Page 18 of Love and Pumpkins
“You only get four runs with a grand slam.”
“Well, I need six or seven.”
I’ve counted my intake each day. It’s been good, but not good enough. I’m still five grand short. I could go to the bank and try to take out another loan, but I don’t like that idea.
“Not happening. Only four runs. But hopefully, tomorrow’s a great day. I would shut my sister’s booth down, so you’d get more sales, but I think she’d kill me.”
“She might. Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure something out. I usually do.”
My faith in my ability to solve simple problems is slipping.
My faith in Hunter is growing.
Chapter Seven
Just after sunset, we meet Chloe and Ray at the entrance to the corn maze. We discuss strategies for tackling the maze and decide we’re going to race as two teams, Chloe and Ray versus Hunter and me. The last team to exit owes the other team dinner. Chloe’s idea.
“You’re on!” Hunter says, rubbing his hands together. “Steak dinner is on you.” He points to Ray and Chloe.
“Not so fast,” Ray replies. “I’m a pro at corn mazes.”
Hunter looks between Chloe and me. “Are we sure the ladies don’t have insider knowledge about the maze? It's their family’s farm.”
“We don’t,” I say, “but would it matter if we did? Chloe and I aren’t on the same team.”
“True,” Ray says. “All right. Ready, set—”
Chloe yells, “Go!” so loudly I think my hearing is damaged.
Ray and Chloe take off running, and I look at Hunter. “Maybe we just go to the exit and wait for them.”
“No way.” He grabs my hand and pulls me into the maze. “We’ve got this.”
I love the corn maze. Uncle Jim showed me how they plant the rows of corn one way and then plant over it a second time, going the other way to make the walls of the maze thicker. They use satellite positioning to plant exactly where they want. If you were in a plane flying overhead, you would see that this year’s maze is in the shape of the high school building, with its H shape and attached gym. I saw the schematic at the family dinner in August.
As we step into the maze, with its thick rows of corn towering over us, Hunter doesn’t release my hand, gently pulling me forward through the narrow path. We rush in about fifteen feet before we meet our first decision point. Do we turn left or right? Knowing the exit is towards the left, that seems the obvious choice, but I know it’s a fool’s decision to turn left here. I’ve been running these mazes for more than two decades. You never go left at the first opportunity.
Hunter leans left, and I say, “Not left. Right.”
“Really?” he asks.
“The first turn is never to the left. Even Chloe knows that. Hurry.”
I pull him behind me, enjoying the warmth of his hand in mine. His fingers squeeze slightly, and I falter a step, turning to him.
“Okay?” I ask.
“Yes, lead the way,” he says, a hint of a smile on his lips.
We proceed, making a few turns, doubling back twice when we realize we’ve reached dead ends.
“Are we sure there’s an exit?” he asks after another twenty minutes winding in and around the maze.
“There has to be. Or there’d be lawsuits.”
We find ourselves in another dead end, and I stomp my foot. I drop Hunter’s hand and run my hands through my hair in frustration. I don’t like to lose, and I can’t afford my own dinner right now, let alone someone else’s.
“Hey, we’ll figure it out. Let’s keep going,” Hunter says, picking up my hand and pulling me towards him.
