Page 78 of Beau Pair
“Gosh, I forget you guys were born after all the classics. Anyway. Let’s go. The day isn’t getting any brighter, and we’ve got a party to prepare for.”
With that, all six of us leave the house and go around the neighborhood so Elsie can have her first experience of trick-or-treating. We do get some funny looks from people, especially some elderly couples, but the compliments far outweigh them. We even knock on the door of an 80-year-old gay couple who are so damn cute and can’t stop complimenting little Elsie.
Well, to be fair, pretty much everyone compliments Elsie’s costume, which fills me with joy. I had so much fun creating it, and it was super easy and quick to do. I definitely need to send pictures to Mama Hadlee so she can see what I made.
It’s six o’clock when we return home, and Gordon and Dolly fuss over Elsie, but Tru pushes us all out of the house so they can bathe Elsie and, you know, do their actual job.
When we get to Dolly and Zoe’s apartment—in his Tesla, of course—we help them make the last few preparations. Which aren’t many to start with. They live in a two-story penthouse that’s got so much personality and warmth I threaten both I’ll move in with them if it doesn’t work out with Gordon.
“Hey,” he grumbles when he hears me.
“Just kidding, babe,” I reassure him with a squeeze of his butt.
“Oh my God, Beau. My readers won’t shut up about Elsie’s costume. They especially love the everyday look without the tail and horns,” Dolly says over the kitchen counter, where she’s leaning with a glass of white wine.
“Really?” I ask her.
She nods with a smile.
“They’re all asking who made it and where they can buy it,” she says.
“Really?” I ask again. I wanna make sure I heard her right.
People are actually gushing about something I created? And they want to buy my stuff?
“Want me to hook you up? Maybe you’ll make some millions so you can dump your sugar daddy,” she says, and Gordon sticks his tongue out at her.
“Bitch,” he adds.
“And loving it,” she replies, and sets her wine glass down. “Right. Our guests will be here soon, so how about we take everything out of the fridge, get the ice, and set up the drinks table?”
“Bossy bitch, too,” Gordon says while also opening the fridge and doing exactly what she said.
“Hey. Watch how you talk about my girlfriend, Mr. Davis,” Zoe scolds him. “Or I’ll have Beau punish you.”
“That’s not a threat,” Gordon says at the same time as Dolly.
“I didn’t say it was,” Zoe laughs and grabs some glasses to take to the living room.
By seven, the first guests arrive, and by eight, the place is full of people I don’t know. There are several local authors in the bunch, and a lot of them are discussing books they’re writing or reading, but there are also a few Harlow U teachers that I’ve seen around. Despite their presence, Gordon doesn’t hold back from kissing me or dancing with me.
“I thought you didn’t want anyone at college finding out,” I tell him as he slides his hands down my butt while the big eyeball sewn on the front of his ball-shaped costume presses between us.
“They’re all Dolly’s friends, so we trust them,” he says in my ear.
And here I thought he was ready to come out of the figurative closet with our not-so-secret relationship.
I don’t care that everyone knows. And I don’t want him getting into trouble, even though he has reassured me he wouldn’t, but all these promises of forever would feel a lot more real if he did.
But I don’t say anything because that’s selfish. And not really fair to him. I understand why he wants to keep his private life away from college and the dean. I just hope that doesn’t mean I’m not worth the trouble.
My butt buzzes, and Gordon pulls away from my arms to glare at me.
“Have you brought a dildo to the party?” he asks me.
“What?” I frown, then the buzz goes on and I laugh. “It’s my phone, idiot.”
I reach for my cell phone in the back pocket of the hot denim shorts I’m wearing under the XXXL pink T-shirt.
