His hand stilled. “Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe we should think about it.”
“Like what?”
“This being permanent.”
My heart kicked against my ribs. “Is that what you want?”
“Yeah, Saff. That’s exactly what I want.”
“We hardly know each other. I mean, we know each other, but not that way. I mean?—”
“I’ve wanted you for years, Saffron Hope.” He tucked hair behind my ear. “But I’m not pushing. I’m just saying—when you’re ready to think about the future, I’ll be way ahead of you.”
I kissed him instead of answering. His arms came around me, and I let myself get lost in the feel of him, in the solid reality of his body against mine.
Halloween fell on a Friday.I met Snapper at his house just as the sun was dropping toward the horizon. His driveway waspacked with vehicles, including Tryst and Jaicon’s SUV, Brix and Addy’s truck, and Alex and Maddox’s minivan with its collection of car seats.
“Fair warning,” he said when I climbed out. “My family goes all out for this.”
“I remember. Your mom used to give out full-size candy bars.”
“Still does.” He took my hand and led me inside. “She buys them in bulk from Costco.”
Chaos greeted us. Kids in costumes ran everywhere—Tryst and Jaicon’s daughter, Neva, dressed as a butterfly with gossamer wings, Brix and Addy’s daughter, Reagan, as a dinosaur complete with tail, Alex and Maddox’s daughter, Coco, as a winemaker, complete with fake grapes sewn all around her purple-stained jeans. Alfonso was a baseball player. Lucia stood in the middle of it all like a general coordinating troops.
“Snapper!” She shouted when she spotted us. “You’re on candy duty at your house tonight. The bowl is already there.”
He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And, Saffron!” She gathered me in a hug before I could brace for it. “So good to see you,mija. You look tired. Are you eating enough?”
“I’m fine?—”
“She’s been working harvest,” Snapper said. “We both have.”
Before Lucia could interrogate me further, Reagan barreled into my legs with the force of a small meteor. “TíaSaffron!”
What she’d called me hit me square in the chest.Tía.It was Spanish for aunt and used like I already belonged to this family.
I froze, looking down at her little dinosaur face. She grinned up at me, completely oblivious to the way she’d just cracked something open inside me.
Snapper’s eyes met mine across the mayhem. His smile was soft and understanding.
“Hey, Reagan.” I crouched down to her level. “You’re a very scary dinosaur.”
She roared, showing me all her teeth. I pretended to be terrified, throwing my hands up. She giggled and ran off to terrorize someone else, her tail bouncing behind her.
Snapper watched as I slowly straightened, and something in his expression made my chest tight. Like he was seeing a future I was too afraid to imagine.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah. Just—” I glanced at Reagan disappearing into the kitchen. “Tía.That’s a big word.”
“She’s three. She doesn’t know it’s big.” His hand felt warm on my lower back when he wrapped me in his arms. “But yeah. It is.”
We spent the evening handing out candy while the parents and kids trick-or-treated through the neighborhood. The streets were packed with families, porch lights blazing, the air filled with excited shouts and laughter. I held Snapper’s hand as we greeted each visitor and held out the tub of candy for them to choose from. As they came and went, kids compared their haul while parents chatted about school and sports and whose turn it was to host Thanksgiving.
When we ran out of our stash, we turned off the porch light and went in search of the others. I watched Snapper adjust Neva’s butterfly wings so they wouldn’t get crushed before hoisting her onto his shoulders when she got tired. I marveled at the way he and the kids pointed at decorations, and how animated he was when they argued over which was the best.
