“Sisters!” Daphne exclaims as she approaches the booth—well enough to make Bette Midler herself proud. “It seems there are children about.”
“It’s Halloween,” a little Tinker Bell informs her. “Of course, there are children.”
“Did you know we eat little children?” Daphne asks as she leans down to eye-level with the little girl.
“We don’t really,” I insist as I pass the child her little cup of hot chocolate. “Stop scaring away my customers, Daph.”
“You know Halloween is my favorite,” she replies, not sorry at all. She pats her red hair and gives me a toothy grin, thanks to her prosthetic front teeth. “I’m totally in character. I’m gonna go make the rounds.”
“Have fun,” I reply as I wave her off. This is the best night of the year. The street looks fantastic, if I do say so myself, with the orange lights strung back and forth over the street. The Jack-o-lanterns are lit and grinning, thanks to Lucien’s handiwork. Each booth has a bouquet of black roses, thanks to Dahlia, and I love that folks feel safe to bring their little ones out here to trick-or-treat and enjoy the fun.
“I want some caramel corn,” Esme says as she passes out another free hot chocolate. “And then I’m gonna man this station for a while so you can go mingle.”
“We’ll take turns,” I assure her. “And you look adorable tonight, by the way.”
She smiles and adjusts her black ears. “Meow.”
“You make a sexy black cat in that suit.”
“Thanks. It’s not fun when I have to go to the bathroom, but it shows off my curves pretty nicely, if I do say so myself. Maybe I’ll find a date tonight,” she replies and crosses her fingers. “A girl can hope.”
She hurries off to get her popcorn. I have a table set up just inside the café door for tarot readings, and Gwyneth is manning the counter inside so parents can order coffees, along with some special potions. I offered to help her, but Gwyneth insisted that she could handle it.
She’s a fast learner, and a delight to have around. I hope she’ll want to stay for a long while, even if it’s just one day a week.
“How’s it going?” Lucien asks as he sidles up next to me and kisses my temple.
“You’re not wearing your costume.”
He sighs with exasperation. “Do you know how tight that thing is? It left nothing to the imagination. I’m not wearing it.”
“But you’re not dressed as anything.”
“I’m a scientist,” he reminds me. “So, I’m dressed as a scientist.”
“If we had a khaki jacket, you could mess up your hair a bit and look like Egon from Ghostbusters. A much sexier version, of course.”
“No thanks.”
“Killjoy.”
Lucien laughs and tugs me against him for a long, slow kiss that makes my toes curl, and the candles in the Jack-o-lanterns burn a little brighter.
“There are children about,” I remind him.
“And I don’t care.” He flashes a cocky smile. He leans in to whisper in my ear. “I can’t wait to get you home and have my way with you.”
“Just hold that thought for a few hours.”
“I’ll suffer,” he says with a deep sigh, then offers me a wink and starts ladling hot chocolate into little cups. “But I think I can survive a few more hours.”
“Can I steal her away?” Dahlia asks as she skips up to the table. Everyone is just so happy tonight. I absolutely love it. “I mean, I know I’m interrupting a romantic moment and all, but we haven’t been down to the Head Over Heels booth to check out the shoes yet. And Mama needs some new kicks.”
“Oh, yes, I want to look at shoes.” I look up at Lucien. “Can you handle this for a bit?”
“Sure, have fun.” Stay close by.
I’m just going down the street.
He winks, and Dahlia and I set off down the block.
“You outdid yourself this year,” Dahlia says. “The music, the fog. How did you do the fog, by the way?”
“Little fog machines, strategically placed,” I reply with a satisfied smile.
“Well, it’s fun. And maybe a little creepy, but not over-the-top, so it’s perfect for the kids.”
“That’s exactly what I was going for,” I say. “Also, you’re the cutest Wednesday Adams ever. I love the wig.”
She grins happily. “Thanks. I’ve always liked Wednesday. Oh, here we are. Hi, Charly.”
“Well, hello ladies.” Charly gives us a welcoming grin. “It’s been a minute since I’ve seen either of you.”
“I know, I need to come in more often. I need shoes like crazy, and I just miss you.”
Charly and I have owned our shops for about the same amount of time, and we became fast friends. Her brother is married to Mallory.
“Well, I have some fabulous new things on display, but nothing is for sale here. If you want something, you have to go down to the shop. I’m mostly here for exposure and to pass out candy. Oh, and to show off my costume, of course.”