The (Royal?) Richardson Diaries
Summary:
This is The Royal Romance books written from the main character's point of view. The story will follow the original content quite closely, including the dialogue, but expect some original scenes later!
Brianna Richardson meets a group of handsome men who she promptly admires before getting swept away by the prince and offered the opportunity of a lifetime.
Notes:
Welcome to my first chapter! I sincerely hope you love it, but please feel free to comment and let me know what you think. This is my first fanfic, but I knew I had to do it because I fell in love with the story of Choices: The Royal Romance.
Enjoy!
Chapter One: For the Love of Liberty
Brianna let out a long exhale, blowing strands of dark hair out of her face as she pulled the garbage bag out of the trash can, wrinkling her nose as some liquid leaked from the plastic. Her free hand tucked the rampant strands of hair behind her. Despite wearing her hair loose and braiding the pieces prone to falling in her face off to the side, the humid heat from the restaurant's kitchen was only making her hair frizz and dampen against her skull. The muggy heat pressed her uniform against her skin, and it clung to her like an old lover, unwelcome but familiar. She finished tying the garbage bag and dragged it to the back alley, reveling in the cool night breeze. Her coworker, an eager young man named Daniel, followed her while lugging his own overflowing bag.
"Just another glamorous New York Saturday night of hauling trash to the dumpster," she teased, her laughter light. "It could be worse," he replied with a grunt as he lifted his bag into the dumpster. She turned to look at him, a questioning look on her face, before he continued, "There could be—rats!" Daniel jumped away, his feet skittering on the concrete. "Brianna, help!"
Clicking her tongue, Brianna shook her head as she stepped closer. "Don't tell me you're afraid of this adorable little mouse family. They're trying to get by, just like us," she said, her voice taking on a dramatic, dreamy quality. Daniel hid a chuckle but quickly smoothed his face as their manager, Chad, popped his head out from the restaurant. "Hey! Brianna, Daniel, quit slacking off over there!" His voice was sharp and Brianna rolled her eyes at Daniel in response.
"You told us to take out the garbage," she replied shortly, crossing her arms. Chad was equally unimpressed, his face a sneer.
"And now I'm telling you to wait on the bachelor party that just rolled in." He looked between the pair and sighed heavily. "Chop chop!"
Brianna and Daniel exchanged a look and she shrugged at him before making their way back inside. The restaurant wasn't the worst job in the world, but her manager was just awful. Still, it paid the bills and the tips were often good. With Hunter gone, it was what she was doing to move on, and she was trying. That thought, the memory of him, was was painful, so she did her best to shake it away as she slipped into the slightly cooler restaurant.
Three handsome men stood near the door and Brianna rolled her shoulders back, shrugging off Chad's bad attitude. There was a good potential for tip here, but she suspected Daniel might want the cash too. It was almost like a joke, too, something like 'so three handsome men walk into a bar' but she didn't know what the punch line would be.
Before she could ask Daniel for the table, one of the men—Tariq, the one that looked the most well groomed in his lilac button up—was addressing her. "Waitress, there you are. We need your best table!" He was the kind of man who she imagined would never look unkempt in his life, and though he should have been unlikable on principle, her lips twitched in amusement at his words. Despite the waxed eyebrows, there was something endearing about the way his chest puffed out as he admired the place. It almost made her want to impress him.
Next to him stood Drake. He was a very tall, broad, muscular man. Brianna's eyebrow arched ever so slightly at him as he chuckled good-naturedly. He immediately caught her attention as he was the exact kind of guy she went for. "Forget the table. Just bring us whiskey, and lots of it." Brianna resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. A rugged man, here he was to prove just how damn manly he was. He was unassumingly handsome with a shock of dark hair that was a little too long in an unkempt way, rather than a fashion statement. Plus, he was wearing a denim shirt with jeans—a Canadian tux, as Hunter would proudly say. Ouch. Why was he on her mind tonight? She could hardly blame the men for their behaviour, of course, as a bachelor party wasn't usually the time to be perfect gentlemen.
Daniel glanced nervously at her. "Brianna, please take this one. I've got a date tonight, and I'll never make it of here in time…" he trailed off hopefully, his brows raised eagerly. Brianna's mouth popped open in surprise.
