A Mad Zombie Party - Showalter Gena (читать лучшие читаемые книги TXT) 📗

I close the distance, and he folds me in his arms. “I know I can’t replace Kat,” I say.

He kisses the tip of my nose. “You don’t need to replace her, sweet pea. There’s room in my heart for both of you.”

Those words... Room in my heart. They hit me and hit hard, because they are so beyond right. Not just for him, but for me. A heart can be filled with love or it can be filled with hate, but never both. The two emotions simply cannot coexist—like light and shadow, one always chases the other away. I can’t love Frosty and hate myself for my past sins; I have to make a choice. Hold on to love or hold on to hate.

Like I really need to think about it. I’ll always choose Frosty.

I have to forgive myself. Finally. I have to let go, just like River said.

I told my brother it would be impossible. I was so certain the past had its claws buried deep. But that’s not true, is it? The past is nothing but a memory. I sank my claws in it.

Closing my eyes, I rest my forehead on Frosty’s shoulder. I inhale...exhale. Letting go doesn’t have to be some grand gesture, I admit now, just a flip of a switch inside my mind. A decision to do and follow through.

I flip the switch.

I don’t actually feel any different, but that’s okay. Feelings always follow action.

Frosty combs his hands through my hair. “You okay?”

“I am. I really am.” I meet his gaze and smile.

He cups my cheeks, his thumbs stroking my flushing skin. “I’m a slave to that smile.”

I melt against him. “You’re also an amazing boyfriend.”

“I know.”

“And modest.”

He winks at me. “I hope you’re ready to have your mind blown, because I’m taking you on a date. I was going to call you down in an hour, when I had all your favorites on the table. Plus candles. And rose petals. And soft music playing in the background. After dinner, I thought I’d take you to a movie. You know, act normal for a change.”

My mouth drops. A date. Our first. My first.

If I didn’t already love this boy...

“Frosty,” I say, breathless.

“I know. I’m amazing.” He leads me to the table, helps me sit and kisses my forehead. I’m in awe as he chops and mixes and bakes, pours the juice I favor and massages my shoulders. We talk and laugh, and for the first time in my life, I feel normal.

“By the way,” he says, moving beside me, “you’re going to tattoo me.”

What? “No way. I might mess up.”

“You won’t. I want your name on me.”

Wait, wait, wait. He wants to wear my name? Forever? “Aston,” I whisper, overwhelmed.

“I’m proud to be with you, and I want the world to know it.”

How can I say no to that? “Yes. I’ll do it.”

“In black and white.”

Could this boy be any sexier? “In black and white. But I’ll wear your name in color.” What I feel for him is beautiful and vibrant.

He leans over and kisses me. “You make me happy.”

Cole and Ali snake around the corner. They are kissing and laughing—nope, kissing again. Immersed in each other, they fail to notice the oncoming wall and ricochet backward. They break apart, laughing again.

Both have sleep-rumpled hair. Ali is wearing a T-shirt that reads Gotta Get Some Killer Zs and a pair of boxers. Cole is shirtless, like Frosty, and wearing a pair of low-slung sweats.

“The men in this household are hot,” I say and fan myself. I stand to take my plate to the sink.

“Hey.” Frosty slaps my butt. “Eyes on me, sweet pea. I’m the only hot you need to concern yourself with. Besides, if you look at Cole, Ali will cut out your eyes.”

“Ali will?” I ask with a smile.

“I most certainly will not,” Ali says. “I know my guy is a prime piece of grade A man-steak. If I wanted to keep him from being eye-mauled on a daily basis, I’d have to blind every woman in the world.”

I nod in agreement. “See?” I say to Frosty, then face Ali. “I know just what you mean. The difference is I am willing to blind every woman in the world.”

Frosty laughs. “Suck it, Cole. My girl loves me more than yours loves you.”

Ali chokes back her chuckles as she waves a fist at me. Cole just flips off Frosty.

“You made SpaghettiOs, Frost?” Ali asks. “I’ll have a bowl. Thanks.”

“Ditto,” Cole says. They both sit at the table, waiting expectantly.

“You’re both douche-purses,” Frosty mutters. “You know that, right?”

I watch him as he prepares a bowl for each, and I smile. All my life, I never thought I’d have this. I’m loved by the sexiest guy in existence. I’m cherished. I have friends who trust me and count on me. I’m not looking over my shoulder every few seconds, knowing another blow is coming, it’s just a matter of time. I’m not the girl who betrayed everyone. I’m the girl who helped save everyone.

Frosty carries the bowls to the table, but rather than taking his own chair, he picks me up, sits down and settles me in his lap.

“I remember when you liked having me on your lap,” Ali says to Cole after swallowing a spoonful. “We must be getting stale.”

Cole stands—and then sits in her lap. “How’s this, honey?”

The four of us erupt into peals of laughter.

“You really are a douche-purse.” Ali pushes Cole away and says, “So...tell them what we saw.”

Cole steals Ali’s bowl and finishes off the contents. “All our abilities—”

“All our abilities are back,” she blurts, taking over the story. “This morning we sat out on a swing outside, holding hands like we once saw in a vision. I had the journal in my lap, and when the wind kicked up, it opened. Pages that were once blank are now filled with writing, and nothing is in code. Anyway, I digress. Cole and I looked at each other and we had a new vision. One of our entire group standing around the perimeter of Shady Elms. We weren’t touching, but had our arms extended toward each other. A gust of power exploded from us and swept through the entire graveyard, cleansing every shell and spirit of zombie toxin. We didn’t have to get bitten, and we didn’t have to fight.”

I don’t doubt the vision will come true. “Can you imagine?” I ask Frosty, excited by the possibilities. “We’re not slayers anymore. We’re janitors. The clean-up crew.”

His arms tighten around me. “We’ll go to college. I’ll get my degree in criminal justice and become the youngest, hottest detective on the force.”

“Second-youngest and hottest,” Cole interjects.

Please. “Sorry, Holland, but you might as well get used to being second best when you’re around my guy.”

Frosty smirks. “You hear that, Holland?”

“Meanwhile, I’ll be the youngest, hottest surgeon in town.” I kiss Frosty on the forehead. “I’ll make all your boo-boos better.”

He barks out a laugh. “If you’re going to be kissing my boo-boos, don’t be surprised when I come home with suspicious wounds in suspicious places. Speaking of...” He jumps to his feet, keeping me in his arms. “If you guys will excuse us,” he says to Ali and Cole, “we’re in the middle of a date.”

They boo and hiss, but Frosty keeps going, carrying me away.

“No movie?” I tease.

“Oh, you’ll get your movie. I’ll pop in a DVD.”

“Desperate to be alone with me?”

“You have no idea.”

Joy practically fizzes in my veins as we enter our bedroom. People usually say some variation of “this is life, get used to it” when bad things happen. But right now, everything is just right. Everything is perfect. And to me, this is life. I’ll get used to it.

* * * * *

Ten years have passed since I first fell down the zombie hole. I woke up and discovered zombies are real and only slayer light can destroy their darkness. I lost so much. My parents, my little sister. My grandfather. But I gained so much, too. Cole, friends who understood me in a way no one else ever did, and now...a family of my own.