Page 34 of Rivals
“Well, look at that. It seems we found one more thing to agree on: our dislike of Gabriella Madison.” At Nina’s bemused look, Daphne explained. “She’s the source of all my problems, too.”
“She’s the reason you’re not in school?” Nina asked.
“She’s trying to get my family stripped of our title. Her father will be putting my father’s baronetcy under review at the next Conferrals and Forfeiture Committee meeting. I know Gabriella is really the one behind it.” Daphne shot Nina a glance. “And before you say something about how titles shouldn’t matter, that they’re a stupid holdover from a bygone era, just know that they matter to me.”
Nina got a strange look on her face. It was clear that she’d been about to say exactly that.
“Losing our status would be humiliating, and awful. It would make me feel utterly helpless. Kind of like being a student and having someone take away your financial aid just because you refused to suck up to her like everyone else does,” Daphne added pointedly.
To her surprise, Nina nodded in understanding. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. The committee will review my father’s case later this month.” Daphne looked over at Nina. “What are you going to do about your scholarship?”
“I’ll start by appealing my case to the financial aid office.”
“That won’t accomplish anything, if Gabriella’s father was personally involved.”
“Then I’ll look for another job, ask my parents what wecan do to pay. I’m not dropping out of school, no matter what it takes,” Nina said vehemently.
Daphne wished she’d had that option.
“Daphne—Nina.” Jefferson came to stand between them, the crowds parting before him like the Red Sea, the way they always did. He seemed pleased to see them together. “What are you two talking about?”
“Just girl stuff,” Daphne said evasively.
But to her shock, Nina chimed in. “You know, gossiping about people we don’t like.”
Jefferson seemed puzzled, but then he shrugged. He had no interest in the rumor mill, unlike practically everyone else at this party.
If she didn’t know better, Daphne might have said that she and Nina shared an amused, almost complicit look at his expression. She quickly broke eye contact and looped an arm proprietarily through Jefferson’s, nestling closer to him.
She had no business finding any sort of common ground with Nina. It was too dangerous, relating to an enemy.
Even if the thing you had in common was another enemy.
Jefferson shifted on his sectional so that his legs stretched out, bare feet crossed one over the other. He’d tossed his blazer over a nearby chair and unbuttoned the collar of his white button-down, revealing a tanned triangle of chest. It was a sight millions of women would have killed for.
“You were amazing tonight, Daphne,” he told her. “I don’t know how I could manage those things without you.”
“Luckily for you, you’ll never have to find out,” she said lightly.
They were in his sitting room upstairs, sprawled out beforethe TV, which they’d flipped to an old action movie. Daphne didn’t always return to the palace with him after these events, but when the library party had ended and Jefferson had asked if she wanted to come over, she’d realized that she did want to, very much. There was a hollow ache in her chest that she refused to diagnose, though deep down she recognized it as loneliness.
“By the way, thank you for making an effort with Nina. I know she’s Sam’s best friend, but she was my friend too, before…”
Before you ruined the friendship by dating,Daphne thought. She wondered briefly if that was what had happened with her and Ethan. Maybe they should have been friends all along, and she’d let sex muddle everything between them.
“I’m glad you and Nina are friends again. Really,” Daphne lied.
Jefferson smiled, relieved. “Thanks, Daph. It’s just nice having Nina at school, you know? I wish you were there too, of course.”
It was endearing how nervous he was to discuss Nina with Daphne. He was so solicitous of her feelings that it made Daphne oddly self-conscious of how little she returned the favor. She so rarely put anyone else’s desires before her own.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be at school next year. And in the meantime, you’re getting the lay of the land for me. It’s perfect.”
Daphne must have delivered her line with a little too much enthusiasm, because Jefferson looked at her curiously. “Do you still feel like you made the right choice, taking a gap year?”
She readied herself to deliver her usual canned answer, the one she’d been giving to courtiers and reporters who asked about her time off:Between all my junior board positions and charities, I don’t even have time for class right now!
