“Do you need recalibrating, Quinn?”
“It’s just an adjustment being home again,” she said softly.
“Because your mom is pushy?”
She snorted. “Pushy is a nice way of stating what my mom is. She doesn’t want to see I’m an adult now.”
“Yes, you are, and a very nice one too.”
She waved his words aside, clearly unused to compliments.
“So tell her to back off?”
Her look suggested he was an idiot.
“Right. So she’s not ready to listen then?”
“My mother doesn’t listen to anyone. She came out of the womb with selective deafness, and why I am telling you this, I have no idea. Sorry.”
She was pretty cute when she was pissed.
“All good. We all need to offload occasionally.”
“I’m usually way more together than this,” she muttered. “Excuse me while I get some candy.” She stomped away from him. Luke followed as she stopped beside a small trailer.
“If I can suggest the strawberry chocolate.” He picked up a bar and handed it to Quinn. She didn’t look convinced but took it.
“Looking hot as always, Bit,” he told the lady at the counter.
Rosemary Yardley was the owner-operator of the Ryker Falls grocery store and ran the trailer at events. Short and round with a cap of snow-white hair, she had a serious attitude and usually wore an apron with a snarky comment on it. Today’s said “Yes I can drive a stick,” with a picture of a broom beside it.
“Now, Bit, you know I mean every word I say.”
“Luke Trainer, that smile of yours should come with a warning.” The woman was tiny but had a booming voice.
Quinn watched the byplay as she loaded yet more candy into the pile before her.
“Your teeth will fall out.”
She didn’t look at him until she’d paid. “Moderation is the key.”
He ran his eyes over the load of candy in her arms.
“I’ll share with the others,” she said defensively. She opened the end of one of boxes and poured some of the contents into her mouth.
“My money is on Mr. Slick being someone else who is annoying you tonight.”
“Who’s Mr. Slick?” she said around a mouthful of candy.
“Sam. He seems quite happy with himself.”
She swallowed. “He’s an arrogant shithead.”
That had him laughing. “I’m always suspicious of a man that takes more time with his appearance than Piper.”
“Agree.”
Luke looked to the pumpkins as they passed, and stopped. “Oh hell no.”