Romancing the Grump (Appies, #4)

by Jenny Proctor

Summer?” Tucker asks. “Want to hear something funny?” I sit up a little taller and smile, happy for the distraction. “Always.” Tucker grins. “Ask Dumbo what his real name is.” I think back to the player roster I studied and memorized last week. Dumbo’s last name is Cavendish, but I’m pretty sure his player bio doesn’t list his name as anything but Dumbo. “Okay,” I say, taking the bait. “Dumbo, what’s your real name?” Dumbo stands up, folds his arm across his waist, and bows forward like he’s addressing the British monarch. “Prescott Lawrence Cavendish, the third, at your service.” Alec, Van, and Tucker all lift their hands in unison, like they’re tipping their hats in formal greeting. “His dad holds an actual title in Britain,” Nathan says, his voice low and close to my ear. His breath sends a shiver across my skin, and for a moment, I forget about my disappointment regarding his no-dating policy. “He’s a baron,” Nathan continues. “Or maybe a lord?” “Why doesn’t he have an accent?” I whisper back. Nathan shrugs. “He grew up here. But when he’s talking to his family on the phone, you can definitely hear traces of one.” “Wow,” I say to Dumbo, ignoring the tingling sensation still tiptoeing up my neck. “And we call you Dumbo because…?” Dumbo stands up straight and pushes his blond hair away from his face, then wiggles his ears up and down. “Oh my gosh,” I say as I start to laugh. “A man of many talents.” He drops back into his chair, and Tucker wraps an arm around him in a ha...