Page 139 of Pumpkin Spice Promises

We left the tavern nearly two hours after arriving. The air outside had cooled enough that Carson wrapped her arms loosely around herself. I should’ve taken her home. Instead, I looked toward Main Street.

“You want to walk around a bit?”

Her gaze followed mine. For a brief second, she hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, I would love that.”

Iris’s bookstore stayed open late on Fridays, so we wandered inside. Carson immediately found the romance section. I didn’t comment as I watched her scan the titles, her eyes glowing with excitement as her fingers dusted the different covers.

She caught me looking. “What are you looking at?”

“You.”

“Don’t start.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were judging me.” She suddenly seemed embarrassed about her love for books, something I found rather sweet.

“I was learning something new about you, sweetheart.”

She blushed and looked away, focusing on the books in front of her. She picked up a book and I looked at the cover.

A shirtless cowboy.

“Really?”

“Don’t start.”

“I didn’t.”

“You made a face.”

“That horse is anatomically questionable.”

She flipped the book and looked at the cover. “You’re looking at the horse?”

“I’m secure in myself thanks.”

She laughed and put the book back. We left without buying anything. Outside Sugar and Pine, Clover had arranged another display. Fake cobwebs climbed the awning. Pumpkins lined the windows. A handwritten sign advertised MIDNIGHT COOKIE BOXES for October weekends. Carson stopped to look, a smile in her gaze.

“You and Clover getting along?” I asked.

Her expression softened. “Surprisingly.”

“She does that.”

“What?” The orange lights cast an amber glow across her face emphasizing her makeup and green eyes as she looked at me.

“Decides people belong to her.”

“She’s pretty intense.”

“She’s always been intense,” I joked remembering her as a little girl.

Carson hummed. “Hunter seems nice,” she said.

“He was dealt a rough hand in life, and Clover helped him through it.”

Something passed through Carson’s face at my confession. Hunter had been the town loner until my sister took him. He’d fit in perfectly with our family and we had been the first people to show him kindness and acceptance with his scars and prosthetics. Something most of the town didn’t know was that he had two, and most days were hard for him. But he was a strong son of a gun.