Page 57 of American Royals II: Majesty
“Actually, Nina has moved on,” she said carefully. “She’s into a guy at school.”
There was a funny note in Daphne’s voice as she replied, “Oh, you mean Ethan?”
Sam was too hungover, and too confused, to hide her surprise. “How did…”
“I saw them together last night,” Daphne said easily, and Sam nodded. She hadn’t realized things with Nina and Ethan had worked out, and in such a public way that Daphne had seen them. Then again, Sam had been pretty distracted toward the end of the party.
The bartender returned to deliver their coffees. Sam was too impatient to wait for cream or sugar; she immediately took a sip. But the coffee’s bitter heat did nothing to settle her nerves.
“How do you handle the press?” she asked abruptly. “I mean, obviously you never ended up in photos like mine. But still…you never seem bothered by the media.”
“Oh, they bother me plenty.” Daphne stirred a sugar packet into her cappuccino, then delicately tapped her spoon against the side of the cup. “You think it was fun for me last summer? The paparazzi chased me for weeks after your brother broke up with me, trying to get a picture of me crying. It took every ounce of my self-control to ignore them.”
Sam felt suddenly guilty that she’d never considered Daphne’s feelings once, not during the entire time Jeff had dated her. It was just…Daphne hid her emotions so well—the way Beatrice did, the way Sam wassupposedto do—that it usually seemed like she didn’t have any at all.
A curious silence fell between them. Sam thought back to this morning’s confrontation with her mom. Suddenly, amid all the insults and sharp words, one sentence stood out.Then maybe I should get Daphne to teach me how to be a princess!
“Would you help me?” She spoke without thinking, the way she always did.
“Help you?” Daphne gave a puzzled frown.
“Teach me how to handle the press, to be more likeable. You know you’re better at it than I am.”
Daphne seemed surprised by the request—and, really, so was Sam. But where else could she go for help? It wasn’t as if she could searchHow to be a good princesson the internet.
Daphne gave a slow nod. “Sure, I’ll help.”
They both looked up as another figure burst through the back door of the Patriot: Jeff, wearing his favorite state championship rowing shirt and khaki shorts, his hair still mussed from sleep. When he saw Daphne and Sam sitting together, his expression shifted from puzzled disbelief to a sudden, boisterous delight.
“Hey, guys.” He came to stand behind them, throwing his arms around their shoulders to hug them close. “Sorry I’m late to the party.”
Daphne said something polite, but Sam just gave her brother a playful shove. “I believe the party was last night. Technically this is the afterparty.”
“Or the after-afterparty. Sounds like you and Marshall had an afterparty of your own,” Jeff teased. Sam stiffened, and he glanced over. “Sorry. Too soon?”
“No, it’s okay. Your ability to make me laugh at my own mistakes is one of your greatest gifts.” Sam drained the rest of her coffee in a single sip, then reached up to ruffle Jeff’s hair, just to remind him which twin was boss. “I’m going to head out.”
He and Daphne both made a show of protesting, but Sam knew better than to crash their date.
Just as Sam reached the door, Caleb following dutifully in her steps, Daphne called out, “See you later, Samantha!”
Sam wondered what she’d gotten herself into, asking for Daphne Deighton’s help.
“It’s been way too long since we did this,” Daphne declared, reaching across the Marikos’ counter for another sugar cookie.
For years this had been the two friends’ most sacred tradition: Saturday-afternoon shopping, followed by dinner at Himari’s house. Sometimes Daphne would sleep over, and they would stay up far too late, talking about everything and nothing at once, the way only best friends can do.
Himari smiled. “Thanks for coming with me. I had a year of shopping to make up for.”
“You made a valiant effort,” Daphne teased, glancing at all the shopping bags jumbled behind Himari’s chair. Daphne herself had only bought a single sweater that was on sale. She did most of her shopping online, where she could stack up coupons or buy couture items secondhand.
“Speaking of which, I have something for you.” Himari leaned back in her chair to grab one of the shopping bags, then handed it over.
Daphne pulled off the tissue paper to reveal a supple leather handbag, the same emerald green as her eyes. Its gold chain was so soft that it slipped through her fingers like water.
“Himari—this is far too nice—”
“I saw you eyeing it at Halo,” Himari said brightly. “Consider it a thank-you for being such a good friend this year. It means a lot to me, that you came to see me at the hospital so often,” she added, more softly.
