The Prince's ASAP Baby Read online

  She hadn’t gone to Columbia because she was afraid of being destitute. She’d gone because she’d wanted to make her parents proud. She’d wanted them to say, just once, that she was good enough.

  But, after three years at Columbia, it had become increasingly clear that proud was not a word in her parents’ vocabulary. College had been far more difficult than high school, especially in a legal major. She’d spent hours studying in her room at her parents’ home in Queens, since they didn’t believe in dorms—they said being surrounded by partying teenagers would stunt her education. She’d made three or four friends in those six semesters, none of whom had stuck around after she left.

  Eva hardly ever drank. She didn’t smoke. She didn’t go to parties or bars. She followed her parents’ requests without fault. She’d even taken a year off between high school and college to intern under one of the most successful lawyers in the country. No matter how hard she tried, though, it hadn’t been enough. And, more and more, Eva had come to realize that she wasn’t happy. Her thoughts had turned dark. When she’d tried to picture her future as a lawyer, something more sinister came forward. If she had to live the life her parents had imagined for her, she didn’t want to live at all.

  After speaking to several school counselors, Eva had made her decision—she was going to drop out of Columbia. She was two years away from her degree, even with a full course load. It was too late in her college career to start exploring a new major. Besides, she knew her parents would never be willing to pay for it. And she certainly wasn’t going to go into debt for an experience she never wanted.

  She’d come home from her last evening class of the week, books in hand. Her parents had been sitting in the dining room, talking about a particularly difficult case. Eva had dropped her books on the table with a loud crash. Her parents had jumped in their seats, then stared.

  “I’m not going back,” Eva had said simply. “I don’t want to be a lawyer. I don’t want to get my degree. I’m not going back. And you can’t make me.”

  Her parents had gaped. Eva hadn’t been sure where their surprise was coming from. Hadn’t they, on some level, known she wasn’t happy?

  She’d been a quiet, mousy, and respectful kid. She’d grown into an intelligent and well-spoken young adult. She could formulate an argument. She could debate. She could fight in a courtroom.

  But never with her parents. It was too hard. It made everything unstable. Eva hated instability.

  So, yeah, she’d never said any of these things before. But they were still her parents. Shouldn’t they have noticed the number of nights she’d spent crying herself to sleep? Shouldn’t they have seen how tired and frustrated and dejected she’d been for the past three years? How had this revelation been a surprise to them?

  The thought had pushed her demeanor from firm to angry.

  “Seriously, didn’t either of you ever notice that I hate law?” Eva had asked. “Did I really need to say it?”

  Something had snapped. She was usually calm and collected around her parents. They had a mutual understanding: she was the subordinate, and they were in charge. You don’t yell at your manager if you want to keep your job. But her counselors had finally helped her see the light—the years of emotional and mental abuse that had never been acknowledged.

  She wasn’t going to let them get away with it. If they saw her as a different person, so be it. This was who she was to everyone else in the world. She was tired of putting on a face.

  “I’m dropping out of school,” she had said. “I’m going to spend the next few years of my life trying to figure out who I want to be without the two of you breathing down my neck. And I hope you can support me through that. I hope you’ll accept me for who I choose to be.”

  Her mother finally found her voice.

  “We’ve invested twenty-four years in your education,” Heather Nightingale had said. “Twenty-four years. And you’ve come home, halfway through your college education, to tell us that you don’t want it anymore?”

  “You’ve never given me a choice,” Eva had replied bitterly.

  “You have a choice now,” her father had said, his face turning a peculiar shade of purple. “You can go to your room, continue your studies, and go back to school on Monday like the woman we raised you to be. Or, you can start looking for your own place, because you won’t be living here.”

  “That’s it?” Eva had asked, her nostrils flaring like they always did when she lost her temper. “Live my life your way or leave? What kind of parents are you?”

  “We’ve given you everything,” her mother had said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Where did we go wrong, Henry?”

  Her father had shaken his head.

  “I wish I knew,” he’d said, glaring at his daughter.

  “You two are pathetic,” Eva had spat back. “You wanted a lawyer, not a daughter. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

  Eva had turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, leaving her textbooks on the dining room table. She’d never picked them up again. Two weeks later, she’d moved into her studio apartment in Brooklyn. It wasn’t an accident that her new residency was in a borough separate from her parents. She’d never wanted to see them again.

  Even now, sitting on the rooftop terrace at Oasis six months later, she didn’t want to see them. They were lousy, workaholic lawyers, and even lousier parents.

  Of course, that wasn’t all true. She missed her parents from time to time. She missed the way her mother would curl her hair before a big event. They would talk and giggle and listen to pop music. She missed the way her father would take her camping every summer vacation. It was the only time she saw him in something other than a suit. On their sixth camping trip, Eva realized she still loved him, even though he often made her feel worthless.

  She’d been dealt an awful hand. And now she was paying for her choices. Despite six months of separation from her parents, she still had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. It didn’t help that rent for a studio apartment in Brooklyn used up over three-quarters of her monthly income. She’d barely made it through the last four months without her parents’ aid, and her savings were running thin.

