Page 11 of Prince Un-Charming

As she walks away, I admire her shape under her tight dress. An amusing thought occurs to me. Why don’t I marryher?

For that matter, why don’t I marry anyone in this bar? I mean, I hear it’s a rite of passage for a little girl to dream of being a princess one day. It would be easy, not to mention convenient. I keep my status. She gets fame and fortune. Everyone wins. Right?

Yeah, but then what?That nagging doubt at the back of my head won’t leave me alone. I know the answer. I just don’t want to think about it. Then we’re married, and that’s it.

It stuns me to realize this has never occurred to me before. I never thought about the kind of woman I wanted, just the fact that I wanted more. I thought I would try them on until one fit, but this deadline looming over my head has me suddenly choosy.

Dad, you sly dog.There are still a lot of things I don’t understand about his methods, but I have to respect the effectiveness of the strategy.

I make my way to the bar and order a gin and tonic, then send a quick text to Marcus. I sit and listen to the pulsing music for a minute, trying to lose myself in the ocean of bodies and noise. It’s proving harder than usual.

“Hey, stranger. Why the long face?” It’s one of the women I see occasionally, suddenly sitting next to me and running her long, manicured fingernails up my leg.

“Can you blame me? You weren’t here yet.”

Where is Marcus?

She laughs, her voice husky and soothing. “Want to get out of here?” She raises an eyebrow suggestively.

One last night of pleasure doesn’t sound too bad, but I would only be thinking about my father’s request the whole time. “Maybe some other time. I’m waiting for a friend.”

She nods and moves on.

Marcus replaces her. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Speak of the devil! How were the pyramids?”

“The what?”

“You took so long, I assume you went the scenic route. Through Egypt.”

“Ha. Ha. Got a little held up, that’s all.” His hair is mussed, his breath smells of alcohol, and there’s lipstick on his rumpled collar. I know exactly what he’s been up to.

“What’s the emergency?”

“Well, first, I don’t know if you heard, but my dad is ill. He had a sudden stroke.”

Marcus gasps. “I’m sorry, man.”

“Yeah. It was a shock. He’s got a good chance of a recovery, they say, but who knows. There’s more, though.”

“Really? That’s a lot for one night.” We’re both shouting over the music.

“Tell me about it. So my dad called me to his sickbed with one demand. I have to get married.”

I’ve never seen anyone go so pale so quickly. Marcus drags me to the back room so fast I almost spill my drink. The confused faces that whip past as I rush by catch my attention. We usually bring our dates back here.

That would be a funny rumor, that I’m having a love affair with my best friend. I wonder how my dad would react to that one.

Marcus sends everyone else out and shuts the door to block out the music. “Okay. I just want to make sure I heard you right. Did you saymarried?You’re joking right?”

I shake my head grimly. “I’m completely serious.”

By the time I get the whole story out, he’s sitting on a couch by the wall and staring at me, totally sober.

“What are your options?” he asks. “You can’t not be a prince, man. I know you. You’re a workaholic who loves the high life. You wouldn’t last a week.”

“I’ll have to do it. I have to get married. But it has to be someone I know, because it has to be quick. But I have to be able to stand her.”

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