Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
We left the kitchen and made our way back down the long gallery hallway. When we rounded the corner into the foyer, Sam let loose with a prolonged shriek worthy of a teenager in a slasher film. I looked up at the huge stuffed bear, which was standing on its hind legs with its claws out and its teeth bared. Then I turned to Sam with a grin as he blurted, “That was scary.”
“I forgot it was there, too.”
“But you didn’t scream.”
“Yeah, I noticed that.” He chuckled and headed for the door.
Two cars and a van painted to look like Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine had joined ours in the circular driveway. After we grabbed our things, both of us paused to look up at the house. “It was creepy by day,” I said, “but in the dark, it looks downright sinister.” The angles seemed sharp and jagged against the moonlit sky.
“It really does. I don’t know how Arden can stand living here by himself.” Sam shuddered, and we clutched each other’s hands as we went back inside.
Both of us relaxed, though, once we joined Arden and his friends in the game room. It smelled like popcorn from the movie theater-style machine running in the corner, and the mood was light and upbeat.
Most of the coven had elected to keep wearing their wizard garb, and they were gathering around two board games. We joined the group who’d selected a fantasy-themed game neither of us had played before. Thanks to his amazing memory, Sam was able to learn the rules quickly, so I declared the two of us a team.
Getting to watch Sam in this context was far more interesting than the game itself. We’d spent most of our time together isolated—both at work and on the run—so it was fascinating to see the way he interacted with others. I’d already known he was charming, so it wasn’t surprising when he turned out to be the life of the party. He was fun, and kind, and everyone was completely enchanted by him, including me.
At one point when things were winding down and I was helping Arden collect some empty soda bottles, he told me, “You’re so lucky. Your boyfriend is an amazing guy. He’s gorgeous, too. How long have you guys been together?”
I glanced across the room, where Sam was talking animatedly and making the two shiest members of the coven laugh. “It actually hasn’t been that long, but we got really close, really fast. It’s nothing like regular dating. We’ve been together around the clock for days, against this backdrop of fear and uncertainty. I guess that kicked everything into high gear.”
After a pause, I admitted, “I don’t know what’s going to happen afterwards, though, when we get back to our normal lives. I’m crazy about him, but I’m not sure if he’s still going to want me.”
Arden turned to me with a perplexed expression. “Don’t you see the way he looks at you, Andy?”
“How does he look at me?”
“Like you’re the most important person in his world. Watch, in a minute he’s going to stop what he’s doing and check to see where you are. It’s like you’re his touchstone. He wants to know where you are at all times.”
“Maybe that’s because we’ve been in danger for days on end. It would make sense that he’d keep track of me, in case something happened and we needed to escape—”
Arden shook his head. “Just watch.”
Sure enough, Sam stopped talking and scanned the room. When he spotted me, his face lit up in a gorgeous smile, and he gave me a little wave.
I grinned and waved back as Arden said, “Look at his face, Andy. That man is smitten.”
“I want to believe that, but I’ve always been the shy nerd who never gets the guy. My entire dating history has taught me someone that wonderful would never want me.”
“I get it,” Arden said. “I’ve always been a shy, quiet nerd, too, someone who’s much more comfortable in a lab than at a party. We get used to being invisible, undervalued, picked last. But you can’t let the past cast a shadow on your future, Andy. Sam is showing you how he feels. Try not to overthink it.” That was exactly my problem.
A few minutes later, Grady and his friends said good night and rushed off while calling dibs on the guestrooms in the creepy part of the house. They’d given them names, like the angry squirrel room, the haunted weasel room, and the twenty duck clusterfuck—which all sounded like a big nope to me.
When Sam and I asked Arden if he needed any help cleaning up, he said, “Thanks, but I’ve got it. Go and get some rest. Oh, and feel free to use your fireplace, since this house is always ridiculously cold at night.”