Alice Games
Page 24
My gaze lowered. What was I thinking? I’d just met him! I motioned to the dog tags hanging from his neck. “What about you? What are you majoring in?” I needed to change the subject before I freaked him out.
He blinked, the expression disappearing to a playful smile. “I’m majoring in English, but I’m also in the ROTC.” His head bobbed to the side. He stood up and held out his hand.
I took it and let him pull me to my feet, heart going a million miles per hour. I smiled. “That’s pretty admirable. Really.” I was reluctant to let go, but I made my fingers slide out of his. Instantly I wanted to grab his hand back. Instead I accepted the papers he offered. My cheeks burned when his fingers brushed mine.
I cleared my throat. “So, your class right now is in Milstein Hall?” Did he need to go? It was a depressing thought, thinking that he had to go and I’d never see him again.
His waved a hand. “Actually, I heard Becca had another large group. We’re buds, so I thought I’d come and help. I do that sometimes.” He stuck his thumbs in his back pockets and rocked back on his heels. He glanced away, then cleared his throat. After a second, he looked back at me. “Hey, I know this is sudden, but I could give you the rest of the tour. At least one more catered to you, not the whole group. The botanical garden is in bloom right now. And the library is amazing. Like, right out of a dream. Want to check it out? Then we could meet up with your group for dinner. Or I could buy you something as a ‘welcome to Cornell’ thing.”
My eyes widened. I wasn’t being charming enough to merit a date. And the last thing I planned on finding at Cornell was romance. I wanted to power through school as fast as I could, not linger and get bogged down with ties. But there was something about this man, a feeling that I never wanted to leave him again—even though I’d never left him to begin with.
He rushed on. “I’m not a bad person.” His hand came up in a vow. “I’d been told before that I have a thing for being the knight in shining armor. You can trust me, I promise.”
I did. I didn’t know why, but I trusted him. Completely. A smile bloomed across my face.
Ace held out his hand, grinning. “Come on. Just you and me?”
“Okay.” My hand slid into his.
A Note to You!
Thank you so much for joining me and Ali on this journey. It was a lot of fun to discover the world of Oz, and come to understand and love the characters that live there. There’s a special place in my heart for Ace! Leave a review and let me know who your favorite character was.
I hope that you will continue to join me on my journey as an author. I learned a lot in the making of this book, and I hope to only improve in the future. Keep a look out for my next titles!
Thanks again!
Michelle R Reid
Don’t go in the Fae Woods.
About Me
Stories have always been important in my life. From the skits I made up for my friends while jumping on the trampoline (Moon Prism Power!), to my first full length novel I wrote in 8th grade choir against my teacher’s wishes.
I am married to a wonder man and we have three very active kids that keep me on my toes. In college, I studied Zoology, Biology, Art, and English. I drove my counselor nuts. I finally settled on wanting to be an author like my mom. (Alysia S Knight-check her out!)
‘Curiosity killed the cat’ is a good saying for me. I love to figure out how all the pieces of the puzzles fit—whether it be in a book, movie, or real life situation. I like to take what I’ve learned and weave it into my books.