by T. A. Kunz
About halfway to our destination, I become very aware of our current route. We’re headed toward Devil’s Horn.
“Why are we going this way?” I ask. My voice tremors slightly.
“Okay, I guess there’s no need for any more suspense. Check behind the seat under the towel.”
I reach behind me and lift the towel to look underneath it. A familiar black cube sits there, the one from the barn that held the original fox mask.
“Uh, why is this in here?” I ask, apprehension feeling like a gut punch.
I trust Connor, but this is kind of strange, even for him.
“I’m getting rid of it … properly,” he replies. “If the police took it, I’d never get the closure I need for all of this.”
Relief pours over me. “How did you get it? The barn was on lockdown.”
“It was. And yeah, this probably wasn’t the smartest move on my part. But I snuck in a few nights ago and took it,” he says. “I was surprised they hadn’t found it yet, to be honest. But then again, it’s our sheriff’s department we’re talking about here.”
“You snuck in?”
“I know, I know. It was highly illegal of me to do that, but I couldn’t go through life knowing something that has caused so much misery and heartache is still in existence.”
I think about that and nod. “I understand. I’d probably do the same thing. And if you think this will help, I’m behind you one hundred and ten percent.”
That grin I love to see so much returns. We reach the barricade running along the lake side of Devil’s Horn and pull off onto the shoulder. Connor takes the box from the back seat and I follow him to the edge of the cliff, looking out onto Lake Wilson. Unlike the night a few weeks ago, the lake now appears serene. The water looks like it’s made of glass, it’s so still.
Connor removes the mask from the box and holds it out in front of him. The neon orange duct tape outline is showcased in the low-hanging sun. He produces a lighter from his pocket and positions it beneath the mask.
“New beginnings,” he says before striking the lighter.
The flame flickers to life and ignites the bottom corner of the mask before spreading across the rest of it. Connor holds it until the fire grows dangerously close to his fingertips. Tears pool in his eyes before cascading down to his chin. I get a little choked up myself.
He releases the flaming remains of the mask to the ground and we watch together as the plastic crinkles up onto itself. It twists about and melts as the flames grow higher before engulfing it entirely. He grabs my hand as we continue watching the fiery display.
“It’s officially over now,” he whispers. He turns to me with misty eyes. “Thank you for doing this with me.”
“Of course. New beginnings, right?” I say, leaning toward him.
“Yeah, new beginnings,” he repeats, tilting toward me as well.
Our lips crash into each other in a sweet, all-encompassing embrace. His free hand cups my cheek as our mouths press harder together, deepening the kiss.
We pull apart and our foreheads touch. Our breath intermingles as our heads hang there. I sense the grin that forms on his mouth and can’t help but muster one of my own.
This feeling. This feeling right here. It’s what I’ve been wanting for what feels like forever. Now that I have it, I’m never letting go.
Not for anything.
Drea
My head rises and falls with each breath Harrison takes. Every time we cuddle, I have to take care to avoid his injury. After plenty of practice, I think I’ve found the perfect spot on his sculpted chest to rest my head. It’s honestly magical.
The cool fall breeze flows through my bedroom’s open window, causing me to snuggle up closer to him.
This is perfection.
The parents are out trick-or-treating with my little sister, and even though they’ve said countless times that I’m not to have boys up in my room when I’m home alone, they love Harrison. So in my head, he’s got a free pass. Besides, the door’s wide open. It’s not like anything’s going to happen. Strictly PG rating in here.
I tilt my head back and stare up at Harrison. His focus is solely on me. His mouth breaks into a smile when our eyes meet. Those soft hazel beauties always hit me right in the feels.
The doorbell rings, interrupting our moment. I faceplant into his chest. The scent of his subtle but intoxicating cologne wafts its way into my nostrils, fully snaring my senses.
“Dang candy duty,” I mutter into his shirt.
“We could always turn off the porch light,” he offers.
“Nope. Not an option, unfortunately.” I raise my head again to look at him. “My mom doesn’t want any candy left in the house. She’s convinced my dad will cheat on his new diet. In her defense, he has no self-control when it comes to sweets,” I continue with a soft laugh.
“I guess we should probably head downstairs anyway since I’m sure Donovan and Connor will show up soon, right?” he says at the peak of his full-body stretch.
“Oh, crap, what time is it?” I spring up from the bed and grab my phone from the nightstand. “That might be them at the door.”
There’s a text from Donovan that must have come in while we were napping. It says they’ll be over in a little while. He mentions Connor needing to take care of something first. He ends with a note that he’ll text when they get here. My eyes peer out the open window and see it’s dark out.
“Any news from Donovan?”
“He said they’ll be here in a bit. So that probably is, in fact, a trick-or-treater at the door.”
