That Second Chance (Getting Lucky #1)(56)

“To her face?” I ask, propping my hand on my chin.

“Yeah. According to Brig, she didn’t take kindly to that, so she ended up casting a curse on them, dooming them to broken love and ruined relationships.”

I let out the most unladylike snort ever.

A curse.

Okay. Good job, Port Snow gossip. You’ve taken the cake with this one.

“A curse? Really?”

“Yes.” Hailey grows even more serious. “They didn’t think it was legit at first, but once they got back, it became incredibly real.”

I take the bait. “What happened?”

Hailey looks over to Kim, who continues the story for her. “Did you know Griffin was married?”

Errrr.

Griffin was married? The revelation shocks me more than I’d like to admit.

“From the look on your face, I’m going to guess you didn’t,” Kim says. I shake my head.

Hailey steps in. “He married Claire Stewart, his high school sweetheart. They were the couple in town. So sweet and fun to be around. It was almost sickening to be around them, because their love was so real, so true, that it would make any single person jealous.”

I feel guilty talking about Griffin like this, behind his back, like I’m breaking his trust, but for the life of me, I can’t tell them to stop. I swallow hard. “What happened?” Did she leave him? Was she having an affair? Possibilities are floating through my head.

“She had a massive heart attack and died. She was only twenty-five.”

My mouth drops open, my heart breaking in half for the loss Griffin had to suffer through.

A massive heart attack at twenty-five? I can’t even imagine the kind of toll that would have taken on Griffin, the heartache he must have experienced. No wonder he’s so hesitant around me. He suffered the greatest loss of all, and so young.

Is he still hurting?

“Oh my God,” I whisper. “I can’t even imagine what that must have done to him.” Then it hits me. “Wait, does he think the curse is what killed her?”

Both Hailey and Kim nod at the same time.

“That’s ridiculous.”

They shrug and go back to their lunches as if they didn’t just drop a huge bomb in front of me—and I’m not talking about the “curse.” Griffin lost his wife; that just about kills me.

Everything makes sense now.

His sweet but tentative heart. His lingering gazes but refusal to take action.

And the other night, when he was about to kiss me but quickly backed away once thunder struck.

He’s scared, and that hurts my heart more than anything.

Kim takes a drink of her water. “It’s not ridiculous to the Knightly boys. They believe it wholeheartedly; why else wouldn’t they have significant others by now? And the town believes it, too, especially after seeing every relationship they’ve been in fail miserably. They’re the most attractive men in town, not to mention the hearts they carry in their chests. They are all-around good men, and yet they’re still single. No one will go near them.”

I shake my head. “Well, that’s stupid. Curses don’t exist. I don’t believe it for a second.”

Kim shrugs. “Okay, believe what you want, but I’m telling you right now, I would stay away. They’re bad news.”

And I’m pretty sure my new work friends are bad news too.



I spot him from across the street, sitting at a picnic table with his brothers, laughing and joking around, a big bowl of chips and dip between them. They’re outside the Lobster Landing, most likely taking a break from the rush hour crowds.

After I got out of school, where a meeting with the math department took up most of my afternoon, I knew I needed to find Griffin. Besides a few glimpses around town, I haven’t seen him in days, and after the conversation I had with Kim and Hailey, I need to come out and tell him I heard about this deeply personal burden he’s been carrying. I owe it to him.

With a deep breath, knowing this will not be a comfortable conversation, I resolutely secure my purse strap to my shoulder and make my way over to their table.

Reid is the first to spot me; a slow smile spreads across his face as he nods in my direction. The other three turn their heads, their blue eyes piercing me all at once, but Griffin’s are the ones I focus on, older, wiser, with a hint of surprise passing through them.

“Miss Winters, how was school today?” Reid asks when I finally reach their table.

“Hi.” I shyly wave. “Just had a few meetings and set up my classroom some more. It was productive.”

“Are the teachers being nice to you?” Brig asks. “Because we know people and can kick some ass if anyone is giving you a hard time.”

“Umm, I think I’m good. No need to kick ass just yet.”

“Your answer was hesitant,” Griffin says, studying me from his seated position. “Did something happen today?”

It’s the first time he’s said anything to me since our almost kiss; the concern and protectiveness in his voice send my stomach into a tailspin, and a wave of emotion hits me all at once.

I meet his eyes. “Can I actually speak with you for a second?”

All the boys whip their heads toward Griffin; he stands immediately and steps out from the bench, his gaze trained on me. “If Jen asks, I’ll be back in a few.”