Author's Note: Lord help me, I'm obsessed with this stupid game, and no story has captured me like The Royal Romance. I cannot get enough of it, so I've had to add my own narrative to the story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I hadn't lived in New York long, but as I hauled trash to the dumpster, I realized I had already gotten used to the sight of the city's enormous rats. My co-worker, Daniel, yelped as he pointed one out.

"Aw, Daniel," I said sweetly, "He's just trying to get by. Just like us."

Daniel didn't seem convinced, and edged further from the pile of garbage where the rat in question was picking out dinner. At the same time, our manager, Gavin, stormed out the restaurant's back door, his face a twisted pretzel of anger. "Riley! Daniel!" He spat. "Quit slacking off over there!"

"You told us to take out the garbage," I countered, my voice slightly challenging.

"And now I'm telling you to wait on the bachelor party that just rolled in. Chop chop!" He clapped his hands together, then gestured toward the door.

I sighed and followed Daniel and Gavin back inside. Gavin disappeared into the kitchen while Daniel ducked behind the counter. A dark, thin man in a very fancy suit (I imagined it to be Armani, not that I'd know) snapped his fingers at me. He smiled charmingly, "Waitress, there you are. We need your best table!" He had a slight accent, British or something.

Just behind him, another man – broad-shouldered, dark-haired, denim-clad – spoke up. "Forget the table. Just bring us whiskey, and lots of it." No accent.

I smiled politely. "Just one moment, please, sirs." I turned to Daniel. One of us was about to go home for the night, while the other would be stuck waiting on these guys until they decided to stumble off to a club, or whatever their next stop was. I was ready to rock-paper-scissor it out, but as soon as I saw Daniel's face, I knew which of us was stuck.

"Riley, please," Daniel said, his eyes pleading. "Please take this one. I've got a date tonight, and I'll never make it out of here in time..."

I rolled my eyes and let out a sigh. My only plans for the night were Netflix and cheap wine, but I couldn't help protesting a little. "You really want me to take the bachelor party?" The tips would probably be good, if I turned on the charm, but I wasn't sure if these guys would be the grabby sort, the dirty joke sort, or both, and I wasn't keen on finding out. But, I wasn't going to stand in the way of Daniel and his date, so I finally, I smiled and said, "I'm on it. At least the tips will be insane!"

Daniel grinned from ear to ear. "You're the best!"

Before I could reply, Gavin hissed from right behind me, causing me to jump. I swear that guy was a ninja; I never heard him coming. "Are you two still talking? I've seated them already. Now get over there before I dock your pay!" Daniel waved at me and disappeared to the back, and I headed over the the table. Three guys sat talking. Armani suit, Denim shirt, and a third guy I hadn't noticed before who looked like an Abercrombie & Fitch model – in fact, I was pretty sure he was wearing an A&F polo. I put on my best smile and welcomed them. "Hello gentlemen," I said, "I'm Riley, and I'll be taking care of you this evening."

Abercrombie spoke up first, and I noticed he had the same accent as Armani suit guy, although maybe less pronounced. "Waitress, steaks for the table!"

I suppressed a groan – I had literally just said my name, and he still called me waitress! Plus, steaks? Did he even know where he was? But he wasn't even the worst of the three.

Armani spoke up next. "How about some filet mignon, medium rare and prepared with a bearnaise sauce?"

My smile never faltered. "The closest thing we have to filet mignon is the deluxe burger."

Armani looked absolutely crest-fallen. "Dare I ask for your wine list?"

"We've got an excellent vintage house red..." I had to admit, I was enjoying this.

"House red?" Armani sputtered, as if I had just offered him a glass of water from the Hudson.

"It also comes in white." I offered, my voice far more chipper than it should have been.

Denim guy seemed to be in on the joke, because he was grinning as he spoke up, "We'll be fine with a bottle of whiskey, and four deluxe burgers."

I nodded, then did a double-take. "Four?" I said, looking at the three men in front of me. Denim nodded behind me, and I turned to see Number Four…

...Who made my heart jump into my throat. I mean, all of these guys were pretty good-looking. But the guy who had just walked in was something else entirely. Dark hair and eyes. Strong jaw-line, gorgeous smile. And a flawless olive complexion. For the first time, my perfect waitress smile faded, and I had to almost pick my jaw up off the floor. My brain completely shut off when he spoke, his words soft and graceful with that same faintly British accent. "Sorry I'm late," he said, sliding into the booth next to Denim guy. His eyes were still fixed on me. "Thank you for your patience, Miss..." he paused, and it took a beat for me to realize he was asking for my name.

