by Robyn Neeley
He grinned, and she hoped he wasn’t recalling how much he enjoyed his attempt. “You saw that?”
“Um . . . I think the whole town did.”
“Well, we didn’t break it. Not even close. Can’t wait to see what my next task is.”
“So, what are you doing exactly? Are you on some sort of dating reality show?”
Brandon grabbed a black trash bag on the ground and opened it. “Something like that. Jason’s editor sweet-talked me into doing a segment for their website. Apparently, the whole world is in love with the town that’s all about falling in love. I have to go on a series of dates for the next two weeks. They want to see if I can find my soul mate.”
“After two weeks,” she said flatly.
“Pretty ridiculous,” he agreed, but added, “I’m working on those personal goals we talked about.”
“Right.” Abby remembered their deal. Had she known he’d meant his dating several single women in Buttermilk Falls, she would have steered him to some other personal goal like learning new recipes or working on his golf swing. “Who will you be going out with next?” she asked, trying not to sound like she really cared.
“Don’t know.” He chuckled and bent down to stuff leaves into the bag. “Some lucky bachelorette.” Looking up, he flashed one of his trademark smiles. “Good thing we’re just friends, or we might be breaking a record in the town square.”
“Good thing . . .” she muttered, grabbing the rake. “Here, let me help.”
While Brandon continued to bag the leaves, Abby raked. Lending a hand was the least she could do since he was offering her a deal of a lifetime in starting a new business with little overhead.
Emma had loved his idea to house their catering company at the inn. She and Abby even began working on a business plan and potential menu items before they were sidetracked with the news now incubating in Abby.
“So, I’m thinking of having a Halloween party here.”
Abby stopped raking for a second. “Next year?” Since when did Mr. Spontaneous plan something a year out?
“No, this year.”
“But the renovations won’t be completed before then.”
“I know, but most of the first floor is done. I thought it would be a fun way to announce that the inn will be back in business. Plus, I’m sure people are dying to get a look inside. What do you think? Would you cater it?”
“You want me to provide the food for your party? But that’s next Friday.”
He grinned. “I have faith in you. Besides, the catering company that you’ll be running out of there should definitely cater it.”
She couldn’t argue with that. “Well, let me talk it over with Emma.” She continued to rake. It could be a fun way to announce their new venture and was really no different than their supplying refreshments for one of the town’s auctions.
A black Toyota pulled into the driveway, and Brandon headed up to greet whoever had arrived. Abby couldn’t tell from the distance, but judging by the camera he held in his hand, it was probably the man who filmed Brandon and Rachel last night.
Was he here to get footage of Brandon on his next date? The last thing she wanted to do was watch Brandon fawn all over another woman. “No, thank you.” She set down the rake and headed up the lawn to make her exit.
“Leaving so soon?” Brandon asked.
“I should get to the bakery.” She took a step toward her car.
“Before you go. This is Shane. Shane, Abby.” He pointed to the inn. “Abby’s my business partner. She’s going to be running a catering company out of here.”
The camera guy shook Abby’s hand with his free one. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too.”
“So, is your next date right now?” she asked, turning to Brandon. God, she hoped he wasn’t going out with one of her friends.
“No. It’s tomorrow.” Brandon pointed to the camera. “But Shane came over to take some still shots. I guess they want some pictures to advertise.”
Shane uncapped his lens. “That they do. This is the perfect fall backdrop they requested. We should get some pics in before the sun moves.” He gazed in the direction of the water. “Let’s go down there. The leaves will add a nice color contrast.”
“Sure. Whatever.”
Shane started down the path but stopped. “Wait. Abby, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m supposed to get some shots of Brandon with one of his dates, but since his next date isn’t until tomorrow evening and deadline is 4 p.m. today, we’re kind of in a bind. Would you mind filling in?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, we’ll just do a couple fun photos of you two frolicking in the leaves or staring out at the lake or something.”
That got a loud chuckle from Brandon.
“What?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t think I can pull it off?”
“Not at all. On the contrary, I think the camera will love you.” Brandon grabbed her hand. “Let’s find out.”
Before she knew what was happening, Brandon scooped her up in his arms and carried her down the hill. “I’m thinking you would look good with a bunch of leaves in your hair.” He stopped short of the large colorful pile he’d raked earlier.
She giggled, enjoying the fact that her arms were back around his neck where—if she was completely honest with herself—they belonged. “You wouldn’t ruin all your hard work, would you?”
“Oh, I would.”
He turned and fell into the leaves. Taking her with him, he flipped her onto her back and made sure she was good and buried.
She struggled to sit up, pushing leaves off her face. “That was low, Swift.”
Shane came over and started snapping pictures. “Okay, this is good.” He zoomed the camera in. “Brandon, can you lean in a little closer to Abby?”
Brandon followed directions, causing Abby’s heart to pound.
“Maybe put your hand around her.” Shane leaned down and moved Brandon’s arm so his hand rested on her back. “Perfect.”
“Flirty enough for you?” Brandon wiggled his eyebrows as Shane continued to snap pictures.
“Not even close. Move a little closer,” she purred.
