Page 67 of Temporarily in Love

“Well, what?”

She parked her car and cut the engine. “How are you gonna do that from California?”

I groaned. “I can be a silent partner. Like you said, Brian can manage it, and I can be the capital.”

Kelsey shook her head. “I don’t think that’s gonna work for Dad. He’ll only sell if he knows the person cares about the bar.”

That seemed like a load of bullshit to me, but whatever.

We got out of the car and walked into the house. Kelsey was greeted by Cora and Callie running to her and screaming, ‘Mommy!’ I smiled at them as she let her children talk off her ear while I walked upstairs into my old room.

I laid my dress out on the bed and searched for the right shoes to wear. I found a pair of black stilettos that would look sexy with the dress. I looked in my underwear drawer for a sexy pair, then decided to be brazen and forgo them for the night. I got dressed and did my makeup, dark and witchy, with a smoky eye, and black lipstick. I was so excited for the party even though it wasn’t technically Halloween. That wasn’t until Monday.

When I came downstairs, my sister handed me the witch hat. She was on the floor in the living room with the girls digging through the bags of all the old costumes from when we were little.

“Oh god!” I exclaimed. “Those probably have cobwebs. You should get rid of some of them.”

Mom laughed. “Not wrong. Are you going over to the brewery now?”

I nodded. “Yup. I think I have to drag someone away from their computer.”

Declan hadn’t been responding to my texts all day. Gemma texted me earlier that I might need to rescue him tonight, so I had a feeling he was burying himself in his work again.

“I’m probably not going to be home,” I said to my parents.

“You’ve barely been home since you got home,” Dad teased.

I felt my face get hot. It wasn’t like my parents were dumb, but talking to them about sex made me want to throw up, even though they never shamed me about it and always were open about how it was healthy.

“Bye, I’ll see you later!”

“You walking?” Kelsey asked.

“Yeah? It’s like a block away.”

“Be careful,” Mom said.

“Mom, we live in a very safe town in the suburbs. I’ll be fine.”

“Still be careful!” both my parents said in unison.

I waved goodbye to them as I made my way over to the brewery.

As I got closer, I saw lit-up LED jack-o’-lanterns on the ground lined up as a guide to the entrance. A vampire and a fairy were walking in front of me hand-in-hand, laughing as they opened the door to the brewery. The vampire held the door open for me, and I gave him a smile in thanks. Inside, the brewery had been transformed into a Halloween spectacular.

I didn’t know how Gemma did it, but it looked amazing. ‘Thriller’ was blaring on the stereo, and fake cobwebs hung above the bar. I spotted Gemma behind the bar dressed like a princess in a long blonde wig, and Felix was dressed as Mario. Oh! They were Mario and Princess Peach. That was adorable.

Gemma’s eyes lit up when she saw me. “Hey, there you are! You look amazing!”

I gestured to my dress nonchalantly. “This old thing? The place looks awesome.”

Felix nudged her. “Told you! Now go enjoy it, and get out from behind my bar. That’s not your job anymore.”

Gemma gave him a big smile and a quick kiss before obeying him.

“Where’s Dec?” I asked.

Gemma rolled her eyes. “Still working! Give him shit for his boring costume, will you?”