"Riley!" I spat at last.

"Charmed to make your acquaintance, Riley."

Charmed. Who talks like that? My stomach flip-flopped as I tried my best to answer him. "The...pleasure is all mine," I managed, and smiled – a real genuine smile, not my waitress smile. "Now that everyone's here, let me go put your order in. I'll be right back!" I turned on my heel and practically bounced into the kitchen to place the order.

After I brought out their whiskey, and later their burgers, there wasn't much left for me to do but wait. The men were happily chatting among themselves, and every so often a peal of laughter roared up from their table. But they didn't seem like a bachelor party. Since I didn't have any other tables to worry about (there were a few other patrons drinking, but things were really winding down for the night), I tried to stealthily watch the booth and figure out which one was getting married.

Denim guy was my pick. Mainly because my restaurant seemed like his kind of place. They seemed like good friends, even if the group was a little oddly matched. And, it was nice to watch a low-key bachelor party unfold like that. A couple times, I caught Number Four looking over at me, and I tried my best to not seem like I was staring at them. After dropping off their check, I busied myself cleaning off the last few tables and putting up chairs for the night. The place was closed, so I just had to wait for the guys to leave. I didn't want them to feel rushed, though; I was still hoping for a major tip.

As I was wiping off the bar top, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Number Four, smiling as charmingly as ever. "I think we're about ready to head out. I just wanted to thank you...and apologize." I raised my eyebrow at this, but said nothing. He continued. "I know we kept you late, and my friends can be...demanding."

I shot a glance at Armani, but just shook my head. "Nothing I couldn't handle," I said with a smile.

Number Four nodded and returned my grin. "I got the feeling that you could take care of yourself. But, if you don't have any plans tonight, maybe I can make it up to you by buying you a drink. We're about to go to a club."

This was not something that I was used to. Sure, I got hit on by creeps at the bar all the time – that was jut part of the job. But this was...different. He was different. So, a little in spite of myself, I didn't automatically reject him, like I should have. Instead, I said, "Oh? Which one?" As if I knew any clubs. I wasn't exactly a club type person.

"We were hoping you might have some advice about that. We're not from around here."

"You don't say?" I smiled. I thought for a minute. I knew of one club that Daniel always talked about, called Kismet. But honestly, I had no desire to ever set foot in that place. Instead, I made a suggestion that probably wasn't wise. "I'd recommend...forgetting the club."

"Really?" He looked surprised, but intrigued.

"Yeah. There's this gorgeous secret cove by the beach I can show you all. It'd be a nice way to wind down the evening, and take in the Manhattan skyline."

He smiled broadly. "You know, that sounds perfect. To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of the usual bachelor party antics. Lead the way!"

"Sure!" I looked down at my ill-fitting uniform and sneered. "Just let me finish up and get changed. I'll meet you guys out front."

I jumped into the break room and opened my locker. Thankfully, I had a change of clothes because I had come straight to work from a lunch date with a friend. I felt a little under-dressed in my dark jeans and purple top, but I threw on my leather jacket and shrugged. It would have to do. I slammed my locker closed and ran out front to meet…

I stopped short as I saw the group, realizing I didn't even know any of their names. I was starting to think twice about my plan to go to a secluded beach with four strange men, but then Number Four turned around and saw me, and his smile shut up the rational part of my brain.

He quickly introduced everyone – I guess he realized the same thing I did, that names were probably in order at this point in the evening. Denim guy became Drake. Armani was Tariq. And Abercrombie was Maxwell. "And I'm Liam," Number Four said at last.

"Riley," I said, extending my hand for a handshake.

"Yes, I remember," Liam said, taking my hand and kissing the back of it. That threw me off, but it wasn't creepy like it might have been from someone else. Maybe it was his accent, or just the fact that he was so hot, but it was actually kind of a sweet gesture.

"Wow," Drake said, noticing me for the first time.

"Wow?" I asked, not sure if that was a good or bad exclamation.

"I...almost didn't recognize you." He chose his words carefully, which I thought might be further evidence that he was the one getting married soon.

Tariq spoke up as well, "That uniform wasn't doing you justice."

Okay, this was starting to get into traditional bachelor party territory. I shifted uncomfortably, looking down at my outfit.

