Page 36 of Halloween Town

Hayes mock-clutched his heart. “Baby girl, don’t scare me like that.”

Luna swatted his arm and wrapped her arm around Hadley’s waist. “I’ll teach you all my tricks, darling child,” she said, walking Hadley away. Then she looked back at Hayes and sent him a long, slow, mischievous, blood-curdling wink.

Hayes shook his head. “Maybe we should move,” he muttered. “Most parents worry about peer pressure from their kids’ friends. I worry about our town’s first citizen corrupting my daughter.”

Poppy thought he had a right to be. Luna was diabolical.

Chapter Eight

Thom

Thom looked across the road to Blackweather Green. After writing on their lanterns, participants could veer left or right onto the walking path that circled the wide green, choosing either the long or the short route to Lantern Beach, where they would release the lanterns.

Their group crossed the road, then split up, but Poppy remained at his side. He took in the long tables stacked with paper lanterns—cream, amber, pale gold. The color palette was quite muted for H-Town, but this ceremony wasn’t about the flash, or to be seen. It was supposed to be introspective, calm, deep, meaningful.

Thom hauled in a deep breath, acutely conscious of Poppy next to him. These past few days had been a special type of hell. Look, he knew she needed time and space and for him to keep his distance. He’d done everything he could to make her feel comfortable…

And it had nearly fucking killed him. Because, honestly, all he wanted to do was to kiss her again…

And take her to bed. To disappear with her for hours, maybe even days, leaving the world to get on without them. His body wanted more; it wanted everything she could give him, but his mind was a disaster zone. It was as if her lips meeting his had detonated a landmine of piled-high crap…

Guilt, confusion, anger … a shitload of danger.

For what felt like the hundredth time since, he tried to untangle it all, despite knowing he was a hamster on a wheel going nowhere. Guilt … yeah. He felt guilty because he made a move on his brother’s ex. And that was despite Benji manufacturing evidence that got Thom booted from Sheffield Strategy. He was also pissed at Benji, at the situation, at Poppy for strolling back into his life. At himself for wanting what he shouldn’t.

Because, as much as he tried to downplay it, their kiss hadn’t been casual. It felt intimate, important, consequential. It wasn’t simply about wanting a woman in the most biblical way possible; it wasn’t just about lust and want. The stupidest part of him saw potential…

In Poppy, in them.

Thom rubbed the back of his neck. That was impossible, reckless, utterly asinine. He’d only just started to find his emotional footing, some stability, and he was considering allowing Poppy to destabilize him again? He couldn’t trust his instincts where relationships were concerned. And if he allowed himself to go there, and it went wrong, would he be able to survive it? Because this wasn’t just any woman, this was Poppy.

The worst part, something he couldn’t get his head around, was that he didn’t regret the kiss.

Not even a fraction.

He and Poppy approached the last, mostly empty table distributing lanterns, and Thom noticed the Sharpie pens scattered over its surface. Looking up, he was shocked to see that the volunteer manning the table was Jasper, owner of The Bar and an outspoken critic of anything spooky or paranormal. “Psychobabble bullshit” was how he routinely described the town’s obsession with ghosts, Halloween and anything that wasn’t explainable.

It was said that the only spirit Jasper believed in was Jack.

Despite the cool night, Jasper was dressed in a pair of cargo shorts, boots, and a tight, black T-shirt. He sported a full, gray beard, a barrel chest, and the permanent scowl of his face projected his impatience for anyone displaying dickish behavior. A tattoo stretched across his massive bicep, just visible beneath the sleeve of his T-shirt—military ink.

Jasper had the reputation for being one of the few business owners here who absolutely refused to bend to Luna’s Halloween fever dream. His bar remained stubbornly, defiantly Halloween-free all year round. No cobwebs. No plastic skulls. No ironic jack-o’-lanterns tucked behind the taps. It was the only place in town where you could sit down without a ghost story being shoved at you along with your drink.

Thom, along with every other skeptic in town, escaped there whenever he hit his saturation point with goblins, festivals, fairies, and ghosts. Jasper tolerated the town’s nonsense by ignoring it completely. He looked solid. Grounded. Un-hauntable. But he was here, at the Lantern Walk.

Interesting. Thom reached across the table to shake his hand.

Poppy greeted him with surprise.

“Have you gone over to the dark side, Jasper?” she asked, gesturing to the table.

His scowl deepened. “What’cha talking about?”

“Um … you don’t normally get involved in Halloween-inspired events,” Poppy said, and Thom knew she was choosing her words carefully. “You don’t believe in ghosts and the paranormal.”

Jasper folded his arms and looked menacing. Thom instinctively moved closer to Poppy and sent him a warning frown. Jasper clocked it and gave him a tiny eyeroll, silently telling him not to be a dick.

“What’s the supernatural got to do with this event?” he asked, his tone not changing. He looked around, and they followed his gaze. “I’m not seeing people dressed up as ghosts or holding a stupid séance or witches casting spells.”