Easton slung his arm over my shoulder. “Oh, I’m excellent at crafts.”
62
OLIVE
“What do you think?”I asked Felix.
My guys and I were sitting in a circle next to the pumpkin carving booth. We each had a pumpkin and were keeping our final designs secret from each other, but I held mine up to Felix for his approval. I’d carved a cat face in my jack-o’-lantern. He cocked his head, meowed, and then sauntered away.
“I think he likes it,” Finn said.
I grinned. “I think so. Now that I have Felix’s approval, should we show each other?”
My guys nodded.
“Great, turn them around in one, two,three.”
I blinked, brow furrowed, at the three designs in front of me.
Lars had gone with a traditional jack-o’-lantern, except its eyes were lopsided, and so was its creepy smile. But compared to the other two, it was a masterpiece. Because Easton had carved what I thought might be a… face? But it could also be some sort of monstrous demon. And Finn’s design was so phallic it was bordering on pornographic.
“Umm, Finn?” I asked.
“It’s the lighthouse!” he half-shouted. “See?” He gestured wildly at the lighthouse behind him.
I studied his pumpkin a bit closer. “Oh, is that… the cottage?” I pointed at the misshapen blob at the base of the “lighthouse.”
“Yes,” Finn said, defensively crossing his arms.
“Holy fuck,” Lars said, turning Finn’s pumpkin to face him. “I didn’t realize we were making these kinds of carvings.”
My shoulders shook from held-in laughter. “I can see the vision.”
“Yeah, well, what is that?” Finn asked, pointing at Easton’s pumpkin.
“It’s Olive!” he said proudly.
The three of us stared at his carving. Pumpkin Olive had a triangle nose taking up most of her face, a gaping mouth that made her look like she was forever screaming, and a weird half-circle that might be… hair?
The bond filled with happiness, and we all burst out laughing.
“At least mine won’t scar children,” Easton said.
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Lars laughed. He pulled me onto his lap, his strong arms surrounding me as he planted a kiss on my cheek. “Yours is definitely the winner, kitten, not that I’m surprised.”
I snuggled into his chest, breathing in bright, fresh pine and feeling perfectly content. The storm had gone, leaving behind the perfect fall day. The sun was shining, the trees were showing off their bright red and orange leaves, and I was surrounded by people who loved me.
“We should probably move out of the way,” Lars said reluctantly, his lips brushing against his bond mark on my neck.
I gave him one more squeeze and then pushed myself to standing. “We can put the pumpkins by the front door, as long as we turn Finn’s around so the children don’t see it.”
He grumbled as he picked up his X-rated pumpkin but gave me a wink and kiss as we headed towards the cottage. Easton insisted on carrying my pumpkin because it was apparently too heavy for me. As we neared the door, I had a thought that stopped me in my tracks.
“Wait, we haven’t really talked about what comes next for us. Do you guys want to live here?”
“Oh, I’ve already moved most of my stuff,” Easton said, setting both our pumpkins down onthe front steps.
“You what?” I spluttered.