  Pretty soon, she wouldn’t be able to afford groceries or her cell phone bill. When that happened, it would be game over. Eva would go back to her parents, duffle bag in hand, and beg for forgiveness. She would go back to college, finish her degree, and enroll in law school. They would welcome her back with open arms, forgiving her momentary lapse in judgment. And, for the rest of her life, they would control her.

  She’d considered getting a second job, but Gustavo’s forbade employees from working anywhere else so that they were always available to pick up shifts. She could do it anyway, but Chris would have no choice but to fire her if he found out. And he would, too, now that he knew her schedule was wide open.

  Turning over the possibilities in her mind, Eva didn’t notice the sun had already gone down. It was nighttime in Brooklyn, and she was alone.

  Somehow, that was okay.

  Chapter Three

  It had been twenty minutes since her initial order. Her martini had been delivered without her knowledge, probably set on the table by a thoughtful waiter who didn’t want to interrupt her memories.

  The glass was already collecting condensation, forming a light ring on the table. She took a sip and immediately wished she’d asked for a rum and Coke. Six months wasn’t enough to get used to drinking alcohol, no matter how fancy she wanted to be.

  Her reverie was interrupted by the shadow of a tall, muscular man standing next to her table. Figuring it was another waiter and deciding she’d ask for that drink after all, she looked up and opened her mouth to share her request.

  She snapped it shut. The man held no paper or pen. He wore a deep blue suit. And he was holding a glass in his hand.

  “You look like you could use this,” he said in a thick Italian accent.

  Eva stared, unable to do much else.
/>   “What is that?”

  “Rum and Coke,” the man said. “I can take it back if you don’t want it.”

  Eva struggled to find the words to respond. Finally, they came.

  “How did you know?”

  The man smiled and set the drink down on the table. He picked up the barely-touched martini and took it back to the bar. Eva was so stunned, she didn’t bother drinking. She just continued to stare.

  If you don’t get it together, he’s going to think you’re crazy.

  When the man returned, Eva managed to speak.

  “Seriously, how did you know I wanted one of these? I wasn’t talking out loud, was I?”

  The man grinned, clearly amused.

  “Would you mind if I sat down?”

  Eva stared for four or five seconds before realizing he wanted an answer.

  “Oh, right,” she stuttered. “Sure. Go for it.”

  The man swiftly moved her bag from the chair to the ground and took a seat.

  “My name is Filipe,” he said. “What’s your name?”

  “Eva,” she mumbled. She couldn’t seem to come up with anything else. She was too surprised by the man’s sudden intrusion. She had been sitting alone, contemplating her failures, and then she’d been joined by a strange, handsome man. A man named Filipe, apparently.

  “All right, Eva,” Filipe said smoothly. “I’ll share my secret.”

  She nodded for him to continue.

  “I happen to like the same drink, myself. So, I bought you one.”

  Eva, who had been waiting for more, was surprised.

  “That’s all?”

  “That’s all,” Filipe said, smiling again. “I’m not reading your mind and you weren’t talking out loud. Although, I have to say, I’m very curious. What were you thinking about?”

  Eva found herself taken aback, yet again. It had been months since she’d flirted with anyone, and years since she’d had a boyfriend. This man was attractive and seductive. He was devilishly handsome, tall, and tanned—with the most alluring green eyes.

  Men like Filipe didn’t flirt with women like Eva. He was clearly older than her. Maybe thirty? She didn’t understand. Why did he care what she was thinking about? There were plenty of beautiful women on the rooftop.

  Yeah, but they aren’t alone.

  She couldn’t tell him the truth. What would she tell him about first: her job as a coffee barista or her decision to drop out of school? She could tell him about her awful apartment or her inability to scrape together her rent.

  No. Knowing she’d never see Filipe again in her life, Eva decided to lie.

  “Work,” she said, taking a sip of her drink, which was sweet and calming. She felt her body loosen. “My clients are driving me up the wall.”

  “Oh really?” Filipe asked, looking straight into her eyes as he spoke. “What do you do?”

  “I work on Wall Street,” she said, unable to come up with a single legitimate job title. “It’s draining, but worth it. What do you do?”

  “I’m an investment banker,” Filipe said. “I’m in New York for a few days on business. Do you live here?”

  Eva nodded.

  “I do,” she said, taking another long drink.

  She was starting to feel a buzz. Everything seemed better now.

  He’s just a man. You can handle this. It’s not like you have to go home with him.

  “Whereabouts?” Filipe asked. “I’m staying in Manhattan.”

  “I live near the financial district,” she lied. “My roommate and I split the lease.”

  “Boyfriend?” Filipe asked, looking for a ring on her finger.

  “Oh, no,” Eva said, shaking her head. “Just a friend from college. I went to Columbia.”

  “Oh,” he said. “That’s a great school. I have a few contacts there. Did you have Professor Klineman?”

  “I must have missed him,” Eva said. She knew she should be more cautious, but her fears were slipping away. “I graduated early. College wasn’t really my scene. I was ready to start a career. I’d be lucky if I could name the professors I did have.”

