“Miss Paisley Goldberg, these are my parents, King Angelo and Queen Camila,” Alex said.

Her heart beating in the base of her throat, Paisley curtsied. She’d been practicing the move for two whole weeks since looking up the proper way to address the king and queen of Belmonte. Thank goodness she didn’t trip over herself in the process.

Raising her eyes but keeping her chin demurely tucked – something else she’d read she should do –, Paisley found Alex’s parents’ faces. She had expected a smile or a nod. Instead, his mother pursed her lips, studying her, while his father looked away.

Nausea overtook Paisley, but she forced herself to smile pleasantly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Queen Camila said, though she didn’t look happy at all.

“You as well, my queen,” Paisley said.

Had she done something wrong? She’d gotten the curtsy and all the words right, she was pretty sure. Plus, she’d only checked with Alex a dozen times to make sure she wore the right kind of dress.

Maybe it was just her. Or maybe Alex’s parents were always this way. If so, Paisley understood why he didn’t come home much.

“Is this Paisley?” A hand touched her shoulder and she looked over to find Alex’s sister there.

Paisley recognized Bianca from a number of photos she hadn’t even sought out. While Alex liked to stay out of the spotlight, Bianca performed a lot of her charity work in it.

“Paisley, this is Bianca.” Alex put his hand on the small of her back, sending shivers down her spine.

Bianca looked to her parents. “I hope you don’t mind if I steal her away.”

“Only be back in time for the toasts,” Queen Camila said with a sniff.

Paisley did her best to not sigh in relief as the siblings guided her to a corner of the hotel’s massive restaurant. As they walked, people nodded and bowed, the packed party basically parting like the Red Sea to allow the prince and princess by.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Bianca said. “After all my brother has said about you.”

“Really?” Paisley looked at Alex in surprise and he shook his head good-naturedly.

“No.” Bianca laughed. “His jaw is a steel trap. It’s hard to get anything out of him. He did tell me a bit, though. Just enough. How are you liking it here? Tell me, are you comfortable at the hotel? I can have you moved to the palace, if not.”

“We are fine at the hotel,” Alex said.

“Are you kidding me? It’s amazing there,” Paisley added.

Instead of the palace or the giant hotel the graduation party was in, Alex had booked them separate suites at a boutique hotel on the other side of Belmonte. ‘Boutique’ was the word he had used. Paisley had never stayed somewhere so elegant and nice. There were flowers everywhere, and in the morning someone brought warmed towels and a breakfast tray that had a dozen things to choose from on it – and all without her asking.

“Lovely,” Bianca said. “That is wonderful to hear.” Her eyes sparkled like she really meant it.

Paisley looked back to where the king and queen stood stiffly speaking with a man whose gold watch nearly blinded her. How could two people be so different from their parents?

“How long are you staying for?” Bianca asked.

“We’ll be leaving in the morning,” Alex said.

Bianca clucked. “Of course you will be, Alex.”

He smirked. “I am a busy man, Bianca.”

She rolled her eyes. “As if I do not hear that from you enough. Paisley, you must tell me all about Alphabet City.”

“You know it?” Paisley asked in surprise. It wasn’t one of the more well-known Manhattan neighborhoods.

“Oh, only a little. I visited it once or twice when I had a boyfriend staying there. I want to know what it is like to live there, though. This guy, he was in a studio apartment with two other men, so it is not as if we spent much time at his place.”

Paisley must have looked surprised, because Bianca winked. “Even princesses have their secrets.”

Paisley laughed. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Oh, but I haven’t dated in a while. It is not easy now. I’m much too busy.” Bianca blinked, looking like she wanted to add more, but a man in a suit approached and bowed.

“Prince Alessandro. Princess Bianca. Duchess DuCheve wishes to have a private conference with you.”

Alex’s lips pressed together hard and he gave Paisley an apologetic look. “You go, Bianca.”

“Sir,” the man said. “If I may… she requested to speak with you both.”

“Go,” Paisley said. “It sounds important.”

Alex nodded grudgingly. “I will be back shortly.”

“As will I,” Bianca said. “You cannot keep her all to yourself, Alex.”

“Soon,” Alex promised.

Paisley waved him away and he and Bianca went off with the man in the suit. A waiter passed by with cocktails, and Paisley accepted one. Taking tiny sips, she looked around the party. It had never bothered her to be alone at events. That just meant she had an opportunity to meet someone new and potentially exciting.

And just her luck, she caught eyes with a tall, blonde woman about her age.

The woman approached with a smile on and held out her hand. “Katherine Van der Hagen.”

“Paisley Goldberg.” She shook the woman’s hand, noting the diamond bracelet sparkling there and tried not to feel insecure about her own single pearl necklace.

