CHAPTEREIGHT
Mark stood inside the front door of the shop, reading an e-mail on his phone from the contractor he’d hired to deliver lumber for the raised portion of the mountain bike course.
“If you don’t pick your own, we’re going to pick one for you,” Ethan said.
Mark scowled. Somehow they’d dragged him into the Halloween store to get costumes for the party tonight at the spa. Ryan and Ethan were excited. Mark was not. “I don’t need a costume,” he said, even as he remembered Jess’s parting words to him last Friday.
Don’t forget your costume.
“I totally see you in this,” Ethan said, deadpan, as he held up a Batman costume in a clear plastic sack.
“Not a chance in hell,” Mark answered.
“Got mine.” Ryan held up a package containing a white suit like John Travolta wore inSaturday Night Fever.
Mark lifted an eyebrow.
“Emma’s going to be a disco ball,” Ryan said. “You know, with the baby bump…”
“Coordinating costumes?”
Ryan shot a look at Ethan, who’d gone noticeably quiet.
“You too?” Mark asked.
“We’re going as the characters fromKing of the Desert,” Ethan said, referencing the adventure-style video game that Gabby had helped develop.
And okay, as far as couples’ costumes went, that was pretty cool.
“Which just leaves you,” Ryan said, pointing at Mark.
“I don’t dress up.”
“Today you are,” Ethan said, turning his attention to the racks of costumes in front of him. “So what’s it going to be?”
Mark gestured to the plain black T-shirt on the wall that read,THIS IS MY COSTUME. “That.”
“Yo, even for you, that’s lame,” Ryan said.
“Agreed,” Ethan said. “Look, you could be Darth Vader, complete with the helmet. No one would even know who you were, and then you wouldn’t have to talk to anyone.”
While the thought of being incognito did hold a certain appeal, no way in hell was he dressing up as Darth Vader. He shot Ethan a look that said as much.
“I’ve got it,” Ryan said, holding up a white mask. “You can be the Phantom of the Opera. Just wear black clothes and this mask.”
“Bro, that’s perfect.” Ethan slapped him a high five. “You’re wearing it.”
And Mark apparently didn’t get any say in it because Ryan was already walking to the cash register with his disco outfit and the Phantom of the Opera mask in hand. Mark didn’t even know who the Phantom of the Opera was—some dude from an opera, he was fairly sure—but if he had to wear a mask and his own clothes to put in an appearance at Jess’s party, he could live with that.
Since that was settled, he left the store to wait for his friends outside. He’d happily never step foot inside a Halloween store again.
“Here you go, man.” Ryan came out of the store and handed him the white mask.
“Thanks.” Mark took it and headed in the direction of their condo building. Ryan followed while Ethan waved good-bye, off to get ready for the party at his and Gabby’s house.
“You’re cool with the mask, right?” Ryan asked, falling into step beside him.
“Yeah. Sure.”
