Page 37

“Did he really?” I was intrigued.

Mischief danced across Marco’s expression. “Maybe we should take Polo home, put him to bed, and explore that message.”

I was all for it. I’m sure everyone watching us could tell from the way I went all pink and happy that I was all for a lot of things.

A second later, sense took over. “You worked so hard on this party. We shouldn’t just leave when it’s only getting started.”

Of all things, Marco looked disappointed to have to stick around and attend the party he’d spent weeks helping to plan. “I guess you’re right.” A second later, he laughed as if he’d had the same thoughts as me. “It’s sort of our party, after all.”

I grinned from ear to ear. We were so on the same wavelength. I’d never felt like anyone got me the way Marco did. The possibilities for everything the two of us could be together felt endless.

“If the two of you are finished providing the opening act of our entertainment for the evening,” Gilbert called from the archway between the two parts of the café, smiling, “We’d like to get the gift basket auction started.”

“Right,” Marco said, bouncing back to his perky self. “Those gift baskets won’t auction themselves.”

He reached back to grab my hand as he headed to the stage, where the musicians had cleared off and where Kyle was setting up a small podium. I didn’t even mind that people were looking at us or that it looked like Marco was leading me around. In fact, I kind of liked having half of Glenside see that the two of us were together. I wanted everyone to see that I was happy, regardless of what they thought of me.

The Halloween party was a success. It always was. Common Grounds was gaining a reputation for being one of the most fun places in town, and the activities and games that night only solidified that. The gift basket auction was new. It had been Marco’s idea, and it turned out to be super popular. I was so happy for Marco, my boyfriend, when the spooky basket he’d made up with samples from Provisions went for more than a hundred and fifty dollars.

Once the auction was done there was dancing to live music. The games continued as well with prizes of samples of stuff from the shops in the area.

“I don’t know why we didn’t think of this before,” Ivy, who owned the flower shop, told Marco with a pleased smile as we watched the victor of one game brandish the bouquet he’d won. “It’s a fabulous way to advertise.” She sent me a mischievous look. “You’ve nabbed yourself a good one here.”

I beamed. “Yes, I have.”

I was so ridiculously happy that half the people who looked at me, looked at me and Marco together, smiled. But as nice as it was to be appreciated by my neighbors at last, I regretted the way I was dressed and the silly changes I’d made.

“I don’t want to be a party pooper or anything,” I murmured to Marco as the bands on the stage switched to give the previous group of musicians a rest, “but I’m ready to go home now.” I sent him a hot, significant look.

“Let’s go,” Marco said without hesitation, cheeks pink and eyes glittering.

We collected Polo from where he was still the center of attention for the group of teens and headed for the door.

“Aren’t you two staying for the costume contest?” Diccon caught us on the way out. “I have it on good authority that one of you is going to win the prize for creepiest costume.” He winked at me.

“Um, maybe next year,” I said, flushing hot over being caught.

“Yeah, we’ve got some, er, business to take care of at home,” Marco added as we exchanged guilty looks. “And the noise and activity is getting to be a bit much for Polo.” He peeked at me and said, “I should have started with that excuse.”

Diccon laughed. “Okay, I get it. Go have fun with your own costume contest.”

He continued laughing as Marco and I darted out of Common Grounds before anyone else could catch us.

The walk home was magical. I really did like Halloween. The earlier rain meant everything sparkled in the streetlights, and as we left the commercial streets and headed into the residential ones, the Halloween displays that covered porches and front lawns gave the night a festive air.

“It’s almost a shame the Halloween party conflicts with trick-or-treating,” I said as we approached Marco’s house. “It would have been fun to hand out candy to kids.”

“Next year,” Marco said with a twinkle in his eyes that said he was completely confident there would be a next year for the two of us.

He’d left the porch lights and decorations turned on, and as we climbed the front stairs, I saw that the bowl of candy he’d left out was empty. We gathered that up and turned out the lights as we headed inside.

Polo was exhausted and went straight for his bed in the kitchen, which I was grateful for. I wasn’t sure what I would have done if he’d tried to come upstairs with us, considering what I thought would happen next.

“You don’t mind staying the night?” Marco asked, as if that wasn’t what I’d been looking forward to almost from the moment we’d met.

“Nope,” I said, sliding my arm around him as we hurried down the hall to his bedroom.

We had a bunch of prep to do, as usual, but somehow my excitement didn’t diminish at all as I brushed my teeth with one of the surprisingly large stash of new toothbrushes he had and washed up a bit. We hadn’t really discussed what we each liked, but I got the gist of it when Marco took a particularly long time in the bathroom.