Cursed (Enchanted Gods #1) - K.K. Allen Page 0,25

are so funny. The girl obviously has a crush on you. You don’t want her to get the wrong idea, do you?”

If I needed confirmation that I can actually hear their conversation, then I have it now. Iris just said his name, and now he’s reacting.

“Back off of her, you guys. She’s new. She’s perfectly nice. And she’s a freaking Summer, for heaven’s sake. She’s practically royalty here.”

Iris and Ava don’t waste a breath before they’re howling in a fit of giggles. Even then, hope sparks in my chest at the fact that he’s sticking up for me. No one ever sticks up for me.

Alec rolls his eyes when the girls’ laughter lingers. “Whatever. I invited her to my Fourth of July party so she can meet everyone. You two should try to get to know her.”

When the girls expel their last laugh and wipe the tears from their eyes, Iris is shaking her head. “C’mon, Alec. Are you forgetting everything I told you about the Summers?”

“You mean about them being witches? That’s ridiculous.”

Iris glares. “There’s something strange about that family. Especially Rose. And the fact that it took Kat’s mom to die for her to come back here. What’s up with that anyway? She never even came to visit.”

“That’s none of our business,” Alec snaps.

Ava chimes in, matching Iris’s venomous tone, quietly but matter-of-factly, “Rose won’t always rule this town, you know? She’s old. Others more suitable are ready to step up, and soon, they will.”

Iris nods. “That’s right. And when that happens, you won’t want anything to do with Katrina Summer.”

Another chill courses through my veins as I reel back from the conversation. This isn’t just a friendly exchange between friends. This goes deeper. They’re talking about my grandmother and her rightful place in Apollo Beach. How dare they? Why do they feel so possessive of this town? What does any of it even matter to them, anyway?

“Kat.” Charlotte’s voice snaps me out of my trance, and I look up to see her sitting in the booth, a worried look on her face. “You okay?”

I perk up quickly. “Yeah, I just thought I heard something.” I shake my head and laugh, not wanting to clue her in to what I just heard. I start awkwardly thumbing through the menu. “So, what’s good to eat here?”

The way her silence lingers makes me wonder if she knows exactly what I just heard, but then she’s back to her happy self. “The Summer salad is great. So are the burgers. Honestly, you can’t go wrong. What are you in the mood for?”

My eyes are pinned on the burger section, reading the description of each item while my mouth waters.

“Are you ready to order, or should I come back again?”

The gruff voice has an instant effect on my heart, causing it to triple its beat. I raise an eyebrow at his tone, refusing to meet his gaze again. Someone should tell this asshole that his impatient demeanor is unbecoming. Not that it would do much. Something tells me he wouldn’t care at all.

“I’ll have a chicken salad wrap with fries,” Charlotte says. “Kat? Did you decide?”

I hand the menu to the giant grump creating a shadow where the sun should be, then I look up, matching his chilly gaze. “I’ll try the temple burger. No onions or pickles, please. Oh, and extra lettuce if you can.”

His jaw ticks. “Sure thing. How would you like that cooked? Rare, medium rare…?” He doesn’t finish his sentence, but I suspect he’s trying to offend me with his strange question.

I do my best to stuff my annoyance deep into my chest. “Medium well will do.”

“And for your side?” he asks dryly.

I’m not even sure what my choices are. “I’ll have a side salad if that’s an option.”

He doesn’t confirm my choice. “Is that all? Perhaps you’d like to try our crème brûlée as well?”

My chest heats, and my jaw drops at his patronizing tone. Who does this guy think he is? I snap my mouth shut and adopt a syrupy-sweet smile. “Only if it’s on the house.”

He yanks the menu from my grip, obviously annoyed. “It’s not.” He starts to walk away.

“Oh,” Charlotte adds, making him halt. “Do you mind bringing us some waters too? Extra ice. Extra tall glasses.”

The guy looks between us both like he knows he’s been caught being a prick, and in that split-second when he’s not looking at me, I search quickly for a name tag like the one I saw