Chapter 13
Thirteen
Riley
“What about this one?” Glen crouches down, peering up at Leo with one hand on a large pumpkin.
One of his cheeks lifts, his face in total disagreement. “No. It’s dirty on the back.”
Sighing, Glen straightens his leg and dusts his hands on his pants. “We’ve looked at twenty pumpkins at least, baby. Will you stop being so picky?”
“If he did, then he wouldn’t be Leo,” I say pointedly.
“See.” Leo’s hands point in my direction. “Finally, someone here who gets it.”
I laugh and Glen’s nostrils flare. Sometimes I feel like Leo needs someone with a lot more patience.
It’s why he and I work so well. I accepted him for how he is a long time ago and had already planned on being out here for hours.
I’m okay with it. It means having longer to look back and wonder where my husband is.
And he’s here. Those eyes have been like prickly ice on my skin, and I tingle like there’s an alarm built inside me that’s only triggered when he’s in my vicinity.
My stomach swirls, and I bite back a smile as I stroll to the perfect-sized pumpkin. I lift it to examine it better, spinning it around on my palm. “I’ve found one of mine.”
“How many you getting?” Glen shoots a quick neutral look my way.
“Two or three.”
“I’m wanting at least six,” Leo says, sounding animated.
Glen blows out a rough breath, rolling his eyes. “And why do you need six?”
“To cover the steps, duh.” His eyes blink rapidly and then he bounces on his feet, looking over Glen’s shoulder. “I think this is going to be it. I can feel it in my bones.”
Laughing, I follow him as he practically skips to a group of squash. In the center rests a pumpkin bigger than mine. It’s clean all the way around, without a single blemish, and pretty much evened out everywhere.
“It’s perfect.” Leo’s eyes shine and he grabs Glen’s wrist, pointing in front of him. “Isn’t it?”
“So, five to go?” Glen side-eyes him and I breathe out a laugh, circling them when I see a white one I like.
“I’m going to go pay for these and look around,” I say behind me.
“Okay. Do you need the keys to put them in the car?” Leo leans down, reaching his arms out, and Glen steps in front of him, grabbing the pumpkin before he can.
“Sure. Would be better than carrying them around everywhere.”
Leo plucks the keys from Glen’s pocket, peppering kisses on his cheek as he does, and slips them in the back of mine.
“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Glen muses at him, and Leo sticks his tongue out.
Snorting, I roll my eyes and avert them from the lovey-dovey scene happening too close for comfort.
I love my friend, but he sure does love public affection, and he gets carried away with it sometimes.
My face heats when I spot people looking our way, and I keep walking, shrinking in on myself until I reach the barn.
I set my haul on the counter and dig for my wallet, my eyes roaming to the stuffed pumpkins with silly faces.
There would have been a time where I turned into Gareth, asking him to get me one.
“This going to be all for you?” The woman in front of me tilts her head, resting her hand on one of the pumpkins.
“Yeah. Just these two.” My voice sounds small.
Nodding, she rings them up, and I hand her my card when she tells me the total. I look behind me when I swear my name is being whispered from close by.
A throat is cleared, and I revert my attention to the bored-looking clerk, apologizing as I take my card from her. “You have a good day.”
“Thanks, you too.” Lifting the pumpkins, I ignore the vibrating in my pocket and march to the parking lot, searching for Leo’s car.
The lights flash and I move slowly toward them, setting the pumpkins on the hood as I fetch the keys.
They’re gone. With my heart threatening to burst from my chest, I check the other pocket and my fingers tremble.
The car honks when a button is pressed, and then the doors unlock. Cold air pricks at my cheeks and my chest lifts higher before caving in so deep it temporarily cuts off my air supply. “Hello?”
People walk behind me but not close enough to hear what I’m saying.
They don’t look my way either, too busy laughing at what one of their friends says.
He’s here, closer than he’s been these last two hours.
I’ve felt his heavy presence the whole time, but he hasn’t made this much noise yet. He’s getting my attention. For what?
Stepping closer to the back door, I reach for it and it locks before I can pull it open. Where the hell is he? When did he get the keys? Did I get too lost in other things going on around me that I didn’t notice him.
