Page 14 of Love and Pumpkins
Chapter Six
Yay, me. I’ve rallied for the evening. Once the craft and vendor show closed for the day, I ran home, took a twenty-minute power nap, showered, and am almost ready to go.
Chloe is pacing around my living room. She keeps looking out the front window at the growing crowd. The line for hayrack rides starts at the end of the block, and she’s trying to see how many people are already queuing up.
“Do you really think Ray will be there?” she asks, returning to the door of the bathroom, where I am curling my hair.
“Hunter said he was.”
“He could be lying.”
“Why would he do that?” I ask.
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe you don’t want to get your hopes up?”
“I know better than that.” She lets out a huff. “Ray Toft has never given me the time of day.”
“You have to ask him for the time in order for him to answer.”
“Maybe. Although I’m always friendly to him, he doesn’t seem to get the hint.”
“He’s shy. You might have to be bolder.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. Yeah, she’s right. Chloe’s always been bold. Class president, head cheerleader, voted most likely to succeed.
She’s never met a stranger. She’s as bold as they come.
“All right. Maybe you’re going to have to ask him out.”
“Never!”
She stomps away from me and goes back to the window. “Are you almost ready? We should be down there.”
I look at myself in the mirror. Why am I bothering? We’re going on a hayrack ride, and it’s windy. I’ll probably pull my hair into a ponytail in five minutes. I’m more concerned with function than with form, and I hate it when my hair flies across my face.
The few curls around my face are more waves than curls. My long, dark brown hair is naturally straight. I try to give it shape, but it prefers to just hang like tinsel on the Christmas tree.
I’ve applied some makeup—brown eyeliner, a little mascara, a swipe of light cream eye shadow and a dab of blush. I want to look natural but like I put some effort in.
My mind wanders to Hunter, which it’s been doing a lot lately. I haven’t asked if he’s seeing anyone. Maybe I should. What if he says yes? Will I be relieved or disappointed?
I throw on my favorite blue and tan flannel jacket and tell Chloe I’m ready.
The evening air is cool and crisp, perfect for a hayrack ride and a bonfire. Since we live downtown, we only have to walk downstairs to get in line. Chloe leads the way down the staircase. It’s at the back of the building, completely enclosed, protected from the elements, and secure. The door at the bottom of the stairs leads out to the back alley where we park our cars under a carport.
Living in a small town, I’m never concerned with going in or out late at night. The police station is in the building next to the carport. Convenient.
Outside, Chloe grabs my hand and pulls me towards the cross street, which is on the opposite side of where we need to get in line.
“What are you doing?”
“Let’s circle the block, see who’s out milling around before we get in line. I told Hunter to meet us in front of Lil’ Pumpkin?”
Did she tell me that?
“You’re eager to see Ray, aren’t you? I thought we told Hunter we’d catch up at the farm.”
