by Kennedy Fox
“We should do the hayride.” Gemma points across the way where a tractor is pulling a trailer of hay. When it comes to a stop, the kids hop off, smiling like they had the time of their life.
“Deal.” We make our way over and climb aboard. I sit on some hay with Gemma on my lap. The trailer quickly fills with children and chatter. Gemma and I are nothing but smiles as the tractor takes off and drives us up and down the streets. I wrap my arms around her waist and hold her as she grins wide. We pass all the decorated businesses, the haunted maze filled with zombies, and the pumpkin patch. Most people look like they’re having a good time, and the weather couldn’t have been any better. I’ve never really cared about any of the town activities and always skipped them, but doing things like this with Gemma might be one of our new traditions.
The cool breeze brushes against our skin, and she snuggles even closer to me. Resting against me, she lets out a contented sigh. Eventually, the tractor returns us to the unloading area, and I’m sad it’s over. We stand and jump off, and we’re each handed a candy apple wrapped in cellophane.
“Thank you!” Gemma tells the lady and immediately digs in. Though I’m not into sugar like that, I join her. We eat our sticky food and notice scarecrows are strategically placed throughout town. Each one is hosted by a business. “Did Everleigh decorate one of these things?” I ask.
Gemma shrugs. “I dunno. She didn’t mention it, but considering she goes all out, I wouldn’t be surprised. Dad donated one but let the neighborhood kids decorate it. I’ll have to find it and take a picture for him. It was a fundraiser for the local food bank or something.”
Spooky music plays throughout the square, and after we’ve finished our apples, we stop for some hot cider to take the chill away. I glance over at Gemma as she grips her cup, and her gaze meets mine. A wave of heat rushes through me, and I swallow hard.
Our afternoon has been full of unspoken words and stolen glances, and I don’t want it to end. As I study her, there’s not a doubt in my body about returning to Lawton Ridge. I’m just so damn grateful she’s giving me another chance.
“Let’s paint a pumpkin,” I suggest as we pass a makeshift pumpkin patch. Brushes and paint are set out for those who want to decorate it here. Gemma nearly squeals, then gives me a look. “My painting skills suck, but we’ll make a Picasso pumpkin if you want.”
The rows are long with at least three hundred pumpkins of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Children rush past us, and Gemma smiles sweetly at them.
“What?” I ask her as we knock on a few.
“I can’t wait to bring my kids here,” she admits with a blush to her cheeks. “Not that I’m ready to have kids right now, but I’m not getting any younger.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I think you’ll make a great mom, Gemma. You have a big heart and care.”
“Do you want children?” she asks. It’s not something we’ve discussed. When we were younger, we were too busy living between the sheets and in the moment to be talking about our future.
“If I found the right woman,” I say. “I’ve thought about it a few times, but considering my childhood wasn’t the greatest, I’m wary about bringing kids into this world.”
She swallows watching me. “Would you have kids with me?”
I wrap my arms around her waist until I can feel the warmth of her skin against mine. “Without a doubt.”
Her gaze seems to pierce through me, and her expression softens. “How about this one?” she eventually says, quickly changing the subject.
“It’s great.” I lift the pumpkin, not realizing how damn heavy it is, but I should’ve, considering he’s the daddy of the whole patch. I set it down by the decorating supplies with an oof. “I swear he weighs seventy-five pounds.”
She snickers. “He? Are we naming him?”
I let out a chuckle. “Yeah, let’s call him Big Daddy.”
“I honestly just wanted to see if you could lift it. And you did.” Her smile touches her eyes.
“You are so wrong for that,” I tell her, grabbing a brush and squirting different colors of paint on a paper plate. We both sit cross-legged and look at the giant orange pumpkin.
“What if you decorate one side, and I do the other?” I suggest.
Gemma laughs. “Deal!”
