Page 170 of The Hookup Situation
The bell chimes overhead, and Patty, the woman who’s run this costume shop for thirty years, looks up from the register. I used tobuy all of mine from her when I was a kid. As soon as she sees me, her face softens into a smile.
“Julie, baby. Come here.” She rounds the counter and pulls me into a tight hug. “That bastard should rot in hell for what he did to you.”
“Thanks, Patty.” I sink into her hug for a moment. “Congrats on winning the autumn arrangement contest again.”
“Aw, appreciate that considering some people in town are jealous.” She smells like cinnamon and mothballs, and the familiarity is comforting.
“It’s very much deserved,” I tell her.
The shop is busier than usual with Halloween approaching. The aisles are cramped with costume racks, and I have to squeeze past a family debating between zombie and vampire themes. Some customers glance at me with sympathy. It’s mostly locals who know me or my parents. Others stare with a different kind of recognition that makes my skin crawl. They saw me naked.
One man near the superhero section does a double take, his eyes lighting up. He elbows his friend and whispers something before they pull out their phones.
“Eyes forward, asshole,” Nick barks out, his voice loud in the quietness.
The guys scurry toward the exit, but not before one turns to me. “Nice to know the curtains match the drapes.”
Nick walks over to me, his brows furrowed.
“You can’t threaten everyone who looks at me,” I whisper, though part of me secretly loves that he tries. While I hate needing protection, I also love how safe it makes me feel.
“Watch me.”
Patty appears beside us again. “Anyone else gives you any more trouble, you tell me. I’ve got a baseball bat behind the counter, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I say. She reminds me of mygrandma. “Seriously. They’re dumb teenagers who follow pop culture news. They don’t understand.”
She walks away, and Nick comes closer.
“We can leave.”
“I’m good,” I tell him.
We split up to keep our costumes a surprise from one another. It’s something we decided before we got here. We’ll reveal them to one another on Halloween night.
Nick heads toward the men’s section while I wander through the women’s racks. I already know what I want based on something he said to me a few weeks ago.
I find the perfect costume tucked between a witch outfit and a flapper dress. The teal-blue fabric is soft with gold trim that catches the light. It’s sexy but not too revealing. Important now that everyone knows what’s underneath.
“Princess Jasmine is a perfect fit for you. I even have the wig and crown,” Patty says, materializing beside me like she has a sixth sense for customers who need encouragement.
“You don’t think it’s too revealing, do you?” I meet her eyes.
“Too what? Honey, you wear whatever makes you feel good. You’re gorgeous. Don’t let that piece-of-shit ex of yours make you believe you need to hide anything. But let me ask you this: would you have worn it before this happened?”
“Yes,” I tell her.
“That’s your answer then.” She shifts me toward the dressing room, and I make my way down the aisle. “You’d better try it on because you know I won’t do a return.”
“Right. All sales final.”
As I’m heading to the dressing room in the back, I hear raised voices in the front.
“You need to leave. Now.” Patty’s friendly voice has turned to steel.
“It’s a free country. I can shop where I want,” a guy says, slurring.
Day drinking on a Tuesday is so classy. But then recognition washes over me, and my blood freezes in my veins. For a second, I think it’s Craig, but when I peek around the corner, it’s not.
