"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for your bachelor party, Jet-Liam."

"It's fine, really, Bruce Leo. I know how important this race is for you."

"I promise, I'll make it up to you."

"I'm sure you will. Hey, I'd better get going; the guys are probably already waiting for me at the bar. Give my best to Katie."

"Will do. Go cause some trouble for me, okay little bro?"

"I'll try. Love you, big brother."

I hung up with Leo and tucked my phone in my pocket. I was sitting in my hotel room in New York, about to start the last night of my free life. I was supposed to meet my friends at a dive bar that Drake had found, but I wanted a few minutes with the one person that was missing from this weekend trip. Now that I was finished with our video call, I knew I had to book it to the bar, or else Maxwell would probably show up and carry me there himself.

As I walked into the dimly lit gastropub, I heard my friends before I saw them. Tariq was sputtering about wine. Drake saw me first, and I heard him ordering burgers and whiskey for the table. Each of my three friends had been in charge of planning a night out while we were in New York City, and tonight was Drake's choice. I wasn't surprised that tonight was looking to be the most casual leg of the journey.

"Sorry I'm late," I said as I slid into the booth next to Drake. I looked up at the waitress and smiled. "Thank you for your patience, Miss..." I waited for her name, but it took her a while to realize what I was doing.

"Riley!" she finally yelped, which made me chuckle. I was a little pleased that I had seemed to cause her to blush; she was undeniably an attractive woman. Long, wavy brown hair and large, hazel eyes. Full pink lips set against porcelain skin.

"Charmed to make your acquaintance, Riley," I told her, and once again it seemed like she needed a few seconds to compose herself before answering.

"The pleasure's all mine," she said at last, and then quickly left to put our order in.

"Were you flirting with the waitress?" Tariq asked, his voice a mixture of humor and horror.

"I was being polite to the waitress."

"Mmhmm," Maxwell hummed, not convinced.

"Oh, shut up," I told him, but I glanced over at Riley, and blushed when I caught her eye.

Our food and drinks came quickly, and we guzzled them down with fervor. As we ate, we swapped stories and recalled inside jokes...all the same stuff we had been doing for the past three days. Which was fun, but I couldn't help letting my attention wander a few times during the meal. Each time, my eyes were drawn to the waitress, who was always moving – bussing tables or sweeping the floors.

"Dude, just go talk to her," Maxwell said as he caught me looking at Riley for probably the twentieth time.

"Oh and say what?" Drake countered, "'Nice to meet you, I'm the crown prince of Cordonia, and this is my bachelor party'?"

The whole table erupted in laughter at that, and I ducked my head, hoping she hadn't heard. "You know very well I can't do that," I said. I wasn't sure if I was talking to Drake or Maxwell; while it was certainly forbidden to reveal my identity to a beautiful stranger, it seemed just as impossible for me to simply go and strike up a casual conversation with her.

I shook my head. "What are we doing next?" Our check had arrived, and I realized that we were the last patrons at the bar. Riley was the only employee around, and we were probably keeping her from heading home. "We should probably get going."

Drake shrugged. "What do you feel like doing?"

Before I could answer, Maxwell said, "We should go clubbing!"

Drake looked at me for confirmation and I smiled and shrugged. "Sure, but do any of you know of a good club?" They all looked helpless.

I looked toward Riley, and an idea hit me. "I'll figure it out," I said. "Come on." We all got up from the table, and the three guys headed towards the door. "Hang on just a second."

She was busy wiping down a table, with her back turned to me. I tapped her on the shoulder, and she jumped a little. I gave her my most disarming smile. "I think we're about ready to head out. I just wanted to thank you...and apologize." She raised one eyebrow, like she wasn't sure why I would be apologizing. I clarified, "I know we kept you late, and my friends can be...demanding."

She looked behind me to the guys, who were watching us from the doorway. "Nothing I couldn't handle," she said with a slight shake of her head.

I nodded and grinned. "I got the feeling 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."

She hesitated, and I wondered if I had overstepped. But it was only a brief pause, and then she cocked her head to the side and asked me which one.

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

"You don't say?" she said, and I realized the accents probably gave us away. Well, to me she was the one with the American accent. But to her, I probably sounded a little foreign. She considered my question for a while, and finally said, "I'd recommend forgetting the club."

My eyebrows shot up. "Really?" What did she mean by that?

"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."

My face slowly resolved into a large smile. "You know," I said, "That sounds perfect. To be honest, I'm a little tired of the usual bachelor party antics. Lead the way!"

She told me she'd meet us out front, so I gathered the guys and we waited on the curb by our limo. "What's going on?" Tariq insisted, not happy on being out of the loop.

"Just be patient," I said. "I've got a surprise for you guys."

"Hey, who's throwing who the bachelor party here?" Maxwell asked, punching me lightly on the shoulder.

