Read Online First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen - Free Book Online Page B

later.”
    Tyler put his arm around Claire as they walked to his car, a few spaces away. When Tyler hesitated getting in the car, Claire looked up at him, his curly hair in need of a cut, his beloved Hawaiian shirt almost glowing in neon under his blazer.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” she asked, because sometimes he did that, just stopped and daydreamed. She loved that about him. Her own sense of focus never ceased to amaze him. She wasn’t magic to him. She never would be. What she cooked had never had an effect on him, either. Years ago, when they would argue, she would serve Tyler chive blossom stir-fry, because Grandmother Mary always said chive blossoms would assure that you would win any argument, but it never seemed to work on him.
    Tyler gestured behind her. “I’m just waiting for Henry to start his truck. Do you think anything’s wrong? He was talking about winterizing his truck. I had no idea what he was talking about. Maybe he did it wrong.”
    Claire looked over to Henry’s king cab. The windows were beginning to steam and a faint purple glow was emanating from inside. “Nothing’s wrong.”
    â€œWait,” Tyler said. “Are they doing what I think they’re doing?”
    â€œVoyeur,” Claire teased, getting in the car. “Stop looking.”
    Tyler got behind the wheel and grinned at her. “We could give them a run for their money.”
    â€œAnd risk getting caught by one of your students? I don’t think so. Stop it,” she said, when he reached for her. “Let’s go home.”
    He thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “Home. Okay.” He started the car. “But I have plans for home now.”
    â€œOh no,” Claire said with a smile. “Plans.”
    The road leading off campus was lined with hickory trees, their leaves so bright yellow they shone like fire, as if the road were lined with giant torches. Claire rested her head back as Tyler drove, his hand on her knee. Houses in town were decorated in full Halloween regalia, some more elaborate than others. Jack-o’-lanterns flickered on porches, and red and yellow leaves swirled. This wasn’t her favorite time of year, but it certainly was gorgeous. Autumn felt like the whole world was browned and roasted until it was so tender it was about to fall away from the bone.
    Stop feeling so anxious, she told herself. It was just this time of year making her feel this way, making her have these doubts. First frost was almost here. If she could make it until then without a big drama, she felt sure everything would be okay, everything would fall into place and feel right again.
    Tyler turned down Pendland Street with its winding curves, uneven sidewalks and sloped yards, which suddenly made Claire remember her grandmother Mary walking her and Sydney to school on this street on autumn mornings. Mary had become anxious in her old age, and she hated being away from the house for long. She’d hold the girls’ hands tightly and calm herself by telling them what she would make for first frost that year—pork tenderloins with nasturtiums, dill potatoes, pumpkin bread, chicory coffee. And the cupcakes, of course, with all different frostings, because what was first frost without frosting? Claire had loved it all, but Sydney had only listened when their grandmother talked of frosting. Caramel, rosewater-pistachio, chocolate almond.
    Claire settled back in her seat, starting to relax a little from the wine that evening. She began to wonder, if she had the time, what she would make for first frost this year. Fig and pepper bread, because she’d been thinking about it. (Of course she was fig. Sydney was definitely pepper.) And pumpkin lasagna, maybe with flowers pressed into the fresh pasta before she cooked it. And—
    She sat up straight when she saw him again, out of nowhere. The old man on the sidewalk. And not just his gray suit this time. She saw