It’s a long journey home by myself. Thankfully, I was able to take Luke’s car, otherwise I would have no idea how I would be getting home. I pick up my phone and call the only person who I know will understand. It rings and rings and rings until it drops out. I try again.

“Lilly.” Lauren’s voice echoes through the car’s speakers. I burst into tears. “Lil, what is the matter? Has something happened?”

“Luke, his real name is Prince Luca Fiorenzo.” Lauren bursts out laughing.

“Did you say prince?”

“Yes.” The phone falls silent.

“You’re being serious?”

“Yes, and his evil sister and fiancée have just dragged him home to Italy.” Another bout of hysterical crying fills the car.

“What! He has a fiancée?”

“He left her at the altar because she slept with the best man at his rehearsal dinner.”

“She did what!”

“They called me a whore.” I’m being hysterical, I realize this.

“Oh, hell no, they did not. She’s the one screwing her fiancé’s friends,” Lolly yells down the phone. “They are so lucky that I wasn’t there, royalty or not, I would have kicked their asses.” I burst out laughing, because I know she would have.

“I would have paid money to see that. But don’t worry, I stuck up for myself.”

“Good for you. So, where’s Luke now?”

“Luca, which is basically Luke in English. He’s in Italy.”

“He’s what? Oh, hell no. I need to kick his ass, too.” Like I said, feisty.

“His father had a heart attack and was in hospital, that’s why they were trying to find him.”

“Oh. It does seem convenient.”

“Lauren! Don’t say that,” I tell her, shaking my head.

“Well, they sound like bitches, I wouldn’t put it past women like that. I’ve watched The Tudors; royalty does that sort of stuff.”

“This isn’t medieval times, Lolly.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

“Nothing.”

Lauren screams at me, “Nothing, you’re just going to let a prince go?”

“I don’t care that he’s a prince.”

“I know, but still, a prince.” I look out over the emerald green and white rolling hills of the Scottish countryside and try and picture myself living in a gilded castle. No. I don’t think that is for me.

“He told me he loves me.” Another squeal echoes through the car.

“He what? Why would you leave the most important thing out of the story? He loves you.” The tears flow again, thinking about the way he kissed me as he said goodbye, the way he tried to convince me that what he was feeling was real, and I pushed him away.

“I told him to go.”

“Oh, Lilly-poo. Why would you do that?” My sister’s voice softens.

“Because it was the right thing to do. We could never work, his sister made it very clear I was beneath her, his whole family could feel the same way,” I tell her, letting out a long sigh.

“Once they get to know you, they will love you. How can they not, you are frickin’ awesome.” My sister’s words pep me up.

“I think it’s for the best, Lolly. Maybe our time isn't right.” There is a long pause before Lauren speaks again.

“Fate works in mysterious ways.” Oh, here we go. “I think maybe the timing is off with you both, but she will find a way to bring you both back together. I have faith in fate.” At least one of us does.

“Anyway, I have to go. You don’t need my drama distracting you from your holiday. Love you.”

“Love you, sissy-boo. Just remember, you are worth it.” And with that bit of wisdom, she hangs up.

* * *

I’ve spent the past week crying into my hot cocoa. I know, girl power and all that stuff, but sometimes a girl just wants to wallow in her hot chocolate and bake, and binge watch Sex and the City. I feel bad that I’m more upset over Luca leaving than I ever was about Rob, who is still blowing up my phone, even after I travelled halfway across the world to get away from him. I don’t care for his new year wishes; I don’t need them. I’m doing just fine without him. I drop some chocolate onto my pajamas and lick it off, a whole new level of wallowing. I’m totally fine, honest. My phone vibrates and it’s another message from Luca. Now, when a girl is at the bottom end of wallowing, she will, you know, cyber stalk the man that broke her heart; Luca, not Rob.

My heart hurts looking at all his old Instagram photos. Thankfully, there isn’t many of him and his fiancée. The images were mostly of him travelling around the world; casinos in Monaco, private yachts in the south of France, shopping sprees along Rodeo Drive, a whole other life that he led that is so far from the one I live or the person I thought he was. It’s hard meshing Luke and Luca into the one person in my mind. But, Luca is persistent. Even though I haven’t responded to a single text message from him, they still come. Telling me about his father, how his health is slowly improving and how he’s finally at home resting. He also texts me messages of how he misses me, wishes I was by his side during this time. Those messages hurt my heart, and takes all my willpower to not book a ticket onto the next flight to Rome to be with him. Especially when he adds in some dirty talking sexts, they really kill my resolve. But a prince and a doctor don’t really fit the fairy tale mold, do they?

My phone rings again, and this time it’s from a number I don’t know.

“Hello.”

“Buongiorno. Is this Miss Lilly Simpson?” A happy-sounding Italian man greets me on the phone and my heart begins to thump wildly in my chest. I wouldn’t put it past Luca to find a way for me to take his calls.

“Si,” I say cautiously.

“Fantastico. My name is Andrea Rossi. His highness, Principe Luca put me in touch with you.” His highness, that sounds funny. “He said that you would be perfect for our organization.”

“Oh, really.” I’m surprised that Luca kept his word.

“I’ve had a look at your resume and your experience is exactly what we are looking for; young, passionate people, who want to help the world.”

“Thank you, so much, that is so kind of you to say. What is it, exactly, that you do?”

“Ah, of course, scusa. I am the CEO of Italy’s biggest global charity foundation. We distribute millions of dollars every year to charities around the world. We are looking for doctors with experience on the ground to help us distribute the money, and set up more beneficial programs for the world’s underprivileged, instead of just handing over money, which can fall into the wrong hands.” Wow, this sounds amazing, this is exactly what I would love to do.

“So, I wouldn’t necessarily be a doctor, on the ground.”

“Not all the time, but we would make sure all your certificates would stay current with ongoing learning. But, you would be on the ground helping set up certain programs, you would also drop into others, check that they are all running smoothly, from a medical standpoint.”

“This all sounds very interesting. Do I have to give you an answer right away?”

“No, please, take your time. I will email you an information pack about our foundation, as well as the contract and job description.” This sounds so interesting, and I am kind of excited about it, if I’m honest.

“That sounds perfect, thank you so much, Mr Rossi.”

“Grazie, Miss Simpson.”

I do a little dance around the cottage once the phone call ends. Crumbs from my chest fall all over the floor. Maybe Lauren is right about fate, maybe fate has other plans, like finding me a perfect job, not a perfect man.