American Royals

A week after learning that Nina and Jeff are back together, Daphne follows Nina into a dress store that Daphne frequents. Upon realizing that Nina is looking for a dress for the royal engagement party, Daphne decides to play the role of the helpful, kind-hearted ex-girlfriend. She greets Nina as if they are old friends, and knowing that Nina is fashion-challenged, Daphne offers to shop with Nina and help her find the perfect dress for the engagement party. Nina lets her guard down as they try on dresses, and they discuss how hard it is to navigate the media when dating a Washington. Nina asks how Daphne managed to get everyone to like her, and although Daphne tries to comfort Nina, she privately revels in the belief that “they’ll never like [Nina], because they’ll always love [Daphne]” (317). When Nina’s back is turned, Daphne goes through Nina’s phone looking for incriminating photos but can’t find anything useful to take Nina down. Nina finds a gown she loves, and Daphne declares that Halo would happily hem it for her before the party. Privately, Daphne thinks that Nina should be “careful which fairy godmother [she] trust[s],” or she “might not have a gown for the ball after all” (318).