Page 27 of Defying the Crown
I laughed, the sound tight with nerves. "That's exactly what I'm going for."
The traffic crawled through Queens, each red light stretching into infinity. My phone screen lit up again -another message from Daniel. My thumb hovered over it, heart pounding against my ribs.
What was I thinking? Flying across an ocean to meet someone who didn't even know who I really was? The weight of my crown had never felt heavier, even though I wasn't wearing it.
"We could still turn around," Erik said softly from beside me. "I can have the plane readied-"
"No." The word came out sharper than intended. I unlocked my phone, Daniel's last message burning into my retinas. A selfie of him at the coffee shop, hair slightly mussed, dark eyes bright with anticipation.
My fingers twisted the hem of my sweater. The fabric probably cost more than Daniel made in a month. Everything about me was a lie - my casual clothes, my vague stories about working in finance, my carefully curated photos that never showed the palace.
The Manhattan skyline loomed closer, glass towers reaching toward the clouds. Each mile marker brought me nearer to a collision between my two worlds - the carefully constructed fiction I'd built with Daniel and the suffocating reality of who I really was.
I typed out a message, deleted it, typed again. Nothing felt right. How could anything feel right when our entire connection was built on an omission so massive it felt like betrayal?
"Five minutes to destination," the driver announced through the intercom.
My stomach lurched. The phone slipped from my sweaty hands, clattering to the floor. Erik reached for it, but I grabbed it first, clutching it like a lifeline.
"What if-" Thewords stuck in my throat. "What if he hates me when he finds out?"
Erik's face softened with understanding. He'd been by my side through every crisis, every moment of doubt. But this time, he had no diplomatic solution to offer, no carefully worded statement to smooth things over.
The car turned onto a street lined with cafes and shops. Bean There, Done That's sign came into view further down the block. The driver parked a reasonable distance away, allowing us to remain out of sight of the cafe.
"Harald." Erik's voice cut through my thoughts. "We'll do a sweep of the location first. Standard procedure." I watched as Erik pulled out his cell and spoke softly to my security detail, giving them the go-ahead to begin their inspection while emphasizing the need to stay inconspicuous.
I found my attention fixed on the phone in my hands, scrolling through our past conversations. The easy banter, the late-night confessions, the silly selfies - would any of that translate to real life? Or would the weight of who I really was crush whatever this fragile connection might be? Was I really ready for this or was I making a massive mistake in coming here?
I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths, remembering what Ingrid had taught me. In through the nose, out through the mouth. The leather seat creaked as I shifted, focusing on why I'd flown across an ocean.
Daniel. His laugh in our late-night call. The way he'd encouraged me before that speech without even knowing who I really was. How he saw me - just me - not the crown, not the expectations, not my father's disappointment.
"I need this," I whispered, more to myself than Erik. "I need to know if someone can care about who I am underneath all of... this." I gestured vaguely at the security detail, the diplomatic plates, the whole circus that followed me everywhere.
The door opened and I stepped onto the bustling New York sidewalk. The autumn air hit my face, carrying the scent of coffee and exhaust fumes - so different from Copenhagen's carefully maintained streets.
A clothing store's window caught my eye as I walked. I stopped, studying my reflection. The grey sweater hung loose on my frame, the jeans sitting naturally on my hips. My hair, free from its usual styled precision, fell slightly across my forehead. Without the suits, without the medals and sashes, without the weight of centuries of tradition draped across my shoulders... I looked young. Normal.
A group of students pushed past me, laughing and shoving each other playfully. None of them gave me a second glance. No whispered recognition, no subtle phone cameras, no careful bows or curtsies.
For the first time in years, I was invisible. Just another face in the crowd. Just Harald.
The coffee shop's sign swung gently in the breeze ahead of me. Inside, Daniel waited, probably on his fourth cappuccino by now. My hands trembled, but not from anxiety this time.
For once, someone would meet me as myself. Not the Crown Prince. Not the future king. Just me.
Through the cafe's window, sunlight caught Daniel's profile as he leaned against the table, hands moving nervously around a cold cappucino as he waited. My breath caught. The photos we'd shared hadn't captured the vibrant energy that radiated from him, the way his whole body participated in conversation.
He wore a dark blue sweater that complemented his warm caramel skin, his dark curls slightly disheveled like he'd been running his fingers through them. A genuine smile lit up his face as I saw him glance down at his phone and type something, moments later my phone vibrated as I received his message.
My feet refused to move. I stood rooted to the sidewalk, drinking in every detail. The way he shifted his weight when he leaned forward, intent on the messages on his phone screen. How his delicate fingers tapped against it rapidly as he sent another message. The slight scrunch of his nose when he smiled.
I needed this moment, needed to memorize Daniel as he was right now - completely himself, unguarded, before my presence complicated everything.
He checked his phone again, bottom lip caught between his teeth. Was he nervous too? The thought gave me courage. I watched as he ran a hand through his hair for probably the hundredth time, making it even messier.
My phone buzzed in my pocket - probably another message from him wondering where I was. But I couldn't look away from the real person standing just feet away from me. Daniel was no longer just pixels on a screen or a voice through my phone. He was flesh and blood and absolutely beautiful.
