“Good to know.” I laughed. The butler came over and served us champagne in flutes and poured waters before disappearing into the house.
“Cheers to a good first date.” Elias lifted a flute as I lifted mine and we clinked and drank.
“It’s one date,” I said, setting the flute down.
“You already cheered to it being a first date.” He set his down as well. “Which means, there may be more.”
“You do realize I’m planning your engagement gala, right?”
“It’s just a gala like every other gala my mother has been putting on since I was born. They’re all the same.”
“Meaning there is always a herd of women who attend in hopes to catch your attention and be married off to you?”
“Exactly.”
“Sounds . . . fun?”
“Not fun.” He smiled. “I’d bet good money half of them would hate being married to me, but can’t say otherwise.”
“I’d bet otherwise.”
“Even knowing I’m an asshole?” He raised his glass and an eyebrow.
“Even knowing that.” I raised my own, with a shrug. “You’re a prince. Everyone dreams of being a princess.”
“Even you?”
“I used to.” I took a gulp of the champagne. “Not so much anymore.”
“Because of me?”
“Nah.” I laughed lightly. “I think I just outgrew the fantasy.”
“Hm.”
“What about the Princess of Austria?” I asked suddenly.
“What about her?”
“You’ve never been on a date with her?”
“For appearances. Yes.”
“For appearances?” My lips pursed. “How many dates have you been on that weren’t for appearances?”
“One.”
“One?” I repeated, my jaw dropping.
“It’s why I like to come here in the summers. It’s an escape from the appearances and the constant reminder that everything I do is for The Crown.”
“So your one date that wasn’t for pretenses was here?” Something akin to jealousy sprouted inside of me.
“That’s right.” His lips merely moved, but his eyes were laughing.
“Interesting.” I took another sip of champagne and tore my gaze from his to look back at the ocean.
“Addie.”
I met his gaze again.
“This is the date.”
“The one date?”
He nodded.
“Oh.” My heart skipped, though I still wasn’t sure why it was important to me.
“Tell me about the scandal.”
“There’s not much to tell if you already looked it up and saw for yourself.” I looked at the ocean again. It was dark, so it wasn’t like I could actually see it, but I was thankful for its waves trying to drown out my shame. “Did you watch the video?”
“Why the fuck would I do that?”
That made me look at him quickly. “Curiosity. Everyone else does.”
“I don’t want to see you having sex with another man.” His jaw was clenched as he spoke. “I’m going to make it go away.”
“You can’t.” I smiled sadly. “Thank you for the offer though.”
“I think you’re underestimating my power.”
“I think you’re overestimating it and forgetting what year we’re in.”
“If you say so.” He picked up his champagne again and got comfortable in his seat, leaning back a bit as he draped an arm over the side and stretching his legs out. He looked like a model without even trying.
“You know, saying things like that aren’t going to get you points with me. I personally don’t like the idea of one person having so much power.” I picked up my own glass and sipped, shifting my body toward his as I crossed one leg over the other and got comfortable as well.
“Which is why you moved to London, where the monarchs are just there for pretenses.”
“They do a lot of good.”
He shrugged, but the smile on his face told me he was biting his tongue. He looked sexy like that. When he looked away, to the ocean in front of us, I continued watching him.
“What’s the best part of being a prince?” I asked after a moment.
“The best part or the part I like most?”
“Is there a difference?”
“I like helping people. I like being able to stand behind a cause and know that others will follow.” He glanced at me, lowering his glass. “The best part is the power.”
“But it’s not the part you enjoy most.”
“With power comes responsibility.”
“Okay, Spider-Man.”
“It’s true though.” He chuckled before getting serious again. “A lot of people, including your father, don’t like how much power the Crown yields. They don’t like how traditional my family is. They want us to become a commonwealth country. They want my father to relinquish his power and he won’t, which means, I can’t. By staying traditional and true to what the Crown means to our family, we’re able to make a difference in the country, whether or not you see it. With that responsibility comes duty, one being that I must marry before or soon after I’m coronated king.” He shrugged. “It’s not something I agree with, but who am I to change thousands of years of history?”
“The future king.” I waited a moment for him to respond. When he didn’t, I added, “That’s who you are. You can change everything once you become king.”