Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
chapter 1
chapter 2
chapter 3
chapter 4
chapter 5
chapter 6
chapter 7
chapter 8
charter 9
charter 10
chapter 11
chapter 12
chapter 13
chapter 14
chapter 15
chapter 16
chapter 17
chapter 18
chapter 19
chapter 20
chapter 21
chapter 22
chapter 23
chapter 24
chapter 25
chapter 26
chapter 27
chapter 28
chapter 29
chapter 30
chapter 31
chapter 32
chapter 33
chapter 34
chapter 35
chapter 36
chapter 37
chapter 38
chapter 39
chapter 40
chapter 41
chapter 42
chapter 43
chapter 44
chapter 45
chapter 46
GROSSET & DUNLAP
Published by the Penguin Group
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To Marilyn L. Petroff,
a role model, a support system,
a confidante, a friend,
and most importantly—
the best mother I could ever ask for.
I love you.
A lot of people helped me make this series a reality, and I owe them all a big thanks:
Jodi Reamer, agent extraordinaire, for being there for me.
Judy Goldschmidt for being such an awesome editor. I know my writing has
grown because of you.
Francesco Sedita for all of his amazing support and help, along with Bonnie
Bader, Allison Verost, Lana Jacobs, Sarah Stern, Meagan Bennett, Alaina
Wong, RasShahn Johnson-Baker, and everyone at Penguin who worked on
this book. I appreciate everything you’ve done.
J. David McKenney for another incredible cover illustration.
My talented co-workers for backing me—and in some cases going to bat for
me. It means a lot!
Micol, Darci, Anna, Jocelyn, Joanne, and Yvette—who knew taking a class
would change my life so much and give me friends for life?
All the wonderful people I’ve met through this journey—including authors,
readers, booksellers, and librarians. You’ve made it truly memorable.
My friends for their encouragement and support. You’re a fabulous bunch.
Jordan, Andrea, and all of my incredible family for believing in me, being a
sounding board, and my very own cheering squad. They say you can’t pick
your family, but if I could—there’s no question that I would stick with you
guys! You’re the best.
And my father who always had a book in his hand and made me fall in love
with reading. You will forever live in my heart.
Thank you all!
chapter 1
I unintentionally declared my undying love for him. IN WRITING.
AND. HE. SAW. IT.
I’m talking about Cole Daniels.
My crush. My brand-new boyfriend. My first kiss. Well, sort of. I mean, the kiss happened, and it was one hundred and fifty-eight percent the best thing in the entire world. Only, Cole doesn’t remember it, and not because it wasn’t memorable. At least, I hope that’s not why. It’s just that I accidentally caused a chain of events that resulted in utter chaos and me going back in time to undo everything—even the greatest kiss ever.
Just one of the nasty hazards of being the devil’s daughter and inheriting whacked out powers that I can’t control.
That’s right. I’m heir to the underworld. I only recently found out—on my thirteenth birthday to be exact. But that isn’t important now. What’s important now is that COLE THINKS I’M A BOY CRAZY NUTCASE WHO IS COMPLETELY OBSESSED WITH HIM! And I don’t blame him.
It started off innocently enough. We were hanging out at his place. He invited me over for pizza and to watch the new Mara’s Daughters video. They’re our absolute favorite band. We started talking about how Vale, the lead singer, pulled me up onstage when they played here in Goode, Pennsylvania, not too long ago. Lou Cipher, aka Lucifer, aka my dad, set it up. Of course, I didn’t share that part with Cole.
“I still can’t believe you got to sing with them,” Cole had said. I used to be nervous that my connection to the band was the only reason he wanted to hang out with me, but it turned out he actually liked my quirkiness and even seemed to think I was cute. That was a major relief.
“Yeah, it was pretty cool,” I agreed. Although, not nearly as cool as sitting on the couch next to him. We were so close, our legs were almost touching. It made it hard to think. I wanted to say something to make him realize how great and irresistible I was, but my mind was stuck on pause. That happens a lot around Cole.
“You even remembered all the words,” he said.
“But I probably broke a few eardrums in the process.” I wasn’t exactly American Idol material. Unless you counted the rejects.
Cole laughed. It seemed I made him do that quite a bit. “No, you were really good.”
The compliment made me feel shy.
“So . . .” he said, rubbing his hands on his jeans to get rid of all the pizza dust.
