“Are you the cat or mouse?”
“The mouse. Duh!”
“And have you…” She waggles her eyebrows and inserts her finger between her pinched index finger and thumb suggestively.
“No. But he knows his way around!” I blurt out. She shrieks with excitement.
“You slut! I love it. So, what’s the key for?”
“I don’t know yet. He leaves me notes and trinkets but has yet to elaborate their purpose or meaning.”
“Damn, lady, I’m impressed. That was quick! So… are we thinking sexy dead Minnie Mouse or killing off Tom’s Jerry for Halloween? Which fairytale character are we murdering?”
I look down at the key, feeling inspired by its detail, and an idea comes to mind.
We raid my wardrobe for pieces I already have and get ideas. Viv poaches a thing or two for hers–the vixen fromThe Fox and the Hound. An inside joke between her and Danny. Now they’re publicly a thing.
We head out shopping; there are pop-up Halloween market stalls in town. A great place to dodge a tourist and find a last minute costume bargain. As Viv ducks into a fitting room to try on an orange dress that looks more like lingerie, I wander over to a Venetian mask stand next door. On the display is a beautiful, laser-cut rose gold mask adorned with intricate filigree, rose accents, and a matching headband featuring dainty deer ears with tiny antlers.Perfect!All I’d have to do is my hair andvoilà- all doe’d up!
“Hey, you.” A deep voice startles me from behind.
A deep voice. Close. Too close.
I jolt, whirling around. “Dammit!”
My fist flies on instinct, landing square on Grayson’s shoulder.
He barely flinches. Just smirks.
“What is it with you scaring years off of my life?” I huff, hand still pressed to his solid frame. Goddamn, this man is built like a wall. “I won’t make it to thirty at this rate!”
He shrugs. “Sorry, not sorry.”
“I was here with Danny, but then he smoke-bombed me.”
We overhear a giggly shriek from the fitting rooms next door. “I’ll give you two guesses where he is, but you’re only gonna need one,” I say, shaking my head with a grin before turning around to pay the vendor.
“Is this for your costume?”
“Yep. Bambi’s mom.”
His eyes light up with surprise. “That’s dark. I like it.”
“Which character will you be throwing a dark spin on?”
“Don’t know yet. But I have a few ideas to play with,” he teases with a smirk. “Do you still need your lock fixed today?”
I look at him confused for a beat.Oh! The back door lock,I remind myself. Suddenly that lock doesn’t seem like a massive issue after last night’s visitor. “Oh! Nope. All good. No rush. You’ve replaced the front for me; I figure I don’t really use the back much.”
Grayson tilts his head, a smirk playing on his lips. “Not even a little bit?”
My face heats. “Sir, there are children here.”
I lean in, dropping my voice to a scolding whisper. “Bad dog!”
His laugh is sharp and low.
Viv exits the fitting room with Danny in tow. “The hound approves!” she announces, turning to go make payment. Danny hangs around, waiting for her return.
