Page 109 of Shea's Hero

Glancing up at Niall slash Vision, Jade puts on a pleading face. “Can we go on one of the haunted hayrides? I heard they’re supposed to be really scary.”

Niall wraps his arm around Jade as he gazes down at her. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? In your condition?”

Shea snorts. “Niall. She’s pregnant. Not ninety. I think Jade can handle it.”

Niall makes a face at Shea. “Is it bad that I’m concerned about the mother of my child?”

“Of course not,” Jade soothes. She kisses his cheek—carefully, so as not to smear his red makeup—adding, “If you’re really worried, we won’t go. But I think it’ll be okay.”

Turning to Shea, I ask, “What do you want to do first? The graveyard walk? Adult trick or treating? The haunted library tour?”

She brightens immediately. “Oh, the library tour. Thea and Penny were telling me all about it. Since they both work there, they helped plan the whole thing, and it sounds really cool. Thea’s going to be reading scary stories, and Penny is leading the tours.”

“Okay.” I smile at her. “Library tour it is.”

“How about the library tour, then a hayride, and after that, we can stop at the Hop-less Horseman for their special Halloween wing special?” Jade suggests.

Niall’s shoulders stiffen. His smile goes tight.

My own muscles tense, and my jaw twitches.

“Are you sure?” Niall asks, his tone carefully neutral. “There are lots of other places to eat here.”

Jade looks at Shea with her eyebrows raised. “What do you think, Shea? Are you up for it?”

There’s a brief hesitation, and then Shea replies, “Yes. Definitely. I’d love some wings. And their pumpkin stout—” She stops. “Sorry. I forgot you can’t drink beer. But they have some good non-alcoholic options. Ciders and stuff like that.”

“That’s fine.” Jade tugs Niall’s hand. “See. Shea’s fine with it. And we have you and Oliver there to protect us.”

Hugging Shea to my side, I inspect her face, looking for any sign of discomfort. “Are you sure?” I ask quietly.

“Yeah.” She lifts her chin and smiles. “They have the best wings. And Nora said she and Jackson were going to stop there. Ari and Cash, too. So maybe we can all meet up.”

Fuck. Every time I think I can’t be more impressed by Shea, she does something like this.

And if she can overcome her fears, so can I.

“Okay.” Turning her towards me, I capture her lips with mine, kissing her long enough for Niall to make loud coughing sounds in the background. When the kiss ends, I continue, “Wings it is. But first, the library tour.”

“Perfect.” She beams and slips her hand in mine. “This is so great, Oll. I’m so glad you could get the night off.”

“Yeah. I was lucky.”

Or rather, I told the guys at the station how badly Shea wanted to go to her first Halloween Fest, and at least half of them volunteered to take my shift. They all like Shea, know what a hard time she went through this past spring, and were more than happy to step up so I could enjoy this night with her.

As we walk towards the library, Shea swings my hand and does a little skip. She looks over at me, joy lighting her face, so beautiful she makes my heart hurt. “This is just what I always hoped for. Doing things like this with you again. And now I have my brother and best friend here, too. I can’t imagine it being more perfect.”

Oh.

My heart.

Then she stops abruptly, nearly causing a pileup of at least six people right on the sidewalk. “Sorry!” she blurts to the random couple that almost ran into us. Once they move past us, she grabs Jade’s hand. “I forgot to tell you!”

Jade laughs. “What?”

“Remember I said I was sending writing samples out to some of the papers in the city?”

“Yes?”

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