"You guys have done so much for me this weekend, I've got to do something for you." Drake eyed me, knowing as well as I did that I wasn't doing any of this for them. But, he didn't say anything, and pretty soon after that, Riley came bouncing out of the building towards us.

I smiled as I saw her walking up, but then noticed her stop suddenly, her face a little worried, or unsure, maybe. She was looking at all of us, and I suddenly realized, I hadn't even introduced myself to her before inviting her to join us. Idiot, I thought harshly, though I didn't let my smile fade, as Riley was looking right at me. Instead, I took her hand and led her a few steps forwards, so I could introduce her to everyone.

"May I introduce Drake, Tariq, and Maxwell. And I'm Liam."

"Riley," she said, re-introducing herself to me and holding out a hand.

"Yes," I smiled, "I remember." I'm sure she was expecting a handshake, but I decided to take her hand and place a soft kiss on the back of it. Under the streetlights, I could see a hint of a blush creep up on her cheeks.

Just then, probably to torment me more than anything else, the guys decided to comment on Riley's new outfit. Granted, it was a big improvement from the oversized waitress uniform she had been wearing all night. She wore a dark purple blouse with a leather moto-jacket, and form-fitting dark denim jeans that showed off her curvaceous figure.

I scolded Maxwell, and by extension, all the guys, for their crude comments, and we headed into the limo. I was grateful Riley hadn't decided to abandon us yet, despite Drake's grumbling and sour face.

When we reached the beach, the guys took off running, and I could immediately see how excited they were. Riley and I stood on the border of the sand and the pavement, watching my friends for a few minutes. "Thank you," I said after a long moment of silence. "For bringing us here. I can tell the guys are enjoying themselves already."

She smiled up at me, She was so small – maybe 5'4" at the most – but the way she radiated confidence made her feel larger than life. "I bet you're used to putting everyone else first," she said, looking at me like she was trying to see into my soul.

"And why would you say that?" I wondered if she did recognize me after all.

She shrugged. "I can tell. I'm good at reading people." We had been standing shoulder-to-shoulder (so-to-speak, since my shoulder was a good foot higher than hers), but now she turned her whole body towards me. I did the same, so we were face to face (again, so-to-speak). "Now," she said, "Forget about your friends. What about you? Do you like it here?"

I smiled and nodded. "I love it."

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

I narrowed my eyes, and looked at her intently. It was partly just a force of habit; a good ruler must be trustworthy above all else, as my father always said. But, despite her slightly teasing tone, I desperately wanted her to trust me, for reasons I couldn't quite identify. "I'll do my best to be worthy of your trust," I said. Then, trying to shake off the levity, I smiled again. "There's only one problem. How am I supposed to buy you that drink?"

"Champagne in the limo wasn't enough?"

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

She gave a look that I could tell was only mock solemnity, then broke out into a huge grin. "You'll figure something out. Or else, you'll just have to keep owing me."

That didn't sound so bad. "Fair enough." I sighed and put my hands in my pockets, turning to look out at the beach again. "So, what should we do?"

Riley pointed to a spot a few yards away. It was a cliff that jutted out over the water, and the climb up it looked steep. "We should climb up the cliff," she said.

"Way up there?"

"Try to keep up!" she shouted, taking off for the cliff before I could respond. I laughed, and by the time I started running, she was nearly there. She ended up giving me a hand to help me over the ledge, and we stood panting for a minute, trying to catch our breath in the cold night air.

"What do you think?" She asked me at last. She indicated the view. I expressed my appreciation, and we both stood watching the bright lights of Manhattan for a while. I noticed Riley shiver, and suggested we head back to the beach. Drake had started a bonfire, so we would be able to warm up.

Once there, we continued talking for a while. Riley asked about my trip, and I told her about how I had always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. Without realizing it, I suddenly let slip that this was my bachelor party, something I doubt she had realized, since her face was suddenly both confused and upset.

"Wait a minute," she said, holding her hands up. "This is your bachelor party? You're pretty flirty for an engaged guy. I don't think your fiancee would be too happy about that."

I winced a little at the word fiancee. I had express orders from my bodyguard, Bastien. I was not allowed to let anyone know who I was while we were in New York. It was the only way I could get him to agree to let me go out unescorted. But, if I didn't say something and quick, Riley would end this night thinking I was a cheating dirtbag. I tried to keep the details to a minimum. "That's the funny thing," I told her, "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."

That answer clearly wasn't going to cut it. So, I took a deep breath, and told her the truth. "I'm the Crown Prince of Cordonia."

