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I close my hands around the key, nodding furiously. “Yes. I want that too one day.”
I set the pictures down gently before throwing my arms around his neck. He wraps his around my waist, and we stand like that for a long time, just hugging each other.
SEVENTEEN
Time passes in a blur after that night at the corn maze. It’s only been three days, but it’s as if I’m walking on clouds. But it’s Halloween night and we’re all dressed to the nines. Jack and I decided to dress as Jack and Sally fromThe Nightmare Before Christmas. Now everyone will call him Pumpkin King for the night. We do look pretty spiffy, I have to say. A bunch of our seasonal workers dressed up like condiments. My grandparents dressed as Johnny and June Cash. Papaw keeps erupting into rounds of “Ring of Fire,” and he actually sounds pretty good.
Halloween is a big night at Sorrell Farms. We have all of our normal activities, but we also have bobbing for apples and the petting zoo with animals brought over from the zoo. Even Jack the Donkey is coming, and I’m sure Jack the Ass will be happy to see him.
“What are you doing?”
I turn to see Papaw glaring at me from the window of the ticket booth, hands on his hips.
“What does it look like I’m doing, old man? It’s almost ticket time.”
He bristles but moves on. “You’re not working tonight, so get the heck out of there and let me have my spot.”
“You’re working the ticket booth?”
“I am. Now scooch. There’s not enough room in there for both of us.”
I obey, wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do if he steals my spot.
“Where am I supposed to go?”
“Hayride.” He jerks a thumb over his shoulder.
“Hayride? They don’t need me.”
“It was requested. Get, girl. All this chatter will scare the customers away.”
I shake my head and get out of the booth, then take off toward the hayride. We have twenty minutes until we open, so what the heck am I supposed to do if no one’s here to drive it? That’s one thing I don’t do.
“Welcome aboard,” Jack greets me as I climb up the ladder and settle on a bale of hay.
“Are you working the hayride?”
“What? No.”
“I was wondering why they need me if you’re here.” I glance at the tractor to see a bottle of ketchup at the wheel. Fantastic.
“Settle in. We’re going for a ride.” Jack pulls up the ladder, then takes the seat beside me, our shoulders brushing as the ride shifts into motion.
“Why are we going for a ride?”
“It’s the one thing we haven’t done this year.” Jack wraps his arm around me, pulling me into his side. “And you couldn’t close out the season without fulfilling all of the traditions.”
The fact that he remembers the things that are important to me makes my heart so happy that my chest hurts. It’s as if it’s so full it’s going to explode.
“I’m really glad we’re giving this a second chance,” I whisper.
Jack hugs me tighter, his lips brushing my forehead in a soft kiss. Then he backs away, looking straight in my eyes. “I want as many chances with you as it takes, Rachel, because there’s no one else for me. I’ll work my ass off until we get this right. Until we’re what we’re meant to be.”
“Me too.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Rachel, you were my first love, and I’ll give anything in this world to make sure you’re my last. Sometimes things don’t go as planned the first time or even the second time, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth another try.”
“First and last,” I agree, then pull him to me, kissing the man I love with everything in me.
