Emerging onto the street, we were met with the cool night air, the sounds of the haunted house still echoing faintly behind us.
“Okay, that was intense,” I said, wiping a hand across my sweaty forehead.
Ivy grinned. “I can’t remember the last time I screamed like that. It was kind of therapeutic.” At that, we all laughed, and continued on our tour of the town’s festivities.
As we strolled through the heart of the festival, I spotted Ethan moving through the crowd, with Lily fluttering around him like an excited little sprite. She wore a fairy princess costume, complete with glittering wings, a sparkling tiara, and a wand that trailed behind her in her whirlwind of energy. Her giggles were infectious, drawing smiles from everyone who passed by.
Ethan, however, looked like he’d been reluctantly drafted into a costume, and the result was both hilarious and endearing. He was clad in a wizard’s robe that was clearly too long for him, and it nearly tripped him up with every step. The pointed hat on his head kept slipping down over his eyes, and he carried a crooked stick that looked like he had found it in the backyard.
“Nice costume, Gandalf,” Amelia teased as we joined them.
Ethan gave her a mock glare, adjusting the hat for the umpteenth time. “I had no choice,” he said with a resigned grin. “When a fairy princess demands you dress up, you don’t really have much of a say.”
Lily twirled around us, her wings catching the light. “Vinnie! Look at me!” she squealed, her eyes shining with excitement.
I crouched down to her level, taking in her outfit with an approving nod. The glitter on her wings sparkled under the festival lights. “You look absolutely magical, Lily. The prettiest fairy princess in all of Hallow’s End.”
She beamed, her cheeks flushed with happiness, and then she turned back to Ethan, tugging on his hand. “Can we go apple bobbing now? Please?”
Ethan glanced at me, his eyes softening as he searched my face for an answer. I smiled and nodded. “Let’s go bob for some apples,” he said. Before Lily tugged Ethan and me away, I turned to Ivy and Amelia. They were still giggling about Ethan’s ridiculous costume, their faces flushed with amusement.
“Hey, you guys go on ahead,” I said, giving them a quick smile. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
Ivy raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips. “Sure thing, Vin. We’ll be over by the pumpkin-carving contest if you need us.”
Amelia winked. “Don’t have too much fun without us.”
I laughed, waving them off as they disappeared into the crowd, leaving me to focus on the two most important people in my life.
Chapter31
THE AIR WAS ALIVE with laughter and excitement as we made our way to the apple-bobbing station. Kids crowded around the large barrel, filled with water and floating apples, their faces lighting up with the soft glow of orange and purple lights strung overhead. The scent of caramel apples and cinnamon wafted through the air.
Lily’s turn came up and, just as she was about to lean over the barrel, Ethan’s parents appeared, their faces lighting up at the sight of us. Caroline was wearing a pumpkin-themed sweater that was delightfully over-the-top, her smile as warm as the autumn breeze. Robert, in his flannel shirt and wide-brimmed hat, looked every bit the picture of a small-town dad enjoying a night out with his family.
“Well, don’t you all look fantastic!” Caroline exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as she took in our costumes. “Especially you, Ethan,” she added with a laugh. “That wizard hat is definitely a keeper.”
Ethan groaned, running a hand through his hair as the hat slipped down over his forehead again. “A few of my students have already spotted me. I won’t be living this down anytime soon.”
Caroline chuckled, pulling out her phone. “Well, you might as well give them something to remember. Smile for the camera, you two!”
Ethan sighed dramatically but couldn’t hide the fond smile as he slipped his arm around my waist. “Mom, you don’t need to take pictures of everything.”
“Yes, I do,” she insisted. “I need these pictures for memories and, one day, you’ll be glad I took them.”
We both laughed, knowing there was no arguing with Caroline when she was in picture-taking mode. As she snapped the photo, Ethan’s grip on my waist tightened; a small but reassuring gesture that made me feel completely at home.
Lily leaned over the barrel, her small hands clasped tightly behind her back as she focused on catching an apple with her teeth. After a few determined attempts, she finally managed to grab one, lifting her head with a triumphant grin as she held it between her teeth. Her laughter rang out, pure and infectious, and we all clapped and cheered for her success.
“That’s my girl!” Ethan said proudly, his voice full of warmth as he knelt down to help her dry off with a towel. Watching him with Lily, and seeing how deeply he cared for her, made me fall even more in love with him every day.
Caroline leaned in closer, her voice soft but filled with a playful warmth. “You know, I could tell how much you cared about Ethan from the very first time I saw you two together. The way you looked at him . . . it was like you were already in love.”
I laughed softly, a hint of surprise coloring my tone. “I didn’t even know I wasin love with him then.”
Caroline’s smile deepened, her eyes twinkling with that maternal wisdom only years of life experience could bring. “Love has a funny way of sneaking up on us when we least expect it. Sometimes, our hearts know before our minds can catch up. But when it’s real, it’s undeniable.”
I turned my gaze back to Ethan, a smile tugging at my lips as I watched him carefully adjust Lily’s tiara. Something caught my eye in the crowd behind him, and my breath hitched as I noticed a woman standing a little apart from the throngs of people, her posture straight and composed, her clothes immaculate and out of place amid the casual, festive atmosphere.
