Will went to the door and stared, his eyes moving from Elsie to Jane and back to Elsie. Jane had straw sticking out of the top of her overalls and they were both wearing straw hats and plaid long-sleeved shirts. Elsie’s button nose was painted brown and her cheeks had two circles of red blush. He wanted to go tug on one of her pigtail braids, but her expression was daring him to try something, to say something, so he refrained.
Charlie came up from behind and laughed out loud. “Girls, you look amazing! Is this a dress-up thing? Should Will and I go change?”
“We’re fine, Charlie.” Will stepped out onto the porch, but Charlie didn’t follow.
“Hold on, I want a picture. Stand with the girls, Will.”
Charlie lifted his phone, but Caroline took it out of his hands. “Go get in the picture. I’ve got this.”
Will put an arm around Elsie’s waist, and the electric charge between them started up again. He heard her take a deep breath as his fingers pressed lightly against her hip.
He almost forgot to smile as several flashes went off.
“Hold on. That girl had her eyes closed. In both.” Caroline eyed Elsie with thinly veiled irritation and then took a few more pictures before handing the phone back to Charlie.
“I think you look cute,” he whispered before moving his arm.
She blushed and turned away, heading for the car. They were taking Charlie’s Jeep, and Jane got in the passenger seat, leaving Will and Elsie to sit in the back.
“Have you been to one of these before?” he asked.
“Oh, yeah. But not for years. What about you?”
“Plenty of haunted houses, but never a corn maze.”
“Well, a family runs this one and every year they have a new theme. And since they refuse to repeat themes, they keep getting weirder.”
Jane turned around from the front seat. “Last year was bridal party. They had undead bridesmaids in matching dresses and a wedding cake covered in cockroaches. Lydia was telling me about it. She goes every year.”
Jane turned back around and took Charlie’s hand that was resting on the console. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. Charlie made dating look effortless. Will couldn’t remember a time Charlie had ever been nervous around a girl.
And here sat Will, buzzing with nervous energy. “So, what’s this years’ theme?” he asked Elsie.
“At the dentist. I checked online a few minutes ago.” She leaned over to show him her phone, and her straw hat bumped him in the jaw.
“Oh, sorry.” She took it off and placed it on her lap before running her hands over her two braids to try to smooth them out. There was one strand that was sticking up in a loop, and he reached out, pausing when her eyes began to question him.
“Can I fix one spot?”
She nodded, her gaze never leaving his face.
He gently tucked the errant strand back into the braid, aware his breath was landing on her forehead as he did so. He forced his hands away and sat back.
“So,” she stammered, “I imagine we’ll be listening to the sound of drills and people screaming and stuff.”
“How nice.”
“Yes.” She stared at him, her eyes even more brilliant when outlined with silly eyelash lines.
***
Why couldn’t she feel this way around someone nice, like Jeff? No matter how much she told herself Will was arrogant and unforgiving, it didn’t seem to matter. She responded to him like someone with a huge crush, and that was ridiculous. She hadn’t known him long, for one. And what she’d gotten to know of him hadn’t been all that favorable.
This was not a date, and she was not a love-sick teenager. She could handle this.
Charlie pulled into the dirt parking area and they all got out and walked up to the ticket booth. Inside, an undead dental hygienist sat at a cash register and held out waivers for them to sign, saying they wouldn’t punch anyone or sue if they got hurt. Several worn down toothbrushes tinged with red sat in a jar with the pens. It was the grossest thing ever.
“I actually enjoy going to the dentist,” Will murmured.
