“Are you getting a pumpkin for yourself?” Gwen asks as we start wandering.
“I was debating it,” I tell her, scanning the field. “I don’t have much room for one at the apartment. I was contemplating maybe doing a pumpkin decorating contest at the café, though. People would pay a cover fee of sorts, and I’d supply a ton of stuff to carve or decorate pumpkins. The fee would cover the supplies, plus maybe two pumpkin-flavored goodies of their choice from a set menu? I know it’s not much notice, but if I planned it for the week before Halloween, I’d have enough time to get everything together and advertise.”
“I think that’s a brilliant idea,” Gwen says.
“I’d be happy to help you organize it,” Jasper says from a few feet away. When we turn to look at him, he gives us a rueful expression as he steps forward to join us. “I couldn’t help overhearing. You could likely work out a deal with the farm to buy pumpkins in bulk.”
“I was actually thinking about discussing bulk apple options with them for the café,” I say slowly, thinking it over. “I’m not happy with our current supplier, which is a problem since I need tons of apples for the season.”
“There you go,” Gwen says. “Quality products for the café, your first foray into hosting a themed event, and helping a fellow local business in the process. Win-win for everyone. And now you can both help me by choosing some beautiful pumpkins as decorations for the wedding.”
By the time Mr. Nansom calls us back to the wagon, each of us has chosen two pumpkins to be part of Gwen and Evan’s wedding decor. We load our goods and ourselves into the wagon as the tractor starts up again. As promised, the rest of the ride is smoother, and I’m able to take pictures without worrying my phone will fly from my hands at any moment.
We trundle along through the fields and part of the forest at the back of the property. At one point I notice everyone has their faces turned up toward the sun like flowers seeking the light, and I close my eyes and do the same, inhaling slow, deep breaths of fresh air.
When we return to our starting point, I stay behind to talk to Mr. Nansom while the others take the pumpkins to the car. At my inquiry about buying in bulk, he directs me to his wife’s office at the side of the closest building and says he’ll call her to tell her I’m on my way. After my short, successful meeting with Mrs. Nansom, I join the others at the corn maze. When we all come out the other side, we gravitate toward the playground and animal pens.
Ivy finds me near the duck pond. “Hugh and I need to get back to town soon for a late dinner meeting tonight.” She rolls her eyes, and I laugh. “Did you want to check out the market before we leave?”
We take the long way around the pond, stopping to pet the black potbelly pig inside the fenced-in animal area. When we reach the market, Ivy ventures inside, telling me she’s on the hunt for cider, and I linger outside to check out all the fruits and veggies.
I’m just about to head inside when a display of candy apples catches my eye. The enormous apples are covered in caramel and sprinkled with chopped nuts. I reach for one, practically salivating, before noticing the handwritten price sign. I sigh, my hand dropping to my side. I hate how neurotic I’ve become about spending money. If I were to buy one of these now, I know I’d end up dwelling on the chunk it took out of my grocery money and how it could have been better spent.
“Why are you like this?” I murmur to myself. Which is, of course, when Jasper comes along and pauses beside me.
“Talking to the caramel apples?” he asks.
“Singing them a love song,” I tell him. “Of the unrequited variety.”
He looks puzzled. Thankfully, I don’t have to explain my weirdness to Jasper because Evan calls to him from inside. “Excuse me, I’m being summoned,” he says to me. “I’ll be sure to find you to say goodbye before we leave.”
With one final, longing look at the candy apples, I wander away. I haven’t spent any money yet today—Gwen and Evan paid for the hayride, and I didn’t have to top up my nearly-empty gas tank since I got a ride—so I decide to fill a basket with twenty or thirty dollars worth of fresh produce. Produce that, unfortunately, doesn’t include a candy apple or even the cool blue potatoes I spied when we first arrived. It does, however, include fresh mushrooms, regular potatoes, blackberries, apples, carrots, cheese, and a couple of other things. I can feel good about supporting a local farm, plus my stomach will thank me for the break from frozen dinners and café leftovers.
I take my basket to the two-person checkout counter and let out a sound between a groan and a laugh when I see the display of candy apples between the cash registers. I hold firm to my resolve, though; I’d have had to forgo at least two of the items in my basket just for that one candy apple. Besides, with the apples I’ve bulk ordered I can make my own damn candy apples. They won’t be the giant ones they sell here, and they won’t have nuts since the cost of nuts is outrageous, but maybe I can perfect regular-size candy apples and sell them in the café.
A young man in a green Nansom Farms apron approaches, and I purposely turn away from the apples to engage him in conversation as he rings up my purchases. After a minute, Jasper appears at the second checkout. I smile at him and try not to be obvious about examining the items he sets on the counter: a jug of apple cider, a bottle of sparkling cider, a pint of blackberries, and a small bag of decorative gourds. I peer up at his face, instantly feeling better about my own curiosity when I find him inspecting my items.
The young man gives me my total and tells me that because I spent over twenty dollars, I get a free Nansom Farms cloth bag. Is it sad something like that makes me really happy? He whisks everything into the bag while I pay with my card. Jasper is speaking with the woman at his checkout, so I take my bag, thank the cashier, and wander outside.
Jasper catches up to me a moment later. “What an enjoyable outing this has been.”
“Agreed.” I turn my face up once again, soaking in the late afternoon sun. “I guess I’ll see you in a few days for Thanksgiving? Is there anything I can bring?”
He thinks for a minute. “Perhaps you could bring a small selection of desserts? Something like you did for the dessert buffet tasting? I was thinking I’d make a couple of pies since they’re always popular at Christmas. With this being the first Perry family Thanksgiving in years, I’d like it to be perfect. And your creations are perfection.”
Perfection?The compliment is aimed at my baking skills and not at me personally—which I wouldn’t want it to be anyway since I’m far from perfect—but still. Wow. “That’s really sweet of you to say, Jasper. I’d be happy to bring an assortment of desserts.”
He nods, looking pleased. “Right then. I’ll see you in a few days.” He shifts the bag with his purchases from one hand to the other. “Oh, I nearly forgot.” He fishes in his bag and pulls out a candy apple. “I didn’t intend to be nosy, but I noticed you didn’t buy one for yourself, even though you were eyeing them with such longing and…singing them a love song? I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind?” I say faintly, reaching for the apple. The shiny, beautiful apple that somehow, ridiculously, has become a symbol of my frugality and fear of spending money. Emotion swells in my throat. God help me, I’m about to cry over a freaking candy apple. “Jasper, I could kiss you.”
His eyes widen. “Oh, well, I mean, if you like.” He steps forward and my throat tightens even more. Of course he would take me literally. I’m not going to pass up an opportunity to kiss the man, though, even if it is just a friendly peck on the cheek. Which is what I try to keep it to as I grip his shoulder, rise on my toes, and brush my lips against his cheek.
“Thank you,” I say. “You are a lovely human being, Jasper Perry, and I’m grateful you’re my friend.”
His cheeks were already slightly pink, and the color darkens now. He’s so adorable when he’s flustered. “I could say the exact same things about you, Willow.” He leans in and places a quick kiss on my cheek. “I’d better go find Evan and Gwen. I’ll see you soon.”
I watch him stride across the parking lot. I wasn’t aware I was touching my cheek where he kissed me until he turns around to wave. I jerk my hand away and wave back.
“Making progress?” Ivy asks, coming up beside me.
“I think so?” It comes out sounding more like a question than a statement. “Ask me again next week at this time after Thanksgiving.”
