Page 44 of Forever

“Mhm.” She was trying to hide her smile, but failing.

“What did you do?”

“You’re going to love it, I promise. It almost tops your Risky Business costume.Almost.”

I had a feeling I was going to be half naked in a few minutes.

“Everyone’s dropping the kids off at James and Penny’s again. They’re doing this trick-or-treat thing in their apartment complex. Ellen says she has it covered. And all their security will be there. And Jacob is so excited to see Scarlett. Serve up dinner real quick. I already ate because I need some time to get ready. So eat up. We don’t want to be late.” She hurried upstairs.

I couldn’t stop smiling. “So you already knew about this?” I asked Jacob.

“Yessie. I’m going to be a football player. My abuelo made me an Empire High uniform.”

I’d have to thank Tanner for that. “Good choice, kiddo. Do you know what Scarlett is dressing up as?”

“A princess, I think.”

Yeah, that sounded about right. I served up dinner and the two of us started eating. “Do you know what your mother is dressing up as?”

“No. Do you?”

“Nope.” But I couldn’t wait to see it.

I was just finishing up the dishes when I heard Brooklyn’s feet on the stairs. I turned around to see her walking down the stairs in a silky red dress. She looked amazing. But I had no idea what her costume was. She was balancing a huge gold frame from my painting room in her arms, and a very tiny bag was dangling from her wrist.

“Take a guess,” she said and lifted the frame over my head. She let it fall around my shoulders.

“I have no idea. But you look like Cameron Diaz from The Mask.”

She smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment. But no. That’s not it.” She tapped on the frame.

“I’ve got no clue.”

“This will probably help.” She opened the bag and held it out for me.

I pulled out a pair of my tan boxer briefs. I turned them over and there was a huge fig leaf sewed to the front. “Adam and Eve? I don’t think Eve dressed like that, baby.”

“No. The fig leaf. The frame.”

I just stared at her.

She put her hand on her hip. “I’m a stage five clinger.”

“Oh my God.” I started laughing. “Wedding Crashers?”

“Yes!”

I laughed. I remembered watching that with her and her uncle. “So I’m the painting that the weird brother painted? This is the most ridiculous costume ever.”

“It’s perfect.”

It really was. “I can’t believe you planned all this.”

“Did you really think I was going to make you miss out on the Halloween party? Now go change.” She slapped my butt.

I hurried upstairs and changed. I was correct. This was the most ridiculous costume ever. But so fucking hilarious. I stared at the fig leaf that really didn’t cover anything. It was good she’d sewn it to boxers or you’d be able to see everything it was trying to hide. My friends were going to get a good laugh out of this. Brooklyn had nailed it.

I pulled a pair of jeans over the fig leaf boxers. I didn’t need to give Jacob any ideas about running around naked anymore. He’d been so good the last week thanks to Nigel and Tanner. I pulled on a shirt too. I’d just take everything off when we got to the party.

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