"You really want me to take the bachelor party? I'm on it," she replied quickly, grinning, "the tip will be insane! I'll have those guys eating out of my hand in no time." Brianna smoothed her unflattering outfit down and fluffed her hair as Daniel thanked her profusely.
Chad walked by with an audible grunt in annoyance. "Are you two still talking? I've seated them already. Now get over there before I dock your pay!" He whisked away, and Brianna made a face behind his back before moving over to the booth. Daniel snickered as he packed his things up, giving her a thumbs-up and a dorky smile. He was such a nice guy, and she silently wished him luck on his date. As she moved to the booth, she gave Daniel a surreptitious little wave before turning her charm on for the bachelor party.
"Hello gentleman," she greeted them politely, her voice a purr complimented with a smile. "I'll be taking care of you this evening." The man who hadn't spoken yet, Maxwell, with his sparkling eyes and spiked hair, grinned at her while ordering steaks for the table. As soon as Tariq inquired about filet mignon, with béarnaise sauce to boot, Brianna's eyebrows shot up and she bit her lower lip to hide her smile. She nodded intently at his request, as if she were actually entertaining the possibility. "The closest thing we have to filet mignon is the deluxe burger," she told him with a little gleam in her eye. He looked deflated and paused before hesitantly asking about the wine list. "We've got an excellent vintage house red…" she began, her voice trailing at his shock. "It also comes in white," she deadpanned. Brianna met Drake's eyes in what felt like a shared understanding. To her surprise, she felt a little flutter in her chest as he offered her a smile in return before ordering a bottle of whisky with four burgers for the table. Brianna's head tilted slightly as she looked at the men. "Four?" The whisky lover tilted his chin to motion behind her, and when she turned… wow.
He was impossibly handsome, standing over six feet tall with broad shoulders. There was a quiet confidence about him, almost a regality. His skin was tanned, popping against his blue eyes, and his dirty blonde hair tousled just so. Liam. He apologized for being late, and even asked her name. Brianna's mouth opened slightly in surprise and she managed a stupid, "Uh, Brianna." Liam said he was charmed to make her acquaintance—who even says things like that?—and she swallowed thickly. "The pleasure's all mine," she managed with a wobbling smile, "it's nice to meet you." Whoa he's cute. Brianna straightened her posture as she moved to the kitchen to get their orders in. Thankfully the men were fairly content with her service and didn't need much extra attention, but as she wiped down the bar, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Liam.
"I think we're about ready to head out. I just wanted to thank you… and apologize. I know we kept you late, and my friends can be… demanding," he said with an apologetic chuckle, his tone light. Brianna shook her head in protest. "Demanding? It was nothing I can't handle." Her palms grew a little sweaty under his attentive gaze.
"I got the feeling that you could take care of yourself," he said, his eyes flicking over her face carefully. "If you don't have any other plans tonight, maybe I can make it up to you by buying you a drink. We're about to go to a club."
Brianna's interest was piqued. "Oh? Which one?" A small smile tugged on the man's lips as he shrugged good-naturedly. "We were hoping you might have some advice about that. We're not from around here." No kidding, they don't make them like this in New York, she thought, allowing herself a quick glance at his body once more.
"I'd recommend going to a gorgeous secret cove by the beach. Forget the club," she said with a little shrug. Brianna had never really been one for the club scene, not since her late teenage days at least. The cove was a secluded little spot, and something about him seemed to repel the idea of a club. Maxwell, however, was bouncing a leg under the booth and she wondered idly if she had just ruined a night of dancing for him.
"You know…" he mused, his voice deep and powerful in the dingy restaurant. "That actually sounds perfect. To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of the usual bachelor party antics." This surprised Brianna, but when he prompted her to join the group and lead the way to the cove, her mouth opened slightly in surprise. She agreed, too quickly, and they made plans to meet in a few minutes. Brianna hastily closed the restaurant up, doing a little jog to the break room. Luckily, she had worn a spunky outfit of dark jeans, high heels, a maroon silk top, and a black leather jacket to work, so slipping into the outfit felt like a huge step up from her slightly damp uniform. It wasn't quite as well put together as some of the men's outfits (seriously, pulling off lilac was a bold move for most men) but it did add some appeal to her otherwise frizzing hair and smudging makeup. She wet her hands and smoothed them over her loose curls and spritzed some perfume before heading outside to where the men were waiting on the sidewalk, laughing at some inside joke.