Harrison takes my hand and halts my departure. “But cuddling,” he whines in a playful manner. He rises to his knees on the bed and encircles his arms around my mid-section.
I giggle. “I’ll be right back,” I say, leaning in to plant a kiss on his lips.
The doorbell beckons me again, and I have to wrestle away from Harrison’s arms which, admittedly, is a ridiculously difficult task to accomplish.
Once he releases me, I make quick work of the stairs to the first floor. “Coming,” I announce while snatching up the Frankenstein head shaped bowl from the side table in the foyer. I open the door. “Thanks for wait—”
I pause when I find no one standing there. I poke my head outside and look from left to right, jumping a little when I glimpse the stuffed scarecrow sitting in the rocking chair on the porch. My sister insisted we put him out there. I finish giving the porch one last look over and crane my neck to peer beyond the yard at the children running along the sidewalk decked out in an assortment of costumes.
“Did I just get ding-dong ditched?”
I re-enter the house and shut the door behind me. I abandon the candy bowl back on the side table and watch as Harrison strolls down the stairs. He sweeps me up in his arms and holds me as we sway back and forth.
“Any kids in cool costumes?” he asks before giving me a peck on the mouth.
“Nope. I think one of the little assholes pranked us,” I reply, returning his peck. “Or they just got justifiably impatient with me and left.”
“Never,” he states with a grin. The doorbell chimes. “Round two?”
I quickly collect the bowl again and rush the door, not giving them a chance to get away this time. There’s a group of kids standing there when I open it. They all have their bags at the ready and collectively yell, “Trick or treat!”
“Aww, you all look so good,” I say while dispensing out handfuls of candy.
The kids peel off one by one after they receive their treats, allowing the next one a chance. The last kid in line steps up and his costume causes my heart to skip a beat. He’s dressed as a fox. Not a neon light masked fox, but a regular old fox.
“Like foxes, huh?” I ask him.
He extends his bag out while nodding, slow and methodical. A chill swims across my shoulders and down my arms. I toss a handful of candy into his bag and he turns abruptly before running off down the driveway. I shut the door and lean
against it with a heavy sigh.
Am I going to feel like this every time I see a fox now?
Harrison’s still standing there, his arms outstretched. I can’t help but collapse into them. His strong hug releases all the tension I’m holding in.
The lights suddenly go out, leaving us standing in the dark. The tension instantly returns.
“You didn’t have to go to this much trouble to get me alone in the dark, you know,” he teases.
I groan. “That damn breaker. My dad swore he had someone fix it.”
“You know, this could work out to our benefit. Kids will think we don’t have any more candy,” he says with a soft chuckle.
“Candy has to be all gone, remember?”
His face illuminates with the help of his phone’s light. “Right,” he says. “Lead the way.”
He takes hold of my hand and our fingers lace together. I pull out my phone too and press on the flashlight button. I shine it down the hallway and move toward the basement with Harrison close behind. The door still sounds like it’s in serious need of some lubrication as it creaks open, sounding loud in the quiet house.
“That’s literally the creepiest thing I’ve ever heard,” Harrison says.
“You’re really not helping,” I reply with a soft giggle.
We position our phones to shine down into the basement. Even with the help of both phones, the light still isn’t strong enough to reach the bottom of the stairs.
“The breaker box is at the bottom,” I say, but my feet fail to move forward.
“I got your back, Sullivan,” he says close to my ear.
I love when he calls me by my last name. It’s like we’re on the same team.
I love having him on my team.
I take the first step slow and then the subsequent ones a lot quicker until I reach the breaker. After flipping all the switches, the lights come back on.
“Nerves of steel you got there, Sullivan,” he says, and his phone’s light reveals the grin on his face in the dark of the basement.
“Not too bad yourself, Daniels,” I reply, making his grin grow.
When we reach the kitchen, Harrison’s hands take hold of my waist. He gently pulls me toward him. I crash against his firm chest as our hips mingle together. He sweeps my hair to one side, away from my neck, and places a soft kiss there. I allow myself to get swept up in this wonderful feeling, but then the reality of where we are slams into me.
“What if my parents walked in just now?” I say while playfully swatting him on the arm.
He acts offended. “First of all, I have it on good authority that your parents love me. And second, it’s just so hard to not want to hold and kiss you whenever I see you. But if you want me to, I’ll try to resist.”
His smirk makes me want to smack and kiss him in equal measure.
“Thank you,” I say with a quick kiss to his cheek. The doorbell rings yet again, and I can’t hold back the moan that’s incoming. “Something tells me this is going to be a long night.”
I collect the bowl of candy and fling open the door. A smile fills my face at the sight of Donovan and Connor standing there.
