Page 20 of A Very Happy Halloween

I nearly spat a mouthful of croissant across the table, which would have been a shame because they were the good ones from the fancy bakery in the next town.

“Raging Chipmunk?” I pretended to study him. “Yes, I can see it.”

He threw a piece of croissant at me.

“Perhaps you could try a movie career?” I suggested. “Crouching Hamster, Hidden Pussycat?”

He picked up both of our knives and whirled them like tiny swords. “Chipmunks have rules too.”

“That movie had some great lines.”

Eis laughed. “You still watch a lot of movies?”

“I love movies and books. Anything to escape from the real world.”

He reached across the table to cup my cheek. It was the first time he’d touched me since he’d hoisted me skywards in his walled garden, and I leaned into him. I couldn’t help it.

“Maybe someday, you’ll build a world you don’t want to escape from.”

My emotions were there, bubbling so treacherously close to the surface, and I blinked back tears again.

“That’s just a pipe dream.”

Quite literally.

“Tell me what you need, Janie.”

“What I need?”

“Right now, what do you need to make your life easier?”

My turn to laugh. “A plumber.”

“A plumber?”

“I already paid a small fortune to one cowboy who made everything worse, so now I’m waiting for the guy that everyone says is good, but he has a waiting list longer than War and Peace. Ditto for the roofing chap.”

“What’s wrong with the plumbing?”

“What isn’t wrong with it? Joints leak, pipes leak, the shower that doesn’t leak needs a new pump, and the central heating doesn’t work.”

“Want me to take a look?”

“Since when did you go to plumbing school?”

“Since I was in prison and there were a bunch of classes we could take. I can weave a decent basket too.”

“I’m not even sure whether you’re joking or not.”

“Give me cane and raffia, and we’ll find out.” He kissed my palm. He kissed my freaking palm. “And I’m serious about the plumbing. I’ve done a bunch of work at the cottage since I moved in as well.”

“The cottage?”

“Twilight’s End.”

“Twilight’s End is not a cottage. And I’m really sorry about your grandma.”

“Me too. She was a tough old bird. We all thought she’d be around forever, but her gin habit finally caught up.”

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