Page 13 of Made to Be

He stared back down at my feet and his brows scrunched together, as if he was concentrating hard.

“What?” I asked him.

He tapped the side of the sneaker with his index finger, and I realized what he’d noticed. My shoes each had one little black bat embroidered into the gray material of the sides in subtle homage to Jinx. I worethem all year round, but they were conveniently festive with Halloween right around the corner. He scanned the shelves again, but when he couldn’t find the exact match, he... pouted. Oh my gosh, was he pouting? How cute!

I chuckled, “We won’t find these here. I ordered them custom online, limited-edition. But we can sew little Jinxs onto yours too, if you want,” I amended, to which he quirked a brow but seemed satisfied. If the adorably pleased little smile he shot me was anything to go by.

While my sewing skills were sup par, I would try if it made him happy. If all else failed, I could always call Alice.

We had to ask the lady behind the counter to see if they had Cam’s estimated size in the back. When she came out carrying the box, still slightly hesitant because Cam hadn’t removed his sunglasses, we made sure they fit then paid.

He obviously wore the shoes out.

As our morning progressed, I managed to get Cam into clothes that actually fit him. The new dark jeans hugged his legs nicely but not uncomfortably so, he’d assured me. A simple gray t-shirt sat beneath a black leather jacket with what I deemed far too many zippers, but I kept that thought to myself. He had pretty much let me pick clothes that I thought would suit him, but I continued to try getting him to choose which heliked best. That way, he could feel comfortable to be himself. Hence, the jacket.

But damn if it didn’t make him look fine as hell, zippers and all.

Once we had several bags of assorted items for Cam slung over our arms, I picked a bench and had him wait for me while I ran across the hall to grab us some soft baked pretzels. When I returned, I peeled back the paper and he copied me as I bit into the caramel-infused dough.

“Will you get in trouble?” Cam asked in that soft, low voice of his.

“Trouble?” I echoed through a mouthful, one brow raised.

“What if someone sees you? From...” He trailed off, as if unsure how to ask what he was thinking.

I connected the dots, “From my job?”

He grunted in affirmation and gave me his single yes nod. I was genuinely surprised. Not just by his question when not prompted; he was a fairly quiet guy. But because he seemed genuinely concerned. And that he was thinking deeply enough to warrant such worry. About me, at that.

It seemed he was coming back to himself after the resurrection faster than expected. It was a great sign, and the scientist in me had me wanting to scribble down any bit of detailed progress that I could.

I gave him a reassuring smile and shook my head, “I work at the mage university half an hour away.No one really comes around here when there’s a mall right off campus. But, just in case,” I lifted the hood of my jacket over my head, “incognito mode activated. I’m completely unrecognizable.”

Cam gazed back at me as if I was the smartest being he’d ever encountered. Either that, or he found my stupidity charming enough to overlook it.

Who could tell?

After we’d finished our food, Cam and I explored the mall while hopping in and out of the variety of shops. I’d decided to drop off our rapidly accumulating bags at my car before we both literally shopped until we dropped. I wasn’t concerned with how much I’d already bought him. I’d been saving for a special occasion, and what was more special than spoiling my soon-to-be boyfriend with a new wardrobe?

He had literally died; it was the least I could do.

When we made our way back, we turned to explore the other half of the mall, but as we started down the long hallway, we found our path blocked by a large black sheet hanging from wall to wall and ceiling to floor.

There were several cheap Halloween decorations situated outside of what I could tell was the entrance to… something. Skeletons, a hooded figure holding a scythe, hanging bats and gauzy spiderwebs all sat around a darkened entrance with a sign that read, “Maze of Mizery” in jagged, bloody letters. The fact that “misery” was spelled wrong almost had me slapping my palm to my forehead.

The whole thing essentially blocked anyone from freely passing to the other side, forcing anyone wanting through to endure the maze. Seriously? Who’d thought this was a good idea?

“Well, isn’t this creative,” I deadpanned.

Cam stood at my side, still and quiet. When I glanced to him, I noticed he was looking at the blackened entrance with trepidation. If his skin wasn’t already pale, I’d say his face blanched.

“Do you not like haunted mazes?” I asked him.

He hesitated before replying, “It’s not that.”

He didn’t appear to be staring at the not-so-scary decorations. Instead, his focus was on the darkened doorway. Oh...

“You don’t like the dark?” I said gently.