Читать онлайн «Royally Screwed»

I’m thrilled with how Royally Screwed turned out. I can’t wait for you to meet Nicholas and Olivia, and the group of friends and family that surround them. I can’t wait to finish writing Royally Matched and Royally Endowed, so I can continue to share with you the world and characters that I’ve fallen head over heels in love with.

Inspiration can be tricky—but if you’re lucky, you have people around who’ll help you cultivate and re ne it. I’m very lucky.

And so, as always, I’m grateful to my agent, Amy Tannenbaum and everyone at the Jane Rotrosen Agency for your constant support and guidance and for working so hard to bring my books to fruition.

Thanks to my publicist, Danielle Sanchez and everyone at InkSlinger PR—it’s been a joy working with you.

Thanks to my assistant Juliet Fowler who’s always on the ball and is so good at everything she does.

Huge thanks to Gitte Doherty, of TotallyBooked, for always making me smile and for helping me make Nicholas a swoony, sexy, not-American sounding beast!

I’m sure I’m not alone in thanking Hang Le of By Hang Le designs for this absolutely gorgeous cover and for all her beautiful graphics. Much gratitude to Coreen Montagna for your terrific work.

All my thanks and hugs to Nina Bocci, Katy Evans, K. Bromberg, Marie Force, Lauren Blakely and all my fabulous, awesome author friends!! It’s always reassuring to know I’m not crazy—but the life of a writer often is.

On that note, love and gratitude to my family—for your patience and understanding, encouragement and unending support. Thank you for putting up with me, I know it’s not always easy.

And to my stupendous, wonderful readers—I love you guys!!! Your support and excitement is humbling and you make this writing business all the more joyful. Thank you for sticking with me from book to book, series to series.

Now .

Table of Contents

Title Page

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Epilogue

Coming Soon

MY VERY FIRST MEMORY isn’t all that different from anyone else’s. I was three years old and it was my first day of preschool. For some reason, my mother ignored the fact that I was actually a boy and dressed me in God-awful overalls, a frilly cuffed shirt and patent-leather brogues. I planned to smear finger paint on the outfit the first chance I got.

But that’s not what stands out most in my mind.

By then, spotting a camera lens pointed my way was as common as seeing a bird in the sky. I should’ve been used to it—and I think I was. But that day was different.

Because there were hundreds of cameras.

Lining every inch of the sidewalk and the streets, and clustered together at the entrance of my school like a sea of one-eyed monsters, waiting to pounce. I remember my mother’s voice, soothing and constant as I clung to her hand, but I couldn’t make out her words. They were drowned out by the roar of snapping shutters and the shouts of photographers calling my name.