“You won’t see me, but you’ll feel me.” I replay his words from earlier in my head.
I jump as a man skates toward me wearing a Jason mask. My heart thumps and my eyes are locked in on the tall figure moving quickly my way. I stiffen, my arms tucked tightly at my sides, and he lifts his mask, laughing as someone behind me zooms by without glancing my way.
That wasn’t him. Beep. Beep. I grab the handle quick enough this time, flinging open the door before he can lock it again.
I smile in triumph, my skin buzzing as I set the pumpkins in the back.
Lights flash on the car and the alarm goes off, piercing my ears.
I jolt back, sweat breaking over my head as I slam the door shut.
My phone goes off again, and after wiping my damp skin, I pluck it from my front pocket.
I have two text messages waiting for me, both from Gareth.
Sexy husband: I spy with my little eye . . . something blue.
A photo loads of me eating blueberry-flavored cotton candy and my breaths sharpen as I swipe down to the latest message.
No words this time, only a picture. My stomach plummets. It’s me putting the pumpkins in the car. It’s shot at an odd angle, almost as if someone lay on the ground to take it. My eyes move from side to side frantically, afraid to go anywhere else.
Buzz . . . buzz.
I lift the phone higher to where my eyes are, and my feet tighten on the ground, feeling like it’s moving beneath me.
It’s another picture. This one has me looking down at my phone and standing exactly where I am.
Much like the last one, it’s taken from below me.
I finally unstick my feet from the ground, moving backward, and I glance to where it leads under the car.
A shadow looms there, or someone’s side profile.
“You were wrong,” I mutter under my breath. “I can see you.”
Sexy Husband: Only because I’m ready for you to. You were wanting it too. Waiting for it for hours like a patient boy. My good, patient boy.
My heart sings while a crawling sensation moves across my skin.
Sexy Husband: Come closer, baby.
My gaze goes from my phone screen to under the car as I lower my head, and someone screams my name from close by.
“Riley! What are you doing? I need you to tell me if my pumpkins are as pretty as I think they are.”
A sound crawls up my throat and I sigh as I slide my phone into my pocket. It’s not until I’m halfway to my friend that I realize I don’t have the keys. Right as I’m about to turn around, another message comes.
Sexy Husband: They’ll be by the stuffed animals you were eyeing. It’s what made it easy for me to take them.
My next breath tickles the roof of my mouth.
Pompous asshole. I swallow down a chuckle, hiding my amused expression as best I can from Leo.
He doesn’t ask about the keys, looping his arm in mine and leading me to where his tired-looking fiancé is sitting.
He has eight pumpkins surrounding him. A laugh flies past my lips, and I give Glen a sympathetic smile as I look over each one.
“Very pretty indeed. You’ve got great taste.”
Glen mouths me a silent thank you and I wink, hiding another laugh behind my hand as I pretend to scratch my nose.
“Don’t think I don’t see what’s happening here.” Hands on his hips, Leo’s gaze bounces between us. “You’re lying because this one here wants you to.”
“What?” I bring a hand dramatically to my chest. “I’d never conspire against my best friend.”
“Mhm.” He scrutinizes me with his green eyes. “Do you really like them?”
“I do. I really do. They look like they were all chosen by a perfectionist.”
“You have no idea,” Glen groans, and I have to laugh at that.
“Don’t worry, Glen. I’m sure he’ll make it up to you later.”
“He better.” Glen stands, pulling Leo to him, and kisses him on the cheek.
“Get a room, eesh.”
They both laugh, gathering up the pumpkins, and as they’re checking out, I make a beeline for the pumpkin stuffies.
A small object shines between the ones with purple and blue faces.
I reach between them, sighing in relief when the keys are in my retracting hand.
I laugh to myself, turning my head in every direction.
I do this when we’re getting in line for the potato-sack sliding too, then again between eating turkey legs and picking out fudge.
I eat way too many things I have no business eating, and my stomach lets me have it later when it cramps while we’re getting back in the car.
I resisted the urge to check underneath before climbing in, shoulders tucked behind me as Glen drives out of the parking lot.
I check my phone when Leo plays the first song and look at it again as we’re pulling onto my street. No new messages.
“So, you’re still going to be Art the clown for the Halloween party, right?” Leo flits his gaze back to me.
