Page 58 of Salvation

We all giggle, both women giving me a thankful smile.

“But fair warning, they might be even sassier than boys. Blake was a menace from the day she was born,” Ana adds. I roll my eyes, but the quip warms my heart. Ana has always been my mom just as much as my own.

“Were you scared?” Whitney asks, “When you found out?”

Ana widens her eyes comically. “Terrified.”

“Really?”

She hums. “I was in denial for a few weeks. But I had an amazing support system. Something I suspect you do as well.” Her eyes bounce to mine. “The first few weeks, hell, the first few years, will be hard. But you’ll do just fine. You grow as they grow.”

Whitney leans forward to squeeze her hand. “Thank you.”

We all fall into random chatter about the boys and me as kids, the festival, and anything else that makes for good gossip. Ana is just leaving to ‘go check on her asshole of a son’ when the doors swing open again.“Got the cookies!” Elain shouts, stepping through the coffee shop doors.Wesley and Elain oversaw dropping the cookies off so that I could help Whitney setup. She’s been ecstatic to help, even more so to check out her very first Clover-Hills festival.My mom’s meeting her soon, so they can walk around together. The two have grown rather fond of each other.

“I like the scarecrow.” Elain adds as she sets down the first tray. The scarecrow that Whitney and I put together has a skeleton head and hands. A witch’s hat and a set of headphones adorn its skull.Andit’s holding a cardboard coffee cup. It’s so stupid that it’s adorable.

Whitney comes around from where she’s at behind the counter, her face brightens when she sees the assortment ofcookies. "They look great! Thank you again for helping out with them.”

"It was no problem.” I say with a wave of my hand.

She leans in to get a better look, laying a hand on her belly, “Awe, you even drizzled a little honey on top. How fancy!”

My skin involuntarily flushes at the word honey, which earns me an odd look from Elain, and another one from Whitney that saysyou’ll be telling me about that later.I doubt it. That one’s going into the deepest vault imaginable.

“Shit!” Whitney cries, slapping a hand over her face. “I forgot to grab more sugar since we ran out yesterday. This baby brain is going to be thedeathof me.”

“You know what? I have some at the house from all the baking." I say, already turning toward the door. "I’ll just run there and grab it. It’ll take me like ten minutes.”

“Really?” She sighs, letting her shoulders slump. “You’re the best.”

“I know.” I sing. “Be back in a bit!”

Chapter 61

Wesley

Ialways moan and bitch about these festivals before they happen, but even I know just how fun they are when it comes time. The entire town comes together, some people even travel from out of state for it. It’s in full swing by the time I arrive at the bar, an extra bag of ice slung over my shoulder. Stilt walkers are roaming around, hayrides are full, and live music is already underway.

“That’s pretty badass, Harper.” I put her in charge of the scarecrow this year, and she killed it. It looks like a classic scarecrow, but it’s wearing sunglasses and sporting a beer belly. The best part about it all is the basket full of beer that says,Adults take one.

“No way was I letting us lose to Clover'sagainthis year.” Clover's, the vet shop across the street. Last year, they had a dog scarecrow with a bunch of little puppy scarecrows. The locals went crazy for it, so they won. The town always gives a smalldonation to the winner, so I wasn’t too shaken up over it. They needed it more. Harper is always one for a challenge, though, cute puppies aside.

Haden sits at the bar sipping on what looks like whiskey. I can’t stop my gaping mouth when I see what he’s wearing. “Cute costume.”

He frowns as he looks down at his Spider-Man-clad body. “Harper told me you were dressing up as Iron Man.”

His narrowed eyes slice to hers as she taps her chin in thought. “Did I? I don’t recall.”

Haden doesn’t miss a beat, though, and doesn’t even glare at her. His signature flirtatious smirk lights up his face. “If you wanted to play dress up with me, Harper, all you had to do was ask.”

Her face morphs into one of disgust, but I don’t miss the way she turns crimson red. I cut it off before Harper chooses to start throwing fists. “You two are going to be the death of me.”

"Aren’t you supposed to be with Wyatt?” I add. He always sets up and brings some of the animals for the kids to see. No other reason than he loves to watch a kid’s face light up at the sight of a horse or pig. He may be a prickly bastard, but he’s as soft-hearted as they come.

“I’m taking a break.” Haden shrugs.

With whiskey? Sounds about right. “Well, no breaks here. Get off your ass and help me bring the rest of the ice in from the truck, Spider-Man.”

---