“Gah!” I clutched at my chest and stumbled back as I heard Claire giggle.
“Hi,” Levi said from behind a white mask that vertically covered half his face. He wore a long, dark cape with a high collar over a dark vest and a white, frilly shirt.
Claire was at his side in a lacy, white corseted dress. Her long, dark hair was styled in many tight curls.
“You guys look great,” I said. “Who are you?”
“The Phantom and Christine. Obviously.” I still had no idea what that meant, but I gave a thumbs-up. I glanced over my shoulder as though my name had been called. “Levi’s happybecause he is using the mask as an excuse to not speak to people,” Claire said.
“I wanted to be the Mandalorian, and then nobody would know who I was,andI wouldn’t be able to take off the helmet,” he mumbled from behind the mask.
“This is the way,” Claire said. “But I didn’t want to be a giant baby Grogu. I felt like it sent a weird message. This works better.”
Levi grabbed her cinched waist and pulled her up close. “Yeah, it does.”
Normally, I wasn’t bothered by the happy couple’s PDA, but today I found myself looking away. I searched for Sophie in the crowd. She could be that giant inflatable dinosaur waddling toward us. I could see her, like Levi, using a costume as protective anonymity.
“Is Sophie coming as Jane?” Claire asked.
“What? No,” I said too quickly and somewhat defensively when I spun back to them. “I’m George of the Jungle, not Tarzan.”
“Obviously,” Levi said dryly.
“Who?” Claire looked abashed. “It would make a cute couple’s costume. Jane and Tarzan.” She glanced up to Levi, who nodded in agreement.
“But we aren’t a couple,” I said. “And I’m not Tarzan.”
“No. Right. Sorry,” she said.
She looked down and fixed a ruffle on her full skirt.
I felt tense and mean, and I didn’t like this side of myself. “I’m sorry. Sophie and I are meeting up. I just don’t know what she’s wearing. We aren’t together though. We are just going together. For the list.” I fumbled for the right words, but every explanation made it more awkward.
I didn’t even recognize myself.
“Yes. For the list,” Claire said.
“Are you okay, man?” Levi asked.
His gaze flicked to where I had been rubbing at my exposed man chest.
“Just cold,” I lied and relaxed my arms.
What had I been thinking with this costume? Thankfully, Sophie had suggested warm Ugg-type boots to match, otherwise, I would be really freezing. Last year, I would have freaking loved walking around on Halloween, on display for the whole town to see. Today, I felt weird and shallow. I didn’t want to hear the comments from tourists and thirsty ladies. As it was, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.
A passing group of teens strode by. A dumbass kid in the front banged on his chest and made the Tarzan call. He and his buddies all laughed.
“I’m George of the Jungle!” I yelled after them, but they didn’t hear.
Levi and Claire shared a couple’s knowing look, and my irritation grew. It was like an alarm rang incessantly and annoyingly in the back of my mind, and it caused an overload to my brain so that every other sound or comment pushed me close to snapping. But I couldn’t figure out what had me so irritated. Sophie was a little late, but nothing to worry about. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms.
“Is she late?” Claire asked.
“I guess. She never has been before. Not her style. She’d rather be way early than a minute late,” I mumbled, checking my phone for the hundredth time.
“Actually, that’s good. I found out something I need to tell you, and it may be better before she gets here,” Levi said.
Claire’s head snapped to her fiancé. “Maybe now isn’t the best time,” she whispered.