Brianna joined them with a little bounce, and Drake, the one in the denim getup, let out a little 'wow', his eyebrows raised and his mouth open. She flushed a little, catching his eye with a small smirk. "Wow?" she repeated curiously. Brianna noticed he was the tallest and the most muscular, though Liam was a close second. She knew Drake was likely either tipsy or playing up his reaction, but it still felt nice to be noticed. He smoothed his surprised face and cleared his throat. "I… almost didn't recognize you."
Perhaps she underestimated him. Brianna felt the heat in her face intensify at his praise. The other men complimented her, making her feel both confident and shy until Maxwell exclaimed, with a big grin, "The waitress is hot." Brianna hid a laugh behind her hand but was surprised to see Liam clear his throat roughly.
"Her name is Brianna, and I doubt she appreciates you talking about her like that." His voice was quite stern, and his body language shifted. It wasn't quite aggressive, but it was certainly commanding. Maxwell apologized, and she waved her hand dismissively with a smile. Drake's face was neutral, but his tone was flat as he crossed his arms. "So she's our tour guide now?"
Liam caught his eye. "Brianna was kind enough to agree to show us around. She's doing us a favour, so play nice."
She looked to Drake, who was watching her with his arms still crossed, and she bit her lower lip gently. It wouldn't be so bad if Drake didn't play nice. Brianna pushed the thought out of her mind as she slid into the limo after the men. The ride was surprisingly short and much more luxurious than she was used to. Maxwell poured glasses of champagne for the entire group, and Brianna settled into the deluxe leather seating as she sipped away, listening to the group interact with each other. The limo pulled up to the beach, and she let out a little happy exhale. It was stunning in the evening, the teal ocean shimmering in the moonlight, a tempting invitation. Immediately the guys ran off the ocean, and Brianna followed, enjoying the salty sting of the night air.
Drake moved off to the side, rubbing his hands on his pants excitedly. "We should build a bonfire," he suggested, a grin spreading across his face. It was a good look for him, but Tariq immediately frowned. "I'm not doing manual labour," Tariq whined, his nose crinkled in disgust. Drake shook his head playfully, looking upwards. "Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to. What I meant was, I'll go build a bonfire," Drake replied with emphasis.
"This place is awesome!" Maxwell called from the edge of the ocean. "Skinny dipping!" His shoes and socks were laying in the sand, and his hands were moving to his belt. Tariq sucked his teeth reprovingly and admonished Maxwell.
Brianna laughed, hanging back with Liam. They seemed like a great group of guys, if she was honest, and she was glad she came out to show them this slice of heaven.
"Thank you for bringing us here. I can tell the guys are enjoying themselves already," Liam spoke softly, but she could hear the sincerity of his words. She turned her face to the ocean, watching the waves shimmer beautifully in the quiet of the evening. "I bet you're used to putting everyone else first," she said, the words slipping out without much consideration. She was quiet, but he heard her. Liam turned his head to the side to look at her. "And why would you say that?"
Brianna met his eyes, the corner of her lips curling up. "I can tell," she said firmly. "I'm good at reading people. Now, forget about your friends," Brianna moved herself to face him completely, "what about you? Do you like it here?"
"I love it," he said quickly, assuredly. Briana's face grew somber. "It's my secret spot, so I'm really trusting you," she said gravely. Liam's eyes flashed in amusement, but he smoothed his face into an equally muted expression. "I'll do my best to be worthy of that trust."
Something was in the air around them, a bigger promise than their silly banter. Liam broke it with a little humming noise followed by his musings. "There's just one problem… how am I supposed to buy you that drink?" She shifted her feet, keeping her eyes on his. He was entering flirtatious territory, and she wasn't sure if it was a game she wanted to play with him. Liam was too attractive to not realize his effect, but she also didn't have anything to lose. "You'll think of something," she said, tapping her lips with her finger, "or maybe you'll just keep owing me."
Liam nodded, "Fair enough. So, what should we do?" Brianna looked out at the ocean and to the cliff, weighing her options. "We should climb up the cliff!" She wasn't quite ready to strip down to her underwear, or less, despite Maxwell's infectious energy. Liam followed her gaze to the rocky cliff a short walk away, and his lips parted to let his tongue lick them nervously. "All the way up there?" he asked, his voice a little higher than it has been earlier.
