Page 55 of Of Poison & Pumpkins
“You will not.”
“I will.”
“Then I refuse to be your girlfriend,” she says sarcastically, but I can hear the smile in her voice.
This might be my new favorite position. I love how she fits against my body; her back resting against my chest. When her head accidentally rubs the metal clasp of my suspender, I pull it off my shoulder so she’s more comfortable. Her fingertips find my legs and graze my thighs. Back and forth. Soft and sweet. A caress meant to reassure each other.
“My girlfriend would agree to wear matching themed costumes on Halloween.”
“Not this again.”
“We could be Batman and Batgirl, or Hercules and Meg, or Maleficent and Hades.” I poke her side where she’s ticklish.
“Hey!” She jerks up and out of my embrace, making me instantly regret the choice. I dart to my feet as she jogs off, laughing. I chase after, ready to wrap her in my arms again, but she hides behind Maya as a human shield. “No shenanigans! Now go get that pumpkin, Sir Tiger.”
“Actually, it’s Mister Tiger, if you please.” I bow to the ladies. “And yes, I’ll catch that Vine Slayer even if it’s the last thing I do!”
“Yay!” Maya claps her hands. “Don’t fail!”
Failure. That’s my fear. Disappointing people. Making my dad proud shouldn’t be this important anymore. It’s been my core purpose for so long, I’m unsure how to let it go. Once Pumpkins goes viral, he’ll finally respect me. It’ll be the first time I’ll shake his hand, knowing he approves.
First things first: Rynn needs the seeds. I pull my suspender away from my chest and snap it against my shirt. “I’m prepared for battle!”
At the base of the magnificent castle, I salute my brave cat and knight. It’s a blessing there’s no rain because this ladder would be more slippery than a con artist. I climb the cat tower, one careful foot at a time, thanking my dedication to rowing that has kept me in shape.
“It’s good you not afwaid of heights!” Maya yells from below, with a massive grin on her face.
The only way to grab the closest Futsu pumpkin is to rise on my tiptoes. The structure shakes beneath my weight, and I freeze. All that reinforces me is a metal bar under my sneakers. If I fall, I’ll twist my ankle. Fabulous. My entire body tense; I slowly ease onto my toes. Strain. Stretch.
“Just a little higher!” Rynn calls, stress lacing her tone. “You almost got it!”
I groan, grope the air again, finally grasping Tugging it down, I grab the ugly pumpkin and quickly lower to sit on the monkey bar.
“You did it!” Maya sings and runs below. “Drop it. I’ll catch it.”
“Doesn’t your Tiger deserve a trophy?” I smile and snap the pumpkin off the vine, then toss it to Maya.
“Yup! Unless you gonna live up theyuh fohevuh.”
I lower myself to hang, then drop the few remaining feet. Unfortunately, when I hit the ground, I stumble and fall onto my butt. Dirt flies in all directions. Maya attacks me, launching her little body into my chest. The momentum throws me onto my back until we’re both laying in the dirt, laughing. When she sits up, her cheeks are smudged dark, but her green eyes still sparkle.
“Mister Tiger, now you work for the queen.” Maya uses a twig and taps both my shoulders like she’s knighting me. “And guess what? The cat is the queen, so you help Auntie Wynn.”
From the ground, I look up at Rynn, who has a halo of light around her head as the sunbeams shine down.
“Gladly. I’ll serve my queen till the day I die.”
Her smile lights up my world. With another ingredient in our possession, and because Rynn is looking at me like I’m her favorite dessert, I have all the confidence in the world that we’ll figure out all our problems.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Rynn
The next evening, I sit at Palooza’s register, glaring over the counter at my sister and her new husband browsing my shop in the dark. I’m too nervous to turn on the lights to broadcast to the cops that I’m awake and available for questioning.
Am I the only one coiled tighter than a spring? They were supposed to be gone already. I hate their laughter and constant touching. It’s nauseating, to say the least. Brooke inspects a violet vase while Noah points to a maroon frame.
The delicious scent of fresh pizza flows into my shop as Elias walks balancing flat boxes on his shoulder. I peel my scarred eyes off their hideous flirting and find comfort in Elias’s warm smirk.
