Page 55 of Manors & Mischief

At the same time, I’m missing something. My family. They should want to share this with me. “I wish my parents would visit. My mom basically told me they’re waiting to see if I’ll fail first and come back home with my tail between my legs.”

Devon looks a little taken aback. “I’m sorry. They’re going to be waiting for eternity because the Ember I know is kicking butt.” He leads me toward the area where we get on the ride. Right now, people are exiting off the back of the last hayride.

“That’s nice of you to say. I wish whether I failed or not wouldn’t even be part of the conversation. I want to show them Harvest Falls, have them drink cider, and show off the manor.” I shrug. “I’ve always been the outcast though. My sister is a lawyer and my brother is a doctor. If that doesn’t tell you the kind of people my family are, I don’t know what will. I always disappointed them a little, but it hurts to see the reality of it now that I’m here and they’re staying there.”

“Do you think they’ll come around?”

“If I turn Sleepy Hollow Manor into a mega success, they’ll be all over it.”

He frowns, though I meant it as something to work toward, but hearing myself say it, he’s right. I shouldn’t have to work so hard to get my parents’ approval, and I certainly won’t keep asking them to come. I can go home and visit, and the topic of the manor doesn’t even need to come up. What matters is that I’m enjoying myself, and making basically a new family for myself here. Family doesn’t have to be blood related.

When it’s our turn, Devon helps me up metal stairs and onto the back of a wood trailer, hay littering the floor. There’s a spot for two in the back, and he dusts off the seat for me before I sit.

People already seated watch us, some of them even giving Devon a thumbs up. I don’t recognize them at all, but I’m starting to wonder if he wasn’t joking about the town having a meeting about us.

The tractor starts, the loud engine perking me up. We start forward, and I watch as we head out of the area and into the woods. The trail is worn with two vertical tractor wheel divots.

Beside me on the bench, Devon takes my hand in his, giving me a squeeze. I peer down, smiling a little at the feeling of warmth that takes over my body and my brain. I guess Mrs. Chisholm gave him the idea, and he’s going all in.

Movement on the bench to the left catches my eye, and a young girl with the cutest blonde hair and dimples gives me the biggest smile and raises her eyebrows at me. I don’t know who she is, but I’d be willing to bet she’s a local. I guess they start them young.

“You okay?” Devon asks.

“Couldn’t be better.”

20

DEVON

Iawait the shipment of PVC outside Sleepy Hollow Manor, the morning fog still lingering. Something has shifted between me and Ember, and it’s hard not to think about the tension that filled the air when I dropped her back at the manor after the hayride a few nights ago. After walking her to the door like a proper gentleman, I handed her the soap dispenser, leaning in close. Nothing happened except all the feelings of wanting to kiss her—and more. Of wanting to sweep her off her feet and charge into the house like a sex-crazed barbarian.

To think we were nearly in that same position weeks ago with so much dislike between us is astonishing. I don’t know how that was ever possible, and if I’m being honest with myself, I always felt the pull toward her, I just didn’t know what to do with those feelings since they were attached to something that could be the end of my dreams. I’m glad my mother told me to suck it up, letting me see the other side and how I could still be a part of Sleepy Hollow Manor if I’d just decided to work with Ember instead of against her.

A big truck comes down the road, red lights a blur in the fog. It stops with a squeak of the big wheels, and I greet the driver, telling him I’d like the PVC in the front yard. I’ll do the cutting outside, then take the pieces inside to build the haunted house.

Everything couldn’t have worked out more perfectly. Now that the Haunted History Tour has ended, I’m free to use the front yard as my work area.

I help them move pipe after pipe out of the back, laying them in the grass. Afterward, I shake their hands and peel my work gloves off.

It’s impossible to look at Sleepy Hollow Manor and not think of Ember, which is utterly strange since the two were never connected for the longest time. Before, I’d see my grandfather or think of the Lewises, and the well. Always the well.

I don’t know why I haven’t said anything to her about that yet. Shyness maybe. I don’t want her to think it’s dumb.

Ember opens a window on the second floor and leans out with a pink bathrobe on. “You’re here early, Devon.”

I hike my thumb behind me. “I got a call from the PVC people that they wanted to drop our order off.”

She finally sees all the white pipe in her front yard and smiles. “That’s great. I’ll come down and make breakfast unless you already ate.”

“I could use some breakfast,” I tell her, when really, I’ll use any excuse to see her. Hopefully in that same bathrobe so I can dream about what’s underneath it.

This time, she actually does ruin my fantasy when she says, “Just let me get changed.”

“No need,” I tell her with a smirk.

She shakes her head and closes the window behind her. No sense in not letting it be known that I’m attracted to her.

I sit on the porch until her footsteps sound downstairs, then I pop up, making sure I’m there when she opens the door. “Good morning,” I swoop down and kiss her on the cheek before I talk myself out of it. There’s so much more I want to do but we have to start somewhere.