Cursed (Enchanted Gods #1) - K.K. Allen Page 0,37

entrance. “I’ll need to let Rose know.”

Not even a second passes. “It’s fine with me, dear. I heard.” Rose shouts her permission from the dining room. “Have a good time.”

My heart races when I realize Rose was listening the entire time. I roll my eyes while Alec laughs, then I step back across the threshold. “I guess that means I’m all yours.”

The way Alec looks at me next—with a lingering stare while his smile slips from his lips and desire lights up his eyes—it does dangerous things to my core. “Lucky me.”

He shoves his hands in his pockets, gives me a sideways grin, then leads me to his lifted white truck. It’s not until I’m strapped inside that I take my first deep breath since seeing Alec standing at my front door. This feels a lot like a date, but I know it would be crazy for me to even entertain the thought of Alec wanting more than friendship with me. He’s gorgeous, and I’m…

Alec opens his driver’s-side door before I can finish my own negative thought, then we’re rolling toward the gates of Summer Island with the windows down and the wind blowing through our hair. He blasts a rock song I’m vaguely familiar with, and I’m almost relieved the music is too loud for us to carry on a conversation. I’m still reeling from the fact that he showed up at my door, so I take the ride to Summer Island to steady my nerves.

It seems to work, until we park and I see just how packed the restaurant is. Lights dance from the inside stage, where a band is jamming out. Loud voices and laughter carry into the parking lot, and smoke rises from the chimney over the kitchen. It seems like the entire town is here.

“So, this is a crazy night out in Apollo Beach, huh?” I ask Alec after we meet at the front of his truck.

He leans against one of his headlights, indicating he’s in no rush to go inside. “This is it. Not such a boring old town, is it?”

I shake my head and stand beside him so we’re looking at the restaurant. “I definitely don’t think it’s a boring old town. The opposite, actually. I think it’s beautiful here. And I’m not just talking about the beach. This island alone is—” I struggle to find the right word. Unique. Mystical. Picturesque. Nothing quite fits how I feel.

“A little slice of heaven?” He peers sideways at me with hopeful eyes.

“Okay, sure. Let’s go with that. I still can’t get over that my family created all of this. I had no idea.”

Confusion spreads across his face. “Really? You didn’t know about the island or your family’s role in the development of this town?”

I shrug, knowing this is a big admission to someone I barely know. Something tells me I can trust Alec, though. “All of it. My mom never spoke with my grandparents. I never met my grandma, except for just after I was born. It’s like I woke up one morning and was transported into a whole new world.”

Sadness flickers in his eyes and guilt rushes through me. The last thing I want is Alec’s pity. “What about your dad?”

“He was never part of my life.”

Alec shakes his head. “Geez. I’m sorry, Kat.”

I push away from his truck, not wanting to continue down this dark, depressing road. “Don’t be. He’s the one missing out, right?”

Alec gives a firm nod. “Absolutely.” His gaze slips from my face, to my dress, and back up. “You’re a tough chick, aren’t you?”

His question makes me laugh. No one has ever called me that before. “Depends how you look at it, I guess.”

He tilts his head. “What does that mean?”

I bite down on my lip, not sure how much I should tell him about my past. He’s clearly curious about me, even though I’m not sure why. But I don’t want that curiosity to turn into something else. Like fear or disappointment. There’s a twisting in my gut. “Not all things are what they appear to be, Alec. You may see a tough chick, but maybe that’s because I don’t want you to see the truth.”

“And what’s your truth, Kat Summer?”

Air pushes up my throat, resembling a laugh. “That I’m completely and utterly lost.”

The corners of his mouth tips up into a smile. “Aren’t we all?”

A gust of wind blows, wrapping me in his crisp, cool scent. He even smells perfect. I could salivate over this guy. From