“Okay then. Do you think we’re ready to lock up?”
Joy looked around and nodded. “I think so. I’m going to go home, get in costume, and grab my goodies to hand out. Shall we meet back here about eight forty-five?”
“That works. What costume are you wearing tonight?”
“A zombie cheerleader,” she said brightly.
That’d be interesting. “Nice. Just make sure you have both your arms intact. You’ll need them to bus tables.”
“Ha-ha,” she said flatly as she slipped into her c
oat. “What are you wearing?”
“I’m coming as Han Solo.”
“Interesting choice. Geeky, yet also badass.”
“Get out of here,” he said, tossing a bar towel at her.
Joy laughed, catching the towel in the air and tossing it back at him. “See you at the witching hour.”
Emmett did a few last things around the bar before he locked the front door and headed upstairs to his apartment. Choosing a costume he could work in hadn’t been as easy as he’d hoped. He didn’t want a mask or anything covering his face or hands. He couldn’t wear anything that was too hot or hard to move in. It was amazing how much that had limited him. No superheroes. No big gag costumes. Nothing hot and furry.
In the end, he went with Han Solo. The costume was fairly simple, comfortable, and as close to real clothes as he could get while still being dressed up. And really . . . Joy was right. Was there a more badass option? He didn’t think so.
It didn’t take long for him to slip into the costume and strap the blaster to his hip. For fun, he’d bought a candy pail that was shaped like Darth Vader’s helmet, so he filled that with candy and headed out to meet Maddie on the square.
By the time he got there, it was just about time for the Trunk or Treat. Cars were already lining the square and filling all the parking spots along the shops and in the lots of the courthouse and the library. Since it seemed pointless to take his truck, Emmett was planning to just walk around and hand out candy to kids as he passed them.
“Han Solo!” someone shouted over his shoulder. Emmett turned in time to see Grant and Pepper coming toward him. They were dressed like the Avengers, with Pepper in a skintight Black Widow costume and Grant wearing a Hawkeye outfit, complete with bow and arrow.
“Don’t you look handsome,” Pepper said. “Did you talk Maddie into wearing the slave-girl bikini?”
Both Grant and Emmett broke out in laughter at the same time. “Uh, no,” Emmett said. “I have no idea what she’s wearing. We didn’t discuss it. I’m not sure we’re in the matching-couples’-costume place quite yet.”
“We’ll keep an eye out for her and send her your way if we see her,” Pepper said.
“Wait. There she is. In the red cloak,” Grant said, pointing across the lawn to where the movie would be airing. Some people had already spread out their blankets and chairs to claim their spots for later.
There, meandering through the crowd with her basket of goodies, was Maddie. She had taken his joke about Red Riding Hood and parlayed it into a whole costume. She was wearing a red gingham dress that was fairly short. It was paired with tights and boots to keep her warm. A red cloak was wrapped around her shoulders with the hood pulled up over her head. She looked good enough to eat.
“Will I see you two at the Halloween party?” he asked.
“You bet,” Grant replied. “There’s no food at our house and all the furniture has boxes piled up on it.”
“I bet. I’ll catch up with you there.” With a wave, Emmett jogged across the street to meet up with Maddie.
“Hello, little girl,” he said as he came up behind her in a menacing, wolflike growl. “Where are you going with that basket of goodies?”
Maddie turned to look at him with an innocent smile that was enhanced by the dark braided pigtails beneath her hood. “To my grandmother’s house. What big eyes you have!”
“The better to take in every luscious curve,” he said with a laugh before leaning in to kiss her. “I approve of this costume,” he said. “I will also approve of taking it off later, if you can stand to stay awake that long.”
“I don’t know,” Maddie said coyly. “We’ll have to see.”
“Is everything set for movie night?” he asked.
“Yep. Alice has the projector ready to go. Lydia, of all people, volunteered to man the laptop, so we’ve got someone to watch over that. I’m handing out sugar cookies shaped like pumpkins. I baked two hundred of them yesterday, and Gertie spent all morning icing them and piping little faces on them. Alice is even going around with little survey cards to see if folks would like us to turn this into a series next summer. I think Movies in the Square has a nice ring to it.”