Page 69 of A Pack of Pumpkins
If I thought this town was crazy about its fall decor before, I had no idea what I was in for. The place has exploded in Halloween haunts. Paper ghosts hang from every tree branch, pumpkins line the closed-off street, and vendors have decorated their booths with banners and fall leaves. The smell of bonfire smoke and wet leaves fills the air.
"I did some research before we came,,” I say. “There's a pie-eating contest, or we could watch a scary storyteller."
She stares up at me. "You did research?" she asks, like she can’t imagine me reading a simple flyer.
"Yeah, Spooky Girl. And if it’s my choice, I choose the doughnut stand first, but I’m up for anything if you’re with me."
"Anything?" she asks, and I suddenly fear for my well-being. I’ve seen that face before. She was wearing it right before she made me enter the haunted asylum.
I nod and slowly, reverently, take her hand in mine and bring it to my mouth, giving her plenty of time to pull back. When she doesn’t, I graze my lips over the back, kissing her. I never break eye contact, and her green pools of beauty never waver either. So I take a risk and scent-mark the back of her hand. Her eyes flutter, and she gasps a little.
"Is that okay, Spooky Girl?" Asking if something I did was okay after I’ve done it is a dick move. That’s something you learn in therapy, FYI. I’m clearly working on it.
Thank fuck she nods.
We head up through the middle of the road, checking out the vendors as we go. Clara tells me little snippets about the various booths, their owners, and how they tie into the town. By the time we’re halfway along, I feel like I’m a town expert.
I definitely get a few looks, a couple of glares, and some whispers as we go. I’m the town mystery. I’ve barely left the house since we got here, and when I did, it was to check the dive site. Now, I show up at the biggest event of the season with one of the town’s princesses. I haven’t exactly made a great impression.
Fuck ’em, the internal voice that always gets me in trouble says.
Prove you’re worthy, my alpha chuffs. I think I’m going to go with him for once. My therapist and I have been talking about alpha reliance, and I’ve clearly been ignoring mine to my detriment.
So, I help Clara over puddles, open doors, pay for things, and just generally avoid being a flaming asshole. She tells me about her plant babies, and about the newest plot for her upcoming Romance novel.
"Doyou think you’ll keep it going once you’ve gone through all the omega members of the women’s swim team?" I ask.
She stops, turns, gawks.
I think I may have said something wrong. "I mean, you started off with five, and each book you’ve worked through a member finding her pack. This one’s going to be the last. Do you think you’ll start another team? Add more omega members?"
"How… how do you know how many members there are?" she asks in a high, shocked voice.
I chuckle. "You mean how do I know that Cindy, Sarah, Lou, and Vivie have all found love while Tara is just waiting around in the wings for her book?"
Her jaw drops even lower. "How—?"
"Jesus, I can read." I laugh.
Her mouth snaps shut. "You read my books?" she asks. I find her gaze, and there’s something there. Maybe tears? That can’t be right. I step closer, and her eyes are definitely glassy.
"Of course I read your books," I say, tucking a loose hair behind her ear.
"When?" she asks.
"I started the day after I met you. Got through them in about a week." Her eyes are saucers. "They’re amazing, Spook. Bram was absolutely right to set up that book signing and send the books to his agent. They’re as good as any Romance I’ve ever read. Granted, I haven’t read a lot, but they made me want to keep reading. You have a gift."
Little drops fall from her eyes now, and it’s killing me.
"Please don’t cry, Spooky Girl. Please."
She sniffles, and I wipe the tears away gently with the pads of my thumbs. She leans up and kisses me on the cheek, and I’m too stunned to react before she turns and walks up the street. I jog to catch up to her.
After that, I buy her some hot apple cider. We visit a booth where her friend Winnie is setting up to sell items from her store.
"So you’re the mystery alpha," she says.
"I like that title. I’m gonna keep it," I joke, and it cracks a smile from her friend which I think is the most I can hope for.
