Page 90

‘Shut up.’

‘Oh, so now you’re listening…’

‘Nope.’

‘You know worms break down their issues faster than you.’

‘Frank, I’m really not interested.’

‘Course you’re not. Because you’ve got less guts than a jack-o’-lantern on All Souls’ Day.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Aiden wheeled on him, glad Ophelia and Rayenne were smudging the book nook.

‘Want me to spell it out for you? You’re a coward. C. O. W…’

‘If you don’t shut up, the first thing I’m cooking will be pumpkin pie!’

‘Ooooh, threatening the gourd. Big man. No wonder she’s not talking to you.’

‘That’s it!’ Aiden threw down his cloth and grabbed the pumpkin.

‘Help! Murder! Vegicide!’

He kicked the door open and dumped the spiteful squash on the pavement, and shut the door firmly, drowning out its grumbles and swearing. After that, his afternoon seemed to get a lot better, and he started to feel the familiar, soothing welcome of the store as it wrapped around him – slowly forgiving him – and he began to feel happier.

He didn’t see Mist saunter up to the pumpkin a few hours later and rub her head against it in greeting.

How did it go?

‘As pointless as a bag of marshmallow Peeps. What next?’

Something less subtle.

Mia looked down at the message from Katie, dismayed. She’d hoped that by going over after closing – past the time he usually left – that she could have avoided any awkwardness with Aiden. But her luck wasn’t to be in as Katie and Ophelia had apparently decided to choose that precise moment to go out. She guessed she could always drop the letters and hoodie around another day. Almost as soon as she’d decided that was the best option, she heard the shop’s chimes tinkle as if the door had swung open instead of remaining firmly closed.

Seconds later, it opened for real. ‘Hey, Mia.’ Aiden’s smile was polite enough as he waited for her to step in out of the rain, but the lack of the teasing nickname he normally used stung. Not that she deserved to be called that. ‘I’m afraid Katie and Ophelia are out. Just me, Mist… somewhere… and the pumpkins back inside.’

‘I, um…’ She held out the bag. ‘I found this at my house. I’m sorry I didn’t bring it back sooner…’

‘It’s fine. I don’t blame you.’

‘I would have… I just honestly didn’t see it before this morning. I don’t know how I missed it. Just another Hudsbury thing, I guess.’

‘Maybe.’ Aiden seemed distracted – more interested in the decorative pumpkins in the window than in her. Painful, but she couldn’t blame him.

‘I guess I should get going. Bye, Aiden.’ She reached for the door, wanting him to stop her – to say something. Anything. But maybe, like her, he didn’t really know what to say.

The handle turned as it should, but the door remained firmly closed. She wriggled the key even though she hadn’t seen him lock the door. But it still stuck fast.

‘Let me try?’ Aiden leaned past her to tug at the door a couple of times. ‘Really? You’re actually going to do this?’

‘I didn’t do anything.’

‘I didn’t mean you.’ Aiden’s reply didn’t make sense. ‘Let’s try the back door.’

She followed him towards the back of the shop, past the painting that looked decidedly moody, and the closed shelves that hid the kitchen. The back door didn’t open either. Nor did the window. ‘If this is some sort of joke…’

‘It’s not my doing.’ Aiden held up his hands. ‘I swear.’