"Yeah," Maxwell joined in. "The waitress is hot!"

Liam came to my rescue immediately, clearing his throat loudly. "Her name is Riley, and I doubt she appreciates you talking about her like that."

Maxwell's grin instantly faded, and he looked like a scolded puppy. "Right. Sorry, Riley. I meant to say, you look lovely. Now let's get this party going!"

Drake grumbled, his arms crossed defensively across his chest. "So she's our tour guide now?"

Liam's voice was that of a skilled mediator. "Riley was kind enough to agree to show us around. She's doing us a favor, so play nice."

Drake thew his hands up as he turned toward the street, but said nothing. He climbed into a limo that was parked at the curb, and the rest of the guys followed shortly behind. Liam held the door open and gestured for me to get in.

"I don't want to get in the way, if the others don't want me around," I told him.

He shook his head, "Don't mind Drake, he's always like that. He's gonna love your idea."

"If you're sure," I said, and climbed into the limo. Liam settled into the seat next to me, and soon everyone had a glass of champagne in their hand. I gave the driver directions, and then Maxwell turned up the music, and we all sort of half-danced to the beat until we arrived at the beach.

As we clambered out of the limo and the guys saw where we were, I could see that Liam was right. Maxwell, Drake, and Tariq instantly ran towards the ocean, hollering and laughing. I heard Drake shout, "We should build a bonfire!"

"I'm not doing manual labor," Tariq replied.

"Sorry," Drake said, "I forgot who I was talking to. What I meant was, I'll go build a bonfire."

I laughed as I watched this exchange from the edge of the sand. Then, my attention turned towards Maxwell as he shouted, "This place is awesome! Skinny dipping!"

"Keep your pants on, Maxwell," Tariq yelped, his face flush.

I turned to Liam, who was still standing by my side. "Thank you," he said. "For bringing us here. I can tell the guys are enjoying themselves already."

I smiled up at him – did I mention how tall he was? Easily 6' 4". Towering above me. But the kindness in his face was obvious. He put me at ease. "I bet you're used to putting everyone else first," I said.

His face gave nothing away as he replied, "And why would you say that?"

I shrugged, looking out at his friends, splashing in the water. "I can tell. I'm good at reading people." I turned back to Liam, my whole body facing him. "Now, forget about your friends. What about you? Do you like it here?"

"I love it."

"It's my secret spot, so I'm really trusting you."

"I'll do my best to be worthy of that trust." His face was serious, and he stared right into my eyes. I felt like he was going to kiss me right then and there. But then, he smiled, saying, "Though there's just one problem. How am I supposed to buy you that drink?"

"Champagne in the limo wasn't enough?"

"Doesn't count," he said. "I didn't buy that."

I nodded in mock solemnity, then grinned. "You'll think of something. Or else, you'll just keep on owing me."

"Fair enough." He put his hands in his pockets and surveyed the beach. "So, what should we do?"

"We should climb up the cliff," I pointed to where the land jutted out over the water, a perfect spot for watching the view.

"Way up there?" He seemed surprised.

"Try to keep up!" I shouted, taking off running. I scrambled up the sheer cliff face, with Liam following close behind. By the time we reached the top, I was gasping for air. "Did...it!" I managed between breaths. I extended my hand and helped Liam up.

"Thanks," he said.

"So," I said. "What do you think?"

"Huh?"

I waved my hand to show off the panoramic view. "That view. Worth the climb, right?"

"Oh, definitely," he said, nodding with an appreciative smile. We both looked out for a few minutes, watching the moonlight play on the waves below as the wind moved through the clouds. Then I shivered.

"Cold?" Liam asked.

"Maybe just a little," I said, shrugging my shoulder.

"I see that the guys got the bonfire going. Let's head back down and warm up."

I nodded, and Liam took my hand as we carefully climbed back down to the sand. I sat down on a piece of driftwood near the fire, and Liam sat next to me. He held his hands out to the fire, warming them, and I followed his gaze to where his friends were playing in the water. I tugged my jacket tight around me and inched closer to the warmth of the fire.

"Tonight's been quite the adventure," Liam said after a long moment. "I never thought my night out on the town would end up like this. You're really something else, aren't you?"

"I'm going to take that as a compliment," I said, but my smile didn't quite reach my eyes. There was something in the wording of what he just said that bothered me, but I shrugged it off.

"Believe me," Liam continued, "It is. Spending time with you tonight has been the most fun I've had this entire vacation."

