"That garden isn't on the tour."
"Yeah, but it's probably just used by staff during their breaks. I doubt the royal family hangs out there." Libby frowned, staring at her friend. "What are you saying?"
Connie shifted, holding Kenzie's bottle with her neck as she fished her phone from her pocket. A few moments later she held it out to Libby, a photo on the screen. "Is this the Alex you're talking about?"
Libby took the phone and her eyes widened. The man in the photo was most definitely Alex. Same strong jawline, defined by a trim beard. Same bewitching green eyes. Same muscled physique and soft dark hair. "Yeah, that's him … " Her voice trailed off as she glanced down at the headline: Prince Alexander seen in public for the first time since his breakup with Isla Martin.
Libby gasped, fumbling and nearly dropping the phone. "Prince Alexander?"
Connie's eyes were wide and she nodded vigorously.
"As in one day he'll be king?"
Connie nodded again. "You didn't recognize him?"
"Uh, no!" Libby closed her eyes, suddenly feeling faint. He'd dodged her questions about his job and about the royal family, but she'd thought he was just a good listener.
And the guard, Colin. He hadn't been saying Libby was high-he'd been trying to say Your Highness, and Alex had cut him off. No, not Alex. Prince Alexander. "I can't believe this. I'm such an idiot."
Connie shoved Libby's shoulder. "I can't believe you just had a date with the prince!"
Libby shook her head furiously, heart pounding in her chest. "It wasn't a date. It was barely even an introduction."
"He took you to the queen's private gardens."
"Oh my gosh." Libby ran a hand through her hair. "And we're supposed to have coffee tomorrow."
Connie pointed an accusing finger. "Another date!"
"No way. Uh-uh. Definitely not." Libby shook her head back and forth furiously. Her hour spent with Alex had almost convinced her that all men weren't unfaithful dirt bags like Cedric. But Alex was just like every other man on the planet-a lying jerk. Did he think it was funny to trick American tourists? "I can't … no. I'm not dating a prince."
"I think it's too late for that."
Unbelievable. This was like some twisted fairytale, and Libby didn't like it one bit. "Why didn't he tell me who he was? That's so dirty. Ew. He lied to me. I asked him about his family, and about his job, and he didn't say a thing."
"I can't believe you didn't recognize him. He's been in every gossip magazine for months."
Libby pointed to herself. "No internet or television at Ocean Meadow, remember? And it's not like I pay attention to the magazines when I go into town."
"Well, he's been everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. He cheated on this really amazing actress. You do know who Isla Martin is, right?"
Libby shook her head.
Connie sighed. "Well, she's fantastic. Was just nominated for an Oscar. And he cheated on her and broke her heart. She's been a mess ever since."
Libby shook her head, feeling angry tears prick at the back of her eyes. Cedric wasn't the exception-he was the rule. And once again Libby had been fooled. "Well, His Royal Highness lies to random strangers. Of course he cheats on his girlfriend." And she was supposed to have coffee with him tomorrow.
"So what are you going to do?" Connie asked. Kenzie was asleep in her arms now, the bottle half-out of her mouth and little bubbles of milk on her lips. "You can't stand up a prince."
"Why not? He lied to me."
"Libby." Connie gave her a stern glare. "You know you won't do that."
She folded her arms, anger at Alex still flowing through her. "Dang it. You're right."
"Besides, if you stand him up as Alex, he won't know it's because you don't like Prince Alexander." A twinkle appeared in the corner of Connie's eyes. "You should at least let him know his gig is up and you're on to him. Do it for all the other girls he's played."
Connie was right. If Libby didn't show up tomorrow, he'd never know why.
She hadn't gotten a chance to tell off Cedric for his bad behavior. The months of lies while he saw someone else behind Libby's back had ended with her broken heart and Cedric blissfully happy in a new relationship. And Libby had never told him how much that hurt. She hadn't been strong enough.
But she didn't love Alex, and she was strong enough to let him know he'd been in the wrong. Just because he was a prince didn't mean he could treat other people this way. He had no idea what was coming tomorrow.
"Okay I'll go. But she's coming with me." Libby pointed to Kenzie.
"Oh no. I can watch her for an hour while you're gone. I'll make up the time after she's asleep."
"No way." Libby plucked the sleeping baby from Connie's arms, bouncing her up and down until she had settled back into sleep. Libby motioned her head toward Connie's office. "Now get back to work. I don't want to see you again until dinnertime."
"But-"
"No buts," Libby said. "She's asleep now anyway. I'll just change her diaper and put her in her room. Now, where's your computer? I want to do some research on Prince Alexander before I see him again tomorrow. I need to know exactly what kind of royal snob I'm dealing with."
CHAPTER SIX
Alex stared at himself in his full-length bathroom mirror and nervously adjusted his tie. He'd completely lost his mind. Meeting Libby for their coffee date was most definitely a bad idea.
He knew what his cousin Nicholas would say if Alex told him about Libby: that Alex had lost his ever-loving mind. Crown princes didn't get to have casual coffee dates with everyday girls, especially if that girl was foreign. It wasn't what was in the best interest of the crown.
Except as of last week, Nicholas was now engaged to an everyday girl … one who was raising her one-year-old niece. Strange to think how much had changed in such a short amount of time. It had been mere days after Isla's betrayal, and Nicholas had tried to help Alex feel better with a night on the town. It had ended with both of them drunk and accidentally breaking into Kara's ballet studio. Alex had watched as Nicholas and Kara's relationship blossomed and knew his cousin was a goner. What he hadn't expected was for Nicholas to propose not quite three months after meeting Kara. But Galia had loved it and were welcoming their future queen with open arms.
"Yeah, their Galian queen," Alex muttered to his reflection. Libby wasn't Durham-she was American, which hadn't worked out so well for Alex last time. That alone was reason enough to never date her. Marrying a noble or aristocrat from another country was acceptable. Marrying a commoner from Durham was toeing the line. But dating an American with no connections was so far over the line that the line was a dot in the distance.
And yet here he was, getting ready for coffee with Liberty Claybourne. That was her full name, according to the information that Finn had dug up. Nothing in her background check had raised any concerns and by all accounts she seemed to have led a completely average life. She'd attended college for three semesters and indeed studied a little bit of everything, just like she'd told him. Her parents was drowning in medical debt due to a recent accident her father had experienced. He was an adjunct professor at the local college-again, just like Libby had told Alex-and her mother was an artist who was pretty well-known in those circles. So Libby was honest, at least, unlike Isla. At least she was honest about things that were easily looked into. Not that she'd known he'd be checking.
Alex gave his tie one last tug, then glanced at his watch. If he didn't leave now, he'd be late for his … whatever it was. Did it count as a date if they had a newborn as a chaperone?
It's just coffee, he told himself. He'd buy her a drink, spend a few minutes in pleasant conversation, then excuse himself from her life. With any luck, he'd accomplish the whole thing without anyone recognizing him and wouldn't have to tell Libby he was a prince.
Finn waited outside Alex's bedroom door, wearing his typical black suit and stern expression. "Your Highness."
"Good afternoon, Finn." Alex headed down the hallway and Finn fell into step beside him. Alex stifled a sigh. For someone so quiet, Finn sure managed to pack a lot of guilt and judgment into his silence. "I know you think I'm being an idiot."
Finn grunted, but didn't reply.
"I made a rash decision in the heat of the moment," Alex continued. For reasons he didn't care to examine, he desperately wanted Finn to understand. "It was so nice to talk to someone normal. She didn't treat me like a prince, you know?"
"She's had a sheltered life. I doubt she recognized you, Your Highness."