Daddy in Disguise (Crescent Cove 7)

“You’re dressed like the waitstaff.”

I shoved all those stupid thoughts aside. I would not be a hot mess until after the party. I could fall apart and then figure out a way to make Gideon see I’d been an idiot. “No, I’m wearing all black.”

“Yes, like the waitstaff.”

“Actually, my employees wear black and red.” Which Dahlia knew very well, since she’d gone with me to pick out fabric.

“Semantics.”

Rylee dropped onto my bed and gave Isis a long stroke. She suddenly laughed. “Are those jack-o-lantern faces on your knees?”

I looked down at them. “Yes. Did you think I wasn’t going to put on something Halloween-ish tonight?”

“No, I was expecting a full ensemble from a movie, to be truthful.”

“That’s at the grand opening.”

“There’s my Macy.”

I gave her a half smirk and turned to pick up my black clutch with sparkly blood drips at the zipper. You could really buy anything on Etsy these days. I’d left my hair down and added dangly silver bats for jewelry both at my ears and throat.

I’d been going through the motions for the last three days. Rylee and Vee were taking point at the café while I made sure all my staff were ready for The Haunt’s debut. Mason had been a surprisingly perfect addition to the project. He was a damn good cook and could pretty much bring everything I thought of to life in food form. I let him create too, which served me quite well. The menu for the actual opening was even more perfect than I’d come up with alone.

eVe had handled the pastry items, and Rylee had been training two of my bartenders to become mixologists for some of the crazier drinks coming out of the big cities. Ry had a lot of crazy knowledge from her years of bumping around from job to job. She’d become an invaluable partner through all of this.

So much so that I would be talking to her about expanding upon that movie idea for the back patio at Brewed Awakening.

Assuming I didn’t lose my damn mind over the restaurant first. Or because I ached for a man I’d shoved out of my life like a fool. Take your pick.

Rylee stood. “Come on, let’s do this thing.”

I nodded, then stopped. “Wait. I just wanted to say thanks. I don’t do so well with the emotional shit, but you guys really helped make this dream come true.”

“Aww, look at our Macy getting all sweet.” Rylee fanned her hands in front of her eyes. “Don’t make me screw up my makeup.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re such an ass. I’m trying to have a moment here.?

??

Dahlia came over and gave me a hard hug. “Horror girls unite.”

I hugged her back. “Damn right.” I stepped back and gave Isis a quick scratch under her chin then picked up Trick who had wound her way around my ankles. “Be good tonight.” I set her next to Iris, then grinned when they rolled into a play fight before settling together in the middle of my bed in a fur pile.

The bed I hadn’t slept in since my fight with Gideon.

I really hadn’t missed the insomnia that seemed to have magically disappeared after I’d gotten together with him, but my apartment was spotless.

I followed the girls out of the room and downstairs.

“I’m going to check in with the café and be right over.” Rylee took the hallway down to the side door to Brewed Awakening while Dahlia and I headed for The Haunt.

Voices were already coming from the main dining room. My extra back-up waitstaff were winding around patrons with trays full of Halloween-inspired finger food. I tried to navigate my way toward the kitchen to make sure everything was okay.

Instead, I ended up shaking hands and hugging a dozen people before I got through the side door. So many townspeople had come to see my little place. Even people I’d assumed would politely decline had showed up to see my horror-themed restaurant.

Irene Whitaker from the town council was standing right next to my life-size Michael Myers and sipping from a smoking green punch. That was definitely something I hadn’t expected to see tonight.

Lucky was hitting on some blond from the wine bar down the street. I’d advised against children coming since there were so much monster-type memorabilia and lots of special effects, but it hurt to acknowledge Dani was nowhere in sight.