So Much More: An Alabama Summer Novella Read online

  The same one gently tugging on my hair and shyly requesting, “Um, Reed? About that snack . . .”

  Luke

  The line I’m standing in moves ahead a couple feet when another group is instructed to “Stay on the path. Don’t divert, or you’ll regret it!” by some kid dressed as the Grim Reaper.

  He holds out his scythe and tries to look intimidating as thunder claps from stereo speakers mounted to nearby lampposts, and four teenage girls squeal and run past him, disappearing into the dark woods.

  “I’m so scared! I might pee myself!” a young girl behind me shrieks.

  “If anyone touches me, I’ll die!” another cries before breaking into excited laughter.

  Two kids holding lightsabers carry on a fight just off to the side while they wait their turns. They can’t be any older than Nolan. And for yet another time tonight, I shake my head and wonder what the fuck I’m doing right now, because aside from their parents and whoever oversees the lighting and special effects at Weber’s Haunted Woods, I am the oldest motherfucker here.

  Halloween is a holiday for kids and women who want an excuse to dress up. I don’t have any reason to be coming to shit like this anymore. I haven’t been to one of these things since I was in middle school. And if it weren’t for the voice that turns my head every fucking time I hear it, I wouldn’t be standing here now.

  “I’m not cutting in line. Relax, before your hair frizzes out any more.”

  Laughter shakes my chest as I turn sideways and watch Tessa.

  She moves down the long line of people like she owns this fucking farm, walking with attitude the way she always does—hips swaying in those tight jeans, chin lifted, eyes bright and daring, looking sexy as hell with that smirk on her face she wears when she’s either thinking about telling someone off or just got finished doing it.

  Fucking love that look. Especially when it’s being directed at me.

  And it’s directed at me a lot.

  I shouldn’t get off on riling Tessa up and getting a helluva lot of lip from her, but I do. And she gets off on giving it. That shit just works for us.

  As Tessa moves closer, curiosity has me scanning the crowd, and I spot the woman who will absolutely think twice before she gets up in my wife’s business again.

  Scowl on her face and cheeks flushed in embarrassment, she quickly smooths her hands through her hair.

  “The Porta-Potties are disgusting,” Tessa shares, stopping beside me, her nose wrinkling in disgust as she wipes her hands off on her jeans. “Seriously. People are animals. Fucking aim already. It’s gross. I basically had to bathe in hand sanitizer.”

  “You could’ve just held it,” I offer, knowing anything I say right now aside from agreeing with her is a gamble.

  That’s a risk I gladly take though. Give me that fucking look, babe.

  And she does.

  Her eyes harden and narrow. Her mouth pulls tight.

  I smile, my cock hardening in my jeans.

  I can’t help that shit. It’s her.

  “Shut up.” Tessa laughs, knocking her fist against my chest. “You got it made, you know that? I swear to God, Luke, my life would be so much easier if I had a penis. I wouldn’t even need to get out of line. I could just whip it out right here. Problem solved.”

  I glance around us, making sure no kids are standing close enough to hear the conversation we’re having, because knowing Tessa, she didn’t bother to look. Then getting the go-ahead I need, I pull my arms across my chest and turn to face her again. “Can we not talk about a scenario involving you having a dick? ’Cause that’s really fuckin’ weird for me.”

  She tilts her head back, her mouth fighting a smile. “Why? ’Cause you’d still be interested and wouldn’t know what to do about that?”

  “Wouldn’t be interested once I got your pants off, babe.”

  “Yeah you would. My dick would be huge.”

  The fuck?

  Shoulders pulling back, I stand taller before blinking away and moving forward with the line, and I don’t know what look I’m giving off now, but whatever it is has Tessa clutching at her stomach and nearly doubling over in half.

  “Oh my God. You look freaked,” she cackles.

  “There’s something wrong with you.”

  “Oh, stop it. I’m just kidding.” She elbows my side, her laughter dying out. “You look seriously stressed out, Luke.”

  “Wouldn’t you?” I look down at her, glaring. “And don’t act like you’d really want a dick. You would hate not having my mouth between your legs every fuckin’ second of the day.”

