Page 3 of Royally Drawn

I saw our cousin Leah talking to one of Isak’s friends. Leah was a live wire—slightly older than me but no more mature. True to form, she was hanging back with the boys.

“I didn’t realise you’d make it!” I laughed.

“I was in Paris and dipped down,” Leah said.

She gave me a tight hug. “You look tan.”

“I am,” I said. “The fucking desert does that to you. What is happening in Paris?”

“I’m shooting a small part in an indie project for a friend,” Leah answered. “Between things, I’m setting up the Sweet Charity revival workshop.”

As an actress, Leah’s life was probably more exciting than anyone else’s on this boat. Sometimes, I wish I had even a teaspoon of her talent.

“Ignore them,” Leah nodded at Duncan and Ollie. “They started drinking at eleven.”

I pulled a face.

“What? It’s a stag party.”

“Duncan should know better. Didn’t he fly out here?”

Leah giggled.

“What?”

“He can drink. Let him be. We’re all here to get rowdy,Dad.”

“I expected more maturity from the matriarch of the family.”

Leah rolled her eyes. “Meh. I’m bored and hoping to get laid.”

I snickered. “Well, what’s the lay of the land like?”

“More girls than boys. Unfortunately, you are related to many of them. Edina’s here.”

Crown Princess Edina was Isak’s older sister. We hooked up plenty of times. She was very uptight. I got her walls to come down, along with her knickers, better than anyone. However, it would never work. We weren’t really friends—she never got vulnerable. I wasn’t opposed to hookups or friends-with-benefits, but I was looking for something more than the fight that would ensue the following day if I dared make her a cup of tea. She was a magnificent yet odd duck.

“Meh.”

“Meh?” Leah shook her head.

“What is the plan?”

“We’re going out tonight?—”

Leah kept talking, but I was unable to speak, captivated by a short woman with an adorable ass crossing into my line of sight with an adorable ass. Wavy blonde hair fell from the ponytail atop her head. Oversized sunglasses blocked her eyes from view, but I somehow knew they were beautiful. She was gorgeous.

“Hey, are you listening?”

“Uh…” I wanted to ask who the hot blonde was but knew she’d tease me.

“Oh, you found the recruit. That’s Ingrid.”

“Ingrid?”

“She’s Princess Alexandra’s youngest sister and a friend of the bride. Cici and Betty call her Ingy.”

“Oh my God! You’re here!”

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