“How so?”
Pink dusted across her cheeks. “Well, there’s computer-nerd Van, who’s quiet and introspective but alluring.” Her flush deepened. “And then there’s boardroom Van, who acts like he makes everyone at a meeting beg for it.” I ticked up a brow, loving how her blush stole over her whole face. “And this makes you kind of an avant-garde Van, with maybe a little tough-guy edge.”
“With my red hat?”
“It’s what cinches the deal,” she said solemnly, but she failed at biting back a smile.
I chuckled. “I’ve been called worse. Come on, Pikachu, let’s go catch ’em all.”
Less than fifteen minutes later, I parked in front of the Perez house. Alder and Daisy were just pulling up.
Clover nearly skipped all the way to the door, waving at Alder’s family. “Look at you, Laila!”
The young girl had petals around her head like she was some sort of flower. “I’m a monkey orchid.”
Daisy smirked. “In case I thought I’d be able to just buy a simple costume.”
Alder carried the car seat. “There was a run on monkey orchids as soon as we showed up.”
Evander appeared at the door, lines bisecting his green face. The monster of Frankenstein. Violet was next to him with her hair standing straight up, a white line sprayed into either side. The bride of Frankenstein. And little Willa wore a white lab coat. Dr. Frankenstein.
Evander pushed the door open, studying our costumes. “You’re going to have to explain it to me.”
“Ash and Pikachu from Pokémon,” Clover said as she stepped in.
I tensed as I followed her. I hadn’t met many adults outside the gaming realm who understood my hobby, and thanks to my family’s behavior, I usually kept quiet. Why did I suggest this couple costume idea?
“Cool.” His gaze danced back and forth, only approval in his gaze. “Perfect for a chilly night.”
“No way.” Auggie came from somewhere behind the crowd milling close to the door. “Dad! Aunt Clover is Pikachu.” The kids moved over. He was dressed in a Liverpool soccer uniform, and his hair was slicked smartly to the side. “Whoa. You’re Ash.”
My night was already a success. If I could make a kid like him excited about what we were wearing, should I really hold on to what my family had thought?
Clover grinned and turned from side to side. “We thought of doing Pikachu and Eevee, but we couldn’t find jammies in Van’s size.”
I snorted. “They had a pair for Eevee in your size, but you wanted to be Pikachu.”
She snickered. “True.”
Evander’s eyes gleamed, and he met his wife’s gaze. She smiled, and when she saw that I noticed, her grin grew larger.
Alder and Daisy came in behind us.
Lily poked her head out from the entrance that led to the kitchen. “Pizza’s ready. There’s no schedule. Just eat and take off.”
“You aren’t dressed,” Clover said.
Eliot appeared behind Lily. “Her costume would take out five people and a window.”
Lily rubbed her hands together. “His isn’t as bad.”
Clover stuck her hand in mine and led me toward them. “Are you going to keep me waiting, or can you tell me?”
“I’m a banana,” Eliot said drily. “And so are all the kids.”
“A bunch of bananas?” Clover stopped next to the stack of pizza boxes on the counter. I rubbernecked around us while listening to their conversation. The kitchen had been recently refurbished with polished cabinets and gleaming woodwork. “Hmmm, what would Lily be?”
“A gorilla.” Lily grinned. “You should see the costume. Its hands are the size of dinner plates.”
