“Yes,” said Annie, looking at him quizzically. His eyes were more blue than gray in this light, with a ring around the iris of a dark green that matched the color of the sea outside. “I can’t make you out at all.”

“Good,” he said.

Chapter 52

When Annie turned the sign over on the door at half past two and pulled the shutters closed on the kiosk, the only sounds left to hide behind were the whoosh of the dishwasher and Enya’s haunting Celtic melodies playing on Spotify. She had grown increasingly comfortable in John’s presence over the course of the afternoon, but now that they were alone she felt suddenly self-conscious.

“Well,” John exclaimed, pulling his hand through his hair as he surveyed the aftermath of the busy café on every table and surface, inside and out. “I guess it would be rude to leave you with all this to clear up.”

Annie laughed. “This is nothing I’m not used to.”

“But today you have a willing servant, so you might as well make use of me.” He smiled.

Annie felt her cheeks redden at the idea but recovered herself quickly. “Even though you wish I’d never opened the café?”

“Even though.” John smiled and then said: “I’m willing to call a truce. Just for today. In honor of All Hallows’ Eve and the spirits that lurk about these shores in the dark.” John crossed the café to where Annie stood by the door. He held out his hand.

“I’m opening the café tonight, as in open for business as well as for dishing out sweets. Does that affect the truce?” Annie asked.

“You’d be missing an opportunity if you didn’t.”

Annie smiled. “Truce?”

John smiled back at her and winked. “Truce.”

Annie shook his hand. She went to pull her hand back, but he held it for a moment longer.

“Just so as you’re clear what a truce means,” he went on, “it means that for the rest of the day, we will refrain from being unpleasant to one another.”

“Not once have I been unpleasant without provocation!” Annie protested. Her heart was beating strangely fast at being this close to him.

“Ordinarily I would beg to differ. But in the spirit of the Halloween truce, I will simply renew my promise to refrain from being unpleasant for the day’s duration. Do we have a deal?”

Annie smiled in spite of herself. “Deal,” she agreed, giving his hand an extra shake for good measure.

“Good!” He grinned. He swooped down on the first table he came to and began gathering up cups and cupcake detritus. “Then let’s clear up this shower of shite so we can make a start on those Halloween decorations. Those wee trick-or-treating bairns wait for no man!” he added in a jovial, extremely Scottish accent.