Now, I had been through this situation before. When someone meets me, and then finds out I'm a Prince, there are a limited number of reactions. When it's a woman, that reaction is usually either giggly and filled with Disney references, or it's an immediate barrage of questions about what famous people I know. So I was pleasantly surprised when Riley continued our conversation as if nothing had changed. Well, nothing except that she seemed to feel better about being out with a guy during his bachelor party. I asked Riley about her hopes and dreams – cheesy, I know, but I was curious! She was so different from anyone I had met in court; I wanted to understand what made her tick.

Eventually, we talked our way back around to my trip and the fact that I was leaving the next day. "Tomorrow," I said, "It's back to Cordonia for the start of the social season."

"But it's not tomorrow yet..." Riley said, trailing off in a way that made it evident her mind was spinning.

"What are you suggesting?" I asked.

"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."

I had to laugh at her excitement. "Right now? But it's way past midnight! Won't all the tours be closed?"

Her smile faltered a little. "Oh, right," she said. "I forgot how late it's gotten." But in a moment, the smile was back and bigger than ever. "In that case, you're lucky I can call in a favor!"

About half an hour later, Riley and I were alone on a dock, waiting for, as she put it, "A magical boat I've summoned just for you."

"Now," Riley said, turning to look at me intently. "I'm dying to know why you're so eager to see the Statue of Liberty."

Remembering how she had said she was good at reading people, I challenged her to guess the answer. She thought hard for a minute, and then said, "She symbolizes freedom."

I nodded, unable to hide my wonder. "Freedom is something I've always wanted. But I've always known that my role would require me to give up much of what I desire." My smile faded. I couldn't help thinking of how I would never see Riley again after tonight.

"You're the prince," Riley asked, "Can't you do what you want, at least some of the time?"

I recited the words I had heard over and over again throughout my childhood, and especially my adolescence. "As a member of the royal family, my actions reflect on my house and all of Cordonia. It's something I'm never allowed to forget..." Something inside me stirred as I looked at Riley. "No matter how badly I might want to," I finished quietly. I realized that what I wanted was to kiss this beautiful, adventurous woman who I could never keep in my life. I looked away quickly before I gave in to that desire. It wouldn't be fair to her; it would be like leading her on.

Thankfully, our boat arrived, dissolving the tension. When I looked back at Riley, it was with joy and awe. "Part of me didn't think you'd pull this off," I admitted.

She acted insulted for about half a second before admitting she didn't think she would be able to pull it off, either. "Luck seems to be on our side tonight," she said.

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

"And to think, someone else could have taken your table." When she smiled, her tongue peeked slightly from between her teeth, making me think again about kissing her.

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

She took a long time to answer, and I could see her mind racing. Finally, she said simply, "I love a good adventure. And this is going to be an amazing story to tell my friends about."

I didn't believe her for a second. Yes, I believed she loved a good adventure. But I knew I had seen something more in her eyes as she searched for an answer. "To be honest," I said at last, "No one's ever done anything like this for me before." She clearly didn't believe me, so I elaborated. "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 felt a small pang of guilt as Riley stepped nearer to me, obviously drawn in by my words. I knew I should be keeping this casual between us. But the truth was just spilling out faster than my brain could stop it. "What else do you dream about?" she whispered.

In spite of myself, I answered, and I heard how low and intense my voice was. "Finding someone. Someone who can be the queen Cordonia needs."

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

I felt a pang in my stomach as I stared at Riley's beautiful face and wide, innocent eyes. "That's never been part of the criteria that the Cordonian Council uses."

I broke my gaze with Riley as we heard the engines of the boat cut out. We turned to the bow of the ship and looked out to see, parting magically from the mist, the giant form of the Statue of Liberty. I basked in it for a long while, thinking about everyone who had ever come to this land, seeing that view and dreaming of freedom and happiness. Could I ever dare to have that kind of life? Would I have been so brave as to leave everything I know, just for a chance at a better life?

"So? What do you think?" Riley whispered after a long while.

"Magnificent," I whispered back, then shook my head and cleared my throat. It was silly to whisper, as if this were a magical moment that might shatter if we were too noisy. When I spoke again, my voice was casual. "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." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Thank you for this moment, Riley. This feeling...this means more to me than you could ever know."

"Liam..." her voice was raspy, and she stepped towards me again I willed myself not to reach out and touch her – grab her, draw her near.

"I want you to know," I said instead, "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."

I looked in Riley's eyes and saw a mirror of my own desire. I drew her close, putting one hand around her waist, and waited to see her reaction. She stood on tiptoe and reached up, pulling me down into a deep kiss. I was pleasantly surprised, and deepened the kiss further, pulling away after a long moment to rest my forehead against hers.

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

"I try."

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

As I walked Riley to her apartment later that night, and then headed back to my hotel to prepare for my trip home, I knew how true those words would be. I could never forget Riley. But, I was praying that, somehow, I would forget her. I didn't want to be haunted the rest of my life with this perfect night and the promise of all that might have come after it, if only I had been brave enough to fight for the things I wanted.