“So?” I repeated like a parrot.
Cole didn’t answer. Instead he turned his attention to the Phillies game on TV. Not what I had been hoping for. Then without any warning, he just reached over and grabbe
d my hand. “I’m glad you came over,” he said. “I like hanging out with you.”
I was in a state of semi-shock, but somehow I managed to nod in agreement. Not that Cole would have noticed. He was still staring at the television. I glanced from him, to our intertwined hands, then back to him.
But as soon as he looked back at me, my eyes instantly shifted downward. I don’t know why. I think maybe I was afraid I was going to internally combust from the awesomeness of it all. When I finally got the courage to pick my eyes back up, Cole was still looking at me.
This was it! He was going to kiss me. Finally! (Or . . . Again! Depending on how you look at it.) All the waiting was going to pay off. Except . . .
Suddenly I was overcome with paranoia that I had spinach stuck in my teeth. It’s been known to happen—one of the hazards of ordering veggie pizza. I knew I should have gone with my old standby—pineapple.
“I’ll be right back,” I said to Cole, then rushed to the bathroom. Good thing I did because I may have been Angel Garrett on the outside, but between my two front teeth I was all Popeye the Sailor Man.
I took the matchbook sitting in a tiny little tray on top of the toilet tank (you know what it’s there for, I know what it’s there for, we all know what it’s there for, so I hope it’s okay if we leave it at that) and used the corner of it to yank out the offending piece of spinach. Then I took one last glance at myself in the mirror and gave myself clearance to be kissed. “Cue the fireworks,” I said to myself. Cliché I know, but also accurate. I really did see imaginary fireworks that first time around.
I slid back onto the couch and picked up Cole’s hand (in case he needed to be reminded where we left off). My breath got caught in my chest as his head moved toward mine. This was going to be the most perfect kiss in the history of perfect kisses. Cole Daniels plus Angel Garrett—true love forever!!!
Just as our lips were about to touch, there was a loud, booming explosion, then another one, and another one. They were coming from right outside. I let out a scream and practically threw myself onto Cole’s lap. I looked to him for answers, but his eyes were glued to the window.
“What?” I asked and turned to follow his gaze.
“Come on.” He ran out the side door and into the backyard with me trailing behind.
Oh my God.
“Where are they coming from?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper. “Do you see these fireworks?”
And he didn’t mean some invisible spark between the two of us. He meant real, honest to goodness fireworks. They were going off right over his swimming pool. Only about ten feet above our heads.
This had me written all over it. Literally. Because they weren’t ordinary fireworks. They formed a heart shape with CD + AG. TLF! inside. And the heart was just frozen in midair.
This could not have been happening. Only it was. Whenever my emotions go into overdrive, my powers go bananas. Not that I can blame myself entirely. How’s a girl supposed to stay calm and collected when the cutest boy in the whole eighth grade is about to kiss her?
“Stop the fireworks,” I mumbled, hoping my powers would obey. “What?’ Cole asked me.
“Nothing,” I answered. “Just that it looks like the FIREWORKS ARE OVER.” I semi-screamed the last few words. I don’t know if that’s what did it or not, but my powers kicked back in and the sparkles turned into smoke and faded away.
Cole looked shell-shocked. “They went off out of nowhere,” he said, putting his hand through his dark wavy hair.
“That’s impossible. It was probably just a neighbor setting them off.”
Cole shook his head. “We’re the only ones out here. And they went off right in my yard. Plus how do you explain the heart with our—”
“What heart? There was no heart. It was your imagination,” I said, trying hard to sound calm. “You didn’t see a heart. It was just a random design.”
He shook his head. “I know what I saw. You had to have seen it.” Man, he could be stubborn.
“You probably just dreamed it all up in your head. Like when people look at the clouds, and see what they want to see,” I said. “Maybe you just wanted to see our initials up there.”
That got him to shut up.
For one second.
“If it was only my imagination, then how did you know our initials were up there?” Leave it to me to pick someone cute and smart.
“Because you told me,” I lied. My nerves were making it hard to keep my thoughts straight.
“No, I didn’t,” he insisted. “I was going to, but you cut me off.”
“Cole, this is crazy,” I squawked. “You’re confused. I’d know if I saw our initials pop up somewhere.”
