Page 6 of Halloween Hottie
Margo lives on the outskirts of town in her daddy’s big, lavish mansion. The mansion isn’t where her mother and father stay full-time though. They prefer to be someplace warmer in the cool months, so from the beginning of September until the beginning of May, the place is all hers. She went to school and became a lawyer. Now she runs her own office and is like any other adult, only she has a castle that’s basically hers to do what she wants with. I’ve asked her before why she doesn’t get her own place, but she said she never saw the point in it. At the mansion, she has everything she could ever need, with a full waitstaff, and it’s like nothing she could actually afford herself. This way, every cent she makes goes toward her extravagant vacations, nights out, and expensive shopping trips.
Margo and I have been friends for two years. We met when I had finished school and was working part-time at a coffee shop in town, while searching for a nursing job. We hit it off immediately. That’s also how I met Steve. I was surprised when I found out that the two of them already knew one another. I hate that she’s always been in the middle of Steve and me, and since our breakup, I haven’t gone to many of her functions for fear of him being there. I guess it’s time I got over my avoidance of him, though. This is a small town and we’re bound to run into each other from time to time.
The drive is long, and the country roads always look dark and deserted. It’s not the kind of place I’d want to have my car break down or run out of gas, which is why I always top off my tank before venturing out this far. Up the road, I see the brick wall that surrounds her property, and I slow as I approach the gate. The drive is long and winding, but it finally opens up, and there’s nothing but cars parked off to the side and in the yard.
It takes a good twenty minutes to find a place to park the car; I end up having to cheat, parking behind the house with the staff—only her closest friends know to do that. I park and flip down my visor, checking my reflection. My hair is still in place and my makeup is perfect. I pull out my tube of lipstick and freshen it up, more to kill time than anything else, then grab my things and exit the car.
The night is dark and cold around me as I walk to the front of the house. The party inside is so loud that I could hear before I even parked. The wind blows and sends a chill through me; I cross my arms to maintain some kind of warmth, walking around the corner and to the front door. There are already people coming in and out. They’re all drunk, laughing and talking as they go in search of their vehicle. I walk up the steps and take a deep breath. I place my hand on the handle and push the latch down with my thumb. The door opens inwardly and the loud music and cheers from inside burst out into the night. Guess it’s time to switch to party mode.
Chapter Four
JACOB
Iwake up Saturday morning and enjoy a hot cup of coffee before pulling on some clothes and going downstairs to open the bar. I stock the coolers for the day, open the register, and turn on all the lights and neon signs before unlocking the door. I’m just stepping back behind the bar when the door opens and Paul walks in. As usual, he puts his fifty on the bar, and I get his beer and pour his whiskey.
“Morning, Paul.”
“Morning? What time is it?”
I laugh. “It’s ten. I just opened up.”
“Huh,” he says, taking off his coat and hanging it on the back of his barstool before sitting down.
I laugh and shake my head. “Losing track of time?” I ask, staring at my sink of water I use to wash the glasses.
He nods. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“You got any big plans for Halloween?” I ask.
He laughs. “No, I haven’t ever celebrated Halloween.”
“What? Why not?”
“Back in my day, it wasn’t like it is now. Nowadays you kids use Halloween to get drunk, act like floozies, and get laid. The women didn’t do that back in my day.”
I laugh. “Yeah, I guess you’re right on that.”
“You got a hot date?” he asks me.
“No, no date. Just a party a friend is hosting.”
He nods. “The Evans? That big mansion outside of town?”
“Yep, that’s the one.”
“There’s always big parties going on there.”
I laugh. “Yeah, that’s Margo.”
“Hey, how’s the bartender’s son? He doing any better?’
I nod. “He is, but now Lisa is sick. She’ll be out a little while longer.” I pour myself a cup of coffee. “I talked the other two bartenders into picking up a few extra hours, though, so I only gotta do this a couple hours a day.”
All the regulars come in. Wayne sits in his usual seat and Toni grabs her drink and goes to the poker machines. I’m stuck slinging beers until Step comes in to take over. Finally, I’m able to retire to my office to finish what I started yesterday. I wrap up everything around two, and I walk the daily deposit over to the bank on the corner before heading back up to my apartment to get ready for the party.
I finished earlier with work than I thought I would, so I have some time to kill. I do some laundry, clean up the apartment, and take a shower and a nap. When I wake up, I eat and start getting ready. I pull on my vampire costume and slick my dark hair back. I refuse to go all out this year. Two years ago, Nikki talked me into painting my hair black like Dracula’s with hair spray. I don’t do the face paint either. I know, I’m lame, but I’m not going overboard. I’m in costume and that’s the only requirement.
When it’s time, I head back to my office. Instead of walking out through the bar to get made fun of by all the old men, I go out the back. I climb behind the wheel of my truck and make the long drive out to the country. When I pull up, it’s not hard to find a place to park. In fact, I get a spot right up front. I exit the truck and head inside where the party is still being set up.
