Page 46 of Espresso Your Love

“I just paid double the normal price for this black coffee.”

“You should’ve found me first,” she teases.

We grab our burgers and sit down at a bench nearby.

“You did an amazing job.”

“Thanks, Ryan. I think everyone is enjoying it. That’s all that matters.”

“So what must we see today?”

“I could beat you in pumpkin bowling.”

“How do you know you’ll win?”

“It’s a little thing called…I’m in charge.” She shrugs with a mischievous grin.

“Is that so? Well, I never back down from a challenge, even if it’s rigged.”

We finish our burgers and begin walking toward the games. I wrap my hand around hers and see a smile spread across her face.

We reach the pumpkin bowling stand. The bowling pins are painted like candy corn and there are small pumpkins in place of bowling balls.

Cassie steps up first, but I don’t let go of her hand.

“I’m a righty, kinda need my hand.”

“I thought I’d make it a little more interesting since you have the home advantage.”

She shakes her head but grabs a small pumpkin with her left hand and rolls it down the makeshift alley of hay. She knocks all but one down.

“Guess I didn’t need my right hand after all.” She winks at me.

“Show off,” I tease, and she bumps me with her shoulder.

“Let’s see what you got, Officer Hayes. I’ll even give you both hands.” She tries to let go of my hand, but I squeeze hers instead.

“Not a chance.”

I pick a small, round pumpkin and roll it down the alley. It hits two fewer pins than Cassie’s did.

She pats me on the arm. “That was a good try.”

We each go two more times, but each time, I get worse. She wins by a landslide.

“Winning with your nondominant hand.” I wave my arms up and down. “All hail, the pumpkin bowling queen.”

She laughs, her eyes sparkling. “C’mon, time for the hay maze!” She grabs my hand and runs to the opposite side of the town square with Max trailing me.

“Do you have the hometown advantage here too?”

She giggles. “No, I didn’t design it, but hopefully, you have a good sense of direction cause I’m awful with that.”

“I do, but getting lost is the fun part.”

“Hey, Hayes,” Mitchell says as he stands at the entrance. “I see you’re letting the rest of us do the hard work,” he teases.

“Perks of being in charge,” I tell him, taking after Cassie.

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