  “Let me get you another drink,” Filipe said, standing up from the table. “I think I’ll get one for myself, too.”

  As she watched him walk away, Eva couldn’t believe her luck. An hour ago, she’d been serving coffee to rude and pretentious customers. Now, she was sitting on the Oasis rooftop, chatting it up with a big-shot international businessman. She desperately wished she had some friends to tell.

  He guessed my drink. Does that even happen in real life?

  She felt like she could have been a movie star. Filipe was certainly attractive enough to be the leading man.

  Eva decided she’d continue through the night as though she were in a movie. She filed away her laundry in the back of her mind. She threw away dark thoughts about her family and her past. Tonight, she was a Wall Street executive with a fancy apartment and plenty of friends.

  Tonight, she was going to enjoy herself. No one knew who she was, and she’d never been happier about it.

  The mysterious man returned. Eva flashed him a bright smile.

  “So,” she said. “You’re in town on business. You’re staying in Manhattan. What are you doing in Brooklyn?”

  “I’m not a fan of Manhattan nightlife,” Filipe said. “Too many college girls with fake IDs looking for an escort.”

  Eva raised an eyebrow.

  “I think you may actually be more cynical than me,” she said.

  “Are you a cynical person?”

  “Like you wouldn’t believe.”

  He smiled. This time, the smile broke through his entire face, bringing light to every single feature. Eva thought she’d never seen a more attractive man, and she doubted that she ever would.

  If he knew who you were...

  No. Those thoughts were gone now.

  “Would your roommate mind having company?” Filipe asked.

  Eva’s heart nearly stopped. The thought of bringing him home was ludicrous. Wouldn’t he be surprised, when she brought him to a run-down studio apartment on the other side of Brooklyn!

  If she wanted a chance with him, she’d have to come up with an excuse—and fast.

  “She’s actually studying tonight,” Eva said as smoothly as possible. “She enrolled in grad school last year. She usually doesn’t mind visitors, but I don’t think she’d thank me for bringing home a handsome man tonight.”

  Filipe nodded. His voice became seductive and quiet. Eva had to lean forward to hear him. She supposed that was the point.

  “That’s all right,” he said. “I’d much rather bring you somewhere we can be alone.”

  Eva swallowed. Despite the beverage she was sipping quickly, her throat was dry. She felt her body tingling in ways it hadn’t before. She knew she was halfway to getting drunk, but she didn’t care. If she lived to regret her next words, it wouldn’t be the first time.

  “Do you have a place in mind?”

  He nodded again.

  “I have a room at the Ramada,” he said, his voice still barely above a whisper. “We can sit on the balcony and talk for hours. I think I could talk to you for hours. Don’t you?”

  She felt herself melting.

  “Yeah,” she said. “I do.”

  “Should I get you another drink?” Filipe asked, his tone never wavering. She was caught in his intense gaze, and she wasn’t getting free.

  “That’s okay,” she breathed. “I think I’ll be fine without it.”

  Filipe pulled out his wallet, which was a dark brown, expensive-looking leather, and dropped a fifty on the table. He stood and reached for her hand. She took his, barely giving the decision a second thought. His hand was warm and soft and strong. Her heart fluttered in her chest.

  “Don’t you want your change?” Eva asked, looking back at the bill on the table.

  Filipe shook his head.

  “I don’t need it,” he replied.

  Eva grabbed her
bag from beneath the table, having almost forgotten it. She was too busy living out her fantasy to care much for material objects. This included her work uniform, which never seemed to matter less than it did right now.

  You’re not thinking clearly. You should go home.

  She ignored the voice in her head and let Filipe lead her down the winding metal staircase. When they reached the bottom, they walked through the main bar. This time, heads turned at their arrival. But Eva knew the faces weren’t staring at her. They were staring at the man leading her away.

  That’s right, ladies; this one’s mine.

  Eva was definitely not sober anymore, but she knew what she was doing.

  Once the building was behind them, Filipe stepped forward to hail a cab, letting go of Eva’s hand. She watched him in earnest. This man somehow made hailing a cab enticing.

  How could one person be so attractive? Eva wondered how any woman would ever be able to date him. She would be self-conscious and jealous at every turn. She knew the only reason she wasn’t self-conscious now, was the alcohol in her system. Maybe that was why Filipe was alone in a bar like Oasis. He was waiting to find a semi-classy girl with just enough confidence to stay the course.

  The thought made her nervous, even with the buzz. She wasn’t what he was looking for. If she let something slip, if he found out who she really was and what she did for a living, he’d leave in a heartbeat. Eva knew, if the tables were turned, she would.

  Everything was about money in this day and age. Filipe had it. She didn’t. That, alone, was enough to keep them from associating with one another. She somehow doubted that a man like Filipe was above that unspoken social law.

  He didn’t care who you were when he sat down.

  She shushed her thoughts. All that mattered was maintaining her composure and sticking to her story. Whether or not he would have liked the “real” Eva, he wouldn’t like a liar.

  Chapter Four