spotted Jade still running. Drake rolled his eyes and Connor teased patting Liam’s shoulder. “It’s fine. If I had a view like that in my house, I’d probably get distracted too.”
