Okay, one more, Paisley said through text.

Sitting in the backseat of the car he’d jumped in after leaving work early, Alex couldn’t help but smile. Paisley could text him funny memes all through the night and he would never tire of it.

Up popped a picture of a dog smiling with his eyes closed as sunlight lit up his face. The caption said, When you realize you’ve been the good boy all along.

Alex laughed out loud and covered his eyes.

ALEX: That is silly.

PAISLEY: Yeah. I also know you’re laughing right now.

ALEX: Got me.

Right as Alex hit send on the last text, a call came in from his sister. Glancing out the window, he checked to see what street they were on and decided he had enough time for a quick conversation with Bianca.

“Hello, your highness,” he answered. Bianca hated it when Alex spoke to her like the princess she was.

“Are you coming next month?” Bianca clipped.

“Wow. That is quite the way to start a conversation.”

“Sorry.” Bianca sighed heavily. In the background on her end, people chattered at a distance. No doubt she was at some event either directly or loosely linked to her role as a royal.

Unlike Alex, his older sister took her position in the royal family seriously. A princess loved all over the world. That was the kind of royal she was. Doing good behind the scenes as well as waving and smiling for the cameras nonstop.

In summary, Bianca was the face of Belmonte.

“Mother and Father are hassling me nonstop about the charity event next month,” Bianca explained. “They think that if they ask you to attend, you won’t.”

“Ah.” Alex looked out the window. The car was cruising down Central Park West and he wanted a moment to take in the trees before he had to go into the Brighter World Fund offices.

“Do you know what I’m talking about?” Bianca asked.

“Ah… a… charity event next month? That the family will be at?”

“Wonderful job repeating what I said.” Bianca chuckled slightly, but then her voice turned serious. “It is for the well-digging organization that Mother and I have been a part of the last year.”

“Yes. I remember that.”

“You gave a sizeable donation to it.”

Alex shrugged even though she could not see him.

“But,” Bianca continued, “giving money is not an escape hatch when it comes to our family. You do know that, right?”

Alex checked a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I am aware, Bianca.”

“I don’t want to nag you, Alex, but perhaps this event would be a good one to show your face at. If only to get Mother and Father off your back. You understand?”

“Yes. I do.” Even though agreeing left a sour taste in Alex’s mouth, his sister had a good point.

“Come to the event. It is at a state building. I’m not sure which one. But it will be fun.”

“I will attend,” Alex said. “As to having fun… that is another story.”

“I’ll be there.”

Alex could hear the smile in her voice and it made him laugh.

“That does make me feel better,” he agreed.

Someone said something close to Bianca.

“Alex, I need to go. Talk to you soon.”

“Until then.”

Bianca hung up before he had barely finished speaking. Slipping his phone into his pocket, Alex looked out the window. Perfect timing. They were at his destination.

Thanking the driver, Alex went into the building and took the elevator to the eighth floor, home of the Brighter World Fund’s offices. At the sight of him, the front desk receptionist popped to standing.

“Hello, Mr. Gentile,” Jane said. “How are you doing? Can I get you anything? Everyone is in the boardroom.” Her heels clicking on the polished floor, she hurried down the hall ahead of him.

“No, thank you, Jane. I am fine.”

She nodded and opened the boardroom door for him. “Let me know if you need anything, sir.”

“Thank you.” The frosted door closed behind him and Alex turned to face the three men in the room.

Paul and Tyler sat at the end of the long, boat-shaped conference table, Tyler’s tie loosened and his posture relaxed, while Paul hunched over a pile of papers. Near the windows, James tossed a small basketball at the hoop fastened to the wall. At the sound of Alex’s entrance, all three men looked over to him.

“Last one here buys the beer,” Tyler said.

Alex snorted and took his seat next to Paul. “We are drinking in meetings now?”

“Soda,” Tyler corrected. “Okay. Last one here buys the soda.”

James bounced his basketball against the floorboards. “Paul doesn’t drink soda. It would ruin his rock-hard physique.”

“That is true,” Paul said. He didn’t so much as look up from his papers.

Leaving the basketball on the floor, James pushed his brown hair off his forehead and took a seat at the head of the table. The boardroom was a bit much for their regular meetings, but it was good to have when bringing in contributors.

Really, Alex would have been fine running the Brighter World Fund out of a garage in Queens, but good luck getting donations from the richest people in the world that way. Instead, they rented out half a floor in downtown Manhattan and hired a handful of capable staff to make sure the place was well run. They had great management. Great staff. Even great neighbors in the building.

The best part, however, was making a difference in the world with his three closest friends. Although they had known each other for many years, it had only been four years now since they started the organization that helped children throughout the world access education and healthcare.

“Remind me what this meeting is about,” James said.

“We are going over the budget for the next year,” Paul said. “As it stands, that is.”

Alex’s phone buzzed. Then it buzzed again. Taking it out of his pocket, he glanced at the screen and saw a picture of a cat with its head stuck in a jar. Biting his lip so he wouldn’t laugh, Alex put the phone face down on the table.

“Something you want to share with the class?” Tyler asked.

“Hm?” Alex looked at him. “I’m sorry?”

James jerked his chin at Alex. “You’re grinning like…” His eyes lit up. “Like you’re texting a girl.”

For the first time since Alex had entered the room, Paul put the papers down and looked at the people around him. “A girl? Alex, are you seeing a girl?”

Alex held his palms up. “Slow down, everyone.”

“Where did you meet her?” Tyler asked.

“Man,” James said, “it’s about time. I can’t remember the last time you went out on a date.”

“It isn’t like that,” Alex said firmly. “She’s a friend.”

The other three men exchanged looks.

James scoffed. “A friend? Are you going to tell us any more than that?”

“She also likes movies and we have fun together.” Alex ended the statement with a nod.

His phone buzzed again and, without even thinking about it, he snatched it up. Suddenly, Tyler, James, and Paul were all laughing.

“You’re not answering your phone like she’s a friend,” Paul teased.

Alex’s jaw tightened and he put the phone back down. He’d have to respond to Paisley later.

“She told me she’ll never date a famous guy,” Alex explained. “There.”

The laughter stopped.

“Aw.” James frowned. “That’s kind of a…”

“Strange ultimatum,” Tyler finished.

“Her best friends are both married to famous men. Noah Armstrong and Aidan Coleman,” Alex said. “And she can’t imagine herself living that kind of life.”

“Aidan Coleman?” James leaned forward in his chair. “No way. Can you introduce us?”

“She likes you, though,” Paul said.

Alex’s head whipped in his friend’s direction. “Why do you say that?”

Paul nodded at the phone. “She just texted you again.”

Alex shrugged. “We send each other memes. Funny things.”

Paul smiled knowingly. “All right.”

“Listen to Paul. He’s a doctor. His brain is twice as powerful as ours.” Tyler waggled his eyebrows.

“We should start the meeting,” Paul said.

“Seriously,” James said. “Alex, can you introduce me to Coleman, or what?”

“We’ll talk about it later,” Alex said.

Paul opened his laptop and started going over the spreadsheets the office manager had put together, but Alex found it hard to listen. Did Paisley like him?

If so, why did she not show it? Or was it that she did have romantic feelings for him, but her distaste for fame kept her from acting on them?

Alex’s gaze dropped to his phone. From the day of his birth, he’d had certain privileges, yes… but he had also had so many restraints.

He had hoped living in New York would free him from most of those restraints. And in some ways, it did.

But Alex had never liked being royalty and now he was beginning to hate it with all his might.