Page 36 of Grumpy Darling

Despite the many pep talks I gave myself on the way to the party, I was undeniably anxious by the time we arrived. The pressure of trying to land my first kiss was making me jittery, and it didn’t help that the weather started turning on the way here. It felt like a storm was brewing and I seriously hoped I was wrong. I’d hated storms ever since I was little, when lightning struck a tree outside my house while I was sleeping. A branch had cracked and come crashing in through my bedroom window. Now, whenever a storm rolled in, it felt as though it was bringing something ominous with it.

I took a deep breath and reminded myself, although the clouds looked dark, there was only a little wind and light rain. That didn’t mean there would be thunder and lightning too. This wasn’t a bad omen, and it didn’t mean tonight wasn’t going to go well.

I smoothed a hand over my outfit as I glanced around the living room. The party hadn’t been going long, but already Matt’s house was packed. People were pressed up against one another as they danced to the pumping music that filled the room, and I struggled to imagine Damien and I doing the same thing. Was this really the place I’d experience my first kiss? It certainly wasn’t romantic. I wasn’t even sure if it was appealing.

“Is everything okay?” Bonnie asked.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.”

She waited for me to explain.

“What if I don’t click with Damien? What if I decide he’s not the guy I want to kiss tonight? What if I do, but he doesn’t want me?” It was the last question I feared the most.

“If he doesn’t want you, then he’s an idiot.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Of course.” She smiled. “But, if by some shocking stroke of bad luck I’m wrong, or you change your mind, then we’ll find another guy. He can’t be the only person in town you could possibly kiss.”

“I think he might be,” I grumbled. “And I don’t want to literally go all the way to Antarctica.”

“Me neither.” She laughed. “Just stick to our plan and see what happens. If there’s a problem, we’ll figure out a Plan B. Maybe we’ll give spin the bottle another crack.”

I cringed at the thought.

“For now,” Bonnie continued, “let’s just think positively, yeah?”

“You’re right.” I released a breath. “The nerves are just getting to me.”

She reached out and squeezed my arm. “It’s going to be okay, Paige.”

It was easy enough for her to say—she already had kissing experience. Still, I returned my attention to the party and tried to get my head in the game. I had a mission tonight, and there was no chance I’d succeed if I kept freaking out like this.

“Can you see Damien anywhere?”

Bonnie gave a cursory glance around the room and shrugged. “He’s probably out back with the other hockey players.”

I nodded in agreement. Gray, Reed, and all the other guys on the hockey team usually hung out in Matt’s rec room during his parties. Damien already appeared to be getting on with his new teammates pretty well, and had been sitting with the other players at lunch all week.

“Let’s go get him.” Bonnie reached for my hand, but I hesitated to take it.

“You don’t think it’s too early in the night to try to kiss him?”

“I don’t know, but I’m certain it’s not going to happen if you two are in different rooms.”

“Okay. I guess we could at least do some recon.”

She grinned as I placed my hand in hers and allowed her to lead me out back. But as we passed the kitchen, Bonnie stopped in her tracks and nodded through the doorway. There were only a few people in there, and I immediately spotted Damien. My stomach dipped at the sight of him. As I watched him talk to Elliot, I realized everything about Damien stood out. His height, his good looks; even his clothes were far too nice for a Ransom High party. His knitted sweater and khakis wouldn’t have looked out of place in a menswear catalog.

Even when we were kids, Damien was always popular and good-looking, and staring at him now, I struggled to spot a single fault. He was flawless—almost to the point where it was a little hard to believe he was real. His hair fell in idyllic waves, his teeth were sparkling white, and his cheekbones gave his features a striking edge. He was too good to be true, and I wondered if kissing him would feel the same. Surely he couldn’t be gorgeous, talented,anda good kisser.

“There just has to be something wrong with him,” I murmured before glancing at Bonnie. “Don’t you think?”

“I think it sounds like you’re trying to psych yourself out again.”

Grayson wasn’t around to sabotage my chances now, but apparently, I was doing a great job of it all by myself. I tried my best to push my fears aside. “Okay, so, what am I supposed to do again?”

“Just go talk to him. Flirt a little.”

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