Brianna's face broke into a smile. "Try to keep up!" She jogged off to the cliff, laughing as she heard him follow her. "If I can do it in these heels," she scoffed, holding out her foot for him to admire, "you can do it too." Truthfully, it was barely a cliff as it sloped gently allowing for an easy climb, and she was able to secure handholds and places for her feet with ease. After a few minutes, she pulled herself to the top with a deep exhale. "Did it." She turned behind her, offering her hand down to pull Liam up, who accepted thankfully.
The view was stunning. It was high enough up to put a new perspective on the night, and she could faintly smell the wood that Drake had likely started burning. "What do you think?" she asked, walking to the precipice and looking up at the stars darted in the sky. Like gems on a dark, velvety blanket. "Huh?" Liam seemed confused, looking at her for guidance. She chuckled, nudging his arm and jutting her chin upward. "The view. Worth the climb, right?" Liam laughed in response, nodding. "Oh, definitely." They stood together in silence. It was surprisingly comfortable between the two of them, and it made her curious as to just who this was and what exactly his game was tonight. Daniel would have told her to stop being silly, there was no game, but she wasn't single for lack of trying. It was odd, too, because he wasn't the kind of guy who she usually liked, or who liked her. Brianna turned to look at him for just a moment. He was unbelievably handsome, likely the most attractive person she had ever seen in front of her, and he seemed too… nice, in a way.
After a few minutes of dissecting the situation, she shivered under the leather jacket. Liam frowned, turning to her. "Cold?" She looked down at her feet. This was nice, and she didn't want to end their alone time, but she had to admit defeat. "Maybe just a little…" He nodded, looking down on the other members of their party. "I see that the guys got the bonfire going. Let's head back down and warm up." The two allowed themselves one final look to the amazing view and then moved down the cliff, making their way back to the beach. The guys had scattered, each nearby but enjoying their own pursuit, so Liam gently led Brianna to the fire, getting them settled on a large, decrepit log. Brianna smiled gratefully, holding her hands to the flame and rubbing them together.
"Tonight's been quite the adventure…" Liam said, seating himself on the log beside her. He turned his profile to Brianna. "I never thought my night out on the town would end up like this. You're really something else, aren't you?"
Brianna's face broke into a smile. "I'm going to take that as a compliment."
He nodded. "Believe me, it is. Spending time with you tonight has been the most fun I've had this entire vacation." That surprised her, and she felt the shock register on her face. "I guess that means you haven't really been enjoying yourself very much," she said slowly, watching his face closely. He sighed softly. "It's been wonderful, but there's something missing. I really wanted to do one thing in particular while I was here…"
Brianna wanted to believe the best in this dashing man with the eyes that mirrored the ocean, but she couldn't help wonder if this would be some abhorrent pick-up line about banging a local. "And what's that?" she said, keeping her face neutral. Liam rubbed his hands together anxiously. "It's… well… you're probably going to think it's silly, but I've always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty," he said in a bit of a rush, and she smiled. It was so sweet and… simple. There was something there, behind his eyes, that made her wonder if he normally kept this kind of thought to himself. "It wasn't really in the guys' plan, so we just never got around to it," Liam continued with a shrug, "and now it's my last day here. I don't mean to sound so ungrateful. It was thoughtful for them to throw me this bachelor party."
She swallowed thickly at his words. This was Liam's bachelor party. Of course. Liam continued, oblivious to her reaction. "They've done their best, but I'm not in the mood to celebrate." Brianna rubbed her forehead, trying to process what he said. "Wait a second, it's your bachelor party? You're pretty flirty for an engaged guy. I don't think your fiancée would be too happy about that," she said primly, discretely scooting away from him on the log. How foolish of her to think he wasn't just trying to get one more woman in the sack before settling down… he did say he wasn't in the mood to celebrate, after all.
"That's the funny thing," he said, "I actually don't know who I'm going to marry yet… only that I'll have to pick my fiancée by the end of the year." Brianna eyed him questioningly, her brows knotted. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"The truth is, Brianna… I'm the Crown Prince of Cordonia." Liam watched her carefully, and she felt her confusion and shock written on her face. "You're a prince?" she repeated slowly, and he nodded. That should have been a lot to process, but in Brianna's mind, it just solidified what she already knew. This was fun, but nothing was really going to happen from this experience and he was still the same person. It didn't really affect her.
