Page 4 of Turnabout Is Fair Cosplay
Portia snickers. “Costumed within an inch of their life?”
A quick glance at Mom’s strained smile confirms that I need to hand Portia half an orange to shut her up, but I can’t peel fast enough.
Portia takes the mimosa from Drew. “I knew I liked you,” she tells him as she wraps her arm around his waist.
My throat tightens, and before irritation overwhelms me, I feel the ache inside. What would it be like to have more than just fiction and fantasies to hold on to? Not that I have time at the moment for a relationship. It’s all I can do to keep my cactus collection alive.
When Portia plants a slow kiss on her husband’s lips, I pretend to gag. