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

capable.”
    He was. He only needed a ladder. She produced a rolling ladder on a ceiling track. She locked the bottom wheels. He climbed, shifted the top box, and easily secured the carton of bulbs under his arm. Once back on the floor, he asked, “Want me to put the box in your van?”
    â€œThanks. Let me check with Kayla, my store manager, and I’ll be right with you.”
    â€œ Right with him ” ran twenty minutes. He watched as a steady stream of customers came and went. All carried garment bags to their cars. Costume rentals were going strong. Cade ran one hand down his face. He debated going after Grace. Three hours of daylight remained. There’d be no decorating after dark. A bar stool at The Thirsty Raven had his name on it. He deserved a tall, cold Sea Dog after rolling pumpkins, stringing twinklers, and dealing with Grace.
    He slapped his palms against his thighs, sought her. He reentered the shop. Maneuvering the storeroom, he pushed through Western saloon–styled batwing doors, and found himself amid racks of hanging costumes and shelved accessories. Make-believe stared him in the face. He took it all in.
    He soon located Grace behind the checkout counter. He headed toward her, only to be stopped by Mrs. Wayford, a surgical nurse from the local hospital. She was a rather large woman, who fit better in scrubs than her present velvet and lace ball gown. She stood before the outer dressing room mirror, straightening her powdered wig.
    She lightly touched his arm. “Marie Antoinette, what do you think, Cade?”
    History had been his favorite subject in high school and college. “Very . . . French,” wasn’t much of a compliment, but it was all he had.
    The woman swirled her skirt, beamed. “I feel like the queen of France. There’ll be no ‘off with my head’ on Halloween.”
    He’d nearly made it past the row of dressing rooms, when Gina Avery, a longtime friend and day-care provider, requested his opinion. An aviator cap covered her short hair. She eyed him through a pair of goggles. “Steampunk, I’m a sky-pirate. You like?”
    He liked a lot. He was seeing Gina in a whole new light. Gone were her T-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes, replaced by a brown leather, wide-belted corset and tight, black leather pants. Several zippers ran down the sides of her hips as decoration, and buttoned straps ornamented the front of each shin. Spike-heeled, knee-high boots were banded with brass straps and buckles across the ankle and calf.
    She wouldn’t be changing diapers, bottle-feeding, or chasing rug rats in that outfit. He half-expected her to captain an airship, and sail over sea and sky.
    â€œHot,” covered her new look.
    She winked at him. “If you’re in the mood for exploration, I’ll be at Rose Cottage on Halloween.”
    â€œI’ll keep that in mind.”
    A costumed sheriff swaggered out of the last dressing room he passed. He was a man of moderate height, wearing a cowboy hat low on his forehead, a fake handlebar mustache, red bandanna at his neck, white shirt, brown suede vest with a silver badge, jeans, a holster with two gray plastic guns slung low on his hips, and boots. The man tipped back his hat, pulled a gun, and grinned at Cade. “Stick ’em up, dude.”
    Jim Kramer, police officer, had stepped back in time. Instead of controlling small-town crime, he was out to tame the Wild West. “Amelia’s Halloween party,” Cade guessed.
    â€œThe wife and I take the kids trick-or-treating first, then we hire a babysitter for our night out. Rose Cottage is a good time. You going?”
    â€œNo immediate plans.”
    â€œIt’s kick-ass. You get your spooky on.”
    â€œI’m not really into spooky.”
    â€œIt’s open house, you walk in, walk out.”
    â€œIn costume.”
    â€œCharade has lots of options, man,” Jim encouraged him. “There’s