Phone in hand, Paisley stood at the window and watched the street for Alex’s car. She felt like she was back in high school, waiting for a crush to come pick her up.

Except this time it was even better. She didn’t have a curfew.

“I’m so excited,” Nicole said from over the phone.

Paisley smiled and took a second to check the time on the cell’s screen.

“I told you to go for it,” Lauren added. “And now look.”

“I know,” Paisley said. “You’re always right. All hail Lauren.”

“Hey! That’s not what I’m saying.”

“It’s cool,” Paisley said, laughing. “And you were right.”

“Are you crazy over the moon right now?” Lauren asked.

“I’m—” Paisley drew her bottom lip between her teeth. Alex would be picking her up any minute. Did she even have time to go into this? “Nervous,” she finished.

“Why?” Nicole asked at the same time Lauren said, “You are?”

Paisley gulped. “I like Alex. So much. I—” Love him.

She kept that last part to herself. It hadn’t even been a full twenty-four hours since the kiss in her apartment. Though she’d known she was falling in love with him for weeks, she couldn’t come out and say that. Not yet.

“What’s wrong?” Lauren asked.

“What if I can’t handle it?” Paisley blurted out.

“Being with a famous man?” Lauren asked. “It’s no big deal.”

“Alex is a prince,” Nicole said. “He’s more than famous.”

They all sat on that thought for a moment.

“Right,” Lauren agreed. “That means… yeah… I don’t even know what that means. He has to follow all these rules, doesn’t he? For ways he can live?”

Paisley gnawed on her thumbnail. “I don’t know. He really tries to separate himself from all of that, but maybe there are some things he can’t do. We haven’t talked about it much.”

“Today would be the perfect time,” Nicole said.

Paisley dropped her hand. She wasn’t so sure she agreed. The drive to Rockaway Beach would be their first official date. She wanted it to be as close to perfect as possible.

Through the window, a flash of sunlight on a white convertible made Paisley suck in a breath. “He’s here. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

“Have fun!” Nicole sang out.

“Tell us everything,” Lauren said.

“I will. Bye.” Slipping her phone into her boho sling bag, Paisley hurried to lock up the apartment. Alex’s car idled in front of her building and, when he saw her, he got out to open her door.

A wave of heat went from the top of Paisley’s head to her toes. “Thank you.”

Alex smiled down at her and the heat intensified. “You’re welcome.”

Taking her seat in the convertible, Paisley slipped on her sunglasses and dropped her bag on the floor. Off they went.

The rush of wind made it hard to talk, so they chatted a little bit at stoplights. It wasn’t until they finally made it to the beach, however, that it was possible to have a real conversation.

Pushing back the hair the wind had tangled, Paisley closed her door and looked around while Alex took the picnic basket from the trunk.

She grinned. “Hey, that looks familiar.”

“Is it cheesy that I love picnics so much?”

“It’s romantic.” She paused. Weird that she could say something like that to him now. Weird and amazing.

Alex slipped his hand into hers and things got even more amazing. Side by side, they walked for a covered picnic area next to the beach. The sun beat on their shoulders and a smooth wind danced across the ocean to kiss their faces.

“Let me guess.” She stopped at the picnic table in the corner of the shady pavilion. “Deli foods.”

“Good guess, but no.” Alex opened the picnic basket and pulled out a wrapped sandwich. “I cooked.”

Paisley laughed and pressed her palm to her mouth. “Putting some ingredients between two slices of bread is not cooking.”

Alex frowned. “No? I made it, though. Surely I get points for that.”

“You got the ingredients from the deli, right?”

He looked like he didn’t want to answer.

“It’s deli food.” Paisley giggled. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“Hm.” Alex narrowed his eyes. “And here I was, thinking this lunch would be special.”

“Are you kidding me?” Paisley stepped closer to him. “It is special.”

Alex’s brown eyes softened and he cupped the back of her head. She thought he would kiss her, but he kept looking at her, gaze raking across her face as if he were committing every detail about it to memory.

Paisley’s heart skittered. “Hi.”

“Hello.” His thumb brushed the spot where her head met her neck and a sweet shiver went down her back. “Is this strange? Us… like this?”

She shook her head slowly. “I don’t think it is.”

Alex grinned. “Neither do I.”

“Good.” She glanced at the food. “Let’s eat. So we can swim.”

“Yes. Good idea.”

There was a chance the water wouldn’t even be warm enough yet, but Paisley didn’t care. It was the first beach day of the year, and she was enjoying it with Alex. She could have waded in water full of ice cubes for all she cared.

Alex hesitated, his plastic fork held aloft. “There is something I would like to ask you.”

His serious tone made Paisley’s stomach drop. “What?”

“I am going to Belmonte in a couple of weeks. My cousin has finished university and there will be a graduation party. My parents called me this morning asking me to attend.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Yes.” He paused. “Would you come with me?”

Paisley stared at him, blinking over and over and not finding the words. She had thought he would ask her to water his plants. Maybe take in the mail. But go to a family function with him?

“Never mind.” Alex’s cheeks turned pink. “I understand that you have work, and I might be asking you to put yourself in a potentially awkward situation. You do not know my family, and—”

“Alex, it’s—” Paisley touched his hand. “Sorry, that threw me for a sec. You really want me to meet your family?”

His gaze fixed on hers. “Yes.”

Paisley smiled wide.

“I want you to understand, Paisley, I—” She waited, giving him his time to find the words, her heart racing the whole while. “I do not know what you have heard or read about me, but I do hope you have had the time to form your own opinion since we have met. What we have, I find special. There is something deep between us. I want to show you my life. That includes the part that I have… some trouble with.”

Tears welled in Paisley’s eyes. His words were balm for one of the fears she’d tried hard to keep repressed. Alex could have nearly any woman in the world, and he chose her. She had been trying not to be insecure, but why? How did she know she wasn’t another fling for him?

Looking in his eyes, though, hearing the honesty in his voice… Paisley understood that they really were on the same page. There was, as Alex put it, ‘something deep’ between them.

“Alex, I would love to go to Belmonte with you. Thank you for asking me.”

His eyebrows twitched in surprise. “Really?”

“Absolutely. Have you mentioned me coming to your family?”

He hesitated and then smiled quickly. “Not yet. They will, however, be thrilled to meet you.”

Paisley tried to study his face for more, but he had looked away and gotten busy pouring sparkling water into plastic cups. Did he tell the truth? Would Alex’s royal family really be happy to hear he dated a waitress from New Jersey?

She worried she wouldn’t fit into Alex’s life, but maybe she was overreacting. There was only one way to find out.

Belmonte, here I come.