HALLOWEEN

There is nothing quite like Halloween in Harlington and Valley View. Like with most big things, the two towns come together for a celebration. Since we’re pretty close to each other and a lot of families and friends live between the two cities, it just makes sense. Every year for Halloween, the police close down Main Street in Harlington and it gets turned into a huge trick or treat street. This gives the chance for kids to have safe places to trick and treat and since most people live away from the main town limits. They get to walk around to the different groups and trick or treat safely.

Most of the businesses will close on Halloween, but I like to stay open in case anybody wants some sweets. Last year I had all Halloween style cupcakes and cookies for purchase at a special Halloween discount price and I decided to do the same thing this year. I even set up little tables in front of the store to encourage families to buy something and take a seat in front of the store.

All hands are on deck tonight. Kathy is outside with a big bowl of candy for the trick or treaters and Gio and Maddie are working the front counter. I’ve been decorating cupcakes and cookies all day to keep the case full. I’m a little over everything Halloween right now, but seeing all the happy faces going in and out of the shop make my cramped hands totally worth it.

“Hey Gio, these are the last mummy cupcakes, so if people really want mummies they have to have the cookies.” I hand off the tray to Gio and he starts to put them in the display case.

“I’ll let the customers know. They do look really cool.”

“Thanks. I saw them on Pinterest. Does that make me a bad baker?” I laugh.

“Nah, don’t reinvent the wheel. I mean, people clearly enjoy them.”

“Thanks, Gio, you do great things for my ego. You and Maddie are really working hard tonight, I hope you know how much you’re appreciated.”

“We do, Holly. This is the best job ever.”

I plan to head back to the kitchen, but the bell to the front door rings and instinctively I turn around to see who is coming in. The first thing I notice is the little girl with blonde hair who is dressed up as Elsa. She is so cute with a smile a mile wide that I I hardly even notice who she is with until my eyes look up and there is 6 foot something Wes standing there holding a huge bucket of candy.

“Hey, Holly.” He lifts his hand up and gives a small wave.

I walk around the counter and lean back against it. “Wes, what are you doing here?”

“We wanted cupcakes.” He looks over at the little girl who has her face pressed up against the display case. “Hey, Annabelle come here.” The little Elsa comes over from the table and wraps her arms around Wes’s leg. “Annabelle, sweetheart, this is my friend Holly. Can you say hi?”

She waves her hand a little bit and I smile at her and squat down to her height.

“Hmm, is your name Annabelle or Elsa? Because you sure look more like an Elsa.”

The little girl giggles and her eyes relax a bit, “I’m Elsa!”

“That’s what I thought.” I point my thumb up in Wes’s direction, “This siilly big guy doesn’t even know your name.” She starts laughing again. “So, Elsa, do you want to see the cupcakes that I have?”

“Yes!” She shouts excitedly and then looks up at Wes, “Daddy cupcake?”

“That’s why we came here. Holly makes the best cupcakes.”

She looks back at me, “You Holly?”

“I am Holly!”

Annabelle and Wes follow me back over to the display case and Annabelle picks out one of the pumpkin cupcakes. Gio takes it out of the case and puts it on a plate and get her seated at one of the bigger tables and then I walk over behind the counter and Wes follows me. I abruptly turn around and speak quietly, but firmly to him.

“That was cold, Wes.”

“What?” He replies exasperatedly. “ What did I do now?”

I motion my chin over to Annabelle. “Bringing her in here like this.”

“I didn’t do anything. We were trick or treating and she wanted a cupcake. You sell cupcakes, don’t you?”

“So this has nothing to do with the fact that I haven’t picked up a phone call of yours or replied to one of the many text messages that you’ve sent in two weeks?”

“No, in fact, it doesn’t. Although I’d like to know why you won’t answer me.”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath before look back at him. “You hurt me, Wes. You can’t just snap your fingers and have that kind of hurt go away. You said your piece and I listened, but I never promised that we’d keep having a relationship.”

“I know I hurt you and I said I was sorry. I want you to know me, Holly. I brought her here because she’s part of me and she’s the most important thing in my life and I thought maybe if you met….”

I cut him off, “Maybe I’d forget that you got the goods and text me goodbye?”

“Jesus, how many times are you going to bring that up?”

“I don’t know, maybe when it stops hurting so much. Goodnight, Wes. Enjoy your cupcake, it’s on the house.”

“Holly!” I turn to walk away, but he puts his hand on my shoulder and turns me back around. “Come to dinner with me.”

“What? You’re kidding, right?”

No, I’m not kidding. Dinner. Somewhere nice. I’ll wear a shirt with a collar. I’m asking. Shit, I’m begging. I know you think I’m a piece of shit and I really deserve that, but I think if you just gave me some time I could show you the real me and you could see that I’m not the douchebag that texts a girl a breakup letter.”

“Okay, if you answer one question.”

“Sure, I’ll answer anything. I’m an open book.”

“Why?”

He cocks his eyebrow up at me. “Why do I want you to go out with me?”

“No. Why are you still trying? Do you feel bad for me or something? I can assure you that the last thing I want is your pity. I don’t want to go on another date with you just so you can break up with me properly.”

“No, that isn’t at all. I’m asking you again because I really like you and I really messed up and I want a chance to show you that I’m worth it. I know that sounds cocky, but I think if we started over and I was just honest with you about everything that you’d feel about me the way I feel about you.”

I pause and think for a moment before replying to him. I’m looking at him and his eyes look like he’s being honest, but I’ve been hurt my more honest looking men in my life. The pause gives him a chance to keep going with his argument for a date.

“One date. If you still think that I’m the guy you think I am now, then tell me and I’ll stop bothering you. But I want you to know ME!’ He points at his chest. “ I want you to know Wes Brown, the 36-year-old mama’s boy that wants to be a rancher for the rest of his life, who has an almost-three-year-old daughter that he loves to death and is the center of his world. The one that is a bit of an asshole, but in his defense, he hasn’t had much experience with pretty girls for the last two and a half years.”

“Fine.”

“Fine as in yes?”

“Yes, fine as in yes.. I will go on ONE date with you. That’s all you get, Wes. And don’t think that I’m going to be spreading anything at the end of the night. You’ll drop me back off at my place and I’ll decide if I want to move forward with this.”

He puts his hands up toward me. “I’m fine with that. I won’t push forward with anything that you don’t want.”

“Oh, and one more stipulation.”

“Anything, Holly.

“I’ll text you after our date to decide if I’ve changed my mind about you.” I give him a cocky grin.

He shakes his head and laughs, “Okay I deserve that.”

“You do.”

“I’ll call you to set up a time for our date. Will you answer?”

“Yes, I’ll answer,” I say with an eye roll.

Wes smiles at me and then goes back over to Annabelle, who by now has orange ALL over her face and even on her dress. He grabs a bunch of napkins and cleans her up while she’s whining about her face hurting. I stand behind the counter laughing at their arguing. She’s a spitfire for sure, but then again she is Wes’s daughter.