I am really good at self-deprecation, so my immediate response was, "I guess that means you haven't really been enjoying yourself very much."

"It's been wonderful, but there's something missing. I really wanted to do one thing in particular while I was here..." his voice trailed off.

"And what's that?" I prompted.

"It's...well...you're probably going to think it's silly, but I've always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty." He frowned. "It wasn't really in the guys' plan, so we just never got around to it. And now, it's my last day here..." He shook his head, clearing away the frown. "I don't mean to sound so ungrateful. It was thoughtful of my friends to throw me this bachelor party."

And...there it was. My heart dropped, my breath catching in my throat. Liam didn't notice, but I barely heard him as he continued, "They've done their best, but I'm not in the mood to celebrate."

Disappointment mixed with embarrassment and anger as I answered him, though I tried to keep my voice casual. "Wait a second," I said, holding up my hand in a time out signal. "It's your bachelor party? You're pretty flirty for an engaged guy." I meant it to sound teasing, but it came out a little more bitter than I wanted. "I don't think your fiancee would be too happy about that."

"That's the funny thing," Liam said. "I actually don't know who I'm going to marry yet. Only that I'll have to pick my fiancee by the end of the year."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. Did we time travel to Victorian times or something? I thought. Or is this about some weird inheritance clause?

Liam's frown was back and bigger than ever. "The truth is, Riley..." he paused and took a deep breath, afraid to finish his sentence. I gave him a look that said, get on with it, so he finally did, saying "I'm the Crown Prince of Cordonia."

I looked at him sideways, unsure if I should believe him. "You're a prince?" He nodded ruefully. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Perhaps I should have been more upfront with you," he sighed. "But I'm not normally allowed to go around without the Royal Guard, and I was only allowed out on the condition that I kept my identity a secret." He picked up a rock and tossed it into the waves. He wasn't looking at me, and I almost felt like he wasn't talking to me, either. "Just for one day, I wanted to be free."

I put a hand on his shoulder, my face full of concern, and finally he turned to face me again. He continued, "But I'm very aware that I have a duty to the monarchy. I've never known anything else. What about you?" He took my hand from his shoulder and held it with both his hands – a hand sandwich – as he looked deeply into my eyes. "You could be anything. Do anything. What drives you, Riley?"

I pursed my lips. I wasn't great at talking about myself, I preferred listening to others. But he seemed like he really wanted – needed – to know the answer. So I told him, "What I really want is to see the world. I'm saving up, and one day, I'm going to see everything. The Northern Lights. The Eiffel Tower. Machu Picchu..."

"That's beautiful, Riley," he said, and finally I saw his gorgeous smile again, which made me smile too. We both turned and looked out at the surf, where Maxwell, Drake, and Tariq were still happily splashing in the water, running from waves, and trying to tackle each other.

"Got ya, Tariq!" Maxwell shouted as he sent a huge wave crashing into Tariq's chest. Tariq stood just on the edge of the water, not quite in reach of the waves, and he jumped back as Maxwell's splash hit him.

"I told you, these shoes are leather!" He shouted back, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket and drying his shoes.

"Aw, lighten up Tariq. You've got, what, a hundred pairs?" This was from Drake, who had stripped down to his boxers and was up to his chest in the freezing cold ocean water.

"Looks like your friends are having fun," I said.

"Good," Liam said, nodding. "I'm happy for them. They deserve to have fun." He sighed. "Tomorrow, it's back to Cordonia for the start of the social season."

"But it's not tomorrow yet..." I said, a plan forming in my head.

"What are you suggesting?" Liam asked, his eyebrow raised.

Knowing the truth about Liam, and the fact that I'd never see him again after tonight, made me feel brave. Invincible, almost. "You said you wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Let's do it! I know a place where we can catch a boat tour. Best view in town."

"Right now? But, it's way past midnight. Won't all the tours be closed?"

I'm not one for crazy spur-of-the-moment plans like this, but it's not every day you find yourself on the beach with an honest-to-God prince. And all he wanted was to see the Statue of Liberty. Still, I wasn't sure I could make it happen. "Oh...right," I said, my face falling. "I forgot how late it's gotten." Suddenly, a thought popped into my head, and I realized that this might just work. "In that case," I beamed, "You're lucky I can call in a favor!"

Liam looked truly shocked. "A favor? And just like that, you can get us on a tour boat after midnight to see the Statue of Liberty?"