We get to work on our masterpieces. There’s enough space for me to put what I want, and I can’t wait for Gemma to see. When I glance up at her, she’s deep in thought, and I chuckle, trying to imagine what she’s creating over there. If it’s anything like her canvas, I’m taking this pumpkin home and displaying it right next to the front door. Once I’m finished, I sit patiently and wait for her to finish. She claps her hands together and brings her knees close to her chest.
“Are you ready for me to see?” I ask, and she covers her face with her hands.
“I guess!” she excitedly says, and I crawl close to her. When I look at what she’s drawn, I’m at a loss to what it is.
“Do you see it?” She’s smiling wide, and I nod.
“It’s a…” I try to figure it out quickly but fail miserably.
“It’s a spider!” Gemma reaches over and tries to tickle me, and the next thing I know, I’m leaned over, pushing her back against the grass, and kissing her. Her palm rests on my cheek, and her warm, ragged breaths brush against my lips as I devour her. We’re lost in a moment of time as the sounds of children fill the background along with music in the distance. Our tongues twist and dance, and the only thing that stops us is a clearing of a throat.
“Gemma?” a woman asks, standing over us. I push away, and Gemma sits up, trying to fix her hair. The woman zeroes in on us.
“Where’s Robert?” she questions, wearing an accusing expression.
Gemma clears her throat, tucking loose strands of her hair behind her ears. “I’m not sure. We’re not together anymore. Clearly.” Just by the tone in Gemma’s voice, it’s obvious she’s annoyed.
“Oh.” She looks at me again, then back at Gemma. “Sorry to hear that.”
“I’m not,” Gemma snaps, and the woman makes small talk about the weather before scurrying off.
“Bitch,” Gemma whispers under her breath.
“Who was she?” I ask curiously, considering she felt the need to confront Gemma as if she was an adulteress or something.
“One of Robert’s secretaries. I swear she’s always had a thing for him. Honestly, though, she can have him. He’s available now so go get him!” Gemma waves her hand, then laughs before leaning over and capturing my lips. “I haven’t seen your side yet,” she says when we break apart.
Moving around to what I painted, Gemma smiles wide when her gaze lands on it. “Tyler…”
“What?” I smirk.
“You drew a heart with our initials inside. That’s so damn thoughtful.” Leaning forward, Gemma places her palms on my cheeks and kisses me. “I love it. Way better than my blob.”
I run my fingers through her hair. “Well, we all know cats can’t paint.”
She snorts. “You’re right.”
Standing, I hold my hand out for her, and she takes it. When she’s eye level with me, she grins. “So what’re we gonna do with Big Daddy?”
“Several painted ones are placed at the entrance of the pumpkin patch. Maybe we should put it there until we leave? Then we can pick it up on the way out,” I say, and she nods.
“You’re so smart,” she says as I bend over to lift him, careful not to touch the paint. Carrying him to the front, I place it with the spider side showing.
“Oh no, turn it around.” She twirls her finger. “I want everyone in this damn town to see what you did.”
With a wink, I do what she says, making sure our initials are on full display.
“Best damn pumpkin ever.” She claps her hands together, and I stand beside her, smiling.
“I agree.”
We look over the other decorated ones, then we head back to the square. Members of the city council give
the announcement that the bonfire will be lit in ten minutes. In the meanwhile, they pass out metal skewers and set up a table with ingredients for s’mores. I can’t remember the last time I had one.
Once the crowd disperses, Gemma and I head over and stuff fluffy marshmallows on the ends of our sticks. After the fire is roaring and the kids have gotten their fill, we step up and roast our mallows.
“The trick is not to let it catch on fire,” she explains, twirling hers carefully as I hold a plate with graham crackers and chocolate stacked. When it’s to her specification, she puts the gooey whiteness between and squishes it together. “You eat this one.”
“No, you go first,” I insist.
“How about we share? They always seem like a great idea until you eat half and realize it’s too much.” She chuckles, and I agree, taking the other side.
We sit on a bench and eat our messy dessert. “You might not be able to cook grilled cheese, but you’re the queen of s’mores,” I say around a mouthful.