  Her eyebrow lifts.

  Mine furrows. “Not fuckin’ happening. Ever.”

  Jesus Christ. She thinks I’d blow her.

  Tessa giggles and leans her head on my arm. “Okay, okay. I wouldn’t really want a dick. You’re right.”

  “Usually am.”

  Her teeth sink into my bicep.

  I reach around and slap her ass, hard, making her yelp before I wrap my arm around her shoulders and tug her close, preventing her from biting me again.

  She sighs into my neck as the cool October air swirls around us.

  “This is going to be so fun, right?” she asks, sounding happy, her hands sliding around my waist and linking by my hip.

  I kiss the top of her head and pull her closer.

  I can bitch to myself all I fucking want about being too old for this or feeling out of place here, but the truth is, there was nothing stopping me from making this happen for Tessa tonight.

  I know how stressed she’s been. I know the constant worrying and wondering she’s been doing.

  She tries to hide it from me, but I know my wife.

  She’s inside her head, freaking out all alone in there.

  Starting a family is supposed to be exciting. Fun. The amount of fucking we’ve been doing alone should keep this next step in our lives enjoyable. And yeah, the sex we’re having is un-fucking-real. Always is. But it’s been five months since Tessa and I decided we were doing this, and even though no one’s saying it out loud, I know we’re both thinking the same thing.

  What the fuck?

  I figured we wouldn’t have any issues with this. Why would we? We’re still in our twenties. It’s not like we waited until our forties to get this going. Not that I was expecting it to happen right away, overnight or anything crazy like that, but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting it to take more than a couple months.

  Even so, I’m not worried. I know it’ll happen. And if I’m wrong and it doesn’t, I’m still not worried.

  But Tessa?

  It’s been the only thing on her mind.

  So when she came up with the idea of hitting the haunted woods before we go to the party tonight, looking excited about it, with that smile on her face that I haven’t seen enough in these past few months, I didn’t hesitate.

  Yes.

  Anything.

  Everything.

  Whatever she wants.

  That doesn’t mean I won’t suggest something else while we’re here, though.

  I really fucking hate shit like this.

  Turning my head, I watch the group standing in the line next to us move forward when the tractor returns. “You sure you don’t just wanna do the hayride? There’s an actual point to that. We can finally get pumpkins.”

  And it doesn’t take as long.

  “The hayride isn’t scary,” she says, nuzzling closer. “I want to be scared, and I want you to protect me.”

  “Protect you? The people running this are gonna be the ones needing protection. You can hold your own, babe. In any situation. I just witnessed it.”

  Tessa looks up at me, smiling wide. “Yeah, you’re right. They better be ready too. I’ve already made one person cry tonight.”

  I chuckle as we move forward together when the next group goes ahead, and then we’re at the front of the line, and the kid dressed as the Grim Reaper gives us the same warning about staying on the path.

>   Tessa leans away, sliding my arm off her shoulders, and grips my forearm, her fingers digging in when the thunder claps through the speakers above us. She covers her mouth, giggling, and I can’t help it. I smile then too because fuck, she was right. This will be fun. Look at her. How could I not have a good time when she’s this excited about something?

  The kid extends his scythe, giving us the go-ahead, and Tessa grabs my hand and tugs me forward.

  “Woo! God, I haven’t been through one of these things in years,” she says, breathing faster as the branches overhead darken the path. “Bring your worst, punks!”

  I shake my head as her voice carries through the woods around us.

  Eerie music begins to play as fog rolls out like a blanket from behind a tree stump. It covers our feet. We move slowly, leaves and twigs crunching and cracking beneath us. It takes a minute for my eyes to adjust to the darkness.

  Aside from the lit torches stuck in the earth every ten feet or so, there isn’t much light, and Tessa’s grip on my hand grows tighter and tighter the further we walk.

  “Oh my God, look at that.” She points at what’s supposed to look like bodies wrapped in blood-stained sheets. There’s a group of them stacked together on the ground near an overturned wagon.

  I think I hear something—a moan or a word I can’t make out. When we get closer, the body on the bottom of the pile begins to jerk and scream for help.

  “Jesus,” I grunt.

  Tessa gasps and squeezes my hand.

  “Isn’t this supposed to be for kids?” I ask, brow furrowed as I watch the guy’s legs smack against the dirt. “Nolan would freak out seeing this.”

  “Yeah, seriously. There were a lot of kids in that line.” Looking over at me with wide eyes, she shrugs. “Maybe this is the scariest thing we see?”

  A chainsaw starts in the distance, startling Tessa. She stops on the path as several women scream, and squeezes my hand to the point of pain when a young boy runs toward us with his mother close behind.

  “What the fuck?” I squint through the fog.

  When the boy gets closer, I can see how frightened he looks—like Chase when he has those night terrors.

  Eyes wide with panic, mouth open and ready to scream, a steady stream of tears spilling down his face.

  Jesus. This could scar him for life.

  “Sweetheart, it’s okay! It’s not real!” the mother yells as the two of them run past us. “They aren’t really burning people alive! I promise!”

  Tessa and I share a look.

  “Um, why don’t we walk a little faster,” she suggests, tugging on my hand. “Come on.”

  The path bends around a tree, and we move quicker now, Tessa not even bothering to look at the haunted displays around us. She clings to me with her arms squeezing my waist and her head smashed against my ribs, keeping her eyes focused ahead.

  We pass a corpse on the ground with his intestines torn out of him. His guts are spilling out onto the dirt. When zombies emerge from behind a large rock to feed on the remains, looking real as shit—like a bunch of extras straight out of The Walking Dead—Tessa gasps and clutches my shirt with both hands.

  “Luke,” she whispers, her voice shaking as she watches them with unblinking eyes. The corpse starts to groan. His legs twitch and kick out. “Luke.”

  “Thought you wanted scary,” I remind her.

  “Yeah . . . not this scary. Do something.”

  “Do what? Arrest them?”

  She nods frantically.

  I chuckle and guide her around another bend to keep us moving.

  I know she’s scared now. And I don’t mind getting this over with so we can get out of here and get to the party at McGill’s.

  That’s more my style—hanging out with our friends in a well-lit environment. Alcohol to get my mind off this fucked-up shit.

  I’m going straight for the liquor tonight.

  We come up on a run-down house. It’s pitch black inside the windows, but there’s screaming coming from somewhere close by.

  Kids screaming. How fucked up is that?

  And it sounds real too, not some recording they’re playing to freak everybody out.

  Tessa’s body goes rigid in my arms and her feet start to drag on the dirt. I look up to see what’s got her reacting this way and freeze, every muscle in my body locking up.

  On the porch, a man dressed like a baby rocks in a chair, drinking from a bottle filled with blood. His chin drips red.

  “Jesus Christ. Are you shittin’ me?” I glare at the guy when he lowers the bottle and grins, pushing blood between his teeth. My lip curls. “You got a problem?” I ask him, stepping closer.

  “Luke.” Tessa peels herself off my side and pulls on my hand. “Come on. He’s creeping me out.”

  We keep moving. I feel my heart pound against my ribs as I watch the freak keep smiling at me over my shoulder.

  He stands from the chair.

  I stop walking then, and for a split second I think he’s coming after us.

  My shoulders pull back. I give him a look—Do it, motherfucker. I am so fucking ready to drop this weirdo, but he sits back down, laughing his ass off, and drinks more from his bottle.

  Fuck. Maybe Tessa was right. I should just start arresting people. I bet this freak has a shitload of helpless victims locked in his basement. His outfit alone is probable cause enough for me.

  What grown-ass man would volunteer to dress up like a baby?

  “What?” Tessa asks at my back. “What is it?”

  I turn away from the guy then and put my arm around her, leading her away before she sees what I’m seeing. “Nothing. Let’s go.”

  The path narrows. We duck beneath branches and low-hanging cobwebs, following a sharp curve around a tree, and when something jumps out at us and scares Tessa so bad she nearly takes off running, I work on instinct and throw a punch, knocking the dumb prick to the ground.

