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Everly
“Istill can’t believe it. This is wild!” Indie stopped me and stared at my costume again as soon as we stepped from the car. She squealed. “You’re the spitting image of my childhood hero.”
I did a little twirl and waved my Crescent Moon Wand. “Thank you.” After watching several Sailor Moon videos and getting dressed, I remembered how much I enjoyed pretending to be someone else. “Your librarian costume’s fabulous too.”
With her bright red lips, curled hair, and cat eye glasses, Indie looked like a pinup girl from the fifties.
We took a few more selfies and headed to the comic store, where Quinn stood waiting outside.
“You’re not wearing your glasses,” I exclaimed. Quinn usually hid behind thick black plastic frames, but today, they were nowhere to be seen. Clad in a black leather vest, fitted jeans, and a holster low over her hips, she looked like a gorgeous but dangerous Han Solo.
Quinn tossed back her ponytail. “It was my sister Olivia’s idea. She said glasses didn’t really go with the look.”
“She made the right call because you make one hot Han Solo,” Indie said.
Quinn drew her blaster. “Why, thank you.”
Someone dressed as Chewbacca walked up to us and waved.
“Ben!” I gave my brother a hug, recognizing the costume I gave him as a joke last Christmas. “You didn’t tell me you were coming. And why are you wearing that? No one can see your face.”
He offered a small Chewbacca moan.
Indie laughed. “Wow. Someone’s sure getting into character.”
Ben nodded and then opened the door for us.
“Did you dress as Chewbacca because you knew I’d be Han Solo?” Quinn asked with a frown.
Ben shook his head and let out another soft moan.
Quinn scowled up at him before storming into the store. “Come on. Let’s go sign in.”
Inside Landry’s, people milled about, dressed in all kinds of costumes. In the end, twenty men and twenty women had signed up, a great turnout considering Johann had only one woman at the start of last week. My stomach sank with disappointment that Wyatt wasn’t there. While he’d said he wasn’t coming, a small part of me had still expected him to show since he had made an effort to insert himself into my life recently.
At my brother’s and Indie’s requests, I reminded myself.
Johann walked into the center of the store, waving his hands in the air. “Good evening all you gruesome guys and gorgeous ghouls. Welcome to Landry’s first Halloween speed dating event. Here are the rules of the night.” He gestured toward the pairs of folding chairs set up in a large circle around the store. “Women will remain seated, and men will move around. Each couple has five minutes to get to know each other. Once your time’s up, men will stand and move clockwise to the next empty chair. After you’ve had a chance to meet everyone, you’ll make your choices on your phone. Only mutual selections will be shared with both partners tomorrow. Good luck, everyone!”
Palms sweating, I took a seat near Quinn and Indie. Time to get my head in the game. Wyatt wasn’t a possibility, but one of the guys here might be.
As a blond elf dressed in a pale blue velvet robe and pointy ears sat across from me, I cast an appreciative eye over his costume. The details of his outfit—from the gold trim on his sleeves to his silver pendant—blew me away.
Blond Elf bowed his head, his long hair cascading over his shoulders.
Wow. This guy’s hair looked softer than mine.
“Hail and well met, my lady.” With his lilting accent, angular face, and light brown eyes, he could have stepped straight out of a Tolkien movie.
“Nice to meet you too,” I said tentatively. “I love your costume.”
He placed a hand over his heart. “I thank thee. Prithee, fair maiden, what be thy tide?”
Was that some kind of astrology thing? “Um, Taurus?”
Elf man shook his head. “Thytide, my lady,” he repeated. “What do others call thee, gentlewoman?”
Oh. My name, not my sign. “Everly.”