That’s all it took. He inched closer to her, his chest nearly touching hers. “Better?”
“Much.” She reached both hands around his torso, and with one quick move, he was on his back. Catching him totally off guard, she straddled him and tossed leaves onto his head. For a moment, she forgot that Shane was still circling them with his camera.
“You win, Abby Stevens.” Brandon pretended to wave a surrender flag. She helped him sit up, both laughing. He reached over and pulled a crisp orange leaf out of her hair while Shane scrolled through the pictures. “Did you get what you need?”
Abby noted that Brandon didn’t take his eyes off her while asking the question.
“Yeah, I think a couple of these will work.” Shane reached behind to his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. “I’ve got to get these photos to my boss, but here’s some info for your date tomorrow night.” He paused, glancing at Abby. “That is, Brandon, if you still want to go on it.”
Abby’s cheeks warmed at what Shane might be suggesting, and she looked away.
Taking the envelope, Brandon jumped out of the leaves. “Thanks, man. I’ll be there.”
“See you tomorrow. Bye, Abby. Thanks for helping us out.”
“Anytime.” She stood and brushed off her jeans, pretending it didn’t totally hurt her feelings that Brandon was gearing up for another date. “So, I take it you have a big night tomorrow.”
“Let’s see.” Brandon ripped open the envelope. “It says her name is Bethany.”
“Bethany Wilson?”
“Yeah, you know her?”
“Not really. She was a cheerleader in high school. Hung out with Caitlin.”
He sighed. “That can’t be good.”
Abby wanted to agree, but the truth was she really didn’t know
Bethany all that well. Emma might though. They were in the same class. “So, what do they have you doing?”
“It says to prepare for some role playing in the cornfields?”
She snatched the paper and read the assignment that included an address. “Oh, that’s the giant corn maze on the edge of town. It’s open in the evenings for the Halloween season.”
“People pay money to walk a corn maze?”
Nodding, she handed him back the paper. “It’s a big attraction. Rumor has it it’s haunted.”
“Like my inn.” He smiled, and she could tell he liked the sound of “my inn.”
“Just like your inn.”
“Speaking of which, I think I’ll give the realtor a quick call and see how the paperwork is coming along.”
“I’ll finish up raking the leaves.” Abby picked up the rake but stopped to watch Brandon chat on the phone. He’d walked toward the lake while talking and was now seated on a dock swing with his back to her.
This afternoon’s fun frolic in the leaves was quite unexpected. Was he just being his typical flirty self, or was there something more to it? If so, did that mean the spell was breaking?
She patted her stomach. “Okay, Baby Swift, get some rest. We’ve got some work to do tomorrow night.”
Chapter 9
“You’re so scary, Brandon.” Bethany Wilson laughed from her studio chair.
“You look adorably frightening yourself.” He chuckled right back, examining his reflection in the mirror. An hour ago, he’d met Bethany in a gigantic red barn that had been transformed into a makeshift dressing room for volunteers to dress up as zombies, ghosts, and goblins.
To say he looked scary was an understatement. The makeup artist tried to paint his zombie face, but his skin started to itch. Not wanting him to break out from the makeup, they decided he’d wear a terrifying mask instead with large eyeballs and blood oozing down his face.
Bethany, on the other hand, had a face made for painting. Still, the witch staring back at him didn’t hold a candle to the real one he’d played in the leaves with yesterday afternoon. It was totally wrong, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Abby and how much in that moment he’d wanted to kiss her.
He’d even considered asking Shane if they could arrange for Abby to be one of the bachelorettes that he’d be going out with because that might all but guarantee his lips would be on hers. Then common sense swept in and backhanded him. Abby was going to be his business partner. Fooling around with her was not a good idea. Period.
He glanced back over at his date who was busy adjusting her black pointed hat. Bethany seemed nice. Just as cute as Rachel, and a hilarious sense of humor. The makeup artist went to work on her dark black lips. Attractive or not, he really didn’t want to do anything tonight that would get her heavy costume makeup all over him.
Their task for this date was to enter the corn maze before it opened to the public and scare the bejesus out of anyone that entered. He’d laughed because when he’d read “role play” yesterday on the assignment card, his mind, of course, went to a completely different scenario. He was sort of relieved that he and Bethany wouldn’t be making out. He just wasn’t feeling it.
While Bethany chatted with a zombie with a fake machete who appeared to be a good friend, Brandon decided to take a minute to get some fresh air. He jumped off his stool and headed out of the barn. It was a gorgeous fall night. One that proved he’d made the right decision to move to a place that had a change of seasons.
It reminded him of home in Montana and happier times before his parents’ divorce.
His gaze wandered over to the maze entrance where a large line had formed. He couldn’t wait to get into the cornfield and give those people a real scare. Halloween had always been his favorite time of year growing up, so he’d had some practice on being a convincing creature of the night. Not to mention, two years ago he’d been an extra for a zombie apocalypse movie filmed in L.A.
Suddenly, he caught sight of the familiar redhead and that caused his heart to skip. Abby stood at the entrance with Emma, looking beautiful and laughing at something her cousin had said. Even her laugh was sexy.
