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Especially since I could swear my waistline was already expanding. It didn’t seem possible, but if it wasn’t from baby growth, it was the street corn Mav had made again the other night. I’d had three, maybe four servings.
Followed up by a bowl of pistachio ice cream.
I was calling them cravings because I was hungry, and if I could claim it was for the benefit of the baby, even better.
But when I opened my mouth, Macy held up a hand. “Don’t bother. You’ve got the Cove look about you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Is that a good thing or bad?”
“Depends on your point of view, but you’re glowing, so I can’t see the bad.” She leaned over the counter and spoke softly. “I’ll have a special decaf version of your Americano double shot next time you stop in.”
I sniffled. “You’re too sweet to me.”
“Are you being an ass?”
“No, hormones.” I waved a hand at my face then let out a laugh. “Well, I’m kind of always an ass, but I’ve been waiting for you to make me my special drink. It’s like I really belong here now. Like I have a place.” And the tears that had threatened a moment ago actually pooled in my eyes, mortifying me.
Macy shocked me by not shaking her head in disgust at my female display. Instead she grabbed a spider off the tray of them and plopped it in my cider. “It’ll take longer to melt this way, but the end result will taste just as good. Happy Halloween.”
I grinned as if she’d just presented me with a brand new iPad as I pried out the candy spider.
“You’re supposed to wait til it melts—” Macy sighed. “Never mind. I remember those days. I would’ve eaten the paper cup. Enjoy.”
“Oh, I will,” I mumbled, already getting hints of almond from the flavor shot burst in the center. It didn’t exactly go with the cider, but it was good nonetheless.
Macy was a damn genius when it came to coffee and what went with it, not to mention all things spooky, as evidenced by her decorated front windows.
Purple gauze and lacy cobwebs dripped from the ceiling offset by strands of orange pumpkin lights. Tiny white lights seemed innocuous until you looked closer and realized they were fashioned to look like bones. Gelatinous blood spatters covered the glass in somehow artful shapes. And of course, Macy’s favorite character, Michael Myers, watched from the side of the window, the soulless eyes of his mask peering out at everyone who passed.
I shivered in delight as I studied the decorations. I needed to get some for my bus.
For tonight.
I shivered again for a whole different reason. I’d been turning an idea over and over in my mind, and somewhere between the doctor’s visit with Mav and today, my resolve had strengthened. I could do this. Iwoulddo this.
Actions meant more than words, always.
He had the night off. I had the night off. I was still able to perform any number of lewd sex acts, and what better gift to give your boyfriend when you propose to him?
Holy Michael Myers, I was going to attempt to become a married woman. But I wasn’t wearing white. No way in hell was I pulling that off when my belly was the size of a basketball as my sister’s had been.
Maybe I’d go with tie-dye or Day-Glo. Something truly memorable.
Outside of the coffee shop, I stopped and tapped a blood red fingernail to my lips.Hmm.I wanted Mav in a tux—so I could enjoy getting him out of said tux. I guess I couldn’t show up looking like bride of Chucky.
I spotted Kinleigh’s vintage shop and hurried across the street. Maybe she’d have an idea. Was there was a way to combine classy with sassy? Unique with elegant?
If it could happen, Kinleigh was the best place to start.
“Wait a second, you’re buying a wedding dress before you’ve gotten engaged?”
“He’ll say yes to me. How can he not?”
In truth, I wasn’t quite as certain as I appeared to be. I mean, sure there was the baby, and he was an honorable guy. But I wanted him to marry me for me, just as I was marrying him because I loved the hell out of that man—forever and ever, amen, there would never be another for me.
Period.
Kinleigh smoothed a hand over her sleek fall of auburn hair. Redheads seemed to be all over this town. Maybe we were magnetized here just like babies were.
