Someone coughs.
Zane.
“Don’t let Autumn see you getting distracted,” he says. “Especially not mid-triangle-eye.”
Julie buries her face in my chest, laughing.
“He’s right,” I tell her, tucking hair behind her ear. “Autumn, apparently, takes this very seriously.”
“I heard that!” Autumn says, carrying ghost decorations to hang in the trees. In the corner of the large, manicured field next to the house, a stage is being constructed, along with a haunted house.
“How many people are attending this party?” I ask.
“Two hundred, but not everyone RSVP’d.”
“Wow,” I whisper. “So, you’re all obsessed?”
“Yes,” the three of them say.
I settle back in across from Julie, who’s been carving something creative.
“What are you making over there?” I ask.
“You’ll see soon enough,” she tells me.
Julie’s focused on her pumpkin when I hear tires roll over the pavement. It’s a Jaguar.
I glance up and groan. “Who’s that?”
Zane doesn’t even look away from his knife. “Patterson.”
“Patterson? Why?” I ask, just as he steps out of a sleek black sedan like he’s about to negotiate a billion-dollar hockey contract instead of walking across a patio full of pumpkin guts.
“I invited him to the party tomorrow,” Autumn says.
Patterson surveys the porch and the pumpkins, then looks at Julie.
“Oh, shit, you two are carving pumpkins. You know he’s the champ, right?”
Julie looks up at him, grinning. “I’m aware. I’m going to kick his ass. Anyway, it’s good to see you again. How’s the season going so far?”
“Everything is good. Leaving the morning after Halloween, so won’t be here very long.”
“Coincidence,” Julie tells him. “So is Nick.”
Patterson slides his sunglasses on top of his head. “Wow. It’s worse than I thought.” He tips his head at me.
“What is?” Julie takes a break from her carving.
Patterson barks out a laugh, then turns to Nick. “When do you plan to stop playing games and admit you’re never going back to the city?”
Julie glances at me, but I don’t take my eyes off Patterson.
“I’m returning on November first,” I confirm. “I have a quarterly investors’ ball on the second that I can’t miss.”
Patterson smirks. “And how long will you stay in the city?”
Julie arches a brow, and I wish I could read her mind.
