“I’ll take it,” I say with a smile. “I haven’t even told my sisters yet. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and it happened so fast.”
I want to tell them that these are the rings we wore a hundred years ago. That I remember so much more, but those details are just for Lucien and me.
“To my son and his beautiful bride,” Gwyneth says, holding up her glass. “Here’s to many years of wedded bliss.”* * *“Why am I elbow-deep in the business end of a pumpkin?” Cash asks. We’re all at Witches Brew, at different tables around the dining area, carving Jack-o-lanterns. “I should be out there in the mean streets of New Orleans trying to catch a killer.”
“First of all,” I reply as I dump pumpkin seeds into a bucket, “don’t be a Debbie Downer. Halloween is our Christmas. And our New Year, come to think of it.” I smile. “We have about thirty Jack-o-lanterns to make because while yes, there are killers to find, there are also a whole bunch of kids who want to celebrate Halloween.”
“Wow, that was a great lecture,” Cash says with a grin.
“You’re welcome. Now, paste a smile on your face and carve one into that bad boy there.”
I have a Halloween playlist on my phone playing through the speakers, and we’re actually having fun. No thoughts of demonic spirits and a killer. No researching spells and weapons to use against the undead.
Just me and my family, enjoying each other.
I didn’t realize how badly I needed this.
“So, Lucien and I got hitched,” I announce and glance up to find everyone staring at me. I bust up laughing. “You should see your faces.”
“Holy shit, you’re wearing a wedding band,” Brielle says. “You’re not kidding.”
“And you didn’t invite us?” Daphne demands. “What the hell?”
“Very subtle, darlin’,” Lucien teases from beside me as he continues digging guts out of a pumpkin.
“It was just him and I, and it’s not legal yet—although we all know that the piece of paper is just a formality. We’re as spiritually bonded as it gets.”
Daphne crosses to me and takes my hand, then brushes her fingers over my band.
“Oh, my,” she says, her eyes wide. “Holy shit, Mill.”
“I know.”
“What?” Brielle demands. “What is it?”
“You can tell them,” I whisper to Daphne.
“She wore this ring in another lifetime.” Daphne smiles. “She was just as happy then as she is now.”
“This is the same ring?” Brielle asks.
I nod and explain to them how I found the box in the attic.
“I never find cool stuff like that,” Brielle says. “I only find dead people.”
“I’d rather have this,” I say with a laugh. “And don’t worry, we’ll do the bigger party thing later. I just didn’t want to wait.”
“I think it’s lovely.” Daphne kisses my cheek. “Happiness looks good on you, sister.”
I’ve just been hugged by Brielle and Cash when there’s a knock on the door.
I glance at Daphne, who’s glaring at the glass, and then unlock the door and open it. “Hello, Jackson.”
“Hi,” he says. “I’m looking for Daphne.”
“You found her.” I gesture for him to come inside, and I lock the door behind him.
“Hey, Daph. I’m leaving town in the morning, and I wanted to see if I might talk you into having a conversation.”
“You’re not good at hearing no, are you?” she asks him. When he just stands firm, she sighs and rolls her eyes. “Fine. Let’s go out back.”
Jack follows her through the café like a lovesick puppy.
“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Brielle wonders.
“None of your business.” Cash kisses her squarely on the lips.
Lucien leans over and kisses me on my temple.
“What was that for?”
“I have hardly touched you all day,” he says. “Do I need another reason?”
“I suppose not.”
“I wonder if they’re having sex back there,” Brielle questions.
“Ew. Not in my courtyard.”
“That could be fun,” Lucien says as if he’s giving it some thought. It makes me laugh.
“I’m not having sex in the courtyard. There could be bugs, or people watching.”
“Maybe we should give it a try,” Cash adds, glancing in Brielle’s direction, just as Jackson and Daphne return, both looking miserable and angry.
“So, that didn’t go well,” I say.
Suddenly, the room goes dark, as if a huge cloud has covered the sun. We look around the room in confusion as the wind picks up, and lightning flashes against the windows.
“What’s going on?” Brielle asks.
Lucien reaches for my hand as thunder roars. He snaps his fingers, lighting the candles I have set around the space, giving us some light. They flicker under the force of the breeze but don’t extinguish.
“Something doesn’t like that we’re all together,” Cash says as he reaches for Brielle’s hand.
Once more, lightning and thunder flash and crash, the concussion shaking the building.
Jackson instinctively wraps his arm around Daphne’s shoulders.
The wind howls, and thunder booms again, then suddenly stops as if a switch were flipped.