The Stitching Hour by Amanda Lee

the street.
    â€œI should have you and Angus perform the halftime show for the open house,” I teased, joining him in the seating area.
    â€œWe’ll sing, won’t we, Angus?” Todd asked. He began to howl, and Angus barked.
    â€œPlease! You’re giving me a headache!”
    â€œYou wound us,” Todd said. “So . . . are you going to the Atwoods’ shindig this evening?”
    â€œYeah . . . are you?”
    â€œWouldn’t miss it. I have to say, I owe you an apology. Until I met those two yesterday, I thought you were exaggerating.”
    I grinned. “And now what? Are you with Nellie—do you think they’re vampires?”
    â€œThey might be. They’re . . . something.”
    â€œMore than anything, they remind me of Gomez and Morticia Addams from that old show
The Addams Family
,” I said. “By the way, I have to warn you. Sadie was here earlier, and she said Kiera will be doing the concessions for the party this evening. Keira isn’t happy about it, but—”
    â€œWhen is Keira ever happy with anything?” he interrupted. “Hey, Audrey has to work tonight. You and I should go to the party together. It would drive Keira nuts.”
    As he spoke, Ted walked in with lunch. “It would drive me nuts too, Calloway.” He came over and dropped a kiss on my lips.
    â€œHowdy, Wyatt Earp,” Todd said. “Didn’t mean to get caught poaching on your land.”
    Ted and Todd had a somewhat friendly relationship, which was good albeit a little odd given past circumstances. But that was all water under the bridge . . . pretty much.
    Ted arched a brow. “You aren’t poaching. You’re more than welcome to tag along to the Atwoods’ party with Marcy and me. I’ll even let you hold my hand if you get scared.”
    â€œThanks, man. I appreciate that.” He stood, patted Angus’s head, and waved good-bye to Ted and me.
    I smiled at Ted before walking over to the counter to get my BE BACK IN ____ clock to put on the door. “You’re awfully generous today. You’d just better keep one of those hands free for me. Priscilla made me a little nervous today with her talk of their
wicked exhibits
.”
    â€œI’m intrigued.”
    â€œI’m more intrigued with what you have in the bag at the moment.” I set the clock hands for thirty minutes from the present time and followed Ted into my office. “What’s for lunch?”
    â€œBurgers and fries—compliments of Captain Moe.”

Chapter Five
    T ed arrived at five o’clock. I finished tidying up the shop, and then we put Angus in the Jeep and drove him home. Ted gave Angus his dinner as I hurried upstairs to freshen up.
    On our way back to the Atwoods’ party, I mentioned to Ted that Manu and Reggie were supposed to meet us there.
    â€œAt least, I hope they will,” I said. “I invited them, and then Reggie didn’t want to impose, and then I cleared it with the Atwoods, and then I called Reggie and left her a voice mail telling her the Atwoods were all for it and would even help promote the library’s haunted house . . . which I think is really nice of them.”
    â€œWhat’re you nervous about?” he asked. “This party?”
    â€œA little. Keira is doing the concessions, and she’s never liked me.”
    Ted shook his head. “I know you better than that. What is it really?”
    â€œI don’t want to disappoint the Atwoods.” I blew out a breath. “I mean, they’re eccentric, but they seem nice and I want to act really, really frightened and awed by their exhibits. But with Mom being a costume designer, I’ve grown up seeing some of the best special effects work in the business—along with some pretty lousy effects.”
    â€œBut you also grew up around actors.” He squeezed my hand.