“Yes,” her mom confirmed, “and we made a pact to try to return for college, and we were reunited three years later at NYU. We haven’t left the city since. Well, we’re on Long Island now that my husband’s retired, but we still consider ourselves New Yorkers.”

“Well, that’s about the most charming thing I’ve ever heard. Model UN. I have a close friend who’s a UNHCR goodwill ambassador.”

“He’s talking about the princess of Eldovia,” Dani said drily. “That’s his ‘friend.’”

“I know!” Val said. “I heard all about that!”

“My dad was a translator at the UN until he retired, and my mom still teaches high school Spanish and French, so we’re a very worldly family,” Dani joked.

“We are a very worldly family,” Val said with a twinkle in her eye. “After all, you’re going to be the best woman at the Eldovian royal wedding.”

“And I’m going to be the man of honor,” Max said.

“Actually, I need to talk to you about that at some point,” Dani said. “Someone from the palace has been in touch about my dress, but there must be other stuff I should be worrying about. Leo said he would tell me if I was supposed to be doing anything in particular—like, do I have to make any speeches? Are there any traditions I should know about?—but I’m not sure he’s the best source for royal wedding protocol.”

“I don’t think you need to concern yourself overmuch, especially this far ahead of time. The wedding itself will be planned by palace staff, and it won’t be that large. If your image of a royal wedding is a British one, you’re off base. It won’t be televised. There won’t be commemorative plates. We’re a small country, and though everyone loves Marie, she isn’t a fixture in the headlines in the way the Brits are.”

“I guess she leaves that to you.”

He could not deny it. He had never really cared one way or the other before, but he found himself wishing that when Daniela Martinez—or her mother—googled him, she got something other than that horrible picture.

The bells signaling they should take their seats chimed, and he gestured for them to walk ahead of him. “We can talk more about it, but I think we merely need to show up and do what they tell us. You should probably prepare a toast for the dinner, though.”

“I admit I’m a little nervous about it,” she said over her shoulder as they queued up at the correct aisle.