When Gemma looks at me, there’s a bit of marshmallow on the corner of her mouth. I smirk.
“It’s on my face, isn’t it?”
Nodding, I lean over and scoop it off with my thumb, then lick it from my finger. She watches me intensely as the underlying current streaming between us nearly takes me under. “I’ll get some napkins.”
Gemma keeps her eyes on me as I get up and stalk across the way to grab a few, then bring them back. Once finished, we sit enjoying the evening breeze until the band begins and the twinkle lights come on. Couples move to the dance floor, and I stand and hold out my hand.
“Will you dance with me?”
She nods, and I lead her to the middle, then wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close. Our bodies move fluidly together as we rock back and forth. I’m ready to swoop her into my arms and carry her home. Gemma hums the melody of the song, and it tugs at my heartstrings listening to her. This woman is everything I’ve ever wanted, and I can’t believe she’s actually mine.
The beat picks up, and I twirl her around, then dip her down. When she’s face-to-face with me, she moves forward, allowing her lips to crash against mine. We lose ourselves in the music, and she’s so ravenous for me that my control slips when she tugs on the hem of my shirt. The song fades off and “Cotton Eye Joe” starts playing, which is a crowd pleaser. Children rush to the center as we laugh and get out of the way.
“Let’s get out of here,” I suggest, and her cheeks flush. I grab her hand and lead her away from the crowd. The music echoes off the buildings as we walk toward the patch to get our pumpkin. I hoist it up on my shoulder, and Gemma chuckles at the size of it. Before we leave, we stop at the booth and pick up the envelope with our pictures waiting for us.
Gemma opens it, and I see her emotions bubble when she pulls them out.
“Look at us,” she says, showing me the prints.
“T&G,” I whisper. “Forever.”
“Forever,” she repeats. “I’d like that.”
Chapter Fourteen
GEMMA
The last week with Tyler has been unreal, and I question if I’m living in one of my favorite romance movies. It’s different to be in a relationship where my partner actually cares. Tyler is different and wants to spend every free moment with me.
Every day after work, we’ve had dinner together and hung out. Most of the time, he cooks, and I watch, but I’m happy to learn a few things in the kitchen. Our night typically ends with us watching a movie, and even though I want more, we still haven’t had sex. Although I just ended a long-term relationship, when I’m with Tyler, it doesn’t feel like we’re moving too quick. He’s not a rebound and has always meant much more to me than that.
When I think about Tyler and our past, and compare it to what I had with Robert, there’s no comparison. The feelings I have when I’m with Tyler run deeper than surface level and nearly cut to the bone. While I haven’t voiced that to him because the thought is scary, I can’t deny I’m falling head over heels in love. It makes me wonder if I ever fell out of love with him in the first place.
On the way to work, I can’t stop thinking about seeing him. I never thought I’d enjoy working with the man I’m dating, but I do. Seeing him gives me something to look forward to. When I walk in, the donuts are already there, and Tyler’s standing with a cup of coffee in his hand. He studies me and smirks.
“I love it when you wear skirts like that.”
I move across the room. Meeting his eyes, I grin. “I love it when you take them off.”
Tyler groans and shakes his head. “Thanks. That’s what I’ll be thinking about for the rest of the shift.”
A smile plays on my lips when he adjusts himself. “Maybe you can come over tonight and show me how it’s done.”
He frowns. “I have two training sessions tonight, and I volunteered to close for Ruby so she could leave a little early. But afterward...” He takes a step closer until his face is inches from mine. I smell the hint of his body wash and cologne, and my panties nearly melt. “I’ll be happy to.”
My heart nearly beats from my chest, and I’m tempted to kiss him, but my dad enters, so I create space between us. Though Dad is well aware Robert and I are no longer together, it’s still awkward for him to see me close to Tyler, and I want to respect our workspace. Plus, I don’t want the whole world in our business, not while we’re still trying to navigate being together after all the Robert drama.
