Page 2 of How to Date a Prince

“Who are the hot guys? Do you know?”

“I can’t say anything other than what’s public through marketing and live online. You can join the Bravoverse and guess the guests like everyone else.” She laughs, as does her coworker.

“Oh, go on and tell me.”

“Okay. Thomas Golden,” says the future crew member triumphantly. “Announced today in a press release. Major get. No wonder everyone’s gone wild online today.”

“Oh, I’d watch him day and night. Though—isn’t he gay?”

“Yes, but maybe he’s bi or pan. A girl can dream.”

The name Thomas Golden doesn’t mean anything to me. It sounds like aspirational branding for a lifestyle company. I focus on my drink in the shadows as my phone chimes before I have a chance to search who he is. Shit. I forgot to turn the ringer off.

The women glance over at me, nudging each other in whispers. I hear, “No, you go talk to him, you look brill tonight.”

I focus extra hard on my phone as if I have some super-important royal messages to get back to, like the fate of the monarchy hinges on the speed of my doomscrolling.

My best friend, Katie Hart, texted me five minutes ago.

Pretend you’re having fun. Sometimes you even are surprisingly fun against all odds. Who knew? Kx

Are you watching me like a creeper? X

No. I know you. Buy some art to decorate your palace with. Go Rococo. Or go truly naff. Or decorate a sex dungeon. Have a makeover of one of your real dungeons. I can help.

Ha. Hard no.

Go mingle. Remember it’s #princelife babes.

Don’t remind me. But you’re right. And I’ve bid on a couple of paintings.

Good boy. Also you look amazing on socials tonight btw. So you know.

You say that to all the princes. x

You’re the only prince I know. x

I’m grinning at my phone because Katie knows how to make me laugh, even if the joke’s a bittersweet one. There’s a twinge in my chest. Too bad she’s not here, but that would add more of a stir than the smoky-eye situation already has created. And I don’t want to lead her on.

Then, back to present reality.

“No, you go talk to him. Speaking of hot and eligible, Prince Auggie straight ahead, waiting for you to walk into his life.”

My mouth twitches at “straight.” There’s a facade to keep up, after all. Also, I like people, I remind myself.

I lift my head and smile warmly at them, walking over to introduce myself and be sociable for one last round. Born to mingle, that’s me.

“How do you do. I’m Prince Augustus.”

“Oh, you need no introduction, Your Royal Highness. I’m Leila Wilson, and this is Ravi Gill. We were talking about?—”

Her friend elbows her. “The Prince really doesn’t want to hear about reality TV.”

Leila blushes and stops like I’ve sucked all hope of oxygen out of the room. Except the oxygen’s already fled.

“No, please. I’d love to join the conversation. Don’t let me interrupt.”

They look at each other. “Well,” begins Leila, “if you really want to know, we were talking about a show I’m going to work on from next week. They announced one of the stars today. There’s one more big announcement to come about another special guest, but that announcement won’t be for a while. Everyone’s guessing who it might be. That’s all I can say, even to a prince.”

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