Read Online The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine by Kate Angell - Free Book Online Page B

“You’re getting to know each other.”
    He’d known Grace all his life. He’d always seen her as perfect and standoffish. Today she’d worked as hard as any man. He’d witnessed her kindness to children and her loyalty to Amelia. They shared an attraction. Her kisses turned him on.
    Dakota left him, moving along the bar, mixing cocktails, replenishing beer. Cade noticed she flirted overly long with Josh Hanson, a local carpenter. He’d recently added shelving in the small kitchen and updated paneling behind the bar. He was the strong, silent type. Yet Dakota had him talking. Laughing. Enjoying himself.
    Distracted by Josh, she forgot about Cade’s food order. The fry cook delivered his burger. Wally shook his head at Dakota. “She’s looking to get lathed.” A carpenter pun.
    Dakota was obvious in her intentions. Josh was slow on the uptake. They’d connect eventually, Cade figured. Dakota was persistent. Clearly, she’d chosen her next lover. But then, so had he. He wanted Grace Alden.
    He bit into his burger. The cook awaited his thumbs-up. Cade chewed, swallowed, approved. “Medium-rare. Perfect, dude.”
    The cook snagged him another Sea Dog, on the house, before returning to the kitchen. Cade glanced about the bar between bites. The booths were crammed with single women. Steampunk Gina Avery blew him a kiss. Couples took over the tables. Friends waved, inviting him to join them. He didn’t have much conversation in him. His thoughts were on Grace. Was she still at Rose Cottage or had she gone home for the night? He’d bet she was still working. He might have to swing by the inn later. Make sure she’d eaten dinner and wasn’t overdoing it.
    He decided to drop off a burger and fries, as an excuse for checking on her. Despite the fact that Amelia had a well-stocked kitchen, and Grace could cook whatever she liked. He was being thoughtful. That should earn him points with her.
    He flagged down Dakota, added a second burger to his tab. Then stared into his beer, so lost in thought, he didn’t immediately hear the bone-rattling tapping noise, followed by rubbery fingers touching his hand. He glanced down, started. What the hell?
    Halloween reached out to him in a pair of crawling monster hands. A bar prank. Battery-operated, the undead-colored limbs were severed at the wrist, and walked on their own. Those seated at the bar had leaned back, as Dakota aimed the hands in his direction. She’d gotten him. Good. He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckled along with the crowd.
    The guy beside him turned one hand over and flipped off the switch. The fingers stiffened. Cade stopped the second hand from climbing up his arm. It gave him the willies.
    â€œWhere’d you get the hands?” he asked Dakota when she delivered his take-out order. He didn’t appreciate them, but he knew a party planner who would.
    â€œSomeone left those on the bar last night at closing, clutching a beer mug. Real funny. I know how much you love Halloween,” she said, tongue-in-cheek, “and I wanted to prank you.”
    â€œI have someone I’d like to prank, too,” he told her.
    Dakota was generous. “Take them. All yours.”
    He finished off his beer, paid his bill, and left a big tip. He balanced the monster hands on the Styrofoam container, and cleared the door in seconds. He was anxious to see Grace.
    * * *
    Grace was eager to wrap up the decorating. She was close to finishing. She rolled her shoulders, shook out her hands. Went on to dim the sconces for atmosphere and effect. She surveyed the living room. Appreciated every little detail.
    She’d added a haunted clock with a skewed view of time to the sideboard buffet. The numbers were on backward and went up to thirteen. On the hour, the hands spun.
    Next to the timepiece was an animated mirror. It showed no real reflection; instead, a ghoulish girl holding a lighted candle