Forever Cursed (The Forever Series)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Chrissy

“ I ’m cursed to be single forever,” I groan as I lie on a beach towel beside Gwen.

I dig my left hand in the sand, warmed by the sun, and the ocean’s waves crash like a harmony. I’ve always loved the beach. When we were kids, Mom and Dad would pack the car with food and beach toys, and we would spend the entire day lounging in the sand.

“You? Cursed? That’s not possible,” Gwen states as a fact.

I glance over at her. She sits under the umbrella, wearing a linen swimsuit cover-up and sunglasses, engrossed in a newly released book by her favorite author. I asked her what it was about, and she got all giddy. Her day was made, and she went on and on, talking about romance and magic. I don’t read many books, but I may have to borrow that one when she’s done.

Pursing my lips, I say, “I’m cursed and lonely—two things you know nothing about.”

Right on cue, Ash jogs over, falls to his knees, and kisses Gwen as if his life depends on it.

“I take it back. I’m cursed to be lonely forever and constantly on the verge of throwing up.”

I adore Gwen and Ash—I really do—but I would be lying if I said I didn’t get a pang of jealousy now and then. I would kill to have someone look at me the way Ash looks at her. After everything they’ve been through, they deserve all the happiness in the world. That doesn’t mean I can’t loathe them for it every now and then. I know I’ll never have what they have. I’ll never find love that deep and real. My parents and them have something rare and almost unobtainable. I hope they know that.

“Whatcha girls talking about?” Ash asks with a hint of a smile.

“Chrissy thinks she’s cursed,” Gwen offers.

“Chrissy? Cursed? That’s not possible.”

“Watch it, Waylen.” I point up at him from my spot in the sand. “I’m cursed and doomed. And I’ll drag you both into the abyss with me.”

“Dude, you ditched me!” His voice arrives before he does. Not long after, Zack—my twin—peers down at me with a grin of amusement.

“Hey, Chrissy. Are you okay? You look like you’ve been cursed.”

I lunge upward to unleash my building attitude on him, but he runs away, barking out a laugh.

“I know where you live!” I shout after him, and he chuckles in response.

“Who cursed you?” Ash asks in that damn sweet tone of his.

I hunch over, my pout obvious as I stare at the endless ocean horizon.

“I did.” I can’t hide the whine in my tone.

“Why?”

“I let Miles go... again, and now I’m all alone.” I peer over at Gwen, and she offers me a reassuring smile.

“You did the right thing; you know that.”

And she’s right. Miles and I weren’t meant to be long term. I couldn’t see myself walking down the aisle to him, marrying him, having his children. Miles is a great guy, and he deserves someone who will love him until the end of time.

“I know . . .” I mumble to myself.

Ash’s phone rings, drawing our attention as he retrieves it from Gwen’s bag.

“Hey, are you here?” Ash asks, standing up.

Gwen and I look at one another, confusion warping our expressions. “Who is he talking to?” we mouth at the same time.

Not long after Ash answers his phone, he whirls around with a bright smile.

“I’ll be right back. Rome is here.”

I’m so glad I’m wearing sunglasses because my eyes grow to the size of Florida oranges. Ash jogs down the beach, slipping in the sand.

Gwen smirks knowingly, her tongue poking the inside of her cheek. “Oh, this is about to be the best birthday ever,” she chirps.

I can’t pick my jaw up from the beach towel I’m sitting on. Rome and I are friends .

Friends who have cute nicknames for one another, like Bubbles and Sir Eats A Lot. I admitted my complex feelings toward him to Gwen last winter. Five months later, nothing has changed.

Since summer break started, I haven’t seen much of Rome because he’s always training or working out. Being one of the best wide receivers in the region is a tough title to keep up with, but he does it with a smile on his face and abs made of steel.

Anticipation churns my stomach into a nervous frenzy at the thought of seeing him. Rome has been my longest-lasting crush, which is an unusual occurrence for me. I think I have undiagnosed ADHD because my interest flips from one guy to another like there’s no tomorrow. The fact that Rome has secured himself in the depths of my mind is both impressive and terrifying.

“Is it possible he got more jacked since the last time we saw him?” Gwen asks, and my head snaps to the right.

“What? Where? I don’t see him,” I whisper as I crawl closer to Gwen for a better look.

“Gotcha,” she snickers.

“Gwen Roman, you daughter of a bitch!” Our combined laughter fills the air as our hands collide. “You’re going to pay for that, missy.”

“No way, bubbles!” Gwen chuckles as she topples on her back, still holding me back with her hands.

With my knees deep in the sand, a wide smile stretches across my face, causing my cheeks to ache.

“I was only gone for five minutes.” Ash’s voice brings me to a sudden stop. Gwen’s eyes widen just as mine do. If Ash is here, that means that Rome is?—

“Happy birthday!” Rome cheers.

“Okay, Chrissy, get off the birthday girl.” Zack wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me off Gwen.

“She started it!” I tattle as he places me back on my beach towel; quickly discovering that Rome got Gwen a gift, and my heart melts.

“Thank you, Rome.” Gwen’s heart must also be a puddle because her tone is sweet and starstruck.

My eyes linger on Rome as she opens her gift. The first thing I notice is that he cut his hair. The last time I saw him, it was pulled back in a ponytail, nearly the same length as Gwen’s shoulder-length waves. Now, it’s short and neatly slicked back with a bit of height. He’s wearing a white muscle tee with tropical green swim trunks. The sun casts a warm glow over him, accentuating the contours of his body.

Gwen’s squeal frees me from my trance. When I look at her, she’s flipping through a book. “How did you know?!”

“I’m an excellent gift giver.” Rome beams.

“He’s stealing my thunder. I told him that book has been on your Tbr for months,” Zack admits.

“But who told you that?” Ash fires back.

The boys go back and forth, not allowing anyone to steal the other’s spotlight. Gwen and I glance at one another. This has been our life since Ash sat next to her in biochem. It’s new, but at the same time, it’s normal. Ash and Rome fit into our circle so easily. It’s like they were always meant to be there.

“Well, no one beats what I got her.” Ash grins as he pulls on his invisible suspenders.

Gwen’s eyes bug out in response. As Ash opens his mouth, she tosses a beach towel over his head.

“Shut up, Waylen!”

“I don’t want to know. La, la, la, la! I can’t hear you!” Zack covers his ears as Ash struggles to untangle the towel from his face.

“I don’t know why you boys are bothering. I won the gift exchange this year,” I say with all the pride I can muster.

“What?! What did you get her?” Ash asks as he frees himself from the beach towel.

“The special edition of that princess book she enjoys so much.”

I don’t have many great qualities, but I’m proud of my gift-giving ability. The copy Gwen has is worn, tattered, and old. I know she’ll never part with it, but she deserved a new, pretty edition. Even if all she does is look at it.

“She’s right. Chrissy won long before you guys ever stood a chance.”

“So, last night was?—”

Gwen leaps off her towel and launches herself at Ash, shutting him up instantly.

“I’m going to throw up,” Zack mutters as I fight back the reflex to gag.

“I think it’s sweet.” Rome grins as he watches the two of them smiling and laughing. “We all know Ash has been through a lot. He deserves this.” Rome gestures toward them. “It’s nice to see him smiling again.”

I thought my heart melted when Rome gave Gwen his present. It’s completely disintegrated now. I can’t fight the grin that spreads across my face.

“Hey, Chrissy.” Rome’s tone is soft, eliciting chills along my skin.

When I meet his gaze, a lump forms in my throat. He offers a half smile, his lips gently curved. His green eyes gleam with natural warmth. I don’t allow my eyes to trail over his sculpted body. I’ll lose all of my motor functions if that happens.

“Hi, Rome.” And there goes my ability to talk.

My voice lodges in my throat, and nothing I can do frees it. Rome has me in the palm of his hand, and he doesn’t even know it.

“Hi Zack, how are you? I’m great, thanks for asking,” Zack asks himself, but his words go in one ear and out the other.

It’s not until Rome breaks eye contact that I remember to fill my lungs with air.

“Zack? When did you get here?” Rome teases, and I can’t help but snicker.

Rome’s eyes flicker in my direction, my cheeks reddening in milliseconds.

“Stay away from her.” Zack’s tone drops, and I swear, Rome gulps. “She’s cursed.”

Leaping off my towel, I run at Zack, who screams like a five-year-old girl.

“You’re dead!” I shout, hurling myself on his back and rubbing my fist in his messy black hair.

“Get her off me! She might be contagious!”

Another set of hands wraps around my bare waist. Rome’s deep, husky chuckle sets my body on fire.

“Chrissy can’t be cursed; just look at her face.”

His muscles are pressed against my back, and I’d give anything to feel his chest against mine, to feel his lips, to see his eyes darken in lust.

“Drop her. She’s dangerous,” Zack orders playfully.

“Rome would never drop—” I land back on my beach towel with an oomph .

“Ash, are you coming?” Zack calls out.

Ash and Gwen return, and after giving Gwen a loving kiss, he heads down the beach with Rome and Zack.

“Are you okay?” Gwen asks with a hint of laughter.

Watching Rome strip off his tee, I shake my head. “Definitely not.”