"This doesn't change anything. I don't care what your title is. You're still the same guy I met earlier this evening… caring, thoughtful…" Brianna looked into the fire for a few moments, watching the flames dominate the logs, crackling with power. "I've seen a lot of customers come and go, but I've never seen any guy at his own bachelor party be concerned about whether the waitress was having a good night." Brianna met his eyes again with a smile which he returned heartily.
"You don't know how rare it is to hear someone say that. You're the first one, in fact." He scooted a little closer to her, lowering his voice slightly. "It seems the more I talk to you, the more I like you, Brianna." She felt her heart flutter a little in her chest. "It's strange…" Liam says with a bit of a mirthless chuckle, "I've known my whole life that I have to take up the duties of the monarchy. I've always wondered how that's shaped me, who I might've been without the crown. You could be anything, do anything. What drives you, Brianna?"
Slightly caught off guard by the question, she exhaled slowly. "What I really want to do is… live every day to the fullest. Sure, I'm only waiting tables now, but… I like to make every day an adventure." Brianna smiled up at the sky as she took in a deep breath of the intoxicating air. "You only get one chance at life. I want to make mine mean something." I want to make it mean something again. Liam's grin was genuine and supportive. "That's beautiful, Brianna."
She turned to see Maxwell splashing Tariq while drinking champagne as Tariq complained about his leather shoes being ruined. Drake shook his head and made a comment about the sheer size of Tariq's wardrobe. Brianna chuckled, nodding to the group. "Looks like your friends are having fun…" she said.
Liam nodded. "Good. I'm happy for them. They deserve to have fun. Tomorrow, it's back to Cordonia for the start of the social season."
Brianna's eyes flashed. "But it's not tomorrow yet."
"What are you suggesting?" Liam asked, his energy shifting to anticipation. Brianna angled her body to him, her voice excited. "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."
Liam's eyebrows shot up. "Right now? But it's way past midnight. Won't all the tours be closed?" Brianna blew a raspberry in mock disappointment. "Oh… right. I forgot how late it's gotten. In that case… you're lucky I can call in a favor." In his surprise, his eyebrows rose even further. "A favor? And just like that, you can get us on a tour boat after midnight to see the Statue of Liberty?"
Brianna chuckled at his words, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear in a humbling move. "Well, maybe a few favours, actually, but I have some friends who owe me." It wouldn't be exceedingly difficult to get Kevin and Gretchen to arrange a private viewing since they owned a tour company anyway, but she didn't wanted Liam to know he wasn't the only one with a trick up his sleeve tonight. Plus, the sparkle in his eye when he realized she was serious… it was adorable.
"It won't be easy, but I know this important to you, so… let's go!" Brianna said somewhat breathlessly, pulling her phone out of her pocket and texting her friends. Hey, I need a huge favour… think we can take the boat out to lady liberty tonight?
"Right now?" Liam was incredulous.
She shrugged a little, looking at the time once more on her phone. "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?"
Brianna checked her phone. One new text from Gretchen. You're impossible, Bree. See you at the docks. Her face broke out into a silly grin. "Nope." He eyed her cautiously, letting the smile tease his lips. "Then I happily surrender to your demands."
Their cab ride was quiet, but the pair kept stealing looks at each other. Brianna wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to happen here since she knew that this wouldn't go anywhere, but she couldn't help her mind from running away just a little. It had been so long since she had fallen for someone, and she always seemed to chase the wrong men. She scoffed at her thoughts, because as if she knew enough about Liam to determine he wasn't the wrong kind of man, but she knew Liam was different. He was so… posh, so unbelievably handsome and polite.
They pulled up to the docks and Liam paid the cab driver before she could even argue. He slipped out of the car with an impossible grace, like he was born and bred to move deliberately. With a wry smile, she realized this was probably true. He moved to open her door with an understated little flourish, and Brianna worked hard not to look to surprised. She accepted the chauvinistic move with a little nod of her head before leading the way to the docks. The city was a sprawling dark sky juxtaposed with the alive, twinkling buildings. The water reflected all the lights back and created a stunning view for them… different than the hidden cove, but still beautiful. Brianna led him to the railing overlooking the view and leaned her arms against the cool metal. "…and here we wait."
Liam rested his hands on the railing, keeping his posture upright. "For?"
"A magical boat I've summoned just for you."
