Page 34 of Wallflower in Bloom

As she registered the voice was Jack’s, her feet slid backward.

Toward the pond.

Oh no, no, no.

Swinging her arms as she flailed backward in front of the hottest man she’d ever met, she considered how unfair and ridiculous her life was.

The discombobulating smack of the cold pond water hit her all at once, and shock flooded her system. She levered herself to the top of the cold, slimy water and gasped for breath.

“What are you doing?” she screeched, splashing water at him. She was soaked, and, ugh, something touched her leg. She peered back at the bank and saw a blob-shaped figure crouching down.

Oh, god, her glasses; they’d fallen off. The pond was seven feet deep, so there was no hope of getting them tonight. The world was a blur without them.

“I am so, so sorry.” He was clearly trying not to laugh. “I didn’t realize you startled so easily.”

“Are you—” She shoved at her thick hair draped around her face and swiped pond scum away. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Oh no, darling, I’m laughing with you. You look enchanting, like a secret mermaid in there. Can you get out?”

Her stomach clenched at being called enchanting. It took some sting out of looking ridiculous.

Violet swam back to the steep edge where she’d fallen in. “Umm, maybe.” She was glad it was dark, so he couldn’t see how red her face was.

She thrashed, unwrapping some pond plant from her arm, trying to get her bearings. She found a small foothold and peered up at the white blob that must be Jack, knowing he had a gorgeous smirk on his face.

“I lost my glasses and can’t see a way out. Give me a hand?”

“Sorry, Parker. Guess you’ll get used to frogs for company,” he said with a teasing lilt in his voice, already leaning down with an extended hand to pull her up. “Here, grab on.”

Her foot found a solid rock to step on, and she grabbed his arm, pushing herself up with a hand on the muddy ground.

She hauled herself out of the water with all the grace of a drunken sea cow, but by god, she wouldn’t embarrass herself by being stuck in the muck.

She stood up, dripping from head to toe.

“Next time, warn a girl before you sneak up behind her in the dark.” Rivulets of water ran off her thick long hair as she wrung water out of it. She wiggled her leg to fling off a pond plant that had wrapped itself around her.

She looked back at Jack as she wiped her face. “What, no smart remark?”

“Oh, sorry.” He shook his head. “You…I, um.” He pointed to her and then looked away.

And that’s when it hit her: she went out for a stroll in the light of the full moon without a bra.

She’d been standing for a full minute in white, now transparent clothes, with very little underwear on.

Chapter

Eight

VIOLET

Violet quickly put her arms over her chest.

Crap on a crap-flavored stick.

She was glad she couldn’t see Jack’s face and his horrified look at her lack of clothing.

Change the subject. Distract.

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