Page 46 of Expecting Royal Twins!
Izzy placed the book on her head. “I’m going to have the best posture of any mechanic east of the Mississippi.”
“That’s the spirit.” Jules checked her watch. “I’m going sailing with Niko. Would you like to come along?”
Izzy remembered the “faking her death by drowning” suggestion, and a smile tugged at her lips. She would like to go, but she didn’t want to be a third wheel. Jules was the closest thing to a girlfriend Izzy had here, yet she had wanted to kiss Niko. That went against princess protocol as well as the friendship code. She needed to distance herself from the prince. “Thanks, but I need to practice. Then I want to take a nap.”
“You could sleep on the boat,” Jules offered. “We’ll be going out to dinner afterward. It should be fun.”
“Sounds like it, but no thanks.”
“You’re sure?”
Was there a hint of disappointment in Jules’s tone? No, Izzy had to be mistaken. The lovely princess was just clarifying her position.
You are allowed to fight back if attacked.
She remembered Jules’s firm handshake. Izzy had a feeling the princess could hold her own in a fight especially when it came to another woman hitting on Niko. Not that Izzy would, but she didn’t want to put Jules or herself in an awkward position by intruding on their evening. “I’m absolutely positive.”
And maybe if Izzy repeated the words enough times, she might actually believe them.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE next day, Izzy ate breakfast alone in the morning area. That was what she called the smaller dining room because the only time she ever saw it being used was in the morning. At least for the two she’d been here.
Izzy took a bite of the cheese blintzes covered with a raspberry sauce and swallowed. Delicious.
Add yummy food to the list of princess perks.
Jules entered and sat opposite Izzy. The princess looked stylish in a polka-dot, short-sleeve dress with her hair worn loose.
“Good morning, Izzy.” A server filled Jules’s cup with coffee. “You look more rested today.”
“I am.” Izzy had woken feeling a little more like herself. She’d realized her attraction to Niko was nothing more than a crush. Yes, he was gorgeous and had come to her rescue, so to speak. That had been fine with her world imploding yesterday, but she saw things more clearly this morning. “A little sleep can go a long way.”
Or maybe it was common sense kicking in. She didn’t want a man to see her as anything but an equal. Niko came from a totally different world and viewpoint. She would never want to even try to be his equal. So why spend any more time thinking about almost-kisses or dreamy blue-green eyes?
Izzy sipped her freshly squeezed orange juice. “I hope you had a nice sail and dinner.”
She squelched the pinprick of jealousy. She’d tried hard last night not to think of the two together out on the water. And she’d mostly succeeded.
She had more important things to think about. Boyd arrived today. Tomorrow her marriage to Niko would be annulled. She would receive her inheritance and marry her coworker and friend. She would return to Charlotte with more than she ever imagined. Perhaps not the same happily-ever-after Jules and Niko would share, but a good one just the same.
“I did. It was very enjoyable. Thank you.” Another server placed a plate in front of Jules. “I love sailing. There’s nothing I’d rather do.”
“That’s how I feel about car racing.”
“We have more in common than you realize.” The sincerity in Jules’s voice wrapped around Izzy like a hug. “I hope you enjoyed your evening.”
“I had dinner with the king and queen.”
“And?”
Izzy recalled the conversation. Well, inquisition. “It was…interesting.”
“How so?”
Her head and throat hurt thinking about all the talking she’d done. “They asked me so many questions I felt like a game show contestant.”
Jules sipped her coffee. “What did they want to know?”
“Everything and anything.”
“Intriguing.”
“They may have been wanting to make me feel more comfortable,” Izzy admitted. “I had a couple mishaps at dinner.”
