“Er, not really?.?.?. you look as if you’re more bored than trying to be angry.” Charlie rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe if you stood a little taller?”
“Charlie, nothing you suggest is going to make her look like you. Gemma doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She’s as close to a real-life Cinderella as they come.”
Charlie held up his hands. “Fine. I know when I’m outnumbered.” Removing Frankie from his hap, he stood up and excused himself to the kitchen to start making dinner, leaving the ladies to their own devices.
“Have you ever tried out a dating app? Nan and Mr. Tomlinson met through one for seniors,” Leslie mused.
“Yeah. You name it, I’ve tried it. It’s only led to one bad experience after another.”
“Gem isn’t lying. She always pulls the short straw when it comes to dates.” Frankie started counting on her fingers. “There was the guy who only agreed to go out with her for a free meal. The guy who didn’t date women over five-foot-two because he didn’t want anyone towering over him. Oh, and my personal favorite, the guy who told her she’d have to quit skating so she could stay at home to raise their ten kids.”
Leslie winced. “Ouch.”
“The few blokes I’ve gone out with never end up being anything like their dating app profiles.” Gemma pinched the bridge of her nose. “After the bloke who wanted ten kids, I thought I’d move on to dating skaters, but that failed too. The only thing I seemed to have in common with other skaters is skating.” She huffed. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m being too picky. Ishouldwomanup and give a skating or hockey bloke another go.”
“You’re giving up too easily. Don’t settle. You’ll never be happy with yourself if you do. I stand by what I said earlier. Ask Nan. She might surprise you,” Leslie said.
What have I got to lose?“Okay. Maybe I will.”
Chapter 2
A few days later, the glass doors to Hobby Land opened with a whoosh. Gemma’s eyes widened. “I’ve always known Halloween is popular in America, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen so manydecorations for it before.”
To her left, there was a six-foot-tall black skeletal tree trimmed with orange, purple, and black baubles, and a string of twinkling ghost-shaped fairy lights. On her right, an entire aisle was dedicated to inflatable decor for a person’s yard. She spied a black cat, a witch, a vampire, and a mummy. The store’s soundtrack played haunting music, filled with the eerie howls of werewolves.
Gemma approached the nearest plexiglass. “Is that a haunted dollhouse?”
“Nope that’s part of Hobby Land’s luxury spooky mansion line,” Leslie replied with a chuckle. “They’re for people who love going all out decorating the inside of their homes.”
“You’re sure? It still looks like a dollhouse to me.” Gemma continued watching the LED lights flicker inside the Victorian-inspired manor. “It’s so detailed.”
“I’ve always wanted to buy one for the rink, but Charlie and Uncle Jack veto me every time. They think it’s impractical to have something so expensive and fragile in a place filled with hyperactive kids.”
Gemma silently agreed with Charlie and their uncle on that one.
“Oh, look at those!” Frankie exclaimed, skipping over to the area of the store devoted to fall and Thanksgiving. She pulled out her mobile and snapped a few photos of a scarecrow perched on a bale of hay. “This would look amazing by the cabin’s front door. I just have to send a photo of this to Charlie. I was telling him last night about how we should decorate the porch.”
Leslie glanced at the price tag dangling from the scarecrow’s hat and frowned. “Fifty dollars? That’s too much. I can make you one that’s way better looking for half the price.”
“Would you?” Frankie said, placing her hands together in a pleading gesture.
“Of course.” Whipping out her own mobile, Leslie opened the note app. “What did you have in mind? How big should it be? What colors? Male or female?”
“Um, I want something medium-sized? So three feet?” Frankie began describing her vision to Leslie. “I think I want a scarecrow couple. Can you make them matching outfits? What about hats?”
Leslie’s fingers flew across the screen. “Hold on. You’re going too fast for me. Three feet?.?.?. boy and girl?.?.?. matching outfits. OK, now I’m ready.”
These two are going to take all day to figure out what they want. They’re too detail oriented.Gemma’s gaze traveled back to the Halloween items and the aisle with steam billowing from a cauldron. “I’m going to have a wander, if you two don’t mind.”
“Sounds good. We’ll come find you in a few minutes,” Leslie called out absently.
Exploring the costume aisle, she picked up a pair of wings at random, running her fingers over the delicate glittery mesh material.
I had a pair like these when I was six. I wanted to be a fairy so badly, just like Tinker Bell.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t go for those. They’re not very good quality. Go for the fairy wings made by Glamour and Co. They light up, and out of everything here, they look the most real.”
Her head shot up and she dropped the wings. “Uh, thanks?.?.?. I’ll, er?.?.?. keep that in mind.”
