Chapter 37
With Halloween tomorrow, the coffee mug cartoon on Jitter’s window has been transformed into Dracula.
It boasts the addition of a dark, billowing cape and fangs, and is still holding its own mug.
But this time, the drink inside is a dark red and there is a quote bubble above it that says I want to drink your brew.
“Clever,” Jake says, admiring the art.
“Thanks, man.”
We turn together to find Mack a few steps down the sidewalk. One of Levi’s good friends, he also picks up various bar tending and serving jobs around town. Like the seasonal pop up at Pumpkinville. He approaches us with the crunch of leaves beneath his boots.
“Did you paint this?” I ask him, unaware he had such talent. “Do you paint all of them?”
Mack is a large, burly man, and the last person I’d expect to shrug shyly as he admits, “Yeah, Jenny and I usually plan together, but I make them.”
“I always love them,” I say quickly before turning to introduce the men to one another. “But I’m sorry, Jake meet Mack. You might have seen him—”
“At Gin Mill,” Jake says, reaching out and shaking hands with our local bartender. “He’s served me quite a few times over these last couple months.”
“It’s good to see you,” Mack replies. “You’re the travel writer, aren’t you?”
Jake’s hand returns to my back, his fingers giving me a squeeze at my hip. “Sure am, word seems to travel around here.” He’s got his lopsided grin on full display, clearly amused by this.
“Pretty common in Ellicottville, I’m afraid. But I’m glad I ran into you—you’ll have to come by Gin Mill in a couple days, experience our big Halloween bash.”
I had completely forgotten about the Halloween event they host every year. It’s not my thing since it’s far too crowded and far too loud. But if the goal is to give Jake a taste of community around here, it would be a good thing for him to see.
“Thanks for the invite,” Jake replies smoothly without confirming or denying his attendance.
They exchange a nod before Mack bids us farewell and continues down the street. Jake is ready to move on, too, his hand reaching for the door to Jitters. But I’m frozen by what I’m about to suggest.
“Luce?” he asks, turning back to me. “Everything okay?”
“We should go. You booked your flights; you’ll be back in time.”
“You want to?”
I shrug and the lapels of my wool coat lift my scarf up to my chin. “It will be good, you wanted to get to know the town, right?”
“If you think we’ll enjoy it.”
I take a step closer, filled with equal parts determination and dread. “Yeah, it will be good. Levi, Claire, Taylor, we’ll all go.”
“I’m happy doing anything as long as we’re together,” he assures me.
From most people, that might just be a line. But with Jake, I feel in my bones that he truly means it. He makes me want to try. I can go to this Halloween bash, as long as I’m going with him.
“Did you spend the night at Jake’s?” Claire asks, poking her head over the back of the sofa as I walk in the front door.
“No, I came home after dinner to paint last night. But I did go back to grab coffee with him this morning, before his flight.” I drop my bag on the front console table and shrug off my coat and scarf. “Why? Would you disapprove?”
She sits up, turning to face me as I walk around and sink into the armchair beside her. “Quite the contrary.”
We both let out a little laugh as I shake my head at her. “Until I finish these paintings, I can’t even think about that.”
In truth, though, I’ve been thinking about it a lot. Each day it seems harder to leave him.
“Wait. Did you say his flight? Where is he going?”
“Back home, just for one night. There’s some big meeting he has to do.” I hate using the word home to describe his place in the city. His home should be here. “But he’ll be back for Halloween at Gin Mill—are you and Levi going?”
“We are.” She narrows her eyes at me. “Are you?”
“I’d like to try.”
A gleaming smile stretches across Claire’s face, and I can’t decide if it’s sweet or menacing. Sometimes the line between them is fine for her. “I’m so proud of you, lately you’ve been stepping out of your comfort zone in so many ways. It can’t be easy.”
“It hasn’t always been.” It also hasn’t been as hard as I expected.
I tug my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. The sleeves of my sweater are long, extra knit flopping down over my hands as I link my arms together.
“But has it been worth it?”
“I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”
My heart squeezes. It feels worth it.
He feels worth it.