“Tell you what. As soon as I get those glow-in-the-dark spiders down from the top shelf, you can suck away.”
“Come down from there.” He yanked her over his shoulder and gently set her down. Jack handed her the flowers, then used the rickety ladder to fetch her box of spiders. “Plastic. Thank God. I thought you went native and were after the real deal.”
“No, just the glowy ones. They’re to put on the webs on the porch. I totally forgot about them until Joey Hindenmeier told me they were missing.”
“Good old Joey.” He had no idea who the kid was.
“You brought me black flowers.” She blinked at them, then looked closer at the band holding them together. “Is this a ring?”
A piece of black satin tied the thorny flowers together, and attached to that he’d affixed his old high school ring. What he’d once given to Ann.
“I know this is your favorite holiday.”
“You remembered how much I love black roses.”
“Not hard to remember, actually. You’re the only woman I know who thinks they’re cool, not creepy.” He smiled but grew concerned to see her tearing up. “Ann?”
“Your ring?” She cleared her throat. “Kind of an odd present.”
“Not really. It was always yours.” He hadn’t planned to do this in a garage of all places, but the words needed to be said, and he couldn’t wait any longer. Time was not on his side with the witches in the house. Unable to hold it in any longer, he blurted, “I’m yours.”
“Jack?”
He kissed her, then pulled back to see her. “Honey, I’m in love with you. I have been since the first moment I laid eyes on you.”
“In fifth grade?” she rasped.
“Well, the first moment I laid eyes on you after you got boobs.”
She wiped a tear from her eye and snorted. “There’s my Mr. Romance.”
“After that first date, I knew. You were mine. It wasn’t puppy love. Not a first romance or first sexual experience that made me think you were it. I just felt it, in here.” He brought her hand to his heart. “We never talked about what happened back then. And you know, I just don’t care anymore. Terry Chapman doesn’t matter.Youmatter, Ann. I love you.”
“Oh my God.” Riley’s voice rang out from the doorway behind them. The door slammed shut before Maya could respond.
Just the two of them again, the way it should have been in all the years since they’d been apart.
“You love me?” Ann put the flowers on a shelf and gripped his hands in hers. “I-I love you too, Jack. And it scares me to death.”
His heart felt overfull. “Trust me. I know.”
She opened her mouth then closed it and frowned. “Terry Chapman? I haven’t heard that name in years.”
“Yeah, well, I’d rather not talk about him if it’s all the same to you.” He hated the thought that she’d gone to Chapman behind his back. “But fuck it. I have to know, then I promise we’ll never mention him again. Why him? I mean, was I that bad in bed or something?” He felt his cheeks heat, but the not knowing killed him. If she admitted he’d been lacking, he could move on. After all, he’d learned a lot since high school.
“Wait. I’m still confused. Terry Chapman?”
“Ann, I know.”
“Know what?”
He frowned. She seemed genuinely confused. “I know about you and Terry, that you slept with him.”
“Are youinsane?”
“What are you talking about? Everyone knew. Selena told me—”
“Selena?” Ann’s eyes darkened. “Thatbitch.”
