Page 50 of Always Be My Pumpkin

I stare up at the looming black clouds. ‘Maybe we should clear the pumpkin patch now, before it starts.’

‘All done. Pat binned what we couldn’t salvage for compost.’ He shakes his head ruefully. ‘That’s what upset him the most. And me. The sheer waste.’

‘Thank God he has a backup stash and we don’t have to disappoint the kids,’ I say as we turn into the yard. Then I gasp as I stare across the space. ‘Wow, I’ve never seen this place so clean.’ I lean against the back wall of the shop and take it all in. Every inch looks like it’s been scrubbed and there’s not a trace of red paint. ‘How did Pat do all this in one morning?’

‘We had help.’ Flynn leans next to me. His bare wrist brushes the sleeve of my rain jacket, and I want to tug it right off to feel his skin against mine. I close my eyes and count to five. Focus on the plan, Gracie. The moving-on plan. And breathe.

‘Finbarr came back with his power washer,’ he says. ‘And Gertrude came back with a gang of teenagers. They’ve been brilliant, sweeping and scrubbing all morning. They’ve only just left.’

‘That’s Ella’s book club. I wondered where they were off to.’ I press my palms together, proud and relieved all at once. ‘That’s amazing, they’re great kids.’

‘Kids?’ He nudges my arm with his. ‘You’re only a few years older.’

‘Excuse me,’ I huff haughtily. ‘I’m a mature responsible library manager. Or at least I hope to be soon.’

‘Hmm.’ He twists around to face me, then pulls down my hood, leans in close, and threads his hand through my hair. And my heart flips in my chest as his eyes flare into mine. Don’t look at me like that, that’s not helping me move on.

‘A mature responsible library manager with a very filthy mouth.’ He draws his thumb across my lips, and every shred of my resolve burns to ashes at his touch.

‘So bad.’ His thumb slips inside my mouth and I skate my teeth across his skin. Then I wrap my hands around his neck and groan into his ear as his body crushes mine.

‘Lunch,’ he says abruptly and pulls back from my grip.

His mouth twists in a wicked smile as my body screams in silent protest. But I rally, catch my breath, and remind myself that Flynn’s right, we have to stop, we can’t do this.

Until he adds, ‘You’re the special, by the way.’

I know exactly what I should say. But you’re going home to Natalie. And I’m not Meghan. I’m not some tasty snack to nibble while you wait.

But he’s tugging my hand now and walking fast towards the cottage. And Meghan and Natalie fly out of my head. All I can think about is this.

We race to the cottage and Flynn pushes me through the gate, the look in his eyes telling me I’ll be lucky if we make it to the couch. He murmurs luscious plans in my ear, and I scramble frantically with the lock. I let out a grateful gasp as the key clicks into place.

Then a horn honks loud, and Finbarr’s gruff voice bellows, ‘Caught ye just in time.’

Nooooo! I bang my head against the door.

‘I thought ye’d be home for lunch all right,’ he roars from his rolled-down window, oblivious to flushed faces and disappointed groans.

He hops out of his Audi and pulls open the back. ‘C’mon, you two, out.’

The sight of Moll and Barty with their lank greasy hair and twisted-down mouths is an ice bucket straight to my pelvis, freezing every fragment of lust in my veins.

‘Fuuck.’ Flynn shoots me a look of pure pain before he turns around too.

‘These two have something to say to you, Flynn.’ Finbarr ushers them out of the car and they stand on the footpath, heads hanging, like two sulky children who’ve been told to hand back their sweets.

‘We’re very sorry,’ Barty mutters.

‘It was a misunderstanding,’ Moll grunts. Finbarr pins her with a glare that could split concrete and she clears her throat roughly. ‘Very sorry.’

‘And you’ll be staying home on Halloween. You’ll be indoors for the day, and the night. And you won’t pull dirty tricks like that again.’ Finbarr looms over them, daring them to contradict, but I see a flash of mutiny in Moll’s beady eyes.

‘Don’t worry, Finbarr,’ I say firmly. ‘We’ll get the stocks ready anyway, just in case.’

I suck hard on the inside of my cheek to keep a straight face as Moll’s eyes widen in shock. She’s used to Finbarr taking control, but she definitely wasn’t expecting trouble from me. Welcome to the brand-new Gracie Sullivan, Moll. If you only knew how much fun I’ve had causing trouble these last few days. But the Stringers don’t need to hear about my shag Flynn plan. That’s strictly between him and me. And Sarah, of course.

Finbarr loads Moll and Barty into the car again, and Flynn and I face each other awkwardly. We’ve gone from a thousand back to zero, and I’m thinking maybe it’s for the best when he wraps his arms around my waist and presses his lips to my forehead.