Chapter 20: Nina — Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens with Nina's surprise at enjoying her role in the school play. What began as an obligation has become something she genuinely looks forward to. Standing onstage, reading lines written by someone else, gives her a sense of exhilaration—she can command attention while simultaneously hiding her real self inside the character of Helena.

After rehearsal, Jamie walks Nina back toward her dorm, as has become their habit. They discuss their shared Shakespeare class and the play Henry IV, with Jamie joking about the historical royals' talent for murder. When Jamie mentions he's heading out to watch a hockey game—Calgary versus Vancouver—he invites Nina along. She hesitates, unsure whether it's a date, but agrees.

Jamie drives them to The Maple Leaf, a Canadian-themed bar in Midtown. Nina laughs at the name, and Jamie assures her there won't be media coverage of their date—awkwardly confirming that this is, in fact, a date. Inside, the bar is mostly empty. Jamie orders a pitcher of imported Labatt beer and insists on paying, despite Nina's protest at the price. They banter about Canadian superiority: poutine, Canadian slang, and Jamie's cheeky claim that the Prince of Canada outranks and outshines the Prince of America.

The mood shifts when Nina brings up Jeff. She notes that Jeff is back on campus now that Beatrice is recovering, and asks Jamie about the apparent tension between the two princes. Jamie counters by asking who hurt Nina. She flinches, and Jamie softens, explaining that he sometimes senses in rehearsal that she's thinking of someone who caused her pain.

Nina decides to trust him. She tells the story of how she and Daphne had once teamed up against Gabriella, only for Nina to discover that Daphne had been manipulating her all along—trying to keep her away from Jeff. Jamie frowns, noting that Daphne's family lost their baronetcy anyway, which makes Nina question her own assumptions about Daphne's motives.

Then Jamie shares his own story. When he and Jeff were twelve, during a visit to Washington, they went to retrieve their rackets for a game of water-balloon tennis and discovered Jamie's mother with her tennis instructor, Henri, in the equipment shed. Jamie begged Jeff not to tell anyone, hoping that keeping the secret would make it unreal. But Jeff told someone—likely his parents—who felt obligated to inform Jamie's father. Jamie's mother chose to leave, and the marriage ended.

Nina gently points out that Jeff was only twelve and likely did what he thought was best. Jamie concedes that he doesn't blame Jeff for the divorce itself, but for breaking his promise and then abandoning him entirely. After the scandal, the family left in a rush, and Jeff never reached out—not even a text. Worse, the other royal families ostracized them. Jamie explains that his father became reclusive because of the judgment, and that the divorce made them social pariahs in royal circles.

Jamie then tells Nina what he values about her: she doesn't treat his title as the only relevant thing about him. He's used to people being interested in what he is, not who he is. Nina, he says, takes people at face value. She's brave, smart, and unapologetically herself.

Without pausing to think, Nina kisses Jamie right there at the bar. He responds eagerly. When she pulls away, she feels buoyant and electrified rather than self-conscious. She asks if they should leave, and Jamie is off his stool before she finishes the question, joking that they can teach her hockey fundamentals another time.

Key Events

Nina discovers she genuinely enjoys performing in the play, finding it exhilarating to disappear into the character of Helena.
Jamie invites Nina to watch a hockey game at The Maple Leaf, a Canadian-themed bar, confirming it's a date.
They share a pitcher of imported Canadian beer and banter about Canadian superiority.
Nina tells Jamie about Daphne's manipulation, and he reveals the story of his parents' divorce.
Jamie explains that Jeff broke his promise to keep the secret about Jamie's mother's affair, leading to the divorce and the family's ostracism.
Jeff then dropped Jamie entirely, never contacting him again.
Jamie tells Nina she's different from other people he's dated because she doesn't care about his title.
Nina and Jamie kiss at the bar, and Nina suggests they leave together.

Character Development

Nina continues to grow into her own identity. Her enjoyment of the play marks a shift: she's learning to find pleasure in something that isn't about duty or obligation. More significantly, she chooses to trust Jamie with the painful story of Daphne's manipulation—a story she hasn't shared freely. Her willingness to be vulnerable, and her decision to initiate the kiss, show her moving forward emotionally after her complicated history with Jeff.

Jamie reveals a depth beneath his cavalier charm. The chapter exposes the wound at the center of his personality: the childhood trauma of discovering his mother's affair, the betrayal of Jeff's broken promise, and the abandonment he felt when his family was ostracized. His flippant mention of years of therapy suggests he's done work on himself, but the rawness beneath his words shows the scar is still tender. His confession that he values Nina because she doesn't care about his title reveals his loneliness and his desire to be known for who he is, not what he is.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Performance as escape. Nina's love of acting is explicitly tied to the idea of hiding her real self inside a persona. The stage lets her be the center of attention while simultaneously disappearing—a paradox that speaks to her desire to escape the complications of her real life.

Betrayal of trust. The chapter is built on two parallel betrayals: Daphne's manipulation of Nina and Jeff's broken promise to Jamie. Both involve a trusted person using or abandoning someone for their own purposes, and both have lasting consequences.

Royal ostracism and social judgment. Jamie's account of his family being dropped by other royal houses after the divorce shows how the royal world polices its own. The divorce made them social pariahs, and Jamie's father became reclusive as a result. This connects to the broader theme of how royal families are judged by their peers.

Identity beyond title. Jamie's central complaint—that people are interested in what he is, not who he is—echoes Nina's own struggles with being seen as more than her connection to the royal world. Their connection is built on the fact that they see each other as individuals.

Secrets and their consequences. Jamie's attempt to keep his mother's affair secret, and Jeff's decision to reveal it, shows how secrets can destroy relationships even when the person keeping them has good intentions.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal for several reasons. It finally explains the source of the tension between Jamie and Jeff, giving readers the backstory that has simmered beneath their interactions. It deepens Jamie's character, transforming him from a charming prince into a young man carrying real pain. It also advances Nina and Jamie's relationship to a physical and emotional turning point, with Nina initiating the kiss—a significant choice that shows her moving on from Jeff. The chapter also raises questions about Daphne's motives that Nina herself hasn't fully resolved, hinting at complications to come.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Nina enjoy performing in the play, and what does this reveal about her state of mind?

Nina enjoys the play because it lets her be the center of attention while simultaneously hiding her real self inside the character of Helena. This suggests she's looking for an escape from the complications of her own life—her history with Jeff, her feelings about Daphne's manipulation, and the pressure of her identity. The stage offers a controlled space where she can be someone else.

2. How does Jamie's account of his parents' divorce explain his grudge against Jeff?

Jamie's grudge isn't really about the divorce itself—he acknowledges that Jeff was only twelve and did what he thought was best. It's about the broken promise. Jamie asked Jeff to keep the secret, and Jeff told someone anyway. Then, after the scandal broke, Jeff dropped Jamie entirely, never reaching out. The betrayal of trust, followed by abandonment, is what Jamie can't forgive.

3. What does Jamie's confession about people being interested in what he is rather than who he is reveal about his character?

It reveals a deep loneliness beneath his confident exterior. Jamie is used to being valued for his title and his future role as king, not for himself. His appreciation for Nina stems from the fact that she treats him as a person, not a prince—she jokes about Monaco, teases him, and takes him at face value. This vulnerability makes him more sympathetic and explains why he's drawn to Nina specifically.