Andrea’s head turned like a meerkat.
I smiled thinly. “Yes. It’s a… significant place for me.”
“And what were you doing there, Liam?” Hugo asked. “I didn’t know you were still hands on with that part of the business.”
“He was dressed as Galadriel,” Andrea said cheerfully, patting me on the arm. “So brave.”
Ben made a strangled noise behind his champagne glass. “The Elf Queen fromLord of theRings?”
Jesus, Andrea. What thefuck—?
“Unusual choice, Liam.” Hugo’s face was neutral. “Confident.”
“Oh, he looked so handsome though.” Andrea put a hand on my chest. “He’s very comfortable in his masculinity. Nothing to prove, right, babe?”
This woman!
“Indeed.”
“He carried a purse.” She smiled. “With rhinestones. It was for his phone, bless him.”
“Elven satchel,” I replied grimly. I had the feeling that distinction wasn’t going to help. Hugo was staring at Andrea like she’d just landed from another planet.
“The platinum-blond wig made him look even more manly, if anything.” Andrea was on a roll. “The way the fibers caught the light… justyum.”
“My … my wig …?”
Ben choked behind me. “Yum?” he murmured.
“It was so cute. And he’d repurposed his Vulcan ears from theStar Trekconvention.” She beamed at me. “They flapped around a bit at the top, but how often do you find a man who’s creativeandlooks good in sheer polyester chiffon?”
“Well, yes,” began Hugo, with a chuckle. “I suppose…”
“I stepped on his cloak, and he fell into a cardboardDeath Star,” she continued. “Took out half the display with his arse.But it brought us together. Destiny, really.” She looked up at me and fluttered her lashes.
Unbelievable—she was enjoying this. The absolute witch.
“Oh, but Andrea had already caught my eye.” Two could play at this game. “She was majestic, frankly, in that sexy Chewbacca outfit.”
“My… yes.” Her giggle stopped short.
“The synthetic fur didn’t breathe well, unfortunately. Not ideal, was it, darling?”
“It was… warm.” She stared at me, her smile fixed.
“Very sweaty, as I recall. Started as a heat rash.” I turned to Miranda like we were discussing the weather. “Where the skin rubbed together. But then it evolved. Into more of a… boil?”
Andrea let out a strangled laugh. “Maybe boil is too strong a word, darling.”
“Oh no, it was definitely a boil,” I said. “Could have had its own YouTube channel.”
I gave her a squeeze around the shoulders.
Hugo made a faint choking sound.
Andrea took a deep breath, still smiling. “It’s always the ones with experience in full elven makeup who think they’re experts in clogged pores.”
“Oh, I wasn’t judging,babe,” I said mildly. “I wasconcerned.” I turned back to Miranda. “I had to lance it for her in the ladies’. Not pretty. But I think that experience made us closer.”
