Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon

Author:Sandhya Menon [Menon, Sandhya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: 2020-02-18T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

The ski lift ride up was magical. The air was crisp and clear and cold like a piece of dark crystal. As they rose higher and higher, Jaya’s breath caught at the sight below them—the stone lodge was lit up in a thousand twinkling lights, the giant fountain in the courtyard staggering under a heavy blanket of snow. Ice crystals glittered in all the tree branches, like strands of diamonds.

“Wow,” she breathed, forgetting for a moment who she was with. “Winter here really is enchanting, isn’t it?”

Grey grunted in response.

The ski lift arrived at the top, and they both took their turns stepping off. Grey held his hand out to Jaya so she wouldn’t fall. She looked at it in surprise for a moment, then took it and laughed. “God, this is a lot harder than it looks.”

He glanced away, his face a cloud of turmoil at the conversation that lay ahead.

They moved out of the way of the other skiers on the lift, and Jaya realized they were still holding hands. They both wore thick gloves, but she swore she could feel his body heat seeping through. Grey seemed to realize what they were doing at the same time she did, and he pulled his hand from hers as if it were on fire.

“So,” Jaya said, attempting to lighten the mood a bit. Maybe if she seemed approachable, it’d be easier for him to tell her what, exactly, was going on with him. “Are you a fellow bunny-slope skier, or do you like the black diamond stuff?”

“Bunny slope’s fine.” He turned to her, his ski goggles pushed up on his head, his expression a smidgeon more open. “Thanks for doing this. Skiing, giving me time.” He paused. “Not getting me expelled.”

“It’s obvious there’s something really bothering you, Grey,” Jaya said. “And no, it’s not okay that you were going through my things, looking for my pendant. But right now I’m more interested in what you’re hiding. Because whatever it is, it looks like it’s making you ill.” She stopped, a little amazed at this burst of honesty from herself. There was something about the way he was looking at her, though, that called for it. As if he was so tired of hiding whatever it was he was hiding. As if he was on the precipice of telling the truth, if simply to unburden himself. It was a sentiment Jaya found herself identifying with. Subterfuge hadn’t been nearly as easy on her conscience as she’d hoped.

Grey paled slightly at her words, then slid his ski goggles on. “Let’s ski,” he said quietly.

Jaya nodded and slid her own goggles on. She was so close to answers, she could taste them on the air like snow.

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