“Lana is supposed to be Stella, and Isa is Flora, obviously—very pink.”
“I have no idea who those are but…I’ll look into it.”
Natalia sniffs a laugh and closes the driver’s side door. “You don’t look terrible,” she says. “Very original.”
I waggle my brows and look down at my Fred costume. “At least you didn’t call me ugly.”
Natalia’s brow arches and she purses her lips as she inspects my costume from head to toe. She finally cocks her hip and crosses her arms. “I guess you’re pulling it off. Did you touch up your roots?”
I push my tongue into my cheek and snort. Natalia winks. “Come on, Scooby-Doo. They’re waiting for us.”
“I’m Fred.”
She arches a brow. “Should have been the dog.”
“Woof.”
She rolls her eyes and I laugh. The sound echoes down the street, clustered with children and their trick-or-treat bags, as I follow behind Natalia to the house.
#
We are all out back, standing or sitting around the fire pit while we drink and pick at snacks before the meals. Except, I’ve hidden the extra mozzarella sticks I brought with me for Natalia, with ketchup and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top just how she likes them
“Can you imagine this when we’re old?” Christian asks beside me, grilling the ribs with his eyes on Lana. “With kids, even.”
“I work with kids every day.” Nico groans. “I can wait a couple of years.”
I snort and grab a nacho. “You’re already planning on having kids?”
Christian shrugs and it’s followed by a smile. “I want them if she wants them. It could be the two of us until we die and I’d be perfectly happy.”
“Right, yeah,” I mutter. “And the ring?”
He grins. “I ordered it last week.”
“You and your custom-made things, I swear,” I mutter, shaking my head.
Christian laughs. “It’s worth it—you’ll see in a few months.” He takes a sip of his iced tea.
“Where’s Julian?”
Nico munches on the cheese ball bites I brought. “Trick-or-treating with Gracie. They should be here soon.”
Right on cue I hear, “Uncle RoRo!”
“Gracie!” I grin wide, seeing the beautiful three-year-old running toward me in her Pebbles Flintstone costume—her blonde hair up in a high ponytail I trust Julian learned how to do on his own. I squat just in time to catch her in my arms and pick her up.
“Do you like my costume, Uncle RoRo?”
I kiss her head. “You are the cutest little Flintstoneever.”
She giggles and her little arms wrap around my neck for a hug. “Look at Daddy!”
I find Julian walking toward us after greeting the ladies by the fire pit. I break into laughter, all the other guys snickering. “Well, hello, Fred Flintsone,” Christian teases.
Julian growls faintly before he jerks his chin at me. “Fred.”
I do the same. “Hey, Fred.”
