Lukas crouched beside the boy and asked him his name. He told Lukas his name was Carson, and Lukas shared some pro tips with Carson on how to successfully bob for apples. He told him to take his time and to have fun before Carson stuck his face in the water, mouth open like a gaping fish out of water, and tried to catch apples.
He was too short to have much luck, and when he came up for air, he massaged his chest where the rim of the tub pressed against him.
“I have an idea,” Lukas said. “Can I pick you up?”
Carson nodded.
I watched as Lukas picked Carson up and held him upside down over the bucket of water. Carson started to giggle as Lukas lowered him down, his jaws unhinged like a snake, to catch the apples. Lukas pulled him up in a victorious flourish. Water sprayed from Carson’s soaking-wet flat curls and whipped against the tent walls. Lukas laughed uproariously as Carson pulled the apple from where it was stuck to his upper teeth. He held it over his head, a tiny champion, and Lukas gave him a well earned high five.
Lukas pointed at Addison next. “Are ye ready to catch some luck, wee lady?”
Addison rolled into the tent. The wheels of her chair bumped against the edge of the tub.
Lukas pursed his lips thoughtfully. “How does the wicked witch want to do this? Her pirate servant can either hoist her up, like he did with the wee lad, or he can bob in her place.”
Addison cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
Lukas pressed a hand to his chest and bowed. “I could bob for apples for ye, witch. I’ll make sure I give ye the luck once I’ve caught it.”
You’re doomed, a little voice inside my head whispered. Absolutely doomed.
My heart felt like it was glowing in my chest as I watched Lukas bob for apples in Addison’s stead. She cheered him on from her chair, clapping with delight and chanting his name along with the other kids who gathered around the bucket while Lukas made a show of struggling to catch an apple.
When he burst from the water, they all cheered and hollered, and he wiped the gently bitten apple on his shirt before he passed it to Addison. “My lady,” he said with yet another deep bow.
I didn’t need more reasons to fall more in love with him, but there it was, another reason, and it was a hard one to overlook.
Chapter 31
Lukas
I never would have expected a Halloween night like this to be my favorite of the thirty Halloweens I’d seen. Over the years, I’d spent the spooky night doing one of three things: staying home, hooking up with a stranger, or working. As I looked back at the last three years, I realized I’d spent all of them in the office working away on new software or fine tuning the old stuff. No matter what it was, I could always find something to keep myself busy—and isolated.
But out there in the foggy Halloween town Kayla had created, it was easy to see what I’d been missing out on. Pure, honest, and simple fun.
Addison and the other kids moved with Kayla and me from activity to activity, and as promised, luck was on their side from their successful apple bobbing. They tossed darts at balloons set up on a particle board wall which was much like the kinds of games found at carnivals or amusement parks. They performed tricks for treats and were rewarded with little jack-o’-lanterns loaded up with mini chocolate bars and lollipops. They stopped for a bite to eat at one of the food trucks Kayla had reserved, and we sat with them at a picnic table half engulfed by fog while we ate.
Afterward, we only had time for a few more activities before the van returned to take the kids home. All of them were sad to leave, especially Addison, who put on a great show of pouting and wallowing in her misery.
I crouched down in front of her chair and stroked my chin and the painted-on beard that had all but washed off since the apple bobbing at the start of the night. “Don’t be sad,” I told her. “We’ll do this again next year. Deal?”
Addison nodded. I held out my hand and she took it. She had tiny hands and cold fingers but a good grip.
I grinned. “It was a pleasure to meet ye, yer witchiness.”
She rewarded me with a giggle. The other kids all got in the van after saying their goodbyes to us, and Kayla and I stood back as one of the drivers pulled the door closed and the other operated the lift to help Addison into the back of the van. Once everyone was safely inside and buckled up, they drove away.
Kayla and I stood side by side waving, and once they’d turned out of sight, I draped an arm around her shoulders and sighed. “That was more fun than I’ve had in a long time.”
She tilted her head back and smiled up at me. “I’m glad. Halloween town is serious business for fun seekers.”
“I’d say. I’m glad we got to stick to the happy-go-lucky side.”
“What, you can’t handle a bit of scary?”
“I think I had my fill at the haunted house.” I chuckled.
Kayla rolled her eyes and I steered her back toward the lawn where the remaining kids and families were still having a blast. It was about nine thirty at night and we still had half an hour of the event to go. I asked Kayla where she wanted me to lend a hand and she told me the best thing we could do was walk around and get some feedback so we could keep requests or complaints in mind during planning and prep for next year.
As always, Kayla thought of everything.
We split up
