Page 4 of A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love

I led her back to the front, where we each grabbed an empty cart to get her started off on the right foot. “I know I said I wouldn’t bring it up, but I gotta know. How does someone who hates Halloween get this job?”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “Honestly?” She glanced around. “No one else applied. I guess this teacher shortage thing is a really big problem.”

Ouch. “But I’m sure they wouldn’t hire you just because of that. I bet you have some awesome qualities. Where have you taught before?”

“Nowhere.”

I blinked at her. You needed certificates and training.

What the hell happened in the last year that created this big of a problem that they would hire anyone to teach kids?

Granted, I didn’t follow politics much—especially since I wasn’t able to vote anymore—but still.

Teaching was an important job. It couldn’t be left to just anyone to do.

Not that she didn’t look professional; she just didn’t look like a teacher.

“It’s temporary, for now. Unless I take some classes—which I’m doing—and then finish all the requirements, and then it’ll become permanent.

” She let out a breath. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do.

I needed a change, and when I saw all the news about needing teachers, I wanted to help.

And the kids are great. I love them, and I minored in theater in college.

” She shifted from one foot to the other—her black oxfords were stunning and expensive.

If there was one thing I knew, it was shoes, and those were direct from Europe.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m interrogating you.

That’s not cool. I’m sure you’re an amazing teacher even if Halloween isn’t your favorite.

” I straightened my name tag. “I do know a thing or two about Halloween and haunted houses so I can help.” And god, could she use it!

Her next two months were going to be jam-packed with everything about the holiday, so she needed to be prepared—and she also needed some clothes she could get paint on, but that wasn’t something I could help her with.

“That would be great, Pepper White.” She gestured to my pin. “I’m Christina Loring.”

I grinned. “Well, Ms.Loring, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Christina’s fine. I’m still not used to the kids calling me Ms.Loring. I keep looking for my mother.” She giggled, and it fluttered in my chest.

“Are you ready for this?”

Her brown eyes lit up, like this was the lifeline she needed. “I’m so ready.” She reached into her purse—also designer—and pulled out a piece of paper. “I started a list.” She seemed tentative about handing it over.

Things for the haunted house was scrawled at the top.

Pumpkins

Hay

Candles? (Or is this a fire hazard?)

Twinkle lights

Spiderwebs

Fake bugs

Fake blood (I can buy this, right?)

Fog machine? (Does it make fog itself or does something go in it?)

Body parts? (Can you buy fake body parts? Or do I need to get a mannequin and chop it up?)

I laughed. Oh, she was completely in over her head. “Sorry. It’s the questions you left yourself.”

Her cheeks flared red again. I didn’t think I could ever get tired of seeing that.

“This is a great start. And yes, you do put stuff in fog machines, candles are a fire hazard, and we can find you fake blood and body parts.”

“So you’re saying I didn’t completely fail, I just failed a little.” Her lips bunched up on one side in a shy kind of smile, which looked so cute on her face. As ill-prepared as she was, she was trying, and I had to give her an A for effort.

“Not at all.” I shook my head at her. “I’d give you a B-plus,” I added.

“In that case, let’s do this.” She gripped the handle of her cart. Her determination reminded me of myself during my first year of teaching. Maybe she’d be cut out for this after all.

An hour later, Lisa and I worked on two different registers to get Christina all checked out.

She didn’t have everything she would need, but this would be a good start for the task she had ahead of her.

I told her they “probably already had a fog machine, but knowing kids, they’d likely used all the juice up for it.

” Oh, how I remembered they were never happy unless the whole house looked like it had been set on fire because of all the fog from that thing.

I was able to offer her a very generous discount.

The exact thing the last Keeper did for me, but this wouldn’t end the same way for Christina—I’d make sure of it.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she said. “Both of you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Lisa responded. “That’s what we’re here for.” She must’ve been gunning for the Prestigious Pumpkin Award—a bonus of two thousand dollars that was given out at the end of each season for the most outstanding employee. I didn’t need it, that was for sure.

“If you don’t mind, what is that smell? Like cinnamon or something?”

I lifted my very cold and mostly empty paper cup, which I’d left at the register earlier. “Could it be my caramel apple cider?”

She took a big sniff and closed her eyes for a moment. “That’s it. I didn’t know Déjà Brew made those.”

“It’s not officially on the menu, but if you ask, they’ll make it for you.”

“You’ve been here less time than I have and already have this town figured out better than me.

Any other secrets you want to share? Or is there a book at The Book Burrow that I missed or something that could tell me about this town?

” She leaned forward, setting her elbows on the counter and resting her head on her hands.

“Brew’s is the best; don’t go to that other place—which shall not be named,” Lisa jumped in, thankfully.

I can’t believe I almost messed up twice .

Put a cute girl in front of me and suddenly I’ve completely lost myself.

“Take It Cheesy has the best tachos—Oh, if you don’t know what that is, it’s basically loaded nachos using tater tots instead of chips.

They’re amazing, and a local favorite. And Peach Street Boutique gives discounts to residents all through Halloween—you just have to show your ID. ”

“Those are really helpful, thanks,” Christina said as she handed her card over to Lisa to finish her second transaction. I had already finished my half. Then it was quiet for a moment.

I glanced down. Oh, shit. Without realizing it, I’d doodled all over her receipt. “I’m sorry.” I folded the paper in half. “I wasn’t thinking. Let me print you a new one. I’m sure you’ll want these to submit for reimbursement.”

She looked at me a second like she was considering what I said. “Oh yeah. I guess I can do that.”

“I can help you down here,” Lisa said to the following person in line as she shifted to the next register over. It would take Christina a moment to get all her stuff. Yep. Lisa wanted that extra cash. Not that I could blame her.

“I think I heard that there’s a special account for the haunted house.

” They’d set aside money each year from what the haunted house brought in to help fund it for the next year, and all the rest was used for other theater and arts programs. As much fun as the haunted house was, it was also the biggest fundraiser the school had, and many of the classes there needed the extra funding.

Some years there wasn’t enough in the budget to get all the things the kids wanted for the event, and I’d dipped into my own account on a number of occasions to help cover expenses—hoping we’d make it up in the end.

I handed her the new receipt and shoved the old one in the bag sitting on the counter since the trashcan still hadn’t made an appearance.

“Thanks,” she said again.

“We’ll be here all Halloween if you need anything else.” And she would. She’d make at least a dozen trips here over the course of the season—it was inevitable.

“No. No. No,” a frantic mom said as her little one tore open a pack of gobstopper “eyeballs” and sent them scattering all over the floor.

“See you around,” I said to Christina before heading off to help the mom clean up.

“I’m so sorry,” the mom was saying as her little one plucked one of the eyeballs off the floor and popped it in their mouth. “It’s not free candy.” She sighed.

I stifled a laugh. “Happens all the time.” Okay, so that was a lie, but the relief that washed over the woman’s face made it one worth telling.

With the two of us on the job, we had the mess cleaned up in no time. I dumped the candy into my pocket to throw away later and headed back up to the register. Sitting on the counter Lisa had been working at before was one of Christina’s bags.

Shoot.

I grabbed it and took off.

Maybe I could still catch her.