Page 131 of Trick or Tease

“To all of it. The town, the people, the pace of life. It’s so different from what I’m used to, but in a good way.” He reached across the table and took my hand. “Especially with you here to show me the ropes again. I feel like I’ve been away for a hundred years instead of twelve.”

“Well, you’re going to need a good tour guide if you’re planning to stick around. I’ll remind you of all the places you forgot.”

“Is that an offer?”

“Maybe,” I said, squeezing his hand. “Depends on how well you tip your guide.”

He laughed, and the sound made my heart soar. This was what I had been missing. There was such an easy chemistry between us. It felt like he had always been a part of me, now that some of the city was fading off him.

After we finished eating and Garrett had complimented Carolina’s cooking so thoroughly that she blushed like a teenager, we decided to walk off dinner by taking a stroll around the farm.

“I love it out here at night,” I said, linking my arm through his as we walked along one of the dirt paths that wound between the fields. “Everything feels peaceful.”

“It’s beautiful,” he agreed, but when I looked over at him, he was watching me instead of paying attention to our surroundings.

“Smooth talker,” I said, bumping his shoulder with mine.

“I’m serious. You’re beautiful. This place is beautiful. This is supposed to be my life.”

As we walked, I found myself thinking about the future, about all the possibilities that stretched out ahead of us now that we were truly partners.

“I have so many ideas for next year,” I said suddenly. “We could do events all year round, not just Halloween. A sunflower maze in the summer, maybe a spring festival with baby animals and flower gardens.”

“That sounds amazing,” Garrett said, his voice warm with encouragement. “What else?”

“We could make our own pumpkin beer for the fall festival. And apple cider—real apple cider, not the stuff from the store. Maybe partner with some of the other farms in the area, make it a real community event.”

Garrett listened intently, asking questions and offering suggestions that showed he was really thinking about this, really seeing the potential.

“We could even do winter events,” I continued. “Sleigh rides, maybe a Christmas tree farm. Ice skating if we could figure out how to flood part of the lower field.”

“You’ve really thought about this,” he said, admiration clear in his voice.

“I’ve had a lot of time to dream,” I admitted. “I just never thought I’d have the chance to make it all real.”

“Well, now you do. We do.” He stopped walking and turned to face me, his hands coming up to frame my face. “We can build whatever we want here, Sabrina. Together.”

The way he said it made my heart race. I stood on my toes and kissed him, tasting the lingering sweetness of Carolina’s secret sauce and the promise of everything we could create together.

When we broke apart, I realized we had walked all the way to the old house on the hill. It loomed above us in the gathering darkness, looking less spooky now and more like what it really was: a grand old home that had been empty too long.

“You know,” I said thoughtfully, looking up at the tall windows and wraparound porch, “I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday. About not being thrilled to share a house with Billy and Lucy.”

Garrett groaned. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother. But the idea of living in my childhood bedroom while he and Lucy start their married life? It feels like being eighteen again, and not in a good way.”

“What if you didn’t have to?” I asked, nodding toward the house.

He followed my gaze, his eyebrows rising. “You mean live here? In the haunted house?”

“It’s not haunted,” I said with a laugh. “It’s just empty. But it could be beautiful again, with some work. We could bring love back to the house where love died.”

Garrett was quiet as he stared up at the house. “I don’t know.”

“You said it had good bones,” I reminded him. “We’ve been all over that house, and yeah, there are a couple of creaky floorboards but nothing major.”

We walked up to the front door. I pulled out my phone, switching on the flashlight. Garrett did the same, the dual beams of light cutting through the darkness as we stepped inside.

“The staircase is gorgeous,” he murmured, his light illuminating the curved banister that swept up to the second floor. “Look at that craftsmanship.”