I’m halfway across the dance floor when someone suddenly blocks my way.
“I know you.”
He’s older, but not too much. Maybe Arkane’s age? Silver-spooned like everyone here. And handsome. But he doesn’t make my skin crawl. Arkane’s cured me of that.
“You’re that girl with Arkane.” The slur in his voice is like a barometer. I’m thinking slightly past tipsy, but not quite drunk yet.
“I attend Cornwall with Icelle.”
“Whoa, whoa.” He starts laughing and looks at me in amazement. “This is rich. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a girl deny being with Arkane. Are you in your right mind?”
“Are you?”
The words are out before I even realize what I’m saying, but he just laughs it off. Whatever. I guess I’m finally cured of manners, too.
I’m about to walk past Mr. Almost Drunk when he suddenly cups my elbow.
“Hey, not so fast, babe—”
He whirls me around, and I’m about to knee him where it’s going to hurt most when I see it.
Arkane walking inside the ballroom.
And that blur? Everything suddenly becomes so painstakingly clear the moment I see Arkane come to a halt, his gaze narrowing when he sees me right next to the frog.
Because Mr. Almost Drunk?
That’s another thing that’s become perfectly clear. He’s not a man, but a frog, and isn’t there a story about kissing a frog to turn him back into a prince?
“If you’re not with him, then how about you and I...”
Well, this frog is just a frog, and my prince is already a prince, and I’m Tiara who doesn’t have a tiara, but that’s fine. My prince says a princess, and all that’s missing are the words—
Mr. Almost Drunk Turned Frog is pulling me closer to him, and I’m letting him.
Everything is still super, super clear because Arkane’s still not moving—
Mr. Frog lets go of my elbow and cups my chin. “Anyone told you how hot you are?”
His head starts to lower, and Arkane is slowly fading from my view.
Any moment now,I’m thinking.
Any moment now, any moment, any moment he’s going to stop this from happening.
He’s going to prove me wrong.
Prove everyone wrong.
He’s going to—
NO!
It’s only when another man’s lips touch mine that I realize—
Oh.
Oh, Mom.