Brandon’s smile flipped as he watched Adam Reed approach them. “Well, what’s going on here?” Adam handed Abby a ticket. Were they on a date? That thought made him tense.
He needed to find out. Turning on his heels, he headed back into the barn and grabbed his chainsaw. It was time to have some fun.
* * *
“So, when are you going to tell Brandon?” Emma asked Abby as they waited off to the side of the entrance gate. Adam and Tom had gone for kettle corn while Bridget chatted with some of the ghosts greeting patrons at the start of the maze.
“Do we have to talk about this now?” Abby pulled her coat tightly around her, blocking out the cold breeze. “I need to concentrate.”
“I thought you promised to be more responsible with your magic.”
“That was before I found out that I was pregnant and that my baby’s father is swapping spit with all the single women in Buttermilk Falls.”
“And . . .”
“And what?”
“You want that spit for yourself.”
“Do not.” Abby pulled out her strawberry lip gloss and swiped her lips.
“Do too.”
Abby shrugged. “Fine. I admit it. I made a terrible mistake.” She capped her gloss and stuck the tube back in her coat pocket. “You know what was strange. Even though I know the spell worked, I could have sworn he was flirting with me yesterday.”
“When?”
“I stopped by the inn to see how things we’re going before work, and the camera guy that’s following him around showed up wanting to take some promotional pictures of Brandon and one of his dates. I was the fill in model.”
“And he flirted with you?” Emma asked.
“Yeah, right before he got his next assignment that said he’d be role playing with Bethany Wilson in there.” She pointed to the cornstalks.
“And that’s why you begged all of us to come tonight.” Emma paused and glanced over at the maze. “What do you think they’re doing in there?”
“Don’t know, but I hope it doesn’t involve any more making out.” She followed Emma’s gaze over to the cornstalk entrance, trying to not let on just how scared she was to enter the dark, scary maze where inevitably she’d be chased by some made up zombie with an ax.
“Hi, ladies.” Adam reappeared, flashing a wide smile in Abby’s direction and handing her a bag of warm kettle corn. It was really nice of him and Tom to stand in the long line while the girls enjoyed some free hot apple cider. “You two ready to get spooked?” He pulled his black coat halfway up his head like a vampire.
Abby couldn’t help but smile back at his silliness. “Adam, you better not scare me in there.” She gave his cheek a playful tap with her ticket. “I mean it.”
As they headed for the opening, Abby and Emma quickly devised a plan to keep their eyes peeled for any sight of Brandon. Unfortunately, as soon as they entered the maze, a mad man with a long knife began chasing them, so that plan went out the window.
Abby led the pack, taking a series of right and left turns. The cornstalks were taller than her, but she thought she managed to stay on the path that would eventually lead them out of there.
This was a bad idea. There was no way she’d ever find Brandon.
“Okay, I think we’ve dodged every zombie, ghost, reaper, and gremlin in here.” She turned around, and a cornstalk smacked her face. “Emma . . . Adam . . . Where are you?” she whispered, not wanting another one of the actors to pop out and scare the living daylights out of her.
She took a cautious step, cracking a twig. Get a grip, Abby. It’s just a stupid corn maze. There had to be at least thirty kids and grown-ups in here. How did she get so far off the beaten path?
Taking a left and then a right, she gained confidence with each step. Nothing to it. She had to be near the end, and when she reache
d the exit, Emma was going to hear it for deserting her and her unborn baby.
From out of nowhere, a strong hand wrapped around her waist causing her to let out a blood-curdling scream. She turned around to see a zombie flashing a light on her. “Abby, it’s me. Brandon.”
“Brandon?” She grabbed the flashlight and pointed it on his grotesque bloody face.
“Yes.” He peeled the mask off and tossed it on the ground. “That feels much better.”
Abby shook her head, still feeling the adrenaline of being scared out of her mind.
“You are a jerk.” Fisting her hands, she pounded on his chest. “Brandon Swift, don’t ever do that to me ever again . . .” She hit him again, and then one more time. “. . . ever. You got that?”
She continued pounding on his chest, her frustration over their situation went into each and every hit: Their time tangled up, the spell, his going on dates and entering kissing contests with other women, her carrying his baby . . . it was all too much. She just couldn’t take it anymore.
“Stop.” He finally blocked her hands. “What’s gotten into you? Why are you hitting me?”
“Because it’ll stop me from doing this.” She flung her arms around his neck, smashing her lips into his.
He responded with what appeared to be his own interest, deepening the kiss. Stopping to unlock her arms, he led her a few steps inside the cornfield, completely hidden from the path, before pulling her close and kissing her again.
“God, I missed this,” she whispered as his lips traveled down her neck.
“Missed what?” he mumbled, pulling her close.
“Nothing.” Her lips found his again, and they continued to make out in the cornfield to the sound of frightened screams and laughter around them.
“Abby, are you over here?” Adam called out.
Abby broke the kiss and closed her eyes, thinking for a split second. Did she really need to let Adam know she was only a few feet away? She stepped back and raked her hand through her hair, not taking her gaze off of Brandon. “Over here. I’m over here, Adam.”
