The Secret Prince

Chapter One

Chapter One: 

“True love is not something that comes every day, follow your heart, it knows the right answer.” ~ Anonymous 

I walked into the restaurant thirty minutes late to see Jessica waiting at our normal table all by herself. When I got to the table I immediately started to apologize to her. “Jess, I am so sorry! I had a ton of paperwork to do and did not realize the time!” 

Jessica started to laugh and shook her hand, “You’re totally fine Mel. I’ve been watching women try to fling themselves onto the new bartender. He’s pretty cute, you should go for him!” She told me. 

I shook my head, “Jessie, no. You know how I feel about relationships. I just cannot go through what my parents went through. It was such a nasty divorce, and also with my father cheating on her. I just don’t want to do that.” 

Jessica sighed, “Melissa, you are going to fall in love with a man one day. That man is going to break down all of these walls you have built around yourself. And you know what? He’s going to love you. The way you talk, the way you sneeze, how you always cry at those stupid sappy romance movies; he’s going to love all of that. He’s going to know everything about you, all of your dreams, ambitions, and flaws. And he will still love you. I promise.” 

I smiled at her, “Thank you. I think I really needed that.” 

Jessica pulled out some cash from her purse and put it on the table, “I could only stay for thirty minutes today, I have to go and get some special makeup for Marty that is only in Brooklyn. So I’ll see you next week, alright?” I nodded and stood up to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Before she left she whispered in my ear, “Just go and talk to him. Don’t flirt if you don’t want to. Just try to make friends with him.” When we pulled apart I nodded to her, showing I would go up to him. 

After she left the restaurant I walked up to the bar, “Hi, can I get a Long Island Iced Tea?” The new bartender nodded at my request and immediately started working on making my drink. As he was making my drink I decided to make small talk, “I heard you’re new here, where are you from?” 

He looked up quickly, “The UK, miss.” then he promptly looked back down at what he was doing. I nodded, “That’s pretty cool, I have always wanted to visit the UK, actually I am moving there next year in October, I got offered a better job. Maybe you’ll be there and you can show me around?” I asked him

He looked up again, but this time stayed looking at me in the eyes. Slowly he started to grin, “It would be my pleasure to show such a beautiful woman around London.” 

I smiled back at him, “That sounds wonderful. Maybe we should exchange numbers for when I do move?” I questioned him 

He was still looking me in the eyes, “I think that would be nice. Let me see your phone, I’ll put my number in it and call myself so you can have mine.” I handed him my phone and watched as he created himself a contact, “You know, I don’t know your name, miss.” 

I smiled, “Hi, I’m Melissa Ray, I work for New York City's radio station 92.3; I’m a part of the morning show called ‘Charlie and Mel’, and I am from Hutto, Texas.” I stuck out my hand for him to shake, which he immediately shook, “Hello, love. I’m Harry Walters. Bartender here at this fine eating establishment. And I am from London, England.” 

I laughed, he was so proper; I was used to the rude New York City language; not this. He asked me what was so funny, and I told him exactly what I was thinking of to which he started laughing, “Well, maybe you can get used to it over dinner; tonight?” He asked me.