Page 42 of A Cup of Autumn
“There were haunted houses in the area, but there’s more to Halloween than trick-or-treating. Games, crafts, there could be a scavenger hunt or a passport where the kids get a stamp from each store and a prize at the end.”
She stiffened. “A prize?”
“That’s where the candy comes in, or some shops have trick-or-treating. The others do something else.”
Raine didn’t want to keep shooting him down, but…
“I can see how much you’ve thought about this. But I’ll be honest. I spent what free time I had this afternoon leaving messages for applicants who were told I wasn’t hiring by an ex-employee. I hired Robin and hope things will be turning around staffing wise.”
He was listening to her, so she continued.
“But owning a business is like juggling double-ended knives. There is no safe side that won’t cut you. I’m always waiting for the next shoe to drop. And imagining this kind of Boo Bash feels like a pair of Doc Martens just hit the top of my head.”
“Too much work?”
She nodded. “I don’t have it in me. Not right now.”
Maybe not ever.
“I’m not trying to put more on your plate,” he countered.
She gave him a look.
“This is more than putting up fliers with the event details, ordering bags of candy, and giving the bags to shops to hand out. But what if I do all the leg work?”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Why would you want to do that?”
Keaton pressed his shoulders back.
She doubted he was trying to be cute, but he was.
He raised his chin. “Andrews family members tend to throw themselves into projects one hundred and ten percent.”
“Taryn must fit right in.”
Keaton laughed, lightening the atmosphere. “She does.”
“You have great ideas, but I’m the worst person who could get assigned the Boo Bash. I’m burnt out on events and the association itself.”
“Callie mentioned you organized the Valentine’s event.”
No doubt his family also mentioned what Raine went through while she planned the dance. Not trusting her voice, she nodded.
“I understand.” He refilled their glasses with iced tea. “Halloween isn’t a big deal to me. No trick-or-treaters come to my door. I’ll dress up for undergraduate classes only because some of them have never been away from home on a holiday. And I give out candy as they leave.”
Okay, the man was meant to be a professor.
Or a dad.
Stop.She shouldn’t be thinking about Keaton like that even if she could imagine little boys with short brown hair and glasses make-believing they were in Asgard or some other mythic locale their father told tales about. Now, she was just getting carried away.
Raine ate more pizza.
“But I have research skills,” he added. “I can come up with something.”
She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I’m sure you do and can, Pro—Keaton.”
He leaned toward her. “I have a proposal for you.”
