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Because I don’t want to let Luca go, as wrong as that is.
I’ve never met a man as caring as he is, nor as passionate about life. It seems a crime to let him slip away into the huge world, only for us to never cross paths again.
As we walk along the river, his eyes meet mine. “Thank you for showing me New York.”
My heart flutters. “It was my pleasure,” I reply softly.
He looks down, seeming thoughtful. “Is it wrong that I don’t want today to end?”
My heart does a flip. “No,” I breathe. “I don’t want it to end either.”
He looks up and into my eyes, the warmth there taking me off guard. “What else can you show me? We’ve taken in some big sights, but what about Hailey’s New York? Hailey’s world?”
“I don’t do much,” I giggle. “I go to work and go home. I could show you those places, but I think you would be bored.”
He shakes his head. “I know I wouldn’t be.”
“Oh.” My pulse races. “Well, then… would you like to see my apartment? It’s nothing special, but it’s home.”
A slow smile pulls on his lips. “Please, lead the way.”
And so I do, guiding him to the A train and uptown to my stop. The whole way, I question whether this is a good idea: inviting my subject and the prince of a European country to my home.
But then I think of Luca, of how he’s let go and decided to live without shackles for at least one day, and I decide that I, too, should follow my heart and just see where it takes me.
CHAPTER 5
LUCA
The whole trip to Hailey’s apartment, I resist the urge to pinch myself. Surely, I’m in a dream.
The afternoon was the best I’ve ever had, and now it’s extending into the evening. I’m free from my father for a little bit — whether he likes it or not — and everything about life feels better.
We enter an unassuming apartment building, and Hailey unlocks the door to her place on the top floor. “Well, this is me,” she says with a shy smile, gesturing for me to enter.
I step inside and glance around. The space is small but inviting, with colorful art prints on the walls and cozy furniture. It feels like Hailey, warm and full of life.
“I love it,” I tell her sincerely. “It suits you.”
She beams, clearly pleased. “Thanks. I’m really a homebody, so I want it to be as cozy as possible, you know? Here, let me show you the best part.”
She leads me back through the living room and to a narrow door. We climb up a short flight of stairs and emerge onto the rooftop, where the night air is cool on my face.
I inhale sharply. “Wow.”
“I know, right? My apartment was built for the superintendent to live in, and so they added direct access to the rooftop. The super doesn’t live here anymore, though. She’s across the street. And I was lucky enough to snag her apartment when she moved.”
The view is spectacular, city lights stretching out before us like a glittering carpet. In the distance, I can make out the iconic skyscrapers of Manhattan piercing the velvet sky.
“Incredible, isn’t it?” she says softly, coming to stand beside me at the railing. “I come up here whenever I need to think or just… breathe.”
I nod, unable to tear my gaze away from the vista. “I can see why. I feel like I can view the whole world from here.”
We sit side by side on a small bench, thighs and shoulders brushing. Hailey points out different landmarks, her eyes sparkling with pride for her city. I’m only half-listening, too captivated by her face in the glow of the lights.
I’ve never felt like this before — so happy, so free, so utterly enchanted by another person. With Hailey, I’m not a prince or someone who has to put on a good show all the time. I’m just… me.
“Thank you for today,” I murmur. “For everything.”