When the phone call came, I just wasn't prepared. Our band, Flypaper, was chosen to play at the Royal Genovian Pear Festival this coming summer. We were to play at Royal Genovian Pear Social, the night before the big festivities and two Royal parties. We were booked solid.

And oh yes, I almost forgot. How could I forget? There were three more we'd have to appear at. It was a special engagement. One was for a bridal shower, one was an engagement party and there was one more; a wedding reception.

Mia Thermopolis, my sister Lily's best friend, was marrying Nicholas Deveraux, her boyfriend, someone she hardly knew. She said she was in love with him, at least she thought she was. Her foot had popped when he kissed her, just like it did when I kissed her. But there was something about him, something she didn't like, didn't trust. Too much like his uncle, she had messaged me. Now that she was Queen; there was pressure on her to marry. She could only put it off for so long. No one knew when the wedding was going to be, there was no definite date. I asked if there was any way that I could help. She told me no, there was nothing I could do.

"We're friends, Michael," Mia wrote back. "We need to stay that way."

"What about my sister?" I messaged back.

"You should know the answer to that one, Michael. Lilly can't come down, not now. Too many exams and she's working on her thesis. You of all people should know that. I have advisors here and I still have Grandma and Joe. I'll be fine."

I know Mia too well. This was a cry for help. She needed someone there who knew her and someone to take care of her; someone who loved her and wanted to be with her. Was that person me? Could I love her for the rest of my life? Did I really have the strength and courage to be Prince Consort? She would be the star, not me. I would follow behind her the rest of my life.

"Where the hell is Genovia?" Ryan, our new bass player asked. They were tired of traveling the globe. We had been all over the place for the last 6 years, with time off for at least six bestselling albums. We replaced some members along the way, but it was all worth it. Kept us busy and kept me busy, not enough to time to devote to anyone or anything. Oh sure, there were girls, lots of them, but not a single one made me forget about the woman that I had a crush on and fallen in love with back at Grove High School in San Francisco.

I smiled as I looked up at him. "Somewhere between France and Spain," I blurted out. "It's a small country, tiny in fact. I've been there."

"And now you're ready to go back?" Jason, our main guitar player asked. He had been with me from the beginning when we used to play in Doc's garage. He was married now and was tired of touring. He wanted to settle down. "I thought the two of you were over."

I looked up at him. I had thought so too. We corresponded a lot during those 6 years, letters, emails, Skype, Messenger, Facebook, every part of social media that there was. We couldn't keep away from each other and we labeled that as friendship.

I was the one who broke it off, even though I, Michael Moscovitz, was still in love with Mia, desperately in love, in seems. I thought the world tour would do it. I wanted to concentrate on the band and our music. I hate to admit it, but I was also a bit intimidated with the whole Princess thing. But it's hard to forget someone when you hear about them constantly from your own sister. Mia was on tv, in the newspapers, all over the media. Could I do it? Was I the one to marry her?

Besides, the green eyed monster of jealousy was coming out, as my sister usually says. It was the last straw. I couldn't stand to see her with anyone else but me. Maybe I was selfish; chauvinistic. Maybe, just maybe, I was wrong about this whole friendship thing. Maybe I really needed to be with her, give up this band thing once and for all.

"I think it would be interesting," Joel, our new drummer called out from the back. "Somewhere we haven't gone yet."

I looked up at them. "So are you guys willing to do this? I know the band hasn't been together since last year and I know you've been busy with other projects. This came out of left field and I didn't expect it. I promise that this will be our last gig. That's why I called you guys here."

The guys looked at me. They had wives, some had kids. We were getting on and some had just wanted to settle down.

"Can we…"Ryan started, but I cut him off.

"You can all bring your families along and you can leave at any time. You're not obligated to stay after we finish up. "

The three of them looked around and at each other. They smiled, turned towards me and nodded their heads in unison. They were ready. Now the question that remained was I ready for this? My head kept saying no, but my heart kept telling me yes. For once, I had to listen to my heart. I was ready.

XXXXXXXX

When we landed at the castle, we were met by the Prime Minister and his wife. Clarisse and Joe would be meeting with me later on. Everyone was there except Mia who right now was at a conference in Paris. She was the speaker.

Of course, it was with Nicholas. There were appearances that had to be kept up.

Did she know about this? No, the Prime Minister informed me, this was a surprise. It was an extended stay, all paid for. There were private rooms at the palace for each member of the band, far enough away so that Mia wouldn't ever know that we were here.

Not yet, anyway. She would find out sooner or later. Hopefully, a lot later.

