Mars Conrad

“But it wasn't all right. Nothing was going to be all right if Jacks lost her now.”
― Stephanie Garber, A Curse For True Love

“You know,' she confessed, 'I've always loved your dimples.'

'I know.' He smirked. 'You were so obvious with your love at first sight.'

'It was not love at first sight.' She huffed. 'I only said I like your dimples at the start.' She dropped her hand from his cheek. 'I didn't even like you. I thought you were terrible.'

'And yet.' He grabbed her hand again and wrapped it around his neck. 'You kept staring.'

Well...' She wrapped her other hand around his neck before sliding her fingers back into his hair. She really loved his hair. 'I might not have liked you, but you were always ridiculously handsome.”
― Stephanie Garber, A Curse for True Love

“That's not going to work at all,' he muttered.

'Why not?' Evangeline spun around.

...

'Jacks frowned, his lips turning down at the corners. 'I think it will attract too many people.'

She laughed. 'That's the entire point of an inn, silly.'

His frown deepened. Possibly at being called silly.

That made Evangeline smile wider.

Then Jacks was taking hold of the ribbon around her waist and tugging her closer to him. She'd noticed before that he couldn't go very long without touching her. Tucking hair behind her ear, toying with the straps of her gown, coming up behind her and pressing kisses to the back of her neck as he wrapped his cool arms around her and whispered things that often made her blush.

'I don't want anyone here but you,' he murmured. Then in one of his lighting-fast moves, he deftly stole the paintbrush from her fingers.

'What are you doing?' she squeaked as Jacks released her waist and swished the brush across the sign, adding two letters right before the word happily.

'There,' he said smugly, 'it's fixed now.'

Evangeline scowled, as did the little blue dragon who'd been perched happily on the sign. The greeting on the sign, still swinging from Jacks' handiwork, now read:

THE HOLLOW

Inn for Travellers, Adventurers

and Those searching for

UNHappily Ever After.

'No one will come if it says that,' Evangeline said.

'Don't be so pessimistic,' Jacks carelessly dropped the brush back in the bucket. 'People will still come. They'll just be a little cursed if they dare to stay here.'

(Indigo Exclusive Edition Alternate Ending).”
― Stephanie Garber, A Curse for True Love

“Then very soft from LaLa: “I hope you brought enough apples.”
― Stephanie Garber, The Ballad of Never After