Page 71 of Whatever It Takes

Okay.Okay.

I breathe and then nod a few times.

A cameraman jogs closer, and Loren casts a scathing, threatening glare at him to stay back.

The guy cowers a few feet away, but he still shouts, “Where’s Maximoff?!”

I glare now. Loren’s kid is onlythree, and paparazzi harass him more in one week than I’ve been in my entire life. And anyway, I’m pretty sure that Maximoff and the rest of the Calloway sisters’ kids are staying back with a babysitter. But like hell I’m telling this guy anything.

Loren ignores the cameraman like he’s evaporated into thin air and his eyes ping to me.

“Let’s go,” I say.

Loren’s lips curve upward and he slips around me to open the limo door.

What am I getting myself into?

* * *

Of course, Loren surprises everyone with a night at the Halloween Horror Fest, an annual October event at the nearest theme park. Mazes are decked out with decorations, and actors dressed as ghouls and zombies attempt to scare the guests.

Two out of ten on the “fright” factor. I swear I saw a vampire eating a pretzel on break. There’s nothing terrifying about that.

Before we even make it to a maze, we stop at an iron café table in a safe zone where the actors aren’t allowed to scare us.

Since I’m with the “core six”—as the internet affectionally calls Lily, Loren, Rose, Connor, Ryke and Daisy—bodyguards linger nearby in case they get a wave of unwanted attention. So far, only a few fans have stopped and asked for selfies and autographs. There’d probably be more if this place wasn’t so disorienting with the fog, screams, and eerie music.

Mostly, I ignore everyone around me, including the automated cries that come from the nearby mazes.

Straw between my lips, I hold a soda with one hand and scroll through my phone. Willow should be asleep by now. She went to her first Wakefield Halloween party, and she texted me a bunch of drunk texts about an hour ago.

Willow:Garrrrisoon! Ur face is pretty. I miss ur face

Willow:ur my fav person ever

Me:Are you home?

Willow:Not yet. Still at house. I’ll text pics. The decorations are… interesting

Whoever hosted just put out a bunch of fake spider webs and then a bowl of punch. That was it.

Willow:Lo would have a stroke if he saw

Me:Good thing he’s not there

Willow:I miss ur face. Did I say that alrdey?

Me:You did. But I’m pretty sure I miss your face more

Willow:not possible

Me:I’m going to see your face soon

Willow:Soon *sparkly heart emoji*

Me:*praising hands emoji*

That was the last text. She’s coming home for Winter Break, and it may still be over a month away, but I’m starting the countdown. Fuck, I’ve been counting down since she left.