Page 10 of The Crown

“We’ll need to see what can be done about your name.”

She sputtered. “M-My name?”Of all the ridiculous—

“Yes, It’s just not very traditional, is it?” She smiled, kindly. She was not attempting to derail Jo; at least it didn’t appear she had bad intentions.

“I’ve always liked my name.”

“I saw in your background check,”

They did a background check on me?”

“that your full name is Josephine.”

Jo groaned. Quietly though. She suspected that future queens did not groan in front of their mother-in-laws. “I much prefer Jo.”

“Well, naturally, it is the name you go by. We can use it amongst ourselves. Your close friends may call you whatever you like, but your public name, the one by which our subjects will know you, needs to be refined.” She stood. “We must begin referring to you as Josephine at all functions and public gatherings.”

Jo could only nod. She had been fighting that name since the fifth grade and had finally squelched it. Now it was to be blasted on all the news pundit sights. But she didn’t know what to say. Her reasons for disagreeing seemed petty and inconsequential.

“I’ll have Marguerite make you some more dresses and things more along the lines of your new image.”

“My new image?”

“Well, yes, to counteract the playboy flirt man magnet they are trying to portray you as. We’ll work on your hair as well, like I said. I think you will like it. It will be more befitting a ruler, more mature, responsible.”

Jo knew she would hate it. And suspected Nico would also. The idea screamed unattractive. And that sat wrong with her. She refused to alter her appearance simply because men were drawn to her.

A quiet knock interrupted them both.

“Oh Dahlia, come in darling.”

Jo whipped her head around, pleased to finally meet the sister.

“Dahlia has been at school.”

Before Jo could even open her mouth to say hello, Dahlia slammed a stack of tabloids on her mother’s desk. “Is this how you treat my brother? When he gives you the world, you can’t even stay focused for one evening?”

She plopped down in the nearest chair, dismissing Jo as if she were no longer present. “I assume you are telling her to pack her bags.”

5

“Jo.” Nico’s whisper sounded far away. They were on her boat, watching movies. He ran a finger along her forehead, clearing hair from her face. “Jo. Wake up, Jo.”

Her eyes flew open. “Nick.” She breathed the name she used to call him in South Carolina, before she knew he was a crown prince, her smile stretching across her face.

“Hello beautiful.” His face was dark, but his voice, seductive, even in whisper.

She sat up, the awful conversation with his mother crashing in on her peace. “Oh Nico. What are we going to do?”

“Shh.” He kissed her quickly. “We are going to go have some fun.”

Hope picked up and her heart beat faster. He still wanted her. She whipped off the covers. “Ok! Where are we going?”

He laughed. “I love you.”

Her heart thrilled to hear it. “I love you too.”

“I’m going to take you to one of my old haunts. I just need to get out, to go a little crazy, and I figure if you’re there, we won’t get into trouble, right?”

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