I waggled my head back and forth, thinking, "Well, maybe a few favors, actually. But I have some friends who owe me." I nodded resolutely. "It won't be easy, but I know this is important to you, so...let's go!"

"Right now?"

"It's only getting later every minute we wait. Besides, it looks like the guys are busy enough. I bet they won't even notice you're gone."

"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"Nope," I grinned.

Liam matched my smile and stood, offering a hand to help me up as well. "Then, I happily surrender to your demands."

"Can you call a cab while I make this happen?" I asked, and he nodded.

"I do want to let the guys know we're leaving, too."

"Okay, I'll meet you up by the road." I wandered away from the beach and pulled out my phone, hitting speed dial on my best friend's number. "Maggie?" I said when she picked up. I waited for her to finish cursing me out for calling so late, then asked, "Do you still have the number for that guy Scott who works on the yacht?"

Several long phone calls, pleading, bargaining, and a taxi ride later, Liam and I stood on the docks overlooking the skyline.

"And here we wait," I said, leaning up against the railing.

"For?"

"A magical boat I've summoned just for you."

"Not a bad view..." Liam said joining you against the railing.

"Now," I continued, turning my attention to Liam. "I'm dying to know why you're so eager to see the Statue of Liberty."

"Can't you guess?" His eyes offered a playful challenge, so I put my hand to my chin, as if in deep thought.

"You want to see the Statue of Liberty because..." I slowly answered, "She symbolizes freedom." After all, what could a Prince envy more than freedom?

Liam smiled widely and nodded. "Freedom is something that I've always wanted. But I've always known that my role would require me to give up much of what I desire." His smile faded quickly at his last words.

I shook my head, not quite buying the poor rich kid act. "You're the prince. Can't you do what you want, at least some of the time?"

"As a member of the royal family, my actions reflect on my house and all of Cordonia." He spoke as if reciting a familiar motto. "It's something I'm never allowed to forget...no matter how badly I might want to." He stared at me for a long moment, and I thought again that maybe he was going to kiss me, but then he looked away.

"Liam..." I started, but I was interrupted by the blast of a horn. Looking out across the water, I spotted the yacht that was going to take us to Lady Liberty. "There's our ride!"

We boarded the boat, and I hugged Scott tightly then slipped him my entire night's tips while Liam wasn't looking. Scott looked at the stack of bills carefully, sizing it up, before putting it in his pocket. "Just don't break anything," he said gruffly, "And tell Maggie we're even." I nodded and joined Liam at the front of the ship.

As we pulled away from the dock, Liam looked at me with a hint of awe. "Part of me didn't think you'd pull this off," he admitted.

"You didn't think I could pull it off?" I said, holding my heart to my chest in mock offense. I laughed, "I'm actually shocked too. Luck seems to be on our side tonight."

"It's starting to feel like this moment was meant to be."

"And to think, someone else could have taken your table..."

"That would've been very unfortunate for me. The more I learn about you, Riley, the more I want to know." He took my hand in his. "Why are you doing this for me?"

I looked out at the water as I thought about my answer. Why was I doing this? Because he was gorgeous and charming and so, so sweet. Because I'll probably never see him again and I didn't want the night to end. Because there's something about him that makes me want to give him the world. I couldn't bring myself to say any of the real reasons why I was doing this, so instead I said, "I love a good adventure. And this is going to be an amazing story to tell all my friends about."

"To be honest," Liam said, "No one's ever done anything like this for me before."

I shot him a Yeah, Right look. "Really? Come on, you're a prince. I bet people do things for you all the time."

"I do get all the perks that come with being royalty. But no one's ever seen me as just...me. No one's ever listened to me the way you do. No one's ever come up with a spur-of-the-moment plan to make my dreams come true."

I really wanted to play it cool in that moment, but I just couldn't help myself. I took a step closer to Liam, so our bodies were centimeters apart, and asked in a near-whisper, "What else do you dream about?"

His stare was intense as he answered. "Finding someone. Someone who can be the queen that Cordonia needs."

"And...also someone you fall in love with, right?"

"That's never been part of the criteria that the Cordonian Council uses."

I wanted to say something more – or, more honestly, I wanted to reach up and kiss that prince like there was no tomorrow – but just then, the boat's engines cut out and we slowed down. The mists of the harbor parted, and as we turned, the Statue of Liberty appeared in the distance.