“Trick or treat,” they say together.
My smile falters and my eyes practically roll out of my skull. “Ha, ha, very funny. I thought you said you’d text when you got here.” I step aside and they enter.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. We were kind of distracted,” replies Donovan. I flash him a playful look. “Not like that, you perv.”
“Uh-huh,” I say. Harrison exchanges hugs with them as I shut the door. “All right, since you two are such jokers, you can be on candy duty for the rest of the night.” My delivery is frisky.
“Sounds good,” replies Donovan, taking the bowl from my hands. He opens the door and sets it on the pumpkin shaped doormat outside before turning back to me. “Done and done.” A cheeky grin lights up his entire face.
“Brilliant idea,” says Harrison. “Why didn’t we think of that?” He winks at me when I toss him a withering stare.
“Uh, I do believe that’s called cheating,” I say.
Donovan pulls me into a solid, warm hug. “It’s good to see you, Drea,” he says.
I squeeze him back. “You’re lucky I like you, Donovan.”
“Indeed I am.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but we were thinking we could watch Hocus Pocus,” Connor pipes up, producing the movie case tucked inside his jacket. “It’s one of Donovan’s favorite Halloween movies.”
“And it’s cute scary, not scary scary,” adds Donovan with a knowing glance.
“Sure,” I say. “I think that’s about all I could handle right now anyway.”
The three boys move to the living room. I hang back to watch them take their seats on the couch. Harrison pats the empty space beside him.
“Coming?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
I look down at the rope bracelet on my wrist. It hasn’t left my arm since that night in Harrison’s car. The bracelet will always remind me of Lori. That will never change. But now it also symbolizes something new. Both things born from a place of love.
“Drea, you’re missing the beginning,” Donovan says with a wave over to join them.
No, I’m not.
I know things will never be the same again. And that notion becomes more and more acceptable with each passing day. Of course I wish certain events hadn’t played out the way they did, but when it’s all said and done, you have to keep going. Keep pushing forward. Keep on living … living for those you lost, and for those who would struggle without you in their lives.
As I look at these three people in front of me, I know I’ve found those individuals. We’re bonded now through—let’s face it—something that was pretty savage. And I’ve decided to live for the tiny moments in life that make it all worth it. Tiny moments like the one playing out in my living room right now. Because in the end, that’s all we can really do.
This is the beginning I’m choosing to embrace.
THE END
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First and foremost I need to thank my family, with a very special shout out to my mom, for always being there when I needed to vent about anything book related. And for also never failing to encourage me to keep pursuing my dream no matter what. They’re a huge reason why this book came about, and for that I’m eternally grateful.
Very special thanks to the wonderful author and editor, Raine Thomas (the Red Queen herself). I absolutely adore you and all you do to help clean up my writing! You’ve definitely made this book, and so many others, way more polished and refined. Not to mention, you’re also one of the best people to bounce ideas off of!
Huge thanks should go to Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations for designing an absolutely stunning cover for this book. You’ve seriously given me something very striking to put on display, and I can’t thank you enough! I am proud to have your cover represent this book.
Big thanks should go to Stacey Blake at Champagne Book Design for creating such a beautiful interior for this book. I’m absolutely head over heels with how this b
ook looks, inside and out.
An extra special thanks goes to authors Gretchen McNeil, Susan Burdorf, Elisabeth Staab, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Abbi Glines, Colleen Hoover, and Cambria Hebert for being absolute all-stars who were all involved with beta reading and giving feedback in some capacity. You ladies are just too amazing for words, seriously!
I also want to thank EVERY SINGLE author, reader, blogger, and friend who’s been so incredibly supportive of me and my love of writing (you know who you are). You all mean the world to me, and I can’t even express in words how much I appreciate all of you!
Finally, thanks to you, the reader, for taking a chance on this book. By performing this simple act you are helping me make a lifelong dream come true, and you have no idea how much that means to me.
T.A. Kunz is the pen name for Adam Kunz, who lives in Orlando, Florida. And unfortunately a lot of the rumors you’ve heard about his state are true. When he’s not writing, Adam spends his time reading, playing video games, watching anime and Korean dramas, and spending time with his partner while cuddling with their two dogs, Nicky and Rusty. Since childhood, he’s had a great fondness for reading and writing. His fiction genres of choice are eclectic, but mainly are in the YA, MG, and NA categories. So, it was no surprise when he decided to write his own books that he’d be a grab bag kind of author in terms of story ideas. And he just loves mashing up genres. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Adam advocates strongly for diverse representation in all media. He may or may not have a coffee addiction, the jury’s still out on that one. And his hands-down favorite holiday is Halloween, which holds a very special place in Adam’s heart.
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