Page 134 of Prince of the Palisades

“I’m sticking around,” I tell her. “You have to deal with me for another semester. Probably longer.”

She shakes a hand at the sky like she’s cursing some divine being. It’s all a show. I can tell she’s happy.

“I’m gonna go. See you Monday?”

When I nod, she unleashes a beautiful, sincere smile. Something I could get used to. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she warns us, then she’s gone.

“Wow,” Reiss says, for both of us. “You have some strange friendships.”

I squawk. “Sorry, have you met Karan?”

“Unfortunately.” He tugs on my jacket. Presses fully against me again. “Now, where were we—”

“Well, well. This is interesting.”

Fuck my life. I’m living an actual nightmare. The curtains part again, another shaft of light creeping in before I see him.

Léon, wearing head-to-toe Armani like a well-dressed demon.

Smugly, he says, “Réverie’s prince loves a scandal.”

I’m about to ask what he’s doing here, specificallyhere, at the Sunset Ball, in the one hidden space where I’m trying to spend time with my boyfriend, when I notice it. The unsteady line of his mouth. Uneven edge to his shoulders. Fingers wiggling at his sides. To anyone else, Léon’s poker face is strong, but not with me.

We’ve known each other too long. He’s nervous.

I cock an eyebrow, waiting expectantly.

With a long-suffering sigh, Léon says, “I’m not banned from Réverie. Only because of you.”

A small smile tugs at my mouth.

While Papa was here, we discussed the prime minister. The conversation he had with Léon that started it all. I didn’t beg on Léon’s behalf, but I reasoned. Yes, he was shitty, but so was I. He shouldn’t be punished for his papa’s crimes.

He deserves a second chance.

“You said I inspired you,” I say.

“You finally stopped caring.” He grins. “You didn’t do it their way. Like your papa would. I needed to see that.” He runs a shaking hand over his hair. “To know I don’t have to do things their way either.”

“So, you ratted out your papa?”

“I did the right thing,” he says with an earnestness I’ve rarely seen from him. His eyes slide to Reiss. “I’m sorry. For—”

“Being an asshole?” Reiss suggests.

“Yeah, yeah. That.” He laughs roughly. “You’re not so bad.”

Reiss sniffs, his glare unrelenting, but his mouth lifts. Just a little.

Léon pivots back to me. “So, now that we’re best friends,” he says, rocking on his heels, ignoring my mocking expression, “what’s the deal with Nate? Is there a chance?”

“Chance for what?”

Léon groans in that petulant way of his. “Can I ask him out? Is that…cool?”

I stare at him for a moment.

What we had together wasn’t meant to be. We were better friends. As two boys who needed to know we weren’t alone. But just because we didn’t work romantically doesn’t mean I should’ve sworn off future relationships.

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