Page 27 of What Haunts the Heart
12
Oakley
Halloween parties were all fun and games—until you were the one decorating for one.
Eden and I had gone over earlier this afternoon to have brunch with the family, when Chester suggested we stay and help turn their empty old barn into Spooksville. Even though that put a small kink in our afternoon plans, we’d agreed. Why not? Chester seemed so emphatic that this little shindig would be a success. It couldn’t be that hard to decorate a barn, right?
Five hours later…
I wiped the sweat from my brow and took a step back, admiring our handiwork. The barn was old and a little rickety, so it was kind of creepy to begin with. Add in yards of spiderwebbing and strings of orange and purple lights, blow-up pumpkins and ghosts, and several skeletons just hanging out?
“Looks pretty good,” I admitted. “I can’t wait to see it all lit up in the dark, with the fog machine going full blast.”
“It’s gonna be epic!” Eden clapped his hands together and then, before I realized what was happening, he launched himself onto my back. I pitched forwards at the same time that he wrapped his arms and legs around me and together, we tumbled to the dirt floor.
“Uncie Oaky fall down!” Khloe yowled, while Fallon and Chester laughed at us.
As we laid on our backs, staring up at the dusty hayloft, Eden started cackling. He looked right at me and cracked the most shit-eating grin I’d ever seen. “Oops?”
I snorted. “Oops is right. You could’ve warned a guy.”
“My bad, but damn, that was fun!”
“Do it again,” Fallon said. “Except this time, try to fall in slow-mo.”
“That’ll defy the laws of gravity, buddy,” Kinsley said around a smile. “You guys okay?”
I sat up and rubbed at my shoulder, cataloguing the various aches and pains. My knees were a bit sore from taking the brunt of our combined weight, but I felt okay.
“I’m good,” I assured him.
“Me too.” Eden sprawled between my spread legs, using my chest as a backrest. He draped his arms over my knees and leaned his head back against my shoulder. “Sorry, babe.”
“Hey, Oakley.” Lani strode into the barn, but seeing us on the floor, she hesitated in the doorway. She zeroed in on me and Eden, then chin-nodded in the direction of the house. “Claire wants you.”
I blinked. Claire and Lani had offered whip up some snacks for us, but that was almost forty-five minutes ago. Had something happened?
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
She simply shrugged. “Yep.”
I disentangled myself from Eden, pecked him on the lips, and stood. I dusted off the butt of my jeans and gave a little wave. “I’ll be back,” I said, doing my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression.
I jogged up the steps of the old farmhouse and let myself in. From the kitchen, country music poured out of the radio. I found Claire swinging her hips and humming along to the music, completely unaware of my presence. She looked so happy, at peace here, and it drove the truth in like a stake.
We didn’t belong at Everwood. We both belonged right here.
She turned to grab something out of the cabinet to her right, and my sudden presence must’ve startled her, because she yelped. One hand flew to her chest, the other clapped over her mouth. “Oakley! I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Sorry,” I murmured. “You were in your own little world. I didn’t want to intrude. Lani said you needed me? Is everything alright?”
“Of course, Oak. I just wanted to talk. We’ve barely said two words to each other all week and I miss you.” She let out a soft laugh and reached out to me. I walked into her embrace without hesitation. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt as I hugged her, though.
“Sorry. I should’ve been around more—”
“Don’t apologize. I understand.” When she pulled away, her gaze dropped to the mark on my neck. My heart gave an unsteady pang. I’d had every intention of talking to her about this, but I’d been waiting for the right time. Apparently, that time was now.
“You love him, don’t you?” she asked.
