Page 65 of A Love Like Pumpkin Spice
“Anyway”—she turns to me, a newfound spark in her eyes—“they don’t matter. But you do. How about you come to my place later?” she asks, pulling her lip between her teeth and fluttering her eyelashes at me. “And you can have all the kisses you desire.”
My eyes are locked on her lips, the teasing edge in her voice sending a shiver down my spine. I shift in my seat, uncomfortable now that my cock has clearly taken notice too.
“It’s a deal,” I press out and the little giggle that falls from her lips sounds like heaven.
“Perfect,” she purrs, and her tongue flicks out to wet her lips. “I’ll be waiting.”
She puts the money for her coffee on the counter and walks away with hips swinging, her to-go cup firmly in her hand. However, her posture changes once she steps outside and her sister talks to her. Instead of listening, she demonstratively puts on some over-ear headphones and confidently goes on her merry way with her chin high.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” I admit to Caleb and he nods. It’s an uncomfortable grumble in my stomach, the uneasy sensation you get in a haunted house when a monster can pop up around any corner.
“You’re not the only one.”
Chapter 26
Nic
“Oh, not again,” I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose when I see Jay leaning against a tree only a few yards away. He wears a long, dark green coat with gold accents he could hop on a runway with and holds a bottle of fancy-brand water in his hand. Which I assume is solely because Caleb won’t serve him in his café. I can’t remember him ever drinking anything but coffee or maybe tea. “Lauren. Incoming asshat.”
She follows my gaze, her expression immediately darkening, and her hands tighten around the small pumpkin she’s holding. We just had a little competition on who of us can build the highest decorative pumpkin tower – which I was about to lose.
“Do you want me to throw a pumpkin at him?” She throws the fist-sized one into the air to demonstrate. “Say the word. I’ll do it. With pleasure. I’ll try to make it look like an accident.”
“Don’t tempt me,” I whisper.
“You could run?” She suggests in a hiss, but I subtly shake my head. I’m not going to give him what he wants, and if I run away, it will only confirm whatever opinion he already has of me.
The autumn festival is this weekend, and Lauren and I were summoned to put up the final batch of fresh decorations, like hay and pumpkins.
The second pumpkin delivery arrived an hour ago. We’ve already spent the whole morning placing the first one along storefronts, in the gazebo, and throughout the park, playing around with all the different sizes and colors until we’re satisfied with how they’re styled.
God, I never knew how many kinds of pumpkins actually existed. Half of them barely seem real.
And it’s taking forever.
Lauren and I are trying to make a good impression on everyone in town we haven’t gotten to know yet, and we want it all to be perfect. Considering my ex and my sister are a thorn in everyone’s side and only here because of me, I feel twice as obligated to make these autumn fair decorations a success.
“What do you think it would take for them to leave?” Lauren asks, annoyance clouding her voice as she steps up next to me, shoulders tall and arms crossed in front of her chest. She reminds me of a Chihuahua trying to protect their owner with their aggressive aura alone.
I’d hoped they’d go away. Hell, I even researched if there was any way to get Chaos to haunt them. Maybe some ghostly taunting would drive them away, but no such luck, since I wasn’t about to kill an innocent frog to make the questionable spell I found work. Maybe Amanda has a better idea. I’ll need to ask her about it the next time we’re at the store.
Yes. Apparently, I now believe in ghostsandwitchcraft. Although, maybe I’m only hoping the latter is real so I can get Jay’s hair to fall out or something.
But they’re still here, acting like they own the town and showing no intention of leaving.
Erik assured me the investigation is in full swing, but I’m losing hope. I’m not sure what else he needs evidence for. After all, Anna sent him all the proof she could gather, and Lauren even provided her recording of the scene he caused at the café that I never even realized she took. I don’t understand what else needs to happen for him to file it as harassment and finally arrest those two.
“I’m working on it,” he said. To his credit, he completely understood my frustration. And then he hit me with, “Would you rather I rush this and have my mistake let them walk free?” And I’m afraid he’s got a point.
And now Jay is here. Again. All arrogance and sleaziness and completely unaware that half the town would love to bury him under those hay bales.
He never was quite able to read a room.
“Karma will get him. Karma will get him,” I whisper to myself with closed eyes. Then I square my shoulders and prepare myself to listen to more bullshit as he gets closer.
“Nic,” he says in a slippery smooth voice once he’s in earshot, pretending this is a charming meet-cute and not a karmic punishment for me. “You’ve been avoiding me. Us.”
“You don’t say.” I roll my eyes at him as Lauren tries to cover her laughter with a cough.