In the middle of a rehearsal, I received a call on my cell phone. I was summoned to the Dowager Queen's apartments. Joe came to get me. I knew about the wedding, Mia wrote me about that. She was happy for the two of them and that things were going well between the two. Talk about time, love had sprouted between the two of them ever since the King's death. Joseph had been her closest companion, as well as chauffeur and Head of Security. The romance had been kept secret and Charlotte was able to keep it out of the media, even though everyone in the palace knew about it. So no one was really surprised when they married a year ago.

"You haven't changed much," Clarisse said, standing up from behind her desk. She looked at me. I really hadn't. My hair had gotten a bit longer, down to my shoulders now. No more bangs, it was parted in the middle. The stubble that I considered a beard for a few months was gone now.

"You two are looking good," I said, taking Clarisse's hand in mine. "And you guys look happy and in love."

They both smiled and looked at each other. Clarisse gestured for me to sit in the chair opposite her while Joe sat next to me.

"Now what is this all about?" I asked. "From all her correspondence, she seems to be miserable with Nicholas. I don't understand. She's Queen, she should know what's happening…."

Clarisse cut me off. "She does, Michael. She won't face it. She's in love with you and she won't admit it. Do you still love her?"

"One of the reasons I came here was to claim her again, but if it's all appearances with Nicholas Deveraux, then they need to…"

Clarisse stood. "Nicholas and my granddaughter cannot marry, Michael. He's a two timing creep. He's been seeing Cora, Mia's Lady in Waiting, for over a year now. Some say that she's having his baby. They've been hanging around each other every time Mia goes away." Clarisse stared at him. "Has she said anything at all to you?"

No wonder Mia was upset. She couldn't tell me what was really happening. She must have seen something.

I stood up. "I've got to go," I said, heading for the door.

"Michael, has she said anything?"

I turned to face the Dowager Queen. "Mia didn't say anything to me, but I know she was upset about something. She never told me a thing. And just because a guy hangs around a girl a few times doesn't mean that they are in love with each other. Mia wouldn't get upset over that, I know her. She must have seen something else. And as far as how I feel about her, I would say it's none of your business, but I'm too polite. I came here because I love her. I've always loved her. It took me a long time to admit it to myself, but there it is. Now if you'll excuse me." I walked toward the door, opened it and walked out.

I had to get to the bottom of this mess, I thought to myself as I walked back to the playhouse to finish our rehearsal. Or tell them it was done for tonight.

XXXXXX

I will never forget Mia's face when she saw me for the first time. She was still beautiful and we just stared at each other as if we were aliens from another world. I thought she would rush right up to me, put her arms around me and the endless kisses would come and we would pick up just where we left off. But that didn't happen.

She wasn't happy to find me here; she wasn't happy with the Prime Minister and she really wasn't happy with her grandmother and Joseph for keeping the secret. Mia didn't want me to stay at all. She was angry, upset, told me I was messing things up and I needed to get out of Genovia as quickly as possible.

Then she stalked off into the cover of darkness.

I stopped the rehearsal and ran after her, Nicholas watching all of it.

I caught her by a tree in the woods behind the palace and I kissed her to calm her down. I told the reason I was here and I finally admitted that I loved her and wanted her back. I wanted to marry her and the sooner the better. We kissed again and I knew that I could never ever be apart from her again.

That night, I found out that Clarisse had been right. Nicholas was with Mia's new and handpicked Lady in Waiting, the beautiful Cora Wingate. Mia had no clue that he was seeing her on the side and wait…what? Was this the reason that he didn't want to get married?

It was Mia that saw them by the stables after a morning ride together. When they walked inside the barn, Mia followed them. She hadn't seen them come out again for a while so she slipped inside. She heard giggling at first and heard rustling in the hay in the loft. She climbed the ladder and found the two of them stark naked. It was the last thing Mia had expected to see. She climbed down the ladder and ran off, careful not to speak to anyone about she saw. Although she did tell Clarisse later on, she chose never to bring it up again. Now it was time to tell someone else.

At first, Nicholas denied it, even though Mia had caught them. Yes, she was pregnant and yes, Nicholas was going to marry her. He was going to tell Mia for weeks but had never gotten around to it. In the end, Nicholas didn't fight for Mia; he left on his own accord with Cora at his side never to be seen again.

And the rest of the story? Well, we played the Genovian Pear Festival and we met all of our commitment. Flypaper officially broke up and some of the group departed for San Francisco and home. Joel, our new drummer, fell in love with Mia's new Lady in Waiting, Brianna and stayed here.

Mia and I married and expecting our first baby. I braved the wedding and I became Prince Consort. I share my duties as Prince Consort with the Queen and I fell in love with the job just as I fell in love with Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Princess and now Queen of Genovia.

I never understood why I was so frightened to begin with.