They shared a moment of silence before Liam exhaled happily. "Not a bad view..." he murmured. She looked over and saw the sparkle of his eyes as he gazed out on the city that, evidently, did not sleep. He must have sensed her looking as her turned his head, catching her eye with a smile. Brianna returned it easily, clearing her throat lightly.
"Now I'm dying to know why you're so eager to see the Statue of Liberty," she began, turning to look at the statue in the distance. Liam kept his eyes on her, a quiet laugh escaping. "Can't you guess?"
"You want to see the Statue of Liberty because… you might never come back here," she spoke slowly, realizing the words were true as soon as they left her lips. She adjusted her leaning against the railing, turning her body to his. His face was solemn.
"You're right. Even if I'm ever able to return to New York, it certainly wouldn't be as a tourist. I have a feeling I'll regret it if I don't see the one thing I wished to do when we left Cordonia." Liam's eyes were dark with something she couldn't quite place, and he searched her face intensely. "Knowing I was so close to what I wanted, but I didn't reach out and grab it." A silence settled between them, and Liam broke their gaze, his shoulders slumped. It was a slight change, but the shift in his intense posture was easy to see.
"Liam…"
Before Brianna could make any assumptions, she was cut off by a horn blasting as their boat glided through the dark water, Kevin waving at them.
"There's our ride!"
It took a few minutes to get Liam introduced to her inside connections, Kevin and Gretchen, and to get settled on the boat. Soon they were off again, moving quickly towards the statue. Brianna's friends were kind enough to give the pair space, and they enjoyed the first few minutes in silence, taking in the view at the edge of the boat, leaning against the railing.
Liam seemed particularly delighted as he shook his head in disbelief at the view. "Part of me didn't think you'd pull this off."
"You didn't think I could pull it off?" she repeated, cocking her head to the side with a sly smile. "You just don't know me very well."
"You're right." There was a weight to Liam's words. "But I'd like to fix that. You're fascinating, Brianna. Why are you doing this for me?"
"I'm doing this because you seemed like you needed it," she replied with a little shrug. There was a little more to it, but it was the simplest truth. It may have also had to do with her renowned sense of adventure, his handsome face, or even her desire to be nothing like the person Hunter had wanted her to be. That last thought struck a nerve.
"That's… so sweet of you. To be honest, no one's ever done anything like this for me before." He shrugged slightly.
Brianna scoffed. "Really? Come on, you're a prince. I bet people do thing for you all the time." Visions of massages, champagne, foot rubs, and endless gourmet meals flashed in her mind.
"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 every come up with a spur-of-the-moment plan to make my dreams come true." There was the smallest whisper of sadness in his voice, but he spoke in mostly a matter-of-fact way that made her heart ache for him.
Brianna sighed softly. This man who she had put in such a box was surprising her. Perhaps he too felt there was nothing to lose tonight. It must have been refreshing to be able to share his thoughts freely. "Liam, what else do you dream about?"
"Finding someone. Someone who can be the queen that Cordonia needs."
Brianna nodded. "And… also someone you fall in love with, right?" Wasn't that the dream? Didn't everyone want that?
"That's never been part of the criteria that the Corodonian Council uses," he replied carefully, moving away from the railing of the boat as it slowed. The water was misting up around the pair as the Statue of Liberty grew impossibly close, stunning them into silence. Liam was quiet for a long moment.
"So? What do you think?" she asked, her voice low in anticipation.
"Magnificent," he breathed. "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. Thank you for this moment, Brianna. This feeling… this means more to me than you could ever know."
She swallowed thickly, letting a few beats of silence pass. "Liam…" Words failed her as her voice trailed off.
"I want you to know that I admire you. Your adventurous spirit. The way you follow your heart." His face was bright with possibility, but he was guarded. She could see it in him, sense it in everything that he did.
"You can live that way too." Brianna's voice was soft, and she reached her hand out to his, but hesitated. He didn't notice, but sighed at her words. He shook his head in response. "If only. My whole life I've prepared myself to do what's best for Cordonia."
"Well, we're not in Cordonia now…" Brianna moved closer to him, her chin tilting up to meet his eyes. His body was so warm in the cold night, and she reached her hand out to graze his cheek. Liam's eyes flashed with surprise, but before she could read his expression further, she pulled him in and kissed him on his full lips. They were so soft and inviting… it was comfortable, like coming home after a long day.
