AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I fucking hate Halloween and all its festive trappings.
I used to like it —hell, more than like it— before, but things change, people change. I definitely have.
Growing up, my older brothers and I loved it, our parents had made up tons of cool family traditions and every year we couldn't wait for October to come around. They passed away when Adam and I were in our late teens and our older brother, Eric, who is eight years my senior, did his very best to keep all our traditions alive.
His daughters —he has two sets of twins— are Disney and Tim Burton fiends, completely in love with the holiday, and I, as the residential funny uncle, never failed to let them drag me trick-or-treating.
Until that night seven years ago.
Until that fire who took two lives.
Until Aurora burst in and out of my life like a thunderstorm taking my heart with her when she left.
I never believed a person could fall that fucking hard and fast for someone, but fuck it if I didn't.
Her memory is singed into my fucking brain and heart.
I was stupid.
So damn sure I held 'the one' in my arms.
I even joked, called her 'my princess'.
For me, at least for that one night she really was.
And then everything just fell apart even before it started and she disappeared without a backward glance.
Halloween has had nothing sweet left for me ever since.
My nieces still insisted I should accompany them in their candy-quests up until a couple of years ago and I did go and plastered a smile on my face for their sakes, but in the end, they unanimously decided to put me out of my misery and torture their serious, grumpy uncle Adam instead, since, apparently he's way better company than me for the whole of October and less grouchy.
Which is saying a lot, considering that my brother, while being one of the best men I know and one of my best friends in the whole world alongside Eric, is completely allergic to crowds and social gatherings and about as cantankerous and shy as they come.
Eric, who is our town's beloved sheriff and all-around favorite golden boy, is Adam's complete opposite. He hasn't had it easy, but he's pretty extroverted and fun-loving and despite the many curveballs life has been throwing his way since his wife passed away, he's still kind and hasn't lost the ability to smile or the will to help others.
Me?
I'm the youngest, but pretty much function as the middle child and I'm the more balanced one.
Unless it's October, that is.
If you want to see me bitter, pissed, and even more of a workaholic than I usually am, then look me up around Halloween and you won't be disappointed.
And yet, against my own better judgment, here I am getting ready to sit through a stupid Disney-themed costume party.
I shake my head.
What I wouldn't do for that big lug of my brother!
The man is utterly and completely in love and can't get his act together long enough to speak with this chick he's crazy for.
Every time she stops for something to drink after work at 'The Castle', my brother's bar, he simply stares at her.
Not anymore though, he has decided tonight's gonna be the night.
She's the one throwing this rooftop party and he's gonna tell her how he feels about her.
The only catch?
