All Chapters of A Girl Can Only Dream : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The invitation had arrived a week ago in a thick, cram colored envelope, sealed with an actual wax insignia that screamed royal, and over the top, Cole.I had stared at it for a full ten minutes, flipping it back and forth between my fingers, wondering why a blogger from New Jersey was being summoned to a castle in a country she could barely locate on a map. And yet here I was. Nine pm on a stormy Friday night, dragging my luggage across JFK's damp terminal floor, muttering curses under my breath."Who books a flight at night during hurricane season?" I hissed to myself, brushing back damp strands of hair as the door hissed shut behind me.Rain lashed against the glass walls, thunder groaned in the distance, and flight information blinked across the giant screens like a slow motion apology. FLIGHT 114 TO VELORIA: DELAYED. NEXT UPDATE IN 3H 02M"Three hours," I gasped, already tired and slightly damp from the run from the Uber drop off. The airport lounge wasn't even open yet and my ne

A knock from the door stirred me from the deepest sleep I'd had in months."Lisa?" Cole's voice floated in with that charm of his. "Just wanted to make sure you're alive. You missed dinner. We thought maybe Velorian air knocked you out cold."I groaned into the feather pillow, too tired to reply with anything more than a muffled sound. He chuckled from the other side of the door."We're heading out– Megan, my uncle and I. There's a yacht inspection down at the coast, but I figured you might need a day to recover. Stay in, sleep. Eat too. The staff is at your beck and call."My eyes fluttered open. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, painting the cream walls in gold. The sun was up, and Veloria now looked like something out of a painting."Oh, and Lisa?" He added with a mock serious tone. "Try not to get lost in the castle. They're secret passageways."I smiled into the sheets as his footsteps faded down the hall. Pushing myself upright, I squinted at the ornate clock on the dr

We strolled along the winding garden path, the night air brushing cool against my skin, carrying the soft hum of music and the distant clinking of glasses. I clutched my empty champagne flute, still flustered by what I had witnessed and from who I was walking beside."I hope I didn't, you know—" I tilted the glass towards him, "accidentally pour this on you when I ran into you."Cassian let a low chuckle, smooth as the velvet of his voice."I would know if I were wet, Miss Moon."I nearly tripped over my own feet.My face flushed instantly, betraying me in glorious, red tomato fashion. "I— right of course. That makes sense," I mumbled, eyes darting everywhere but his face.He laughed, again, a rich, amused sound that vibrated through the cool air.Without a word, he shrugged off his coat and draped it over my shoulders. The weight of it was solid, warm and smelled like cedarwood and crisp winter air."Thank you," I said quietly, adjusting it around me."Can't have you freezing before

The sun had returned with a vengeance, hot and bright, warming the cobbled streets of Veloria's summer market. Colorful stalls lined the lanes, baskets of ripe fruits, glass bottles of perfume, handwoven scarves fluttering in the breeze.I wandered between vendors, my linen dress swishing around my knees as I scrolled absently through my phone."I need to get something quick," Megan said, clutching Cole's arm. "Come with me."Cole turned to Jonah and smirked. "Make sure she doesn't get lost or kidnapped by spice merchants.""I'll guard her with my life," Jonah said with a mock salute.With a laugh, Cole and Megan dissapeared into the crowd, leaving Jonah and I strolling side by side.We passed a stall filled with hand–carved wooden figurines, then another with rainbow–coloured pastries. My gaze landed on a rustic food cart painted in soft yellow and white. The scent of fried dough and cinnamon made my stomach growl."Ooh," I murmured, walking towards it. "That smells criminal."Jonah

The midday sun shimmered over the castle's private pool, casting ripples of light across the water. Megan lounged on a deck chair in her cherry–red swimsuit, sunglasses perched on her nose as she gestured animatedly with her drink."—and then cole almost knocked over the entire fruit stall trying to impress me. Like who needs to catch a falling mango midair? Honestly, I should've gotten it on camera."I sat cross–legged at the edge of the pool, trailing my fingers in the water, while Sarah dipped her feet beside me, more subdued."I wish I came," Sarah sighed. "But I felt so gross all morning, like I'd swallowed a cactus."Megan clicked her tongue sympathetically, but her gaze soon flicked the me. "Okay, but you— Miss Mysterious— how did you end up being chauffeured by Lord of brooding a.k.a Cole's uncle."I shrugged, keeping my face neutral. "I got lost in the crowd. Luckily, he recognized me from the garden party and offered me a ride back."My voice was even. But I hated lying, the