“Alessandro brought you,” Katherine said.

“Yes. I’m from New York.”

“Oh, how exciting,” Katherine said. Her voice was flat, though. She seemed too busy studying Paisley to put any emotion into her words.

“Are you from Belmonte?” Paisley asked.

“No. Van der Hagen.”

Paisley nodded. “It’s such a beautiful name.”

Katherine tilted her face and narrowed her eyes the slightest bit, like she was confused. “Count Van der Hagen is my father.”

Paisley smiled politely, but her face burned. It sounded like Katherine expected Paisley to know not only which country she was from, but who her family was as well. And though she hated to disappoint, she really hadn’t studied that well for her trip.

“I love your hair pin,” Paisley said, desperate to get onto a more comfortable topic.

Katherine touched the small gold pin that had what was probably a real ruby in it. “An antique. My great-grandmother’s.”

“Gorgeous.”

“You and Alex are a couple?”

“Yes.” Paisley noted that she had called him by his nickname. So far, everyone in Belmonte, except for Bianca, had called him Prince Alessandro. A twinge of jealousy hit Paisley’s heart. Did Alex and Katherine have history?

“That is very sweet.” Katherine nodded and grinned like she enjoyed a joke. Paisley’s pulse sped up. She was trying really hard not to judge a woman she’d just met, but something about the conversation didn’t sit right.

“How long have you known Alex for?” Paisley asked.

“Oh, so long. Since we were small children.”

Paisley nodded. “I am sure you have some good stories about him.”

“So many.” Katherine’s gaze drifted to the ceiling and she smiled.

“And Bianca? She seems wonderful.” Enough talking about Alex.

“She is. Alex, though—” Katherine looked at the ground. “Well, he is quite the rebel, you know? We are all looking forward to the day when he returns to Belmonte.”

The back of Paisley’s neck itched. Alex had never mentioned anything about moving back to Belmonte.

“It should not be far away,” Katherine said. “Goodness, he is thirty. And he has changed some already. Oh, but I don’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m not upset,” Paisley said, not sure whether that was a lie or not.

“Yes, I believe that. Because you know all of this, of course. And lucky you. You get to have a fling with a prince! That is something most women only dream about.”

Paisley’s jaw tightened. “I wouldn’t call it a fling. Alex and I were friends before we started dating.”

“You were? That’s nice. He does enjoy his New York adventures.” Katherine sighed and shook her head. “I’m just surprised he brought you here.”

Paisley ground her teeth. Okay. Clearly, this girl had come over intending to upset her. And she knew she shouldn’t bite. She really, really shouldn’t bite, but…

“Why would that be such a surprise?”

Katherine blinked and raised her eyebrows the slightest bit. “Because these sorts of events are usually reserved for, ah, certain people. Those already established in Belmonte’s society.”

“I guess times are progressing.” Paisley smiled tightly and sipped her drink, which she was trying really hard not to throw in Katherine’s face.

“Not in every way.” Katherine rolled her shoulders back and stood up straighter. “I do hope you are enjoying your time here, though. It will not be long before Alex will inherit the crown and leave everything in New York behind.”

Ice flooded Paisley’s veins and she avoided Katherine’s eyes.

“But you knew that as well,” Katherine said. “Alex is the only male heir to the throne. Sooner or later, he will be summoned to claim it and he won’t be bringing anyone with him. Certainly not an American waitress.”

Spots swam in Paisley’s vision. She wasn’t sure where Katherine had learned she was a waitress, but it didn’t really matter.

“Better an American waitress than a heartless heiress,” Paisley said. She smiled sweetly. “If you’ll excuse me.”

Not waiting for an answer, she walked away. The chatter of the room, before so pleasant, had turned into nails on a chalkboard. Head down, Paisley walked along the wall. A door to the back garden was open, and she darted through it.

The cool air kissed her hot skin, and she took a seat on a cement bench between a bed of red and orange flowers and a water fountain. Little solar lights placed at tasteful angles showed off the garden even hours after sunset.

Setting her glass on the grass, Paisley exhaled long. She was furious with Katherine, and she wanted to blame everything bad she felt on the woman.

But she couldn’t. Because what Katherine had said was true. Just because Paisley had never stopped to consider the fact that Alex would one day inherit the crown didn’t make it any less real.

And what about the other part? The one where he became king and left her behind? Would he really do that? He’d brought her home, introduced her to his parents. That meant something no matter who you were.

But it wasn’t all about what Alex wanted. A king needed a queen.

Queen Paisley Goldberg of New Jersey.

It didn’t fit for so many reasons.