Lucky gasped.
“I cried when we found out. I thought I was going to marry Prince Charming.” Bluebonnet sighed.
“I, being the eldest, had already received my wand. I hadn’t quite learned what to do with it yet, but as you know, I simply couldn’t let that kind of thing stand. I decided he needed to learn a lesson about love. So I cursed Phillip Charming to be a frog by day to pay for his sins and to be a man by night so he could continue to suffer for them.”
“That’s how she earned her nickname: Petty.” Jonquil nodded emphatically.
“Bah,” Petty waved a hand.
“He had it coming.” Lucky was supportive.
“So yes, the frog in the fountain is none other than our gracious host,” Jonquil said.
“Oh, that Phillip Charming! Oh my God!” Lucky cackled. “How long has it been?”
“I stopped counting, really. I would change him back if I could. He has suffered enough. But just as I was telling him today, it’s not my fault no one loves him.” Petty put a hand over her mouth. “I didn’t mean that, exactly. I meant that no one’s kiss has been True Love. That’s all that will break the spell,” Petty said.
“That’s the only thing that breaks any spell, isn’t it?” Bluebonnet said.
Lucky knew they’d said that her bad luck wasn’t a spell, it wasn’t a curse, but she didn’t believe them. She had an easier time believing she was descended from fox ghosts or spirits or whatever than she did believing she wasn’t cursed.
Because if Lucky surrendered, if she believed that this was simply who she was, that meant she’d never be free of her unluck.
She’d never be able to be with the person she loved without hurting them.
No, it was time to be honest with herself. It wasn’t some vague idea of some future person. It was Ransom.
If just being who she was brought strife to his life, she’d never be able to live with herself.
That’s how she’d break the spell. It wasn’t his love she needed to break the spell, but hers. She had to love him enough to let him go.
Chapter 14
It was late when Lucky returned to their room. Or early, rather.
“Is everything okay?” Ransom eased himself up to sitting position.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. We’ve got a few hours before we have to be up, if you wanted to sleep more.”
She had dark, puffy circles under her eyes like she’d been crying and just the way she moved, it seemed as if the weight of the world was on her narrow shoulders. Ransom would do anything to take that burden from her.
“Come lay down with me,” he said. “No pressure. No strings. Just come rest.”
“That’s the problem, though. I want pressure. I want strings, but we can’t have them.”
“Let’s not worry about that right now. Let me be your friend. Tell me what happened?” he said, and held the blanket up for her.
It took her only a moment to shed her jeans and crawl in bed beside him in her underwear and T-shirt.
Ransom tucked her against him and stroked her hair until she was ready to talk.
“So . . . my mom is here.”
He waited for her to go on.
“And I know.”
“What do you know?”
“I know. About magic. About the godmothers. About everything.”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I wanted to tell you.”
“Thank you for not lying to me, even though you couldn’t tell me.” She turned into him, her head resting against his chest. Her fingers played across his arm. “I found out something else, too.”
The tone of her voice caused the hairs on the back of his neck to prickle. Whatever came next wasn’t going to be good.
“You know how I thought I was cursed? I’m not,” she whispered forlornly.
“Why is that a bad thing?”
“This is just who I am. What I am. I will never be anything but this.”
He remembered what the godmothers had told him about loving Lucky for who she was, as she was. Not trying to save her. Or fix her.
That was when it punched him in the face like a wrecking ball. Plenty of inconvenient things happened to Lucky, but actual Bad Things, the kind with the capital letter, didn’t. They happened to the people around her.
The godmothers had been incredibly right, and oh-so-wrong at the same time. There was no curse to break, no luck to find. There was only love.
So in a sense, just loving her for herself was enough.
If the other person was steadfast, brave, all the things a hero should be in a fairy tale. As much as he wanted to be that kind of hero, Ransom didn’t know if he was.
He held her more tightly. “There’s nothing wrong with what you are, Lucky.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“The same thing you’ve been doing. Living your life. Creating art. Spending your time with the people you love. That doesn’t need to change.”
“I had this hope that one day I’d find out that I was a under a spell or something. Someday, someone would break that curse and I’d be free. I didn’t realize until just now that even as an adult, I’d counted on that. That idea was this hope in the back of my mind and when things were hard, and it was laugh or cry, I’d choose to laugh because I knew someday, it wouldn’t be like this anymore. Only there is no someday.”
He kissed the top of her head. “You don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring.”
“I know what today is going to bring. That God-awful press junket.”
“It’s going to be fine. We’ll smile, talk about how we met, where we’re going on our honeymoon and some bullshit about future plans with two-point-five kids, a vacation home, and a couple show dogs.”
“That sounds absolutely awful. Except for the vacation home.”
“You don’t like dogs?”
“I love them, but I’m not going to ask them to do something I wouldn’t do.”
He could feel her grin against his chest.
“Since we’re here, we should probably actually hash out some details.”
“We have a prenup; we’re going to honeymoon in space; you’ve named a chocolate bar after me that’s ruby cacao, honey, and ginger; we haven’t made any plans beyond that; and we are going to live Happily Ever After.”
“Honeymoon in space, huh?”
“Yeah, so they can’t follow us. Doesn’t that zillionaire have a tourist rocket or something?”
He laughed. “How about Monaco?”
“Yes, how about it?” she teased.
“Have you been? Do you want to go? We could go there on our date after the wedding.”
“You can’t just take me to Monaco on our first date.”
“Why not? Who is there to tell us no?”
“It’s a pretty dream. One I’d say yes to if it comes within reach.”
“I’m offering it to you now,” he said. “Say yes.”
“Let’s make a deal. If nothing bad happens to you between now and our wedding, I’ll go with you to Monaco. I’ll go with you anywhere you want me to.”
“Why do you think something bad is going to happen to me?”
“I guess I keep waiting for the other to drop. You know, like we fell through the floor? Although, the godmothers told me that the cherry tree was actually a good thing. The part where you got whomped in the face was a legit accident, but I don’t know.”
“I’m not worried about it. It was just a cherry.”
“I don’t want to leave this room. I want to stay here and sleep for three days, eat room service, and soak in that ridiculous hot tub.”
“We can do that, but after the press junket. Remember, the whole reason we agreed to this was to help the godmothers and Ever After.”
“I know. It feels like I’ve aged a century in the last few days. It’s weird how you can look back at a version of yourself that wasn’t even that long ago and think of her as a sweet summer child, you know?”<
br />
He knew exactly what she meant.
“When was the last time you did something that you truly loved?” Ransom asked her.
“What do you mean? Like . . . painting? Or?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Just something for the pure joy of doing it. Not for any specified outcome.”
“I don’t know. I love painting, but I haven’t been really moved to create for a long time. I wanted to paint Grammy. There’s something so pure and powerful about her. She’s elemental and beautiful.”
“Me too.”
“What, really? You want to paint Grammy?”
He grinned. “Totally. Who wouldn’t?” Then his expression grew serious. “I love Heart’s Desire. I thought it was my heart’s desire to make chocolate. Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of what I’ve built, but I don’t have the same passion for it as I did when I first started. I mean, I was in a garage with a heat lamp and cacao beans like Jack and the Chocolate Stalk. All my friends made fun of me for spending my last few dollars on beans, but here I am.” Ransom shook his head. “That was how I met Roderick, actually. He believed in me.”
“That’s important. The person who was with you before you had anything, who believed in your dream as much as you did. That matters.”
“Yeah, that’s why I pay him a lot of damn money. That, and he worked just as hard as I did to help me build the company.”
“I don’t think he much cares for me,” Lucky said.
“He doesn’t know you. He’s just protective. The same way Gwen is protective of you,” Ransom replied.
The sun had gotten higher in the sky, and the light that shone in was warm and bright.
“So much for sleep,” Lucky said as she blinked. “It’ll be a miracle and a half if I make it through this.”
“I think the godmothers are sending someone to help you with your makeup.”
“I’m pretty sure my wedding dress would fit in these bags under my eyes.”
“You’re right about that,” Ransom couldn’t help but agree.
She slapped his arm. “Jerk.”
He remembered what Steven had said to Brittany and decided to try it. “No, you.”
“What are we, twelve?”
He took a deep breath. “I was worried about you last night.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I was just trying to wrap my head around all of this.”
“Thanks for not being too pissed at me for not telling you.”
“I told the godmothers I admired that you kept your word and I value that in a person. I just hated that it was me who got left out in the dark, alone. It feels like everyone knows but me.”
“Gwen doesn’t know. The kids suspect, I think.”
“Roderick knows?”
“Ish.”
“Knows-ish? What does that mean?”
“I told him when Bluebonnet came to bribe me with cookies to marry you.”
“You accepted a bribe? I’m so shocked.” She laughed. “Wait, why was it okay to tell Roderick but not me?”
“The godmothers made me promise specifically.”
She exhaled and wilted, her slight weight resting more fully against him. Ransom felt as if he’d been entrusted with something delicate and precious. Infinitely breakable. Even though he knew Lucky was stronger than that. She wasn’t breakable at all. In fact, she had to be one of the strongest people he knew.
“We should get moving. Especially if we want to eat before hair and makeup get here. Luckily, that will just be Petty and magic wand, but still.”
“I need some protein. If I never eat another pastry . . .”
“Don’t lie to yourself, my girl. If a cart bearing any kind of pastry came rolling through those doors right now, you’d still cram them in your face.”
“Just the thought,” she began. “Wait, no. You’re right. I’m a glutton for punishment, I guess.”
“Me too,” he agreed, and rolled over to press her down onto the bed.
“You’re actually insane.” She laughed. “Did you forget the part where you said no strings?”
“Did you forget the part where you told me you wanted strings?” He brushed her hair out of her face and rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. “So precious.”
“There aren’t any cherry trees here.”
Ransom pretended to look around. “Hmm. Nope, I don’t see any leeches, but there might be some in the bathtub.”
“No feral hogs.”
“I’ve actually checked for wasps’ nests, so I think we’re safe on that count.”
“The one thing we haven’t checked for is tornados, but I don’t think Ever After gets those,” Lucky said.
“We could always fall through the floor. I wonder where we’d end up? Would it be one of the ballrooms? On the prince’s head? Oh, that’s what would happen. We’d fall straight through the floor and land on the prince, just like the house on the Wicked Witch.”
“That’s not funny.” Except Lucky giggled.
“Perhaps just a kiss?”
“Okay. Just a kiss, but remember, if you get explosive diarrhea at the junket or something, you brought it on yourself.”
“I hadn’t even thought of that. I better not kiss you. Just in case.” He pulled back from her and rolled his eyes.
“Or projectile vomiting,” she added helpfully.
“What else?” he asked. “Get it all out.”
“I don’t know. Scabies. That could happen.” Lucky grinned.
“Shh. I’m going to kiss you now. For Luck.” He dipped his lips to hers and she tasted like cinnamon and vanilla. All things good and safe.
She tasted like home.
If the whole goddamn castle fell down around their ears at this moment, it wouldn’t matter. Cherries the size of planets could be barreling toward him and he didn’t have a single, solitary, flying shit of a damn to give about it.
She reached up to cup his face. “Oh, Ransom. Why is it like this between us?”
“Maybe the godmothers were right. Maybe we’re meant to be.”
“Kiss me again before there’s an earthquake or something.”
He obliged her, kissing Lucky like there was no tomorrow.
Like there was no trio of fairy godmothers barging through the door to get them stuffed into the roles they were supposed to play.
“Rise and shine, my little dumplings!” Jonquil called out as they fluttered inside the room, fairy wings out and proud.
“Why, you slugabeds, you should’ve—” Bluebonnet gasped. “Sisters, I think they’re busy.”
“You know,” Ransom drawled. “For all of the matchmaking and shoving us together, I would think you’d have thought to knock.”
Petty cleared her throat. “Well, it was obvious we were getting nowhere, so we gave up.”
“That is the worst lie you’ve ever told, Godmother,” Ransom admonished.
Petty tittered. “It’s a whopper, I’ll give you that. Although, it’s nowhere near the worst.”
“Oh, really?” Lucky sat up. “I need to hear this story.”
“After we’ve got you ready.” Petty peered at Lucky. “Land sakes, child. Did you get any sleep last night?”
“No, not a wink,” Lucky confessed.
“You awful man.” Jonquil tapped Ransom on the shoulder with her wand. “You knew you both had to be up early.”
“Me? I didn’t do anything. I was asleep.”
“A likely story,” Bluebonnet teased.
“Don’t you have a potion or something that can give me eight hours of sleep in an eight-ounce jar?”
“Hmm. Intriguing idea, but no.” Petty wriggled her nose and her spectacles bounced around for a moment before settling in their proper place. “I think I might have a makeup charm that should do the trick. At least until after the junket.”
“Now, don’t be nervous, but the Once Upon a Time Ballroom is quite packed with press,” Bluebonnet warned. “They’ve all been given refreshments that have been gra
ced with a little extra something to make them amenable.”
“That was kind of you, Bon-Bon,” Ransom said.
“We shall assume that you’ve already seen some of the headlines,” Jonquil said, stoic.
“I have and I’ve put it out of my mind.”
“What? What press?” Lucky asked.
“Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter. We’ve got to get ready,” Ransom said.
“No, is this about the thing from uni?” Lucky demanded. She didn’t wait for an answer before continuing. “I swear by the sky above and the earth below if just one of them says anything about that I’m going to . . . going to . . .”
Ransom could tell Lucky was about to pop like an overfed tick.
“Going to what, dear? Let it out here, instead of all over them. If you want to have a tantrum, it’s fine,” Bluebonnet encouraged.
“I’m going to hug each and every one of them as long as they can stand it. I’ll rub my bad luck all over them like the stench of an unwashed turtle tank. They. Will. Pay.”
“Lucky, it’s not that serious,” Ransom reassured her.
Except for him, it actually was. This was the gauntlet he was afraid to face, but he didn’t want her to know that. He didn’t want her to know how bad this name still cut him. He knew she’d feel badly, she’d take the blame and the guilt onto her own shoulders, and Ransom knew there was no one to blame.
What had happened between them and the fallout was no one’s fault. They were naïve kids who’d yet to really experience the world or know who they were. They’d yet to learn communication skills and develop mature empathy.
It had been an unfortunate, utterly humiliating accident.
Which was honestly what he feared would happen at the junket: an unfortunate, yet still utterly humiliating accident.
Chapter 15
As they stood outside waiting for the doors to open, Ransom was sure he was going to be sick. Lucky’s joke about projectile vomiting might not have been a joke at all.
At least then he’d get a new nickname.
He’d be The Boy Who Puked. A step up?
The grown-ass, adult man who ralphed all over the . . .
Yes, he was an adult. He was a million years, a million miles, and a billion dollars away from the kid that he’d been.
A Hilarious and Charming Feel-Good Read Page 14