Lainey pauses for a second to think. “I guess he is kind of easy on the eyes. Kind of the older yet still young, so he looks good in a suit kind of vibes.”
“He’s kind of suave yet cracks a smile in a warm way. I mean, he’s probably even better with his clothes off.” I have no problem owning my thoughts or views. Being blunt has always come naturally to me. My dad says I take after my great-grandmother in that department.
Lainey chuffs a laugh. “Does he not have a wife or girlfriend? Because if he doesn’t, then that right there is a red flag. He isn’t a bad catch.”
I study the sale on laundry detergent on the display at the end of the aisle as we slowly stroll. “Single.”
“How do you know?”
I smirk to myself at the encounter we shared. “I’ve runinto him twice now, and we spoke. He was at dinner with my dad the other week and we ran into one another in the hall. Then earlier today, outside of the boutique. For someone we all assume is uptight, he has a loose button or two.”
Her eyes pop out as she stills. “Someone is smitten.”
Rolling a shoulder back, I’m aware that the guy has a pull. “Sometimes flirtation comes naturally between two people,” I justify. Besides, I haven’t been with someone in over a year.
“Maybe.”
“I’m fairly confident that if the team loses a game, then Asher is completely unleashed in the bedroom,” I say without thought.
She bubbles a laugh. “Filtered that thought much?”
“What?” My voice rises an octave. “I notice these things. Sex is a very natural human instinct, and we don’t need to wait for Mr. Right to enjoy it.”
My friend blows out a breath. “True. I’m just trying not to picture it. I prefer to keep the photos with hockey players painting pumpkins in my head. Did you see them?” Lainey pulls out her phone, swipes, then hands it to me. “You are going to regret that you didn’t make it to the team party.”
Probably. My dad is always invited, and normally I tag along, but I wanted to help my older brother, Drew, with his kids since his wife was out of town.
I skim the photos on the social media feed. Hockey players painting a scary pumpkin, hockey players painting a superhero pumpkin, hockey players painting a referee pumpkin, and a hockey coach with a feigned smile painting a ghost pumpkin.
“He looks like he doesn’t want to be there,” I observe and swipe more photos, then stall on one. “And now he most definitely appears like he doesn’t want to be there.”Asher has a pirate hat on and an inch of a forced smile. That is until the next picture where he cracks when someone hands him a Labrador puppy that needs to be adopted. An honest smile looks good on him. I tip my head to the side a smidgen as I study him. “Well, this photo is…”
“Fire emoji, wink, fire emoji, pepper, heart, fire emoji? Yeah, the post comments answered that thought for you.”
I chuckle as I hand her phone back. “I mean… the guy has looks. Worth another chat, too. If the opportunity arises, I might as well allow fate to run its course,” I reply nonchalantly.
She chuckles. “Lucky him.”
“Maybe.”
Fantasies are safer, though.
CHAPTER 3
GRACIE
There is something cozy about Main Street in Everhope on a fall evening. There is an abundance of haystacks and pumpkin decorations around town and the occasional scarecrow where a shop owner got creative. Outside of Foxy Rox, the coffee spot in town, they have a scarecrow sitting on a hay bale with a to-go coffee cup. Some people use white decorative lights, which is smart because they can keep them up for the rest of the holidays this year.
I’m not one for ghosts and goblins, but more refined autumn colors and elegant decorations. I mean, maybe when I was younger, I got a little festive during the holiday. You can’t exactly go wrong dressing as a cheerleader with fake blood on her head. But now, I’m older and appreciate a little more subtlety when it comes to the Halloween costume.
However, right now, with sleet on an October night, it suddenly feels like a horror film. I hate that I need to hold up an umbrella because it means that I can’t hold my coat tighter around my body. They say it’s going to be this way all night. Typical Illinois, unpredictable. Snow in October isn’t thatrare, and I’ve heard it indicates many omens when it does happen. Who knows what this year’s omen is.
There are a few people walking on the other side of the street who are using their coats as cover as they dash into a new wine bar in town. The beep of a car unlocking and the flash of lights right in front of me draws my attention up, from staring at the dusting of white melting on the ground to the man running to the sports car, but as he opens the door, he flicks his gaze up, with his eyes striking my own before he does a double take and his gaze holds onto me.
“Gracie?”
That voice. It’s familiar. Already something bounces above my bellybutton, I guess excitement.
I hurry a few steps to get a better look, and the streetlights give enough brightness. It doesn’t take long to confirm what I thought. “Asher?” I sound just as surprised as him.