When his secretary confronted me at the Harvest Festival, I nearly lost my shit. Too many people don’t know how to mind their own damn business, and considering Robert flaunted me around everywhere, it’s a shock to most. I wish I could post fliers on every light post saying we broke up. Telling people doesn’t seem to be getting around as fast as I thought, so I’m not sure what else to do. But considering I’ve stopped wearing my ring, many have noticed, though they haven’t said much.
Lunch comes quick and Tyler and I eat together in the break room. It’s quiet, and we talk about Halloween since it’s this weekend.
“I’ve never been to an adult Halloween party, but I’d like to go to one,” I admit.
“We should plan one next year. It’ll be fun. We’ll get Everleigh in on it too. She’s seriously obsessed with everything black, orange, and purple.”
I giggle. “She’s always like that. Every. Single. Year.”
“I thought she would’ve grown out of it, but guess not,” he says and shrugs as he finishes his burger.
“What time do you think you’ll be done tonight?” I ask, wishing I could fast-forward time so we can be together.
“Probably around ten. I’ve been keeping you up late each night, and I feel bad. Maybe you should get some rest, and we can have breakfast in the morning?”
I pout, but he’s absolutely right. I am tired. “Will you have me for breakfast instead?”
His eyebrow pops up. “Absolutely, sweetheart. I’d love to spend time with you all weekend. We should do something.”
“I’ve wanted to hike some trails since the weather has been so amazing and the leaves are changing colors. It’s been a while since I’ve been up there, but I remember how well maintained the paths were.”
“I’d love that, baby. I haven’t been since I was a teen. It’s a date then.” He winks and looks up at the time. “Lunchtime’s over.”
“It goes by too quick.” I pout. We’ve been trying to be punctual with our breaks so my dad won’t have anything to say. When Tyler stands, I can’t help but to notice how damn sexy he is. What’s even better is he’s all mine. We pick up our mess and go our separate ways, but before he walks out to the garage, he takes a quick glance at me. I lift my skirt, just enough for him to see my upper thigh, then move it down. “Miss you already.”
“Devil woman,” he says, then enters the garage.
The afternoon is busy, and customers come in for last-minute repairs, something that never fails to happen every Friday since we’re typically closed on the wee
kends. By the time I look up at the clock, it’s past closing time, and I can’t stop yawning. After Tyler and Dad finish cleaning their messes, and I’m done picking up the lobby, we lock up and leave.
Tyler and I hang around outside for a brief moment, but I know he has to get to the gym because he’s particular about being on time with his clients. “Drink some wine and go to bed at a decent time,” he demands, leaning forward and giving me a kiss on the cheek.
“I will. See you in the morning,” I murmur, stealing another kiss.
“Bright and early,” he tells me. We linger for a moment, then break apart. I go to my car with a smile and drive home elated. Feeling this happy should be illegal, but I’m so damn glad it’s not.
I turn into my driveway, grab my purse, and head toward the cottage. I’m on cloud nine as I unlock the door and go inside.
“About fucking time,” a booming voice barks, and my adrenaline spikes when I see Robert standing in front of me. He’s wearing a grimace from the pits of hell. I take a step back, ready to bolt through the door and run to my dad’s house, but he grabs me before I can escape.
“How did you get in here?” I grit my teeth.
“I’ve got my ways,” he warns, his beady eyes trailing over my outfit. Robert narrows his gaze. “You disgust me.”
With every passing second, I grow more scared.
“You need to leave,” I say, trying to find my courage. “Get out of my house.”
He flashes an evil smirk. “No. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you? There are things that need to be settled tonight, and I’m not going anywhere until they are.”
He tightens his grasp on my upper arm. “Let me go!”
“Everyone saw the little performance you and Tyler put on at the Harvest Festival. Do you have any idea how fucking embarrassing that was for me?” he seethes, and I force myself away from him, backing up until I’m against the door.