Liam took a little half step back, his expression reading complete surprise. Brianna bit her lower lips shyly, feeling her cheeks flush. Had she read something into his actions that weren't there? Before she could overanalyze the situation, he closed their distance and his mouth was on hers. He was so respectful it was almost adorable. He kept his hands on her hips, and when she moved her hand to his back to pull him closer, he pressed his forehead against hers, ending the kiss. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?" he whispered.
"I try," she replied, wanting to feel his lips on hers again. She supposed it was for the best, to cut this thing off before it could really start. There was nowhere for this relationship, if it even was that, to go.
"I'm glad to have met you, Brianna. I'll never forget this night…"
She wouldn't either. She opted to go home straight from the Statue of Liberty, but made Liam promise to send her well wishes to the bachelor party. When she undressed that night, she let her hands linger on her collarbone, drifting to her lips, feeling where he had touched her. Liam.
She was able to sleep with the memory of their kiss on her mind, but her blaring alarm was unsympathetic to her memories the next day. Brianna quieted the alarm, stretching as the morning sun filtered into her apartment. Last night was fun… but it's time to face the real world… and that means going back to work. Her morning was uneventful as she got ready for work, opting to wear her uniform as she was running a little late. Luckily the restaurant was fairly close, so she was able to make it with a few minutes to spare.
The day was shaping up to be a hot one, and she was already feeling a little frazzled when she turned the corner to the restaurant, but nothing prepared her to see the limousine. Maxwell's head popped out of the window and he waved before hopping out.
"Brianna! Glad I caught you. 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 you and invitation to join us for the festivities in Cordonia." The smile on his face was infectious as his brown eyes danced with excitement.
All Brianna could manage was a stupid, "Huh?"
He laughed. "You wouldn't usually be allowed to join… but I want to sponsor you!"
She was surprised, to say the least. "Sponsor me?" Her voice wavered slightly, and she cleared her throat, flushing slightly.
"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." Maxwell's smile was bright and lopsided. He reminded her of a chocolate lab puppy, in the nicest way possible, with intense friendliness and boundless energy.
Despite his vibrating energy, she frowned and shook her head slightly. This was so confusing to her… not the concept, of course, but the decision. Brianna knew she wasn't anything special—not in a woe-is-me way, but more in a realistic way where she understood her place in society. "You want to sponsor me? Why me?"
"I'm not just doing it for you. I saw how Liam looked at you last night. I've never seen him so happy. Honestly? I don't want him to lose that." With a good natured chuckle, he lifted his wrist and tapped at his wrist. "We're kinda crunched for time, though. I've got a plane leaving within the hour…"
Brianna scoffed playfully, her mind racing. "Whoa. You're moving a little fast, don't you think?" This wasn't something that happened to people in real life. She caught her lip with her teeth, chewing lightly as she thought about the possibility of going to Cordonia. It was too scandalous to even wrap her mind around.
"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." His brow furrowed in thought, as if realizing for the first time, before his expression smoothed into a smile.
Brianna crossed her arms in front of her. The competition? This whole situation was so foreign to her. "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." Surprised. "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. Or, y'know, you can stay here… and go back to your waitressing gig with your crappy boss," Maxwell said with a gesture to the restaurant in front of them with a little chuckle. "That's probably about as good."
She couldn't do it. There was so much to consider. Brianna couldn't just walk in an quit her job, it was a ridiculous concept. There were bills to pay and things to take care of in her small apartment. Besides, she barely knew anything about Cordonia, or Liam for that matter.
Her mouth opened, to tell Maxwell that she couldn't do it, but she saw Hunter's face before she could respond. You'll never do better than me. She swallowed. Brianna didn't believe that any more, or she wanted to work to not believe that. Before the memory of him took over her, something else crept into her subconscious. The warmth of Liam's kiss still on her lips, the mischievous sparkle of Drake's eye as it met hers… It was the memories of possibility. What her life could be with a sense of adventure.
"I'm in," she said, the words tumbling out before she could even consider them.
"Yeah! Go pack your bags. This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime!" Maxwell shouted, clapping his hands in excitement as he ducked back into the vehicle. She let out a slow breath, her limbs shaking with energy. This was it. She wasn't the person Hunter always wanted her to be any more. She was, for the first time in a long time, Brianna Richardson again. She tilted her head to the sky, taking in a deep breath of the morning air as the sun sparkled down on the bustling city. It felt good.