The Stitching Hour Read Free Page A

my desk to eat.
    â€œHow’s your day going?” I asked, as I opened the box containing my croissant.
    â€œFine. I’m guessing you’ve heard the news about the Horror Emporium that’s moving in next door to you.”
    â€œIs that what they’re calling it?” I frowned. “That seems like a mouthful . . . especially for kids.”
    â€œWell, from what I hear, the Horror Emporium isn’t designed for children. It’s more for adults,” said Ted. “I’ve even heard that they plan to make visitors sign waivers before they buy their tickets, saying that if they’re harmed in any way, suffer a heart attack or seizure, that the Horror Emporium will not be held responsible.”
    â€œGood grief! What’re they planning on doing in there?”
    He shrugged. “I’d say the waiver is more for publicity than anything. All the tough kids will want to come to prove they can’t be scared by whatever some local haunted house can dish out.”
    â€œI suppose. . . .” I uncapped my water bottle and took a drink.
    â€œYou wanna go?”
    I grinned. “Of course! Do you?”
    â€œThey can’t scare me.” He winked. “But I’ll go with you so you’ll have someone to hold on to.”
    I batted my eyelashes at him. “My big strong hero!”
    He leaned across the desk to give me another kiss. “I’ve missed you today.”
    â€œBut we had breakfast together this morning.”
    â€œYeah . . . four and a half hours ago.” He tore off a piece of his croissant and tossed it to Angus, who caught it in midair. “Good boy!”
    â€œAbout this haunted house,” I said. “Do you think they’ll cause a lot of ruckus?”
    Ted grinned. “Why, Ms. Singer, the Tallulah Falls Police Department will do our dead-level best to keep all the hoodlums at bay.”
    I rolled my eyes. “I guess I did sound like a grumpy old lady, didn’t I?”
    Angus drank noisily from his water bowl.
    â€œMaybe a little,” said Ted. “But, seriously, I can see your point. It would be ideal if this Horror Emporium wasn’t right in the middle of Main Street. It’s going to be hard for you and your students to concentrate during evening classes while crowds of people scream next door. I’ll check to see if they’re doing anything to help muffle the sound.”
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œJust everyday hero stuff, ma’am,” he said. He bit into his sandwich as Angus sat near him expectantly.
    I tossed Angus a bit of my croissant to give Ted a break. “Vera was in earlier. She’s the one who told me about the haunted house, by the way. But she had some great ideas for the open house.” I told him about the coupons she suggested for the goodie bags.
    â€œYou’re excited about this anniversary party, aren’t you?”
    â€œI am,” I said. “The last party I had here didn’t turn out so well. And the day after was even worse.”
    â€œHey, don’t say that. That’s the day I met you.”
    I smiled. “That was the only good thing about it.”
    â€œYou didn’t think so at the time,” he said.
    â€œYou suspected me of murder.”
    â€œOnly a little.”
    â€œA little was too much, in my opinion,” I said.
    â€œI know. But we found the real killer . . . and look at us now.”
    Indeed. Had Sadie had her way, I’d have been dating Todd, who owned the Brew Crew across the street. And yet it was Ted who’d captured my heart almost from the beginning.
    â€œWe’ve come a long way,” I said.
    â€œWe sure have,” he said. “And we have a lot further to go.”
    â€œI just hope we can keep the killers at bay for this year’s open house.”
    We held each other’s gaze, both afraid to say anything. It had been our unfortunate experience