Dating the Prince(7)

"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."