Dear Darlin'

Riley came out from her room dressed for the day, her hair in a mermaid braid as she went through her purse. She stopped when she saw Laurence sitting with Duke having coffee. "Morning."

"Good Morning my love" Laurence rose from his seat and crossed to give her a light kiss on the cheek, "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well," she lied, she'd spent a good chunk of the evening tossing and turning, trying to understand what had happened earlier at her parent's apartment, "I'm just going to go run some errands. I have to pick up my dress for tonight and just a few other things."

"Would you like Charles to go with you?" Laurence wasn't positive he believed her sadness seemed to gloss her eyes, not that he blamed her after the way her family and friends had reacted yesterday. He knew it wouldn't be easy to win them over, but it would be much harder than he thought.

Riley shook her head with a soft smile, "I've lived in the city like my whole life, I can run a few errands, besides you might need him yourself." She gently kissed his lips, tasting the coffee and sugar, "I love you."

"I love you." He let his hands run down the sides of his arms, "I'll see you when you return."

"Duke, I'll see you later." Riley called to her friend before going out the door.

"I'm off to get ready for the day." Duke threw his napkin down on the table and was on his way down to his room when he heard a knock on the door.

Laurence opened it to find Lucas Friar on the other end, "Mr. Friar, you've just missed Riley if you were looking to speak with my fiancée."

Lucas stood tall, his stomach knotted and sour, "Actually I came to see you."

Laurence moved out of the way so the younger man could enter, he studied him dressed in nice pants, a nice button down shirt, a very different look than the uniform he wore yesterday. "What can I do for you?"

"Do you love her? Is she everything to you?" Lucas could feel how shaky his voice came he tried to stay calm, but if Riley was serious about being with this guy, he had to know that he really loved her.

Laurence could see that Lucas was heartbroken, "I do love her, very much. I'm sorry that it ended up this way for you, but I can tell you I will give Riley an amazing life."

Lucas rubbed his fingers over his lips as he paced away before running them through his hair, "I need to know that you really love her. It's the only way I can let her go, because I don't want to let Riley go. I've loved her since the moment I first saw her on the subway seconds before she fell into my lap."

"And I've loved her since she stepped out of the car at the palace." Laurence circled around Lucas, "Riley is amazing, wonderful, she takes my breath away every single time she walks into a room."

"And she has no idea she does it." Lucas was trying to choke back the tears. "She gets insecure sometimes she doesn't always believe how wonderful she is. You're going to have to remind her every day somehow."

Laurence just nodded as he watched a man who loved his fiancée probably more than he ever could, which he hadn't thought was possible until this moment.

"I don't know if you've noticed this yet or not, but um, she has this little collection of body washes and lotions. She um, uses a different one based on her moods. Pomegranate is good, it means she's honestly happy, Gardenia is when she's feeling loved, Coffee when she's had trouble sleeping because she's over thinking. She does that a lot. And um, just watch out for Peppermint, that's when she's depressed and trying to find a pick me up. If she uses it two or more days in a row than something is really wrong." Lucas looked around the suite, this was her future this was the life she was going to lead. Hotel suites in different countries she would visit with her husband.

"I hadn't noticed that just yet." Laurence was thankful that Riley wasn't here if she was he was sure to lose her to this man, this cowboy.

"Riley is the greatest girl in the world," Lucas sucked in an unsteady breath, "She will do anything she can for people, she really believes in the secret of life, people change people. Riley changed me for the better, in so many ways and she'll never know or understand. I would be lost if she hadn't come into my life a decade ago. She was always a princess to me, so I swear to God you better treat her like one."

"Riley will of course be treated as a princess, she will be a princess."

Lucas felt a surge of anger as his fists clenched and he stared into the eyes of the man who stole all his dreams, "If I ever find out you hurt her, broke her heart, cheat on her, do anything to make Riley feel like shit I will hurt you."

Laurence believed him, "Thank you for dropping by Mr. Friar, I will take that into consideration."

