Page 5 of Prince of the Palisades

“I volunteered,” she reminds me.

Not that I needed it. Annika’s here to watch over me. To make sure I don’t fuck things up so severely that Papa permanently bans me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful, but there’s an island-sized guilt floating in my chest. Réverie’s crownprincess should be doing a million other things instead of helping me fix my mistakes.

But I’m happy she’s here.

Since her eighteenth birthday, we’ve seen each other less and less. She’s always traveling, like our parents. It’s nice having more than five minutes with the only person left in my life thatgets me.

“Well.” I hear the teasing smile in Annika’s voice. “Are you taking adate?”

I blow out a long breath. “Non.”

“Why not?”

“What for?”

“Hello!” Annika swats my chest, the sting forcing me to curl up like a dying rodent. “To show everyone—including your dickish ex—that you’ve moved on? Also, because youcan?”

“Valid points,” I reluctantly admit, “but I have no interest in asking a random boy to a silly ball I don’t even want to go to.”

“Wow.TeenBuzzreally namedyouone of their most adorable singles?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I smugly flash my dimples.

She smacks my chest again.

“Stop being so invested in my love life,” I huff after recovering. “Go get your own.”

Annika hums. After she turned sixteen, everyone decided to play matchmaker for her. From politicians and nobilities, down to royal staffers. Boring, forgettable boys treating the future queen’s heart like a game of chess. Annika’s focused on her own goals, a relationship far from in the picture.

“It can’t hurt to befriendlywith someone new,” she advises.

I snort. “As if any American boy’s worth it.”

She crosses her arms, disappointed.

“Look, Anni,” I say, “I’m not wasting valuable time chatting up someone I won’t even see past December. I’m here to prove something. To show Papa I’m not the prince from that video.”

“Jade, are you sure—”

“Boys are out of the equation,” I insist.

Annika sighs. “Okay. Message received!”

We sit quietly for a moment. Low music fills the spaces. My forgotten phone still lies face-down on the area rug. I’m not avoiding boys because of Léon. They’re just another unwanted distraction.

I have more important things to resolve.

“Hey,” Annika says softly, “I could survive a month in New York, right?”

I roll my eyes. Have I mentioned my sister’s competitive streak?

“Of course,” I reply without sarcasm. “You’re a badass. You could survive anywhere.”

“I know. Thanks for confirming.” She pats my knee before standing. “Get some sleep. School starts tomorrow.”

On her way to the door, I yell, “I also didn’t invite you here to mom me.”

She pauses, one hand on the knob. “I’m here to spend all day at the beach. Hit up Rodeo Drive. Smile during interviews. Makeyoulook like a competent prince.”

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