"I've been pounding on your fucking door, driving around town looking for your car. Why didn't you say you were taking off somewhere?" he shouted into the phone.
"I didn't realize I needed your permission to do things. What, just because you're back and claiming our little ceremony was real, you think you can boss me around?"
"This has nothing to do with you being my wife. There's a murdereron the loose, and it's not smart to be running around and not telling people where the fuck you are."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I'll be home in an hour."
He swore and hung up without saying goodbye.I drove in silence, taking in what he said. A murderer was on the loose. Did that mean that Emi’sname had been cleared?
When I returned home, the sun was starting to fall. Constantine sat hunched over on the steps of my porch. Strands of his inky black hair hung over an eye when he looked up. A scowl seemed permanently planted on his face.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, cautiously walking toward him.He stood and bounced down them. He was wearing all black, including his leather jacket and boots. I recalled Laurel's comment about him being emo in high school. He never got over it.
"I was looking for you. Where were you?"
"I—" I cleared my throat and crossed my arms. "I was just out. You said there was a murderer on the loose? Is someone else dead?" My heart rate sped up, considering all the people it could be. If Micah was right, and they were taking out people from important families in town, then it could have been him, Rem, or Therese.
He shrugged and looked at the ground. "I was just pissed. I know they say it was your friend, but I'm not buying it. I shouldn't have said that."A surge of relief and disappointment flew threw me so fast I was a little dizzy. I should be happy someone wasn't dead. But that only made the case for Emi being the killer more solid.
"I actually came to try to take you out." He ran his hand along the back of his neck.
"Out?" I smiled.
"Yeah, like a date. You know that thing couples do. I know it's a little backward, but I thought maybe we should try it."
"Sure, do you have a place you want to go?"
"Well, it is October. I saw a flyer for this fall attraction. Hayrides, cider, hay bales. We can pick pumpkins. Spooky shit at night. You up for it?" He offered his hand, and I took it.
"Spooky shit? Always. Let's go."I'd never been on an official date before, and Constantine was right, we had done things backward. I was calling him my husband, and bringing him into my bed, but I didn't really know him as an adult. I only knew the eleven-year-old boy I’d spent in captivity with.
The farm in which the event was going on was a familiar one.
"I buy seeds from here all the time. They have a whole store." I pointed to the building off to the side as we walked past it with all the other people going in.We bought our tickets and were given pamphlets on all the things we could do tonight.
"What looks good to you? Corn maze, pumpkin painting, apple picking, hayride?" Constantine listed off a few and looked at me.
"I'm kind of thirsty. You want to go watch them make cider and donuts?"Putting his arm around my waist, he pulled me into his arms and we walked to the correct building. The smell of apple cinnamon and crisp fall leaves filled the air and I sighed contentedly.
"I wish I lived in a place where it was fall every day of the year," I mused as we stepped inside the warm barn.
"You mean like Halloweentown?"
Blink 182's song came to mind, and I grinned as the lines about Jack and Sally played through.
"I don't think it'd be that bad." I grinned and joined the clump of people watching donuts being made from scratch.
"Frosting or not?" I asked Constantine.
"Not."
“Sprinkles?" I asked.
"I'd rather die." He grinned.
"So edgy," I teased and leaned up on my tiptoes to plant a quick kiss on his beautiful lips. "I love it."
"I love you," he said in response.I blinked and stepped away, suddenly aware of everyone else in the room. We got our delicious fresh donuts and cider and then opted to take the walking trail through the corn. It wasn't a maze or anything with a time limit. It was perfect for adults with no curfews.
