Page 35 of Flirty Fall Fling

She loops her arm through mine and steers me deeper inside. “Come on. Birthday boy first, then champagne, and then I’m introducing you to everyone you don’t know.”

“Speaking of, where’s Zane?”

“Somewhere pretending he didn’t want a birthday party. But wait until you see what he’s wearing. It was my idea, and he hates it, so obviously, it’s perfect.”

The great room is packed. A band plays covers in the corner while a bartender pours drinks the color of antifreeze. I don’t recognize a single face, but it’s hard to when half of them are behind masks and wigs. A man near the bar in a werewolf head howls at his own joke. The energy is light and everywhere at once, and I focus on the tourmaline pressed against my skin.

We find Zane near the dessert table, and I burst into laughter. He’s an angel, wearing a crooked halo, wings, and a white robe.

“Look at the devil in disguise,” I say.

He turns and nearly clips me with the wings, then hugs me hard enough to lift my heels off the floor. “Blaire. My favorite witch.”

“I’m the only witch you know.”

“Still counts.” He grins. “How was the drive? How’s the new job? The house?”

“Overwhelming. I miss Cozy Creek. I miss you guys. I’ve been working a lot and trying to stay focused on making my aunt proud.”

“You’re doing a great job, and we miss you too.” He straightens the halo, and it slides back to where it was when I approached. “Please tell me you’re staying for cake. Autumn ordered one the size of a bathtub, and if we don’t eat it, we’ll be having it for breakfast until Christmas.”

She scoffs. “We had over one hundred people RSVP!”

He leans in and kisses her. “You’re cute.”

“You’re cuter.”

His friends pull him away, and Autumn takes the opportunity to walk me through the house, room by room, because she knows the decorations are my favorite part of the season. Black garland winds up the banisters. Candelabras drip black wax, and there are fake ravens placed in different areas of the house. I nurse a purple drink while she parades me past her ski club friends, who love the costume. When she leads someone to the bathroom, a man in a Zorro mask corners me by the cheese table to chat with me.

“Let me guess,” he says, looking at me from head to toe. “A vampire?”

“Morticia Addams.” I try to stay polite.

“Right, right.” He points his plastic sword at me. “You know what you should invest in?”

“I’m going to stop you⁠—”

“Crypto.”

“Ugh. You realize it’s shady and full of grifters, right?”

He opens his mouth to speak, and I raise my glass and escape with a smile.

When the band ends the next song, the lights dim.

Staff in black chef jackets wheel in a cake taller than me.

Autumn gives a little speech, welcoming everyone to their home for Zane’s birthday and the equinox. When they look at each other, it’s obvious how in love they are. The whole house sings “Happy Birthday” while he stands off to the side, smiling. Afterward, he blows out the candles on the first try. Autumn kisses him while we applaud.

I check the time, loving that I’ll be home even earlier than I promised myself. I showed up; I stayed for cake; I kept my word. I place my empty glass on a passing tray and plot my escape route to the door when Autumn appears at my side and grabs my hand.

“Nope. You have that leaving face.”

“I have a very early morning at the shop, and I have a forty-minute drive over the mountain.”

“Just ten more minutes.” She’s already pulling me through the crowd while I protest. “There’s someone you have to meet first.”

“Autumn. Please.”