We gazed up at the enormous statue for a long, silent moment. Finally, afraid of breaking the spell, I whispered, "So? What do you think?"

"Magnificent," he whispered back, then cleared his throat and spoke at a normal volume. "I've heard that art has meaning because of what it makes the viewer feel. Whether it's ink splatters on a canvas or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it only matters if it moves you."

"And?"

"And right now, looking at this view with you, I feel like anything is possible." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking again. "Thank you for this moment, Riley. This feeling...this means more to me than you could ever know."

"Liam..." my voice was raspy, whether from the cold or the emotion I don't know.

"I want you to know," Liam continued, "That I admire you. Your adventurous spirit. The way you follow your heart."

"You can live that way too."

"If only. My whole life I've prepared myself to do what's best for Cordonia."

"Well, we're not in Cordonia now." For the third time that night, I looked in his eyes and saw a glint of desire. He drew me close, his hand around my waist, and I wasn't going to let him turn away this time. I stood on my tiptoes and reached up, pulling him down into a deep kiss. He was startled at first, but soon sunk into it fully. I pulled away and Liam rested his forehead against mine.

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" He asked with a smile.

"I try."

"I'm glad to have met you, Riley. I'll never forget this night."

I smiled sadly, my heart already breaking a little at the thought of saying goodbye. As the boat reached the dock, and we disembarked, I racked by brain desperately for a way to hang on to this moment. As much as I liked him, it didn't feel right to invite him back to my place, and I didn't think we could just exchange numbers or anything like that. I realized that we would have to be content with this one night. So, as Liam walked me to my apartment door, I savored every moment. As we hugged goodbye, I tried to remember the scent of him, and as I took one last look at his face, I etched every perfect feature into my memory. As I fell asleep that night, I wondered how I was supposed to go back to work tomorrow and carry on with life as if nothing had happened.

I woke up late, and got ready for my shift at the restaurant, which started just after noon. I threw on my uniform and started walking towards the subway station. But before I could get two steps down the sidewalk, I heard a familiar voice shouting my name. I turned and saw Maxwell with a huge grin on his face. "Riley!" He said, approaching me quickly, "Glad I caught you."

"Hi?" I managed, though I don't think he heard me, as he continued talking a mile a minute.

"We're heading back to Cordonia so Liam can find someone to marry and all that jazz. But before I go, I wanted to officially extend to you an invitation to join us for the festivities in Cordonia."

"Huh?" My sleep-deprived brain wasn't following.

"You wouldn't usually be allowed to join, but I want to sponsor you!"

"Sponsor me?"

"I'm from a noble house, but I don't have any sisters, so we don't have anyone in contention to marry the Prince. Instead, we can sponsor any girl we choose. And you're my pick." The whole time he was talking, he was beaming like the cat who caught the canary.

Slowly, I began to piece together what he was saying. "You want to sponsor me? Why me?"

His face grew a little more serious. "I'm not just doing it for you." Well, at least he's honest about it, I thought. He continued, "I saw how Liam looked at you last night. I've never seen him so happy."

I smiled in spite of myself.

"Honestly?" Maxwell went on, "I don't want him to lose that. We're kinda crunched for time, though. I've got a plane leaving within the hour."

"Woah!" I said, holding up a hand. "You're moving a little fast, don't you think?"

"No time to waste. The opening Masquerade is tonight! It's the start of the...uh, I guess you could say, it's the start of the competition."

What is this, the Bachelor? I thought. Outwardly I just asked, "What do you mean?"

"There's a whole horde of gorgeous, rich noble women vying to become Cordonia's next queen. And it's not just about winning the Prince's hand. You've also got to prove to the council that you can rule Cordonia with him. But I think you've got what it takes. You're witty and charming."

"Uh, thanks," I stammered. I was beginning to feel very overwhelmed. "So, a fancy Masquerade, and what else am I getting myself into?"

"Fun stuff, I promise! You'll get to go yachting in the Mediterranean, skiing in the Alps, and dancing in the Royal Palace." He looked up at my dingy apartment building. "Or, you know, you can stay here..." his eyes trailed down to me and my waitress uniform, "...and go back to your waitressing gig with your crappy boss. That's probably about as good."

I took a deep breath. When he said it like that, how could I say no? I thought it over slowly. I knew in my heart I could never win – even if Liam did end up falling for me, what sort of government would let me become queen? But, if Maxwell was offering to pay my way, I could at least go along for the ride. I smiled. "I'm in."