Page 20 of A Girl and HER Prince
Livvy felt herself soften at the promise. Finally, someone who was interested in being friends. She could use one on this trip since Deedee was so involved with making Venice jealous. “Nice to meet you,” she said.
“Are you coming up for dinner?” Bris asked.
“Yes, I was just going to—”
Bris didn’t let her finish. “Good, but don’t expect the prince to be there, and neither will the duke, but I’m sure you don’t mind the loss of your hosts. You’re just here for the free trip, right? The free food, the free entertainment?”
This was Bris’s idea of getting along? In an instant, it became clear that Livvy had somehow trespassed on her territory. “Who are you again?”
“Venice’s sister.”So, not the jealous competition, just a protective relative.“Venice wanted me to come check on you,” Bris said.
He did, did he? Deedee’s warning echoed back to Livvy:“You’ll see who he is soon enough….Just wait until he starts to play dirty.”
“You can forget getting past my brother,” Bris said. “He has me.”
Livvy stumbled over how to reply without getting caught in a fistful-of-hair-in-claws catfight. “So you’re a—a princess then?”Not exactly the Disney kind.
Bris must’ve read her mind because she shrugged at the unspoken insult, ripping off the black shades from her impressive eyes and went on the defensive: “And you’re no Cinderella, so we can just take that off the table right now.”
“Okay.” Livvy bit her lip, not sure how to end this conversation.
Bris found her book on the bed. “The Aeneid, is it?”
“My father was a historian. Greek mythology was kind of our thing…” Livvy’s voice trailed off when Bris flipped to the front page to read her dad’s dedication for herself. Livvy rescued the book from her hands. Not that the reminder for the princess to mind her own business did any good.
Bris discovered the sofa next and made herself at home, settling down into the soft cushions with a haughty look. “So, what’s your angle? Did you want to win yourself a rich, handsome trust fund or are you just out to cause waves by being as unpleasant as possible?”
Livvy laughed at the sudden absurdity. “Only those two options?” The princess wasn’t similarly amused. If possible, Bris’s lips appeared to have encountered yet another sour pickle. “Sorry,” Livvy said. “Not that I feel like I should explain myself to you, but if I had my way, I’d be going to the August Full Moon Festival tomorrow in Athens and enjoying this vacation far away from…”you all.Maybe she shouldn’t finish that sentence.
“Hmm,” Bris replied. “How tedious for you that you’re cleverer than your friend. Why do you hang out with her?”
Ah yes, Deedee’s resentment against this aristocratic family was becoming abundantly clear. “Because she isn’t a snob,” Livvy said, “and she doesn’t pretend to be something she’s not. She’s got a good heart and she doesn’t hide any cruelty behind good manners…”
Bris snorted. “… oranymanners.”
“Why are you saying that?” Livvy asked. “Because Deedee acted above her station and actually had the nerve to go after your brother? I heard about how your father told Venice he couldn’t marry her because she wasn’t royalty. If that’s your restrictions on love then you’re all fortune hunters, and it’s no surprise you accuse everyone else of it. In my world, people marry for love.”
“Ha!” Bris’s stunning eyes flashed fire. “Love? Is that what you’re calling it? I’m not a fool. My brother might be blinded by your fake flirty ways, but I see you and Deedee for what you are, so go ahead… pretend like you’re some innocent geek stumbling from your books to see the world for the first time, but when you show your true colors, I’ll be there stopping you from ruining my brother.”
“Your brother is safe from me!” Livvy said. Her cheeks burned with indignation.
Bris stood, her brow lifting at the challenge. “And what of Deedee?”
Her too… as soon as Livvy could talk some sense into that romantic soul. “I think we can let others decide for themselves how to live their lives.”
“Oh spare me.” Bris scoffed. “Stick to your Greek mythologies and let the rest of us live in reality.”
Livvy was stung. Her glittering vision of Venice plummeted like a rock into the pit of her stomach at meeting the sister he’d sent after them, like some malicious joy assassin. “You don’t even know me.”
“That’s the plan,” Bris said.
Livvy ripped open the door. “Great, I like your plan, too. Enjoy dinner, Princess.”
She impatiently waited for Bris to find her feet and saunter out the door. The princess put on her sunglasses and twisted back to her. “Why are you spending your dream vacay in your cab—?”
Livvy shut the door before the woman could get out another insult. The injustice of Bris’s accusations burned through Livvy. She’d promised Deedee until tomorrow night before she decided she wanted to stay on, but she was more than ready to go now. What if they slipped out when they docked in Chios?
She wouldn’t give that snob the satisfaction of saying, “I told you so!” That meant Livvy had to get to Deedee before she did something that made them both look bad.
