Page 112 of Rivals

Nina could see it now: Jeff picking up some random girl at a bar in New Zealand, playing darts with her, letting her win because he was that chivalrous. Sneaking her into his hotel room, sneaking her out again the next morning like he’d once done with Nina. That type of girl wouldn’t bat an eyelash at being smuggled out in a black car; she would be squealing with glee at the fact she’d just hooked up with a prince. It would give her bragging rights forever.

Maybe it would be easier if Jeff went after a girl like that. At least then Nina wouldn’t have to risk losing him all over again.

She wasn’t sure if she could handle any more of this twisted love triangle between her, Daphne, and Jeff.

“I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. Kissing you wasn’t the best way to start this conversation,” Jeff said clumsily. “I told you, I’m not any good with words. Let me start over.”

Nina picked up the skirts of her gown and noticed, notreally caring, that her hem was muddy and grassy. She let go, holding her breath.

“Ilikeyou, Nina,” Jeff said bluntly. “Lately, I’ve felt like there was something between us again. I wouldn’t have even said anything, except that the last time we hung out…I know I’d had too much to drink that night, but it felt like we came close to kissing.”

“You’re still with Daphne, though,” Nina reminded him.

“Technically, yes,” Jeff mumbled. “But I’m going to break up with her.”

“I don’t want you to break up with Daphne for me!”

“I’m not breaking up with herforyou, Nina. I’m breaking up with her because Daphne has been…different lately. She’s not acting like herself.”

She’s not acting like herself because she’s becoming a better person,Nina thought.Because you two never really belonged together. And now that you’re seeing glimpses of her real self, you realize that she isn’t the girl you thought you fell for.

But of course Nina couldn’t say any of that.

“I’ll always care about Daphne,” Jeff went on—the type of trite statement that people usually made in breakups, except that he really did mean it. “It’s just that lately, spending time with you, I remembered what it was like. You and me.”

He reached out as if to touch her, but Nina took a swift step back. She wasn’t ready to commit to this, not yet.

“If you break up with her, it’s going to destroy Daphne,” she said softly.

“Daphne is stronger than you think. I know you said you’re not that similar, and maybe on the surface you’re right. But you and Daphne are both strong. You want to know the reason I dated both of you?”

Nina didn’t particularly want to hear why Jeff had dated Daphne, but he answered his own question anyway. “You both know your own mind. You’re confident. You don’t letother people tell you what to do. And I can trust both of you. Or at least, I thought I could,” he added under his breath, then looked up at Nina.

“So, yeah, it’ll be messy ending things with Daphne, but she’ll be okay. Breakups happen.”

Breakups happen.He made it sound like this was a garden-variety breakup, and not the Prince of America ending things with a woman who already thought of herself as a princess—who’d probably already picked out her wedding china.

“You gave her your signet ring. Everyone basically thinks of that as a pre-proposal,” Nina couldn’t help saying.

Jeff ran a hand wearily over his face. “Like I said, I’m not always good at this stuff. I try to use gestures instead of words, because it’s easier. But gestures have a lot of different meanings to different people.”

“As your friend, I have to agree.”

“My friend?” Jeff looked so confused and uncertain that Nina felt herself softening toward him.

“I’ve always been your friend, Jeff. Even if you don’t make it easy.”

“But…justmy friend?” He paused. “If I broke up with Daphne tonight, would that change things for us?”

Nina didn’t want to, but she couldn’t help smiling at him. She seemed to lose control of her reactions when Jeff was around, as if her heart knocked her mind out of the driver’s seat and seized control of things. He melted all her resistance, all her excuses.

She needed to go, because if she stayed with him a minute longer she might kiss him again, and she couldn’t live with herself if she did that while he was still with Daphne.

“I’m going to head back,” she started to say, turning on one heeled sandal.

“Wait, Nina—before you go, can I ask you something?”

She glanced back at him, biting her lip, and nodded.