  “Luke! What are you doing?” Tessa yells, moving around me to see who I’ve just hit.

  I hear groaning.

  Lots of groaning.

  The word lawsuit flashes in my mind.

  Oh, fuck. This could be bad.

  Breath holding in panic, I lower my fist and follow her eyes to the poor bastard on the ground.

  Wearing a clown mask, the guy I just leveled holds his face as he rocks side to side on the dirt.

  He’s in pain. That’s clear.

  And I caused it.

  Fuck. What the fuck am I doing? I need to relax.

  “Shit. Sorry. Didn’t mean to do that.” I reach out, offering to help him up—he’s not that big. He’s gotta be in college.

  Please be in college. If I just hit a minor . . .

  “Oh my God. Are you okay?” Tessa reaches out then too. “Jesus. Are you hurt?” she asks.

  “God. What the hell, man?” the guy moans, getting to his feet without taking either of our hands.

  I exhale a relieved breath when I hear how deep his voice is.

  Thank fuck. That could’ve been bad.

  Another reason why I don’t have any business coming to these things anymore—I’m too reactive. My ass is lucky if I get out of here tonight without anyone suing me.

  The clown straightens out his mask so it’s sitting right on his face. “You’re on a haunted woods walk,” he says, looking in my direction. “People are going to jump out at you, you know. It’s part of the experience. You get what you paid for.”

  “Yeah, my bad.” I run a hand over my buzzed hair, wincing. “You all right? You’re not bleeding or anything, are you?”

  “I’m fine,” he bites out, sounding irritated as he brushes leaves off his pants.

  Can’t say I blame him for being pissed. I went full strength with that punch.

  Don’t know any other way.

  “Jesus.” The guy pokes at the side of his mask, pushing it into his cheek. “What’s wrong with you? I bet I’ll have a black eye tomorrow. My mom’s gonna be pissed.”
/>   “It’s that fuckin’ baby back there, all right? It got me all freaked,” I try to explain. “What the fuck is that? Kids are coming through here. Are you seriously trying to fuck ’em up for life?”

  Tessa covers her mouth and giggles.

  I glare at her. “You were scared too. Rushing me along. It’s your fault I hit him.”

  “Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes. “You were ready to deck that giant man-baby. That had nothing to do with me, Luke, so don’t even.”

  “He was grinning at me. Like he wanted me to tuck him in or some shit and sing him a fuckin’ lullaby. You saw him.”

  Bastard probably has people buried in his backyard too. I wouldn’t doubt it for a second.

  “Oh yeah. Chester likes to do that,” the clown shares, drawing my attention. “Really freaks people out.”

  “Chester? As in Chester the molester?” I take a step closer and hook my thumb behind me in the general direction of freakville. “That fuck better not be a registered sex offender. I don’t give a damn if it’s Halloween or not. I will haul his ass out of here and shut this shit down. Where’s Weber? Is he here?”

  I’m sure that old man keeps files of everyone he hires for shit like this. Just saying I’m a cop can get me all the access I need.

  You’re going down, motherfucker.

  “Luke, relax,” Tessa chuckles, grabbing my arm. “He’s just playing a part. I’m sure he’s not some creepy perv.”

  I gape at her. “Are you? ’Cause I’m bettin’ he’s on a watch list. You saw him.”

  And with a name like that? There’s no doubt in my mind now.

  The government has all eyes on that fucker.

  “Dude, you need to chill.” The clown crosses his arms over his chest and stands tall. “That’s not his real name, bro. He just goes by that when he’s here. It’s part of the act. His real name isn’t pervy at all. It’s Dave.” He cocks his head. “Does that sound pervy to you, my man?”

  My man?

  “Dude. Bro. There’s something wrong with him,” I grunt. “I don’t give a fuck if it’s part of the act. Who the fuck smiles like that? It’s weird.”

  Giant baby freak. The second he stood up, I should’ve leveled his ass. Why the fuck did I hesitate?