Page 90 of The King of Halloween
He jerked, expecting thunder or a chandelier crashing for his head. Instead of facing a floor of glass, he stared into the disconcerted face of the woman running this show. She’d shown up one day, didn’t say a word to him, then took over the whole ballroom from floor to ceiling. If he wasn’t stretched to the breaking point, he’d have fought her off.
“Yes?”
“I asked if you have the keys to the entertainment suite up on the mezzanine? We’ll need access for the ball.”
“Yes. I…” He patted his chest, half expecting to touch his sleep t-shirt. As he rounded into his pockets, his palms felt the soft fleece not of his usual boxers but Adam’s comfortable pants. Adam.
He’d tried. There were texts.
He was pretty sure there’d been texts.
A promise here and there to meet up, but every time Raj thought he could get away, another crisis would rear its head. All he needed was a good, long sleep—preferably in a huge bed with thick blankets and a lanky man frying him eggs for breakfast.
Raj winced, and the woman tapped her heel to get his attention. “Sorry. I don’t seem to have the keys right now. Maybe my partner does.” Trying to shake off any thoughts of Adam, Raj moved at an indeterminate speed toward the door. He passed a man with blond hair coming in. It had to be his exhaustion playing tricks on him.
At the threshold, Raj called out, “Logan?”
“Yes?” The illusion called out behind him, yanking Raj around.
“You’re real.” It could still be a trick.
“I need your signature on a few documents.” He held out a clipboard, then pressed a pen into Raj’s hand. Raj jerked his hand in the form of his name, hopefully getting close to the line.
“Seems like the ball’s coming along. I like the decorations.” He pointed to the rafters where they’d hung black lace for…reasons.
To decorate. For Halloween.
Right, that was it.
“Ahem,” the woman coughed loudly.
Raj clicked his pen and almost passed it to her before he remembered. “Do you have the keys to the speaker system upstairs?”
“No. You do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“They’re in your hand, man.”
Raj tightened his fist, certain it was empty. Cold metal bit into his flesh. Burning from his chin up to his hairline, he sheepishly sidled next to the woman and handed her the key. “This should work.”
“Thank you,” she said with so little emotion, Raj knew she was fighting to drain the sarcasm.
“Maybe you should take a break. Get some shut-eye. I can handle things for a few,” Logan said.
“No. There’s so much to do. Like the Robinsons.”
“In their room, drinking a bottle of nicely upgraded wine as we speak.”
Weren’t they supposed to check in after two? Raj tried to get a look at his watch before he realized he wasn’t wearing it. Damn it, where did he leave it again? “Well, I’m needed to keep the place running so it keeps running. Remember.”
“Actually, I came to tell you the good news.”
“Good? Bite your tongue.”
“The ballroom has been reserved for…” Logan opened his phone. “Three weddings, two retirement parties, a Christmas party for the local Birders Society, and something called Krampusnacht.”
“Already? But we haven’t even listed it on the website.”
