Right. My costume. I grinned and headed on my way.
I ran into Elle, aka Helly from Severance, sporting a red wig and a blue top and pencil skirt.
“Lookin’ good, Ellie K.”
She chuckled. “So great to see you, Jason. I was talking to Jenny, and she was telling me all about Sean’s new girlfriend.”
I wasn’t really interested in Sean’s new girlfriend, except for the fact her existence kept my brother on a short enough leash he never once thought of saying yes to Franky. A great outcome for me. So yeah, hooray for Sean’s girl.
“Hey, have you seen Francesca?”
“Franky St. James?” As if there was a different Francesca.
“Yeah, I need a word with her.”
“She was here earlier with Tilly. Maybe the back garden? They like looking at the snails after it’s rained.”
That made me smile, though I had to lose it quickly because Elle gave me a funny look. I headed out back, and there they were, both hunched over the wet path that wound its way through the yard. Speaking in hushed tones, they didn’t hear my approach.
“See this shell—that part of it is called a lip. That tells us if its fully grown or not.”
“Like tree rings?” Tilly asked quietly. She was so smart. She had a purple wig on with a long braid similar to Adeline’s.
“Sort of, but not so precise. Smoother shells usually mean adults and ridges usually mean babies. But remember what I said about touching them?”
“Don’t, because I wouldn’t like it if someone picked me up without permission.”
Franky nodded her approval. “Correct, we don’t do that. Plus, they carry diseases.”
“Hey there,” I murmured.
“Uncle Jason!” Jumping to a stand, Tilly grabbed my thigh and held on. “We found a snail!”
“That’s cool. So, not sure we’ve met before. Who are you again?”
My niece frowned. “It’s me. Tilly.”
“Oh, I thought you were a … demon hunter! Fought any bad boys lately?”
She stood back and took a martial arts stance. “I’m Rumi and I’m going to get patterns all over my body!”
“Patterns mean she’s half-demon,” Franky said.
“Like Rumi.” My niece nodded enthusiastically.
“Tilly, we’re going to do the apple bobbing!” Elle’s voice rang clear through the night.
“Wait for me!” My niece took off, her purple braid swinging behind her.
And speaking of braids … I’d been right when I sensed this woman’s presence earlier. She was dressed as Wednesday Addams with braids, a school uniform, and black lipstick.
“A naughty schoolgirl?” I asked even though I doubted the doc would go sexy on purpose.
“The skirt should be longer, but I had to use Rosie’s costume. She went as a too-sexy Wednesday three years ago when the character was last popular.”
The skirt was pleated, schoolgirl uniform style, and looked so hot on her. The combination of prim braids with the skirt that showed off her legs—albeit in dark tights and clodhopper shoes—had my dick stirring behind my apron.
“And you’re … a chef?”
