Кэти Дэйли - The Magic Of Halloween Night

“Yeah,” I sighed. “It isn’t looking good. She survived the stroke, which we’re all so grateful for, but according to what her doctor told Gracie, Ethel has a long road ahead of her in terms of recovery.” I paused and then continued. “Actually, at her age, there isn’t a guarantee she will ever fully recover.” I leaned back in my chair. “Gracie and I both think it’s only a matter of time before she’s going to be facing the realization that she’s no longer healthy enough to continue as Paisley’s guardian.”

Cass picked up a chip, dipped it into the salsa the waiter delivered, and then popped it into his mouth. “Do you know if there’s a plan in place for Paisley should that occur?” he asked after he’d swallowed.

“According to Gracie, Ethel has a niece who is reluctant but willing to take Paisley, but this niece already has a bunch of her own kids, and Gracie and I are concerned that Paisley will get lost in the mix. Gracie and Ethel briefly discussed the idea of either Gracie or me taking over as Paisley’s guardian. Gracie is willing, of course, but she pointed out that given our ages, I might be the better choice.”

Cass raised a brow. “Is taking over as legal guardian for Paisley something you’re willing to do?”

I looked him in the eye. “I don’t know. Maybe. With the curse and all, I’ve never given a lot of thought to being a mother. I guess I just figured it wasn’t in the cards. And to be honest, I don’t even know if I’d be a good mother. But I do love Paisley, and I want her to be happy.”

“Do you think she wants to stay with you?”

I nodded. “She does. She told me she wants to stay with Gracie and me if something happens to her grandmother. Foxtail Lake is her home now, and she’s terrified about being uprooted again. She’s also terrified about being sent to live with someone she doesn’t know.” I felt a catch in my throat. “I was younger than Paisley when my parents died, but I remember being terrified about being left alone in the world. If it hadn’t been for Aunt Gracie, I really don’t know what would have happened to me.”

“You didn’t have any other relatives?”

I shook my head. “No one I knew. My dad had a couple cousins I’d never even met who I suppose would have been approached if it hadn’t been for Gracie and her willingness to raise me the same way she’d raised my mom and my aunt, Penelope.” I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Gracie never had children of her own, but she was a mother. She raised my mom and Penelope almost from birth, and she raised me from the time I was four. I know she’s willing to raise Paisley as well, but she isn’t wrong about the fact that, while she is willing to help, perhaps given my age, I might be the one better suited to take on the role.”

Cass placed his hand over mine. “It seems like you have a big decision to make.”

“Yeah. I guess I do.” I looked Cass in the eye once again. “Do you think I’d be a good mother?”

He smiled. “I think you’d be an excellent mother.”

I wasn’t quite as certain as he was, but being there for Paisley now the way Aunt Gracie had been there for me when I was four, did feel like the right thing to do.

“And you won’t need to do this alone,” he added. “You know that both Gracie and Tom will continue to be there for Paisley, and you know that if you need me, I’ll be there too.”

“Thanks,” I said as I noticed the waiter walking toward us with our plates of food. “That means a lot.”

Once the food was delivered, the conversation took on an easier tone. We discussed the Harvest Festival as well as the upcoming Halloween Festival later in the month. Cass told me a funny story about a burglar who’d accidentally locked himself in the basement of the house he was trying to rob, and I told him about the starring role in the play Paisley had been awarded after the girl who’d been chosen to play the role had broken her arm. We briefly discussed Thanksgiving as I reiterated the fact that he was invited to the house to have dinner with the family, which seemed to lead to a discussion involving Christmas, tree cutting, and the annual festivities in town.

After we finished our meal, we decided to go back to the converted boathouse where he lived, open a bottle of wine, and cuddle up under heavy blankets while we looked at the stars. I had to admit that spending time alone with Cass was something I’d both dreaded and longed to do ever since that night five months ago when Cass had convinced me to let go of my fear and spend the night under the stars in his arms. While the night we shared talking and kissing had been magical, and all our nights together since then had been magical as well, I knew Cass wanted more out of our relationship. I knew that I did as well. The question in my mind, however, was how exactly that would look. I had no doubt that Cass ultimately hoped he could convince me that the curse I’d lived my life avoiding wasn’t actually real, and a future that included marriage and children really wasn’t out of the question. But lifelong beliefs weren’t easily released, and I simply wasn’t sure I would ever be able to give Cass what he both wanted and deserved.

In the meantime, I supposed these fairly innocent make-out sessions were nice, even though they were frustrating. I’d pretty much convinced myself that even if we took the next step and actually slept together, it would probably be fine. I wasn’t certain what act would cause the curse to kick in, but it seemed to be linked to marriage and children rather than passion. Of course, once I went there with Cass, it would be hard to go back to the friendship we’d shared for most of our lives, which caused me to wonder where we’d end up in the long run.

“Before I came back to Foxtail Lake and disrupted your life, did you have some sort of a plan?” I asked Cass after we’d settled onto a lounger for two.

“A plan?” he asked. “What do you mean by a plan?”

“In terms of marriage and family. Did you plan to marry and have children one day?”

He tightened his arms around me. “I suppose the thought had entered my mind, not that I had any sort of immediate plans to do so. When you came back to the lake, I wasn’t even seriously dating anyone.” He paused. “Why do you ask?”

“I guess you know where I stand on the whole marriage and family thing.”

He shifted a bit, so we were facing one another. “I do.”

“I guess I just wondered if it mattered.”

He frowned. “Mattered? What do you mean?”

“I guess it just occurred to me that you and I seem to be working up to something. I’m just not sure, given the situation, what that something might be.”

Cass paused. He looked uncertain, but eventually, he spoke. “I guess that’s really up to you. I do understand how you feel about the family curse, and I do understand that you have reason to feel the way you do. Personally, I don’t believe in curses, but I respect your beliefs and understand where they stem from. Having said that, if it were totally up to me, yes, I’d want us to marry and have a family someday. But marriage and family isn’t the most important thing to me. Having you in my life in whatever form you are comfortable with is the most important thing. As long as we are together, we can let the rest work itself out.”

I wanted to be noble. I wanted to do the right thing and simply let Cass go so that he could build a life with someone who could give him everything he deserved. Instead, I found myself melting into his body as I found his neck with my lips. I wasn’t sure where Cass and I would end up, but in this moment, kissing Cass under the stars, felt as if everything I would ever desire had been condensed into this singular moment.