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As I placed the final pumpkin beside my front door, a gust of wind rushed past, causing the palm trees in my yard to sway and riling the wind chimes hanging on my porch into a jingling frenzy. Tugging my jacket closed, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the chilly breeze dancing across my skin. Sunnyvale was an ocean town, and my house was located in a cliffside neighborhood, which meant that playful bursts of wind often filled my days and nights.
Somewhere behind me, a car door slammed, and I turned to see Wyatt and Ben hopping out of Ben’s truck. Wyatt lifted a large box from the back and carried it over.
“Nice door.” He placed the box near my feet and stared appreciatively at my house. “The pink really pops.”
I experienced a small burst of pride. Painting my door had been one of the first things I’d done after moving in to make the house feel more like a home. “Thank you. Pink makes me happy.”
“Your hair was dyed pink when we met.” Wyatt took a strand of my hair that the wind had tousled and twirled it around his fingers. “But you wore it longer back then.”
Goosebumps prickled on the back of my neck, and I pulled away, confused by my body’s response to his nearness. “I’m surprised you remember.”
Wyatt lowered his hand, a slow smile spreading across his face. “As if I’d forget. I asked if your hair color was natural—”
“And I laughed at your ridiculous question.” Pleased that he recalled our conversation, I found myself mirroring his smile.
“That was also the day you told me that your favorite color was pink and your favorite movie wasHocus Pocus.”
“Both still true.”
“One year, you and Indie should dress up as the Sanderson sisters for Halloween.”
I shot him a look of surprise. What a brilliant idea. Why hadn’t I thought of that before? Ideas on how to make our costumes swirled in my brain. I didn’t have enough time to sew the skirts and tops, but I could certainly modify clothing from the thrift store. “We could do it this year. Indie and I are staying home to hand out candy, and our friend Quinn’s coming over too. Maybe she’d be up for dressing as the third sister.”
I clapped my hands, excited by the plan taking shape in my head. “Guess what, Ben? I’m going to be a Sanderson sister!”
“Awesome. Where do you want this inflatable?” He dragged a humongous box out of his trunk and lugged it over.
I pointed to an area in front of the bushes. “Can we set it up over there? Then we won’t have to run a long extension cord.”
“You’re the boss.” Ben placed the box on the ground and pulled out a pocketknife to cut it open.
“How can I help?” Wyatt asked.
“If you could hang lights along the edge of the roof, that’d be great. The clips, lights, and ladder are over by the garage door.” Since he had several inches on me, that job would be a lot easier for him.
“On it.” Wyatt grabbed the ladder and carried it over to the porch. “So, inflatables, pumpkins, and lights, huh? This place will look fantastic.”
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” I said, not bothering to keep the excitement out of my voice. In college, Wyatt witnessed all of Indie’s and my various creative side projects, including her running an informal salon in our dorm room to cut and dye students’ hair and my princess birthday party business, where I dressed up as various characters and performed at children’s parties. “We’re also handing out bags of popcorn and cotton candy, and I’ll project the firstHarry Pottermovie onto the garage for kids to watch.”
Ben looked up from his work. “Do you need me to come over and set up the projector?”
I shook my head. “No need. Quinn’s already volunteered.”
My brother frowned but said nothing more.
“How long have you lived here?” Wyatt asked.
“I bought this place a little less than a year ago.”
When my grandmother passed away, she left my parents the ranch and my brothers and me a sizable inheritance. Ben invested his share in his business, Aiden purchased his duplex, and I put a down payment on this cute three-bedroom bungalow. Although only about twelve hundred square feet inside, it sat on a large piece of land at the end of a cul-de-sac. Joy and I spent all last summer transforming the backyard into an amazing outdoor garden space, fitting for the preschool of my dreams. And after today’s hard work, my front yard would become a trick-or-treating destination.
The three of us worked together in comfortable silence. Ben set up the inflatables while Wyatt strung lights along the roof, and I anchored a handful of gravestones in my yard.
Pleased with our progress, I took a moment to stretch. “How long are you in town for?”
Wyatt hopped off the ladder and carried it over to the garage. “Until FanCon.”