Lucas went to the door, "I love Riley I am always going to love Riley. But she wants you, so I have to let her go. No need to torture myself with what I can't have."

Duke smiled to himself and he stopped recording the encounter between his brother and Lucas on his phone before slipping into his room. Now he just had to figure out how to get Riley to watch it and realize she was making a mistake.

Riley felt silly having someone doing her hair, she could've put it up herself, but Laurence had insisted for this evening. She wore her engagement ring on her right hand instead of her left, just in case anyone noticed as the official announcement was still a couple of weeks off.

She was wearing a long mint green dress that hugged most of her body, with matching heels and clutch. She felt so silly, but was realizing she was going to have to get used to this sort of thing once she and Laurence were married.

She touched up her lip gloss before joining him in the living room of the suite, "Well, how do I look?"

He put his hand over his heart as she took his breath away, "Stunning Riley, you are beyond stunning." Laurence took several steps towards her, taking her hands in his as he looked into her coffee eyes, "You never fail to take my breath away."

Riley smiled as he pulled her into him before he kissed her slowly on the lips for a moment before moving towards her neck, "Laurence, don't start anything you don't intend to finish." She warned him.

His stomach turned when he smelled the peppermint, she's just brushed her teeth or used mouthwash that had to be the reason. He wasn't going to allow Lucas Friar to get into his head, not tonight. "You're right, we should get going. Edward are you coming with us?"

Duke came out wearing just a towel and a smile, "I'll be along in a few minutes I just have to finish getting dressed. You two run along without me."

"Are you sure Duke?" Riley didn't think they were in a hurry.

"Yes, I'm sure Riles you two go along, no cares if I show up after you two."

Laurence adjusted his tie and looked at his younger brother, "Very well then, Edward don't take too long getting ready. I expect to see you within forty-five minutes."

"I won't be that long, I promise." Duke watched as his brother led Riley out of the suite and he waited a few more seconds before he looked at the flash drive in his hand.

He went into Riley's bed room and found a piece of stationary and a pen.

Watch this, follow your heart Riley. Listen to your heart.

He placed the note and flash drive on her pillow before returning to his room to get dressed. As much as he loved his brother, he knew that a marriage between him and Riley would be a disaster her heart was always going to belong to Lucas even though she seemed bound and determined to fight it.

Riley was overwhelmed once they were at the gala, every couple of minutes or so she was introduced to someone else she would smile shake their hands, taking a little bit of small talk before starting the process over again. She couldn't even tell you what Laurence was conversing about with everyone, her senses were overloaded.

She only relaxed a little bit when Duke finally showed up and forced her to dance since Laurence was busy.

"Riley, are you happy?" He questioned her as they waltzed.

"Of course I am, why would you think I'm not?"

"Because of Lucas, you loved him so much, and now you're about to marry Larry."

Riley gave him her best smile she could in the moment, "I love your brother, I love Carmella, I can't picture my life without them."

Duke nodded, "What did your mother say about the pre-nup? Has she gone over it yet?"

"What pre-nup?" She was puzzled he hadn't mentioned one.

"Has Larry not brought that up?" Duke looked towards his brother, "It's nothing really, he's having the dowry waved, that's such an antiquated idea, plus he got one from Angelic."

"That is a relief." Riley felt sick, "What else should I expect to find in this?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary I promise." He led her around the dance floor again, "So, Maya and Farkle huh?"

"I guess so, she said something about they proposed to each other." Riley let a small honest smile spread as she thought of her two oldest friends.

Duke breathed a sigh of relief, his friend was still in here somewhere, "Yes, I don't think Maya realized what she was saying until she was almost done, and Farkle, he looked at her, well he looked at her the way Lucas looks at you."

Riley closed her eyes, "Duke, Laurence looks at me that way."

"Laurence loves you, I won't deny that, but do you love him, honestly?"

"I do, I would never consider marrying a man if I didn't love him." Riley looked over to her future husband, she should feel butterflies when she saw him, shouldn't she? Shouldn't she feel her heartbeat race, or her breath hitch, something?

Lucas sat at the bar, scrolling through his emails on his phone as he nursed a whiskey that Zay had placed in front of him when he came in over an hour ago

"Anything interesting?" Zay was couldn't believe it was coming to this.

Lucas looked up, "Not really" his eyes moved back to the screen, "Wait this is something."

Zay watched as Lucas read the email and then threw back what was left of his whiskey.

"Yee-haw!" Lucas called out as he put the phone down and started drumming on the bar, "I've got a date with destiny."

Zay picked up the phone and looked at the email he'd been reading, "Lucas man you cannot fucking do this."

"Why not I lost the girl but I can conquer Monaco." Lucas felt new life start to surge through him.

"No one has conquered that bull." Zay came from behind the bar to look at his friend, sure Lucas had a good few inches on him and twice as much muscle mass but Zay wasn't afraid of him, at least not in this moment. "Your heart is crushed right now, I get that Lucas. But going off and doing something a stupid as getting on Monaco the bull, who will make Tombstone look like Judy the Sheep is not the answer. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Lucas shook his head, "I told myself that if Monaco was ever available for me to ride I would go for it. Well destiny stepped in and here it is. I've got to go pack, I have to get to Texas tomorrow, the ride is the day after."

Zay grabbed Lucas' wrist, "Don't do this, it's not worth it."

Lucas shook Zay's grip off of him, "It's my last ride."

"You said that before."

"I mean it this time. Monaco was the bull I never got to ride, I either conquer him and all my demons or can sit around here getting drunk and being miserable as I know that another man gets to love her. A man that doesn't even know she uses different body washes to go with her mood. How does someone not notice that?"

Zay watched his friend, "Lucas, I know you're going to do this no matter what I try to tell you. But Riley wouldn't want you to risk your life."

"I'm doing it Zay, wish me luck." Lucas grabbed his phone and ran out of the bar.

Zay shook his head as he pulled out his phone and dialed Farkle, "Dude, we got a code red. Lucas is going to Texas to ride Monaco." He left the voicemail, hoping that his friends would get it soon and they could think of a way to stop him from doing something ridiculous.

"Oh Darling, you look exhausted." Laurence guided Riley to her room, "You should take a hot bath, maybe use some Gardenia bubble bath, I can have some sent up for you."

"Um, I have some stuff, but thank you sweetheart. I do think I'll take a bubble bath." She kissed him, wondering why she wasn't feeling it in her toes, her knees her stomach.

"Sleep well I'm just down the hall if you need anything at all."

"Good night." Riley slipped into her room and started to remove her gown, laying it on a nearby chair as she went into her bathroom and started the tub, pouring in some of her peppermint body wash to create a relaxing bath.

She went back into the bedroom and opened her suitcase, pulling out a stack of letters, it wasn't all of the ones Lucas had written her, but it was a few she randomly plucked from the box. Curiosity had gotten the best of her, she needed to know if that same love she felt reading the first letter came across in the later ones.

She brought them with her she sat on the edge of the tub as it filled up and picked a random letter.

#175

Dear Riley,

I just got off a video call with you, poor thing you've got the flu even sick as a dog you look beautiful. You wouldn't let me tell you that on the call so I'm telling you here, for you to read so far away from now.

I love you, by the time you read this we'll be engaged, and I hope you love the ring I pick out. I plan to have your Mom and Maya give me their opinion.

I wish I was in New York to take care of you, to bring you soup and ginger ale, to just sit with you while we watch The Parent Trap for the thousandth time, original version of course.

I hope to God I'm lying next to you in bed while you read this letter and all the others, I want to see the look in your eyes as you realize how much I've missed you all these days apart, how much I love you, how much I am always going to love you my Princess.

Love

Lucas

Riley put the letter down on the counter and turned off the water before she undressed and slipped into the water, the bubbles covering her body as she tried to relax breathing in the scent of peppermint.

