Page 44 of The King of Halloween
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HE DIDN’T STAY.
In the end, it took them three days to dry out the cellar. Strangest of all, not only was there no sign of a leak, all three plumbers Raj had called said the pipes were solid. If it wasn’t for all the damp wood, he’d swear he imagined the whole thing.
Burt Soup had been right there, signing autographs and telling tales of his times on B-movie sets.But he didn’t stay.
So impressed by how the movie night went, the mayor had suggested they make the ballroom the permanent home. Raj had only gritted his teeth and smiled. If all went well, they’d be hosting weddings and parties there. He rather doubted the town would dip into its war chest to book the place.
Why didn’t he stay?
He’d thought there’d be time. Raj had to deal with the leak, with the plumbing, with telling all the guests that they wouldn’t have water overnight. But once all that mess was done, he had expected to find Adam at Burt’s side. Probably wowing him with his knowledge of movies Burt barely remembered.
Instead, he’d left, and a black hole opened in Raj’s stomach. For the past two days, he had tried to fill it with the hotel, his haunt, entertaining Burt before he flew back home. During the day, it’d worked. Raj had been so busy, he’d fall onto his cot exhausted to the bone.
In the edge between consciousness and sleep, light and dark, he’d lingered. Wondered. Questioned not just Adam but himself. Why did the man have to be so infuriatingly perfect and also absolute poison at the same time?
I don’t have time to deal with whatever the hell his problem is. And I certainly don’t have time to deal with my own problems.
Of course, telling himself that had the opposite effect. He’d tossed and turned every night, fighting to find sleep instead of this dry ache in his chest. Worst still were the times when he had slept, his dreams trying to finish what he had started in the cellar.
So, bleary-eyed and exhausted to the bone, Raj agreed to the mayor’s invitation without thinking about it for two seconds. Logan kept blowing up his phone about how he had to get back to the hotel—so and so was out of towels. Raj put it on silent and blinked against the sun rounding past its zenith. The air smelled of dirt and hay.Where the…?
He turned around and spotted a sign pointing toward a field of corn.
Oh, no. No, he didn’t…
“Mr. Chowdery!” the mayor cried out, both arms open to embrace him.
“Mr. Gunderson, sir. Thank you for inviting me, but—”
“It’s my pleasure, young man. You made it just in time. Every year, the council likes to do a little trust exercise through the corn maze.”
Council? Raj’s exhausted veil tumbled away. Fresh eyes stared around the mowed-down lot. It didn’t take him long to spot the man in a vest and slacks standing next to the others in sweaters and yoga pants.
“…see who can get through it first. A little competition never hurt anyone.”
He couldn’t breathe. Did his heart stop? No, it was beating fast. Too fast! Was that a heart attack?
Too late, Raj realized the mayor had stopped talking. “Oh yes, of course,” he said without hearing a word.
“Great. So you stick with me, and we’ll make it out in no time.”
Stick with…?
He placed a hand above his eyes, his gaze taking in the maze. Then, in slow motion, he turned. Adam’s hand plummeted when he spotted Raj.
Raj’s first thought was to wave like he was trying to get his crush to sit next to him during homeroom. The awkwardness seized through him, causing his neck to contract and shoulders to shoot up to his ears. “Mr. Mayor man…” His brain fractured as he hunted for an exit.
He couldn’t do this. Not here, surrounded by people who could pull his permits. Not now, with his heart and balls aching. He needed to flee. “I should really get back—”
“Everyone!” The mayor caught him like a fly between a spider’s pinchers and gestured to the others lingering on the gravel. “We’re about to begin.”
Every escape plan fizzled as the others lined up in a vague circle near the entrance. The mayor raised his stopwatch high in anticipation, though the tension of the challenge was dimmed by two young girls in pigtails skipping into the maze.
“Ready?” the mayor shouted.
“Oh, just push the button!” one of the women shouted back.
