The Cursed Series, Parts 3 & 4 (Cursed #3-4) - Rebecca Donovan Page 0,43
she’s about to vomit or cry. Maybe both.
“Wait!” I call to her when she begins to run. I try to go after her, but my foot gets snagged on the edge of the swing, and I fall to the ground, my leg caught on something above me.
Grant leans over. “Are you okay?” He gently untethers my foot as I gaze wide-eyed at him from my sprawled position on the ground. He fights a smile, unsuccessfully.
I exhale deeply. “I really need to talk to her. But she’s probably never going to talk to me now.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because you’re adorable.” Instead of helping me off the ground, Grant abandons the swing to join me, lying on his side, propped up on his elbow. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Before I can argue, he kisses me and doesn’t stop until we have grass stains in places that are going to be difficult to explain.
Reluctantly, we regain some semblance of control before we give Brendan a show—or more of one anyway. Oh, he better not be watching this.
“So, the strangest thing happened today,” Grant says, sitting with his back against the tree and me between his legs, facing him, our legs intertwined like we’re playing an intimate game of Twister. “And it may explain Sophia’s reaction when she saw us.”
My stomach drops, and I’m already conjuring a story in my head.
“Uh, Sophia may have asked me to the Ever After Ball this afternoon at the Club.”
I cringe. Not far off. I had a feeling she had done something, especially since I’d encouraged her to a few weeks ago.
“What did you say?” I ask carefully.
Grant’s brows pull together in disbelief. “Lana? Really?”
“I mean, I’ve known she’s had the biggest crush on you, and … I feel terrible because I may have encouraged her.” I scrunch my face in apology.
Now Grant is really confused, and from the color on his cheeks, he’s a little annoyed too. “Why would you do that?”
“It was a few weeks ago, when I was freaking out. She asked me if I thought you’d go with her, and … well … I was being stupid and told her it was worth a try.” I lower my eyes to avoid his you-did-what look. “So what happened?”
“I told her I was going with someone else.”
Now I’m confused. “You are?”
Grant laughs, like I must be joking. “I mean, I’m hoping you’ll ask me.”
I scoff lightheartedly. “Oh, you want me to ask you. Presumptuous.”
“You’re the one attending Blackwood, so … yeah.” He pauses when my words sink in. “Wait. You’re going to, right?”
I shrug. Grant’s cheeks redden even more. Until he notices the tiny grin I can’t hide. He grabs me by the waist and rolls me onto my back. I let out a squeal as he pins my hands above my head.
“How are you going to ask me?” Grant kisses a ticklish spot on my neck, making me shriek and buck beneath him.
“What do you mean?” I ask breathlessly when he finally relents.
He lifts his head to study me. “You’ve never been asked to a dance before?”
I shake my head. “Never.”
“Oh.” He considers this for a moment, releasing my hands, but not removing his body from atop mine. “So Blackwood has a dance every month. And three are formal ones—at the beginning of the school year, in the winter and another in the spring. They’re a big deal. Like prom or homecoming in public schools. So the person asking usually does it in some sort of grand gesture.”
I’m afraid to ask because I know it will only add to my guilt. “How did Sophia ask?”
Grant pushes off me and sits back against the tree. I roll on my side and wait for an answer. His entire face is completely red with embarrassment.
I bite my lip, bracing myself. “Please tell me.”
He looks down at the ground, plucking at the grass. “She had a bunch of kids in the pool hold up beach balls with a letter on them to read Ever After Ball?, and a couple guys lifted her up out of the water. She was wearing some sort of mermaid outfit and had a fork in her hand. I guess from the—”
“Little Mermaid,” I finish quietly. My mouth drops open. “She did this in front of everyone? At the pool?”
Grant peers sheepishly through his lashes and nods.