Her Royal Highness (Royals #2) - Rachel Hawkins Page 0,3

that Jude said anything to Darcy, especially since I hadn’t told anyone else myself.

But I just say, “It’s probably too late to get financial aid. And it was a stupid idea to apply in the first place. I just . . . wanted to see if I could get in. I didn’t really want to go.”

“Calling major BS on that, Mill,” Lee says, wiggling his toes at me. “You were talking about Scotland all last year.”

“We watched Brave at least three times over winter break,” Darcy adds, and I give both of them what I hope is a stern glare.

“A girl is allowed to change her mind,” I say, and then watch as they exchange glances.

“All I’m saying,” Darcy finally says before taking the controller from the floor and shutting off the Xbox, “is that you shouldn’t give up a great opportunity for Jude.”

“I’m not doing it for her,” I reply, but there’s that look between Lee and Darce again, and scowling at the two of them, I take the controller back, powering on the system again. I’ve still got two hours before I need to be home, and dammit, I’m going to kill a dragon.

“This isn’t about Jude, and even if it were, who cares? Mason coming back isn’t changing anything.”

CHAPTER 3

“I would give up flushing toilets for that man.”

I look up from my phone toward the TV my aunt Vi is gesturing at or, more specifically, the very hot guy in a kilt she’s referencing.

It’s my third day over at Aunt Vi’s apartment, eating Snackwell’s and watching a show called The Seas of Time, about this lady who travels back in time and falls in love with a hot Highlander. I got addicted to it last year in the midst of my Scotland Fever, and brought over the DVDs for moral support. Aunt Vi’s latest breakup (Kyle the Bartender) has hit her hard, hence the sexy time-travel show and cookies.

I frown, studying the guy on the screen. “I like Callum a lot,” I say at last. “Especially his hair. But I feel like I enjoy flushing toilets more? Maybe?”

From her spot on the sofa, Aunt Vi sighs. She’s showered today, which is something, at least, and her dark hair is pulled back in a messy bun. “You have no sense of romance, Amelia,” she says, and I once again fight the urge to look at my phone.

It’s been two weeks since I’ve seen Jude, two weeks since we were kissing in the tent in my backyard, and she was supposed to get back from visiting her nana three days ago. I’ve been waiting on a text, but so far, no dice.

It’s hard not to make a connection between the return of Jude’s ex-boyfriend and her sudden radio silence, but trust me, those are dots I’m really trying not to connect, no matter what Darcy said.

I know what me and Jude have, and it’s not just “a distraction” or whatever. It’s real. It’s an us, like Jude said . . .

There’s a buzz from the table, and I lean over, snatching the phone up only to deflate back into Aunt Vi’s uncomfortable- but-extremely-stylish white leather chair.

It’s a text, but it’s from Lee, asking me if Jude texted yet.

No, I type back, bagpipes and heavy breathing in the background. But she’s still hanging out with Nana?

Another buzz, and there’s a series of

Thanks for the positive vibes, I text back, frowning.

The phone buzzes again, but I ignore it this time, focusing on the show, where Callum and Helena are now lying down, thankfully covered up.

“Everything okay, kiddo?” Aunt Vi asks, and I nod, forcing myself to smile at her.

“Yeah, just . . . you know, worried about Callum and Helena. Soon this British guy, Lord Harley, shows up, and he’s bad news.”

Aunt Vi gives me a look, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. She’s my dad’s younger sister, and was born when he was in high school, so she’s sometimes more like a big sister to me than an aunt. But every once in a while, she also tries the Mom Thing on for size, and I can tell that’s what’s about to happen now.

“You don’t seem okay,” she says, turning on the couch to face me. “Is it school?”

“It’s summer break, Aunt Vi,” I remind her. “But yes, in general, school is fine. School is always fine for me, you know that.”

She screws up her face, looking an awful lot like me as she does. “I don’t know where