Page 14 of A Hot Sauce Halloween

Jake grips me tighter to stop me. “Anna, can we talk?” he asks.

I pause to catch my breath. “Like, right now?”

“Look,” he exhales, “I know the real reason why you hate Halloween and I just want you to know that—”

“Wait, what?” I ask. “What real reason?”

His fingers twitch on my hips. “You know…”

I wait quietly in the dark.

“The pumpkin patch,” he says.

I blink. “Jake, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Vincent told me, Anna. It’s okay…”

“He told you about what?”

He kisses my shoulder. “About how you got cornered by a bunch of big kids when you were little and you peed your pants.”

What the fuck?

My jaw drops. “Uh…”

“I just want you to know,” he says, holding back a laugh, “that I understand. And I love you. And if you ever want to talk it out, I’m here.”

I seethe silently at my brother. “Thanks, Jake,” I say, my throat stiff. “That means a lot.”

He kisses me again, kicking his desire back into high gear but I lean back.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“You know…” I force a yawn. “On second thought, I am feeling really tired all of a sudden.”

I slide off him and drop my head onto my pillow.

“Anna… are you mad?”

“No, no.”

“Because I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m not mad,” I say, yanking the blanket up. “Just really tired.”

“Oh…” He caresses my shoulder. “Okay, then...”

“We’ll continue this tomorrow, Jake.”

“Looking forward to it.”

My eyes twitch with a tepid rage. “Goodnight.”

Dammit, Vincent.

* * *

I throw openthe bakery door with a fire in my step.

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