Page 10 of American Royals II: Majesty

“I know you don’t understand—”

“Why, because I’m just thespare?”

At some point Sam had taken a step forward, closing the distance between them, so they were now standing mere inches apart, their breathing ragged.

“That’s not what I meant,” Teddy said gently, and the red-hot anger pounding through her veins quieted a little.

“You’re really doing it,” she whispered. “You’re choosing Beatrice.” The way everyone always did.

“I’m choosing to do the right thing.” Teddy met her gaze, silently pleading with her for understanding, for forgiveness.

He wasn’t about to get either. Not from her.

“Well then. I hope the right thing makes you happy,” she said caustically.

“Sam—”

“You and Beatrice are making a huge mistake. But you know what? I don’t care. It’s not my problem anymore,” she added, in such a cruel tone that she almost believed her own words. “If you two want to ruin your lives, I can’t do anything to stop you.”

Pain flickered over Teddy’s face. “For what it’s worth, I really am sorry.”

“It’s worthnothing.” She didn’t want Teddy’s apologies; she wantedhim.And like everything else she’d ever wanted, she couldn’t have him, because Beatrice had laid claim to him first.

She whirled around and stalked back toward the party, grabbing a mint julep from a passing tray. At least now that she was eighteen, she could legally drink at these events instead of sneaking away from the photographers to chug a beer.

Sam squinted, scanning the crowds in search of Nina or Jeff. The sun felt suddenly overbright, or maybe it just seemed that way through the haze of her tears. For once, she wished she’d done as her mom asked and worn a hat, if only to hide her face. Everything had begun spinning wildly around her.

Hardly knowing where she was going, she wandered down to the riverbank, where she sank onto the ground and kicked off her shoes.

She didn’t care that she was getting grass stains all over her couture dress, that people would see her there, alone and barefoot, and gossip.The party princess is back,they would mutter,already drunk, at her first public outing since her father’s death.Fine, she thought bitterly. Let them talk.

The water lapped softly among the reeds. Sam kept her eyes fixed furiously on its surface so she wouldn’t have to see Teddy and Beatrice together. But it didn’t stop her from feeling like a stray puzzle piece that had gotten lost in the wrong box—like she didn’t fit anywhere, or with anyone.

“Here you are,” Nina said, coming to sit next to Sam.

For a while the two of them just watched the boats in silence. Their oars were a blur of water and fractured light.

“Sorry,” Sam mumbled. “I just…I needed to get away.”

Nina pulled her legs up, playing with the fabric of her long jersey dress. “I know the feeling. I actually just talked to Jeff.”

Sam sucked in a breath, glad to be distracted from her own problems. “How did it go?” she asked, and Nina shrugged.

“It was awkward.”

Sam glanced over, but Nina plucked a blade of grass and began to tie it into a bow, avoiding her gaze. Maybe she’d noticed that Daphne Deighton was here, too.

“He probably wants to try and be friends,” Sam ventured.

“I don’t knowhowto be friends!” Nina reached up to fiddle with her ponytail, then seemed to remember her hair was shorter now. Her hand fell uselessly to her side. “I’ll obviously keep running into him, since he’s your brother, but I can’t pretend that nothing ever happened between us. It’s not normal to have to keep seeing someone after you’ve broken up with them! Is it?”

“I don’t know.” Sam had never really been through a normal breakup, because she’d never had anything resembling a normal relationship. She let out a breath. “But I guess I’m about to find out. I just saw Teddy.”

Her voice raw, Sam explained what he’d told her: that he and Beatrice were going through with the wedding.

“Oh, Sam,” Nina said softly when Sam had finished. “I’m so sorry.”

Sam nodded and tipped her head onto Nina’s shoulder. No matter what happened, she thought, she would always be able to do this—to close her eyes and lean on her best friend.