She closed her eyes, all she could see was Lucas, the moment he first smiled to her on the subway, when he told her his moment would be his moment, their first kiss, the pain in his eyes when they were in Texas together the first time, the smile on his face when he finally had his moment at the ski lodge, the love he'd had in his eyes the night they first made love, the worry he had for her when she found out having children wouldn't be for her, when he'd slipped the promise ring on her finger, the look he had the moment she walked into her room the night she returned.

She opened her eyes, she couldn't think about Lucas anymore he was her past. She had a future, with Laurence. One where she would give him everything she could.

When the water got too cool she got out, wrapping herself in the hotel bathrobe before going into her room where she saw the note and USB stick on her pillow.

She recognized Duke's handwriting and put it in her laptop, seeing only one file a video she pressed play.

"Lucas?" She watched as he stood in front of her future husband as a broken man. Had she done this to him?

Laurence had suggested Gardenia for her bubble bath, what had she used Peppermint. She'd never even noticed she used the different scents for different moods. She threw on her nightgown she had to see Laurence.

She threw on her robe and went to Laurence's bedroom, knocking gently so as not to worry him.

He opened the door with sleep filled eyes, suggesting he was still dreaming, "Darling what's wrong?"

"I couldn't sleep." She felt him pull her into the room, then his arms, "I just need you to hold me."

He led her to the bed and they lay down under the covers, he held her close, enjoying the feel of her next to him, trying like hell to ignore the scent of peppermint that seemed to be wrapped around her.

She couldn't help but noticed his body didn't fit exactly against hers the way Lucas did. One of his hands moved to her breast, his fingers didn't create lazy circles to tease her instead they pinched in a pulsing manner. She rolled over to face her future husband, kissing him with a message of wants and needs.

He pulled away, "Riley, my love, I will make love to you on our wedding night, the way a virgin like you deserves. We have no need to rush."

He thought she was a virgin, what had given him that impression.

She kissed him again, trying to convey her hunger for him letting her hand slide into his pajama bottoms, caressing his thick erection. "Laurence, I need you tonight. Touch me, please."

He was shocked by how forward she was but it did excite him. Everything about her excited him. "Don't be nervous my darling, I'll make sure this doesn't hurt." He promised as he kissed her neck down to her breasts.

All Riley could do was compare his movements to Lucas, and none of what Laurence was doing was working for her.

There were no whispers of her beauty, body or soul. It was sloppy and rough in a way that felt like a fumble of a football during the Super Bowl.

"Laurence wait" He was just about to remove her bottoms.

He smiled, "We can work up to this darling. It's okay to be nervous."

"Laurence, I'm not a virgin." She confessed as she looked to him, "I have only been with one man since I was seventeen."

"Lucas" It all seemed to come back to him didn't it? "You're still very much in love with him, aren't you?"

She nodded, "I've been letting this fairytale be an escape, but this isn't real. You'll find a woman who can pay the dowry, who loves you and only you, one who can give you more children, because why wouldn't a royal want more heirs. That's something I can never do."

"You're going back to him?"

"I'm going to try he hates me now I've broken him." Riley got out of the bed, removing the ring and placing it on the nightstand, "I will always be available for Carmella."

"Riley" He called to her, "Please don't go. You will grow to love me."

She stopped at the doorway, "My heart has belonged to Lucas since I fell into his lap on the subway. If I couldn't fall in love with you by now Laurence, then I won't be able to make it happen. Goodbye."

"Riley, Charles can take you wherever you need to go this evening I know how late it is." He met her at the door way, kissing her forehead, knowing he'd never really had her.

"Thank you" She left his room, returning to hers she changed into her yoga pants and tank top, pulling on her zip hoodie before packing. Finally she sat on the bed, the letters from Lucas in her hand and the zip drive she was sure Duke had left her and her phone in the other. She hit the call button and took a deep breath, "Hey, it's me, where are you? No, I'll come to you, I've broken things off with Laurence."