A Princess in Theory (Reluctant Royals #1)(48)

Let me just call you. Ledi tapped on the phone widget in the messenger app.

Portia picked up on the first ring, groveling like the pro that she was. Then she listened sympathetically as Ledi explained how her field study had imploded.

“Damn. Well, I was going to invite you out tomorrow night anyway, but you definitely have to come now.”

Ledi sighed. “Going on a bender won’t help this.” She took a sip of her wine. A moderate amount of booze would, but moderation wasn’t a concept that Portia was always on familiar terms with.

“I wasn’t going to suggest one.” Portia sighed. “My parents want me to go to some fund-raiser tomorrow night and I have an extra ticket—I guess they were hoping I’d magically find a guy who didn’t give me hives after one date to drag along with me.”

Ledi was going to point out that Portia didn’t do dating so much as hooking up, but it seemed superfluous.

“Their friend who works for the Department of Public Health, Dr. Okri, will be there. She’s way into mentorship and all that socially upright stuff, so I can make an introduction and see if she can get you an internship or whatever it is you need.”

Hope fluttered gently in Ledi’s chest. Could it be that simple? Really? She didn’t want to use her friend’s connections to get ahead, but she’d tried playing it straight and that hadn’t gotten her anywhere. She’d avoided all the extracurricular meetings, eschewing the networking that would’ve provided her with more options, so now she’d have to get over herself and get out into the world.

“I’d really appreciate that, Portia. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I’m your friend and I care about you.” Portia’s voice had gone serious, and Ledi couldn’t help but wonder what that was about. “Ledi, look. I saw something kind of weird on social media yesterday . . .”

Ledi put her wine down on the chipped particleboard surface of her coffee table and sat up straight on her futon. She’d been so busy talking about her own problems that, for maybe the first time ever, she hadn’t inquired about Portia’s well-being.

“Everything okay?” she asked. Portia was somewhat popular on social media and had cultivated a small following with her artsy pictures, trivia spanning a wide range of subjects, and interest in everything and everyone. It wasn’t a problem, but sometimes she drew the ire of weirdos.

“Yes. It’s just something about the fund-raiser.” Portia went silent then.

“Um. Okay. And what would that be?”

There was a long pause, one that was nine months along, at least, as far as tension went.

“Oh it’s just . . . the dress code is formal.” Portia said, following it up with a short, clipped laugh. “Make sure you look stunning. I can lend you a dress if you want. Or pick something out for you if you want to hit up Nordstrom.”

“I have a dress,” Ledi said. “But thank you.”

“Great. I’ll pick you up at eight tomorrow.”

When Portia disconnected, Ledi was tempted to call back and ask what was really going on, but she had to worry about herself first, even if just for that night. She opened the web browser on her phone and continued searching for open epidemiology field studies, as she’d been doing for most of the afternoon; having a backup for your backup was just common sense.

After an hour of searching, she’d compiled a list of four positions that were still unfilled and three people she could cold email. She wasn’t convinced that any of the leads would work out, but she’d at least reminded herself that she was capable of rolling with the punches and handling problems as they arose.

She stuck her phone on the charger and flopped back on her futon. She heard the footsteps in the hallway, but her stomach had stopped flipping after several false alarms—it was a busy night in her building. From the smell of weed drifting under the door, the hipster down the hall seemed to be having a party.

This time, though, she heard the keys jingle, and the door to Mrs. Garcia’s apartment open and close. Disappointment diffused through her as she lay splayed on the bed.

Sure, she’d ditched Jamal on a hilltop in upper Manhattan; she’d still expected that he’d check in. She grabbed her pillow from across the bed and pressed it against her face, embarrassed for herself. A few days and one great fingerbang didn’t mean anything on the NYC dating scene. Connections in this city were fly-by-night, at best, and in this case more than others, but she’d allowed herself to have expectations, like a fool.

That was when the knock came.

Maybe it’s a lost party guest.

The knock came again, more insistent.

“Who’s there?” she called out, wanting to save herself the inevitable disappointment when she opened the door full of silly hope and found some random dude dropping Visine in his eyes instead.

“Special delivery for a graduate student having a no good, very bad day,” a rich, accented voice answered. The hope she felt was still silly, but it pulled her up off her futon and toward the door almost as fast as when the UPS guy was waiting outside the building with a package for her.

She pulled the door open and, just like that, her protective membrane was pierced, her defenses were down, and the draining events of the day were wiped away by Jamal’s bright smile. Her heart beat faster and elation sped through her. She’d once worked in a lab that researched addiction, and had watched as rats provided with cocaine-laced glucose would mope about until a researcher approached with their refill; then they’d be zooming all over the cage, eager for their next hit. Ledi thought perhaps she understood their reaction a little better now.