Page 38 of Tabloid Princess

“Please, Leia. It would mean a lot, and he has asked for you.”

Well that stumped me. “He has?”

“Yes.”

“Janine,” I whined.

“Please.”

Gah.

“Okay. But if I fall over and make us a laughingstock, I’m not taking responsibility for it.”

“Yes!”

Oh she knew I’d give in.

She handed me a T-shirt.

“Well that doesn’t go with my dress.” I glanced at the label. “And it’s a small? Are you mad?”

“That’s all they had.”

I had a feeling Freya might have been behind the sizing.

“Leia!”

“Okay, okay. How long do I have to shoehorn myself into this thing?”

“Five minutes, now go, and, Leia…”

“Yep.”

“Try to smile.”

How could I smile though when my nerves were jangled in knots?

I didn’t expect it to be the prince who gave us our pep talk, so when he stepped into the centre of the room and spoke to us with his relaxed and friendly professional front firmly in place, his face dancing with that famously front-page capturing smile, it made my nervousness jump off the charts.

He was right, this was his job. And judging by the way he didn’t seem at all bothered by the cameras waiting outside or knowing that there were loads of kids and teachers and who knew who else out there, he was damn good at it.

Trained from birth, I guessed.

As we stood at the door waiting for his security to step through first, I felt his gaze flicker onto me. I turned, fully utilising a wedge of hair as a shield and glanced in his direction. The smile he gave me wasn’t the one he’d used in the pep talk.

“Ready?”

“No.” I scowled.

“Come on, Leia, it’s just some handshaking.”

My face said it all and he chuckled under his breath, right until Freya stepped between us and started drivelling some gushy nonsense in his direction.

Please let this be over soon.

Real soon.

Five minutes ago, soon.