He forced his features to stay straight-faced, because he knew if he so much as cracked a smile she’d walk. He’d been wrong about hearing crazy stuff—this would have to be the craziest thing he’d ever heard.
“A witch?”
“Yes.” Her face remained expressionless.
Christ, she was serious. “And this curse happens often?”
“Well, it hasn’t for a while until Liz got dumped at the altar. Going with her to your concert was a way of getting her out of the house and having fun again. By the way, she loves your band. I’d never heard of you until that night.” Her eyes grew round, and she covered her mouth. “Sorry.”
This time he laughed. “Don’t be. It explains the lack of enthusiasm.”
Jade laughed too, and he loved the sound.
“You don’t really believe in this curse, do you?” Nate asked.
He must have looked skeptical, because Jade’s laughter died. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me, no one does.”
“Not that I don’t believe you…” He sure as hell didn’t, but he was keeping his mouth shut about his opinion. “It’s just not something you hear every day. Is there any way you can break it?”
With a stiff expression, she blew out a long breath. “If there was, we would have broken it by now.”
“I guess that was a dumb question. Sorry.”
Her features softened. “No, I’m sorry. I should know by now to keep this to myself.”
God, how many people did she tell this story to? “I’ll be honest, witches and curses are up there with Santa and the Easter Bunny. I don’t believe in them, but you do, so I’m not going to judge.”
“You don’t believe in Santa?” She gave him a playful grin.
“Many people believe in unusual things.” He had a mate who swore he’d seen Bigfoot. But he’d been drunk at the time. “You don’t think this will happen to you, do you?” he asked.
“It will, I’m a Brennan.” She looked at him as if he were an idiot after she’d explained it to him.
“What have you tried to break it?”
She gave him a blank look. “Tried?”
“Yeah, like…burning incense or dancing naked under a full moon.” That he’d love to see. Her alabaster skin glowing in the moonlight and her red hair falling in waves down her back. “Or it could be like those fairy tales where Prince Charming kisses the princess and breaks the evil witch’s curse.”
“And who’s the lucky prince who will kiss me so we can live happily ever after? You?”
Backing up, he nearly fell off his chair. She slid off the stool. This time he didn’t stop her. Something in her boiling expression told him he might get slapped if he tried.
“No, I didn’t think so. I’ll let you know when we’re ready to start the lessons.” With that, she stormed out of the pub.
Dammit, he’d pissed her off again. And boy did she look sexy as hell.
Chapter 6
The next morning, while the children played during recess, Jade was setting up the classroom for art. She banged tubes of paint on the desks as she rehashed Nate’s reaction about her beliefs on the family curse.
It shouldn’t surprise her that another person thought she’d lost her mind. She’d been laughed at and teased by family and friends but never let it bother her like this. So why did it feel like a kick in the gut when he looked at her with amusement in his eyes?
Another paint tube slammed the desk. Maybe she was just over being ridiculed, and he was the last straw.
“What has the poor paint done to you to deserve such abuse?”
Whipping around, Jade found Toby standing in the doorway.