“Do we really have to go? We barely know the guy,” Glen whines.
“We know him well enough to attend his party and drink all his alcohol,” Leo says, shoving a finger at his fiancé.
I let out a short laugh, resting my hand on the door as we reach the bumpy area of my road. “I know him. The guy’s my boss and I already told him I’d go. He let me take off all the time I needed and even told me not to rush. He’s being very supportive. The least I can do is show up to the party.”
“Yeah, see, and Riley needs us with him for support.”
Glen’s mouth twitches. “Oh yeah, because you’ll be offering lots of that while making him help me carry your drunk ass out after you dance yourself into a coma.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Leo pretends to flip the long hair he doesn’t have while scoffing.
Glen speeds up as he gets closer to my house, slowing down as he’s swerving into the driveway. He and Leo tease each other some more, taking turns tickling the other in the side. “I’m not going to be Ghostface, you hear me?” Glen remarks.
“We’ll see about that,” Leo replies and purses his lips.
“I think I’ll go inside now and let you two figure things out. I no longer think my presence is needed.”
Glen snorts. “Thanks for coming out with us today. Believe it or not, I think it would have taken a lot longer if you weren’t there. He never believes me when I say things are pretty.”
My stomach rumbles with laughter. “Oh, I believe it. You don’t need to convince me.”
Leo sticks his head between us, smacking his lips. “Aren’t you supposed to be getting out?”
More laughter spills from me and I shove the door open. “Yes, yes I am. See you two next weekend, unless Leo wants to show up and pay my way to eat again in effort to cheer me up.”
“Hey, you get the rest of the year to milk this, and that’s all I’m giving you.”
Glen looks between us, resting a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “Hey, you didn’t even give me that long when my mom passed.”
“Yeah, well, I’m slowly changing for the better I guess.”
Glen and I both erupt in laughter. I step out of the car and lean down with my hand on the door. “Now that is one thing I don’t believe, but if you want to prove it, you can help me carry my pumpkins to the porch.”
Leo’s eyes roll and he stomps his feet forward. “Yeah, alright.” As he’s climbing out after me with the white pumpkin in hand, he shouts, “Until the end of the year, you hear me.”
“Uh-huh,” I say in a playful tone, and we set the pumpkins down at the same time.
“You going to carve them by yourself?” He steps back, shoving the top half of his fingers in his pocket.
“Yeah. I feel like I need to.” The lies come too easily now. “It might be therapeutic.”
“Okay, but I’m happy to bring over one of my fifty pumpkins if you decide it’s not.”
“Okay.” My lips press into an easy smile. “Now go back to your fiancé before he honks and pisses off my next-door neighbor, Mr. Mendez.”
“Ugh. That guy’s still alive? What is he, eighty?”
“No.” I lower my eyes at him. “Fifty-something. It was on those balloons his sister brought him for his last birthday.”
“Well, he looks eighty, but they do say being an asshole ages people.”
“Oh, is that why you’re getting so many wrinkles lately?”
He glares, shoving at my shoulder as he turns away. “That’s from being your friend.” His eyes stay forward as he returns to the car, flipping me off.
I make a soft sound and smile as I enter my house. It’s quiet and the lights are all off. I flip the switch in the living room, and my steps come to a halt when I spot a stuffed pumpkin sitting in the center of the couch. My lips stretch wider as I sit next to it and I squeeze it to my chest.
“I knew you needed it the moment I saw it in the barn.”
“You bought it.”
“I did.” He sits on the other side of the pumpkin, lifting up the tag. “How about I read you something?”
My heart squeezes and I scoot closer to give him a better view of the small words.
“Okay.”
He leans in, tugging at the tag and lowering his face. “This is Gil. Gil could use a new friend and a new home to grow in.”
“I like Gil.”
“More than me?” His knee knocks against mine.
“I like him because of you.”
“And I like you because of you.” He kisses my nose. “Did you feel me?”
“Yes.”
“Before the messages?”
“I felt you the moment I stepped out into that pumpkin patch.”
“And now you get to feel a lot more of me.” His lips brush mine and the pumpkin falls from my hands as he carries me to the bed I’ll never have to sleep alone in ever again.