Free Trinity Falls by Regina Hart

“There was that one time we saw him walking into the bar off Vine Street.”
    â€œOh, yeah.” Quincy nodded.
    Megan closed her eyes briefly. “Fine. I’ll take care of it.”
    Just as she’d dealt with other messes Ramona had made of her plans. She turned to stomp away, but a firm grasp held her in place.
    Her cousin’s sigh was suffering yet irritated. “I’ll handle Stan.” Ramona released her. She adjusted her pointed hat and smoothed her dress.
    It really was a great costume. She’d gotten into the spirit of the event, as she always did. The long-sleeved black dress had a neckline that was just short of daring, a figure-hugging bodice and a pencil-thin, ankle-length skirt. The pointed black hat balanced at a cocky angle on her head. Spiders danced at the end of her dangling silver earrings. Skeleton-shaped charms hung from her necklace.
    Megan wasn’t the only one who watched her cousin. Quincy’s mesmerized gaze followed Ramona’s every move.
    Megan allowed herself to hope. “You’ll take Stan home?”
    â€œLater.” Ramona shook her head. “Keep him in the kitchen, drinking coffee. I’ll take him home after I read to the kids.”
    â€œ You’ll read to them?” Quincy’s voice rose with surprise.
    Ramona’s dark gaze should have turned the university professor to ashes. “Contrary to your opinion, I can read.”
    Megan’s headache disappeared. Her facial muscles relaxed into a smile. “Thanks, Ramona. Let’s get started.”
    Before Ramona could have second thoughts, Megan grabbed her cousin’s arm and dragged her to the front of the store. She delivered Ramona to the Halloween reading area, which she, Doreen and their student helpers had created.
    After announcing story time, Megan gingerly made her way through the sea of children sprawled on the floor around Ramona. They listened, enraptured, as she started the first Halloween story. Megan had seated her cousin in an ornate red velvet throne that doubled as Santa’s chair during the Christmas season. Today, two large human skulls were staked to the seat’s high back, and two smaller ones were driven onto the chair’s arms—all fake, of course.
    â€œWhat a relief.” Megan sighed as she joined Ean, Darius and Quincy at the perimeter of the entertainment.
    â€œI told you it would work out.” Ean tossed her a smile.
    â€œI wasn’t sure.” Megan felt his eyes on her. His attention made her self-conscious. She also felt powerful, sexy and aroused.
    The children jumped after Ramona’s dramatic pause in the story. It was a talent her cousin had perfected by tormenting a much younger Megan. Ramona adopted different voices for each character in the creepy tale.
    â€œThe witch saved Halloween.” Quincy’s voice was thoughtful.
    â€œNow there’s a headline.” Darius unwrapped the piece of chocolate he’d taken from a candy bowl. The crystal bowl was in the shape of a fake, decaying hand. Megan’s staff had placed several of them around the store.
    Ean came to Ramona’s defense. “Sometimes Ramona can surprise you with a generous act. She’s not as aloof as she sometimes seems.”
    Ean spoke with affection. The bubble of feminine power in which Megan had been basking popped. She fought the urge to withdraw into herself.
    How could she have entertained even for one second the smallest kernel of hope that Ean Fever could ever give her a second look—especially with Ramona around?

CHAPTER 8
    â€œWhat movie do you want to see tonight?” Ean drained his glass of water Thursday morning. He’d been home for almost a month. He rose from his seat at the kitchen table to add the glass to the dishwasher.
    Sharing breakfast with his mother was like old times. The difference was his father should have been at the table, too. He should be the one getting ready for