Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
For some reason Griffin coughed slightly. More like he cleared his throat. Allergies?
Then I saw it. The trough filled with water for the kids to bob for apples was next to where Riot was currently reaching way out to tack the banner’s corner to the wooden frame we’d built as the entrance. Leaning… away from the ladder.
“Oh, God…” I put my hand over my mouth, wanting to stop the carnage but helpless to actually tell Riot to be careful again. “Um, Riot? You sure that’s a good idea?”
Caleb shot me a pleading look, shaking his head subtly.
“I told you, I ain’t gonna fall. I’m steady as a rock.” He sounded like he felt that, by telling him to be careful, I’d affronted his manhood or some shit.
Caleb raised an eyebrow at me as if to say, “You still sure you want to stop the carnage?”
When he wobbled again, but still stretched for all he was worth, I opened my mouth to tell him to get down and move the ladder, but what came out was, “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. Lookin’ good there, sunshine.”
“Damn straight -- AHH!”
Riot’s yell was cut short by the big splash as he landed in the trough. Thankfully, it was bigger than the standard bathtub and made of a stout rubber rather than a hard plastic or he might have been hurt, but Riot landed perfectly in the middle, completely submerged before sitting up with a coughing sputter.
“Mother fuck! That’s fuckin’ cold!” Riot gasped for breath as he sat up, then scrambled out of the water. “Son of a bitch!”
“Riot!” Violet chastised. “There’s kids here!”
“Fu-- er, fudge. Sorry, honey.”
Everyone in the immediate vicinity roared with laughter. Griffin nearly fell off his perch, laughing so hard he had to hold onto the frame with both hands. Caleb’s mischievous grin had morphed into full-blown laughter as he doubled over, hands on his knees. Even I couldn’t help giggling despite feeling a twinge of guilt.
“Sorry, Riot,” I called, trying and failing to sound sincere through my laughter. “But you’ve gotta admit, that was pretty funny. Besides, you said you wouldn’t fall.”
Riot stood dripping in the grass, his cut soaked through, T-shirt clinging to his muscular frame. He glared at Caleb, who was still cackling with delight.
“You little shit,” Riot growled, but there wasn’t real anger in his voice. “You set me up!” I swear to God, those two acted more like siblings than anything else.
Caleb straightened, wiping tears from his eyes. “Consider it payback for eating my last Pop-Tart.”
“That was three months ago!”
“I have a long memory,” Caleb shrugged, his superior smirk as cocky as any biker in the place.
Carrie approached with a towel she’d pulled from one of the supply boxes. “Here, you big baby,” she said, handing it to Riot with an affectionate grin. “I promise you won’t melt.”
“No,” Riot huffed as he wiped his face with the towel. “But I think my balls are gonna freeze off.”
Chains appeared at my side, his arm sliding around my waist as he surveyed the scene. I leaned into him automatically, my body recognizing its home.
“What’d I miss?” he asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he took in Riot’s drenched appearance.
“Just Caleb demonstrating his tactical genius.” I lifted my face to Chains who leaned down and gave me a gentle kiss.
Hannah approached, her arms full of toy donations. I rushed forward to help her, but Chains took the whole thing and dumped them into a giant tub we had set up for drop-offs, so we could go through to make sure everything was new and in the original packaging. “The collection boxes are already filling up,” she said, nodding toward the decorated stations positioned throughout the park. “And we’ve still got four hours until the official start.”
“Good.” I smiled, checking off another item on my list. “Where’re the fog machines?”
“Setting them up by the haunted trail.” Hannah glanced at me, concern flickering across her face. “You okay? You seem a little…”
“Manic?” I supplied, laughing. “Just excited. This is going to be the best Halloween toy drive we’ve ever done!”
The truth was more complicated. Since my father had disappeared three days ago -- supposedly finding a more permanent place to stay according to the brief explanation Chains had given me -- I’d thrown myself into this event with almost desperate intensity. Something about Chains’ explanation didn’t sit right with me, but I wasn’t ready to dig into it. Not yet. If I were honest, I was glad he hadn’t told me the whole truth. I could deal with it later. For now, I channeled everything into creating the perfect Halloween experience. I needed it as much as the kids wanted it. If it meant Chains spared me the truth of what happened to my father, I couldn’t hold it against him, and I’d be grateful. I felt like I’d been given a fresh start and maybe the possibility of a forever family.