Page 37 of Don't Scare Me, My Love

“Then whyareyou here?”

If Jack had been a dog, his tail would be tucked away so well by now that it would seem like he never had one. The only thing missing was for him to whimper and hide his nose under his paws.

“For the record,officially,I’m not here.”

“Well, then, I must be seeing ghosts.” I leaned against the counter behind me. “Do you want a coffee or something? Or did you just come here to tell me you can’t talk to me about anything?”

He forced a smile, his eyes darting across the counter. “Coffee sounds great, and,uh,a donut. Please.”

I turned to the coffee machine and pressed the buttons for a cappuccino. As the machine clicked and cracked, I walked to the display and slid open the glass cover. “Which donut do you want?” I pointed to the chocolate-glazed one. “We have theI-know-I-shouldn’t-tell-you-anything-but-I-have-to-Donutand the…” I pointed to one with crumbled cookies on top, “…Nothing-is-going-on-I-am-just-weird-today-Donut.”

Jack stared at my hands, his eyes open so wide that I was afraid they would pop out. He pointed to one with white sugar icing. “I’ll take theYour-boyfriend-has-me-involved-in-a-plan-that-is-way-too-crazy-so-I-have-to-warn-you-even-though-I-promised-to-keep-my-mouth-shut-Donut.”

I tilted my head. “Is this for here or to go?”

This news wouldn’t have come as much of a surprise if Jack hadn’t been standing in front of me like a ghost. Nicholas was always planning his next scare for me. That was one thing I loved about him. It was his way of showing me how much I meant to him. It wasn’t even new that he involved Jack. He was there when Nicholas made that fake proposal a year ago, asking me to be his ghoulfriend. Jack was also there when Nick played a prank on me, where he showed me a video on his phone, put his arm around me (or what I thought washisarm), and then walked away while his arm still stayed on my shoulder (it was Jack’s arm).

This, though? Whatever it was, it had to take on a whole new dimension for Jack to be so distressed.

The coffee machine beeped, announcing that it was done. I grabbed the donut with the silicone tongs and placed it in a paper bag. With a quick twist, I grabbed the steaming cappuccino and placed both items on the counter in front of Jack. He pulled his credit card out of a pocket in his jacket.

“It’s on the house,” I said.

His hand froze in mid-motion before he could throw his plastic money on the counter. “If I tell you about it?”

“No? Because you’re my friend? You seem tense and in need of some sugar.”

He squinted his eyes. “No, please let me pay if we don’t exchange?—”

“Eat the donut, Jack,” I barked at him. “You probably haven’t even had breakfast.”

He pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. The muscles in his neck tightened for a second as his eyes swept over the counter. “You know me way too well.” The paper bag rustled as he brought it to his mouth. He pushed the donut up far enough for the top to stick out and bit into the sweet treat.

“Happens,” I replied, watching him take three bites in half a second, wolfing it down like he hadn’t eaten in days.

“It’s disconcerting, Jason,” he said, his mouth half full.

“What is?”

“Nicholas’ plans for your Halloween!” He took another mouthful, and as he chewed, his eyes darted around the gas station, still looking everywhere but at me. “And just for the record, it was all his idea.”

Jack inhaled two more bites of the donut. “It’s evil. What he has planned would scare the hell out of anyone.”

“Jack, spit it out now.”

“He’s going to take you to a romantic dinner and then drive you up into the hills, you know, to the overlook where you can see the entire valley.”

Taking me to the local make-out spot didn’t soundsoevil to me.

“But that’s just the set-up.” Jack crumpled up the empty paper bag and crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s planning to re-enact a full-blown horror movie. With me dressed as afakekiller, chasing you two through the woods, and thenfakekilling him in front of you. Withfakeblood andfake everything.”

“Is that why you‘called’him so many times to help you?”

“That was just a ruse so we could plan, yes.”

I couldn’t hide a grin anymore—adding even more worry to Jack’s face.

“Why are you grinning like a maniac?”

---