Page 65 of Peach Blossom Hollow

“You have a chance to find love, Vi. You can’t give up.”

“I’m not giving up.”

“Do I need to start clucking like a chicken? Because you like him.”

“Daise! I’ve put myself out there for so many men who just weren’t feeling it the way I was. I was blind and stupid and hurt myself. I can see he’s not into me like that, so there is no way I’m doing anything about my crush. Not this time.”

“So you are crushing.”

“I’m also on a dating app, being selective, and most importantly, looking for men whowantsomeone like me, as well as marriage and love. And they want it soon. Not in ten years.”

“You’re on a dating app?”

“Yes.”

She’d initially taken the step to ensure she didn’t sit at home and brood over the man she couldn’t have. So far, she’d narrowed her selection to a few nice guys, and they were messaging regularly through the app. Next week, in a brave moment, she planned to ask each of her top picks out for coffee to meet them in real life.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around for Dragon Babes more,” Daisy-Mae said.

“It’s fine.” Violet sighed.

“Really, I am. I feel bad.”

“For working hard to connect with the love of your life? Don’t be sorry. I’m just being a mope because I keep falling for men who aren’t into me.”

“It’s okay to mope.”

“I hear men find that very attractive.”

Daisy-Mae choked on a laugh. “I’ve missed you.” Violet felt her friend hug her side through the thick costume.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

“You deserve to find awesome love at its finest, Vi. You’ve worked so hard and been hurt so bad. You’re tough.”

Violet’s eyes welled up. “I don’t feel tough. Half the time I wonder what’s the point of it all?”

“Of what?” Daisy-Mae’s voice had grown cautious.

“Dating and trying? Love? The hope of finding it? Why do I still want it when all it’s done is destroy me?” She held in a sob, the hurt forming a lump in her chest. She was crying in her costume again. In her periphery, she saw Leo turn to face her for a second, as though sensing it.

Leo. She wanted Leo. To make things worse for her heart, she’d heard rumors of trade talks happening between the Dragons and another team thousands of miles away.

Leo was being considered.

Her friend might leave.

Why was she the one stuck behind every time?

“Stupid curse,” she muttered, momentarily forgetting that her headset picked up every sound, relaying it to Daisy-Mae.

“You’re tougher and more determined than some weary old curse that’s got to be wearing off by now,” her friend replied with a tone of authority. “And besides, think of how many potentially horrible love-match dudes it’s already removed from your life.”

Violet groaned, not wanting to consider it.

“Lots, right? Which means it’s got to be losing its strength. I mean, you didn’t even get past flirting with Owen.”

Violet perked up. “Assuming curses are real, and I’m not actually using the idea as a crutch to excuse my own shortcomings or to hold me back, could a curse actually lose strength? Could you break them without knowing?”

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