So the wrong thing to say. Because no sooner did the words leave my lips, than did our initials appear again. Just like that. Only this time they were engraved in a tree about four feet from where we were standing. Fortunately, Cole had his back to it. But the sight of my jaw dropping to my ankles caused him to turn, leaving me with no choice but to push him in the pool.
That’s right. I pushed him into the pool. With both hands, I shoved the guy of my dreams, fully clothed, into freezing cold water.
I didn’t wait to hear his response. I booked it to the tree. I had to make our initials say something else before he saw it. The question was: How? It wasn’t like I carried around a knife, so I clawed at it with my fingernails. It didn’t work. Our initials were still there bigger than life.
“What did you do that for?” Cole asked approaching me. He was sopping wet. I felt bad. It was definitely not the right weather for swimming. I hoped he didn’t catch a cold. But I couldn’t worry about that. There were bigger issues. Like the fact that he was going to see the initials in the tree and know I put them there!
I lunged at the tree, wrapping both arms around it in a big bear hug. My body was the only thing shielding me from ultimate humiliation.
There was no way I was letting him see what was written. It would be horrific.
No. Way worse that that. Horrendously horrific. Horrendously, horrifyingly horrific to the ninety-eighth degree. And then some.
“Well?” Cole asked again.
“I thought I saw someone, and I got spooked. Maybe it was the guy who set off the fireworks.”
He didn’t seem to be buying it.
“I didn’t mean to push you that hard. It was supposed to be a tap to tell you to look and see if you saw him, too, but I guess the tap may have been more of a shove. I’m sorry,” I said, adding one more lie to the rest that tumbled out of my mouth at turbo speed.
Cole just stared at me without uttering a word. I needed him to say something.
He finally did. “Why are you wrapped around the tree?”
Not that though. It was better when he was silent.
“Um. I’m still spooked?” I asked more than stated.
He looked around the yard. “There’s no one here.”
“Okay,” I said. But I still couldn’t let go. Not without him seeing what was written there and thinking I did it. Then he’d probably figure I was behind the fireworks, too.
“Come on,” he said, gesturing for me to follow.
“That’s okay,” I responded. “I’m fine right here.”
He didn’t seem to know what to say, but that made two of us. “Why don’t we go back inside,” he suggested.
I was at a loss. Which was worse? Having Cole think I was some freaky tree-hugger who wouldn’t separate herself from the wildlife in his backyard or an obsessed girl who vandalized his property and hired someone to set off fireworks to declare my love for him. It was no contest. I was staying put. “You can go. I’m just going to stay here a little longer.”
Cole moved closer to me. “There’s no one here. You don’t need to be afraid.”
If it hadn’t been such a traumatic scenario, I would have thought it was sweet that he was trying to comfort me. But at that moment, I just needed him to leave. “I’m not afraid. I just like the tree. Yo
u can go.” Did those words really come out of my mouth? I like the tree?!
“Angel,” he said, while trying to pull me from around the trunk, “It’s all right. Now just—” His words stopped short. The pulling caused me to shift leaving part of our initials exposed. “What’s that?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“What are you covering up?” He sure was stubborn.
I wanted to seep into the floor and disappear never to be seen again. “You know what? You were right,” I said, trying to lure him away from the tree. “There’s nobody or anything around here. Let’s go inside.” I grabbed onto Cole’s hand and tried to pull him away before he got a good look.
But no, all he seemed to care about was inspecting the secret message I encoded on the bark. “Does that say—”
“NO,” I screamed. “Totally nothing to see there. How about a soda? I’m really thirsty.”
But he ignored me and my lame diversion and moved in to inspect my engraved declaration. “Did you do this?” Cole asked.
“No. Yes. I don’t know.” How was I supposed to answer that? He knew perfectly well that he didn’t do it. So that only left me. But I didn’t want to own up to something so embarrassing. We only went out once. Leaving that kind of love message made me look crazy.
Cole stared at me, and I stared at my feet.
“My God,” he said. “Did you set up the fireworks, too?”
I didn’t want to tell him, but God had nothing to do with it.
“You did, didn’t you?” he asked, like he was putting together the pieces of a bizarre, twisted jigsaw puzzle starring yours truly.
I could feel his eyes on me. Only not like before in the I-want-to-kiss-you way. This was more the I-think-you-may-have-escaped-from-the-loony-bin way. He probably thought of me as some obsessive, scary, stalker girl who deserved to be the lead freakazoid in a horror movie.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Dress Page 1