Beautiful Curses: Book One Read Free Page B

his long dark lashes.
    Wow, he seriously had nice eyes.
    Jo’s pulse continued to race, and she took yet another big swallow from her water bottle to stop from staring at him.
      “Well, how about we watch Pride and Prejudice?” Gabriella crossed her legs, picked up the TV guide and flicked through to the page Jo had earmarked. Jo couldn’t believe she wanted to watch that. She hated Jane Austen. In fact she hated anything that required intelligent thought. “We could all sit and criticise how it doesn’t measure up to the book. I hear the movie adaptation wasn’t very good. Did you see it James?”
     James laughed. “I can’t believe I’m admitting this. But Elizabeth Bennett’s a great character. I liked the actress who played her.”
     Gabriella turned to Jo. “Didn’t you say the actor who played Elizabeth Bennett was dull?”
     Jo wanted to smack her in the head as well. Why she was suddenly claiming they’d had an actual conversation … and why she was acting like she was a movie critic all of a sudden.... Jo clenched her water bottle hard and bit her inside cheek. “Um … I can’t remember … but, yeah, Elizabeth Bennett’s one of my favourite characters too.”
     James smiled at Jo and then glanced sideways at Gabriella, “Maybe we’ll leave the classics for another night. What else looks good?”
     They all tuned into a re-run of some old sitcom, Gabriella finally settled on, after flicking through fifty plus channels. Glad of the distraction, Jo sighed. Happy she didn’t have to partake in any more conversations. She needed to work out these strange feelings. Feelings she’d never had before. Every now and then she snuck a peek at James, and once or twice he caught her eye, making the butterflies in her stomach launch into overdrive. By the end of the evening she was exhausted and went to bed feeling very dazed and very confused.
     

 
    FIVE
     
    On Friday afternoon Jo and Beth caught the bus back to the farm. They entered the house through the conservatory door and dumped their bags on the nearest chair, before reaching the kitchen.
     “Spencer and James went hiking today. They probably won’t be here for a few hours. I want you to hear this new song. We’ll grab a drink and go up to my bedroom, "Jo said, seeing Beth fidgeting with her hair, looking a bit agitated.
     Beth blew out a breath and took a seat at the kitchen bench as Jo leaned into the open fridge. “What would you like? Water, fruit juice … or some of Sarah’s health mix.” Jo pulled out a container and swirled around the contents of green sludge.
     “Ugh … just water will be fine thanks,” Beth replied, screwing her nose.
     “Yeah, I think I might toss this. Sarah must have forgotten to drink it this morning. She left for London early, some design course. She won’t be home till late tonight.”
     “Where’s Gabriella?”
     Jo shrugged. “Probably catching up with her friends. I think she mentioned something about a Christmas party at Mason’s. I’m surprised you weren’t invited. Aren’t you good friends with that lot?”
     Beth stood up, widened her stance and put her hands on her hips while frowning fiercely. “Well, yer, wee, begga'. I had uther, betta, fings to do you kno. First scrubbin' the wee bairn's  dirty rags, then muckin' down the stables, and scrubbin' them floors on me poor hands and knees, but I can tell ye, it were twenty times more pleasurin' than bein' at any gatherin' with that lot of foolish upstarts ...”
     Jo laughed as Beth knelt down to curtsey. She loved hearing the old northern accent. Beth had been practicing for the last few days. The auditions for the local play were in a couple of weeks, and Beth wanted a minor part as a scullery maid.
     “You’re both highly amused with yourselves. Do we get to hear the rest of the joke?” Spencer asked, smiling at Beth as he walked into the kitchen with James in tow.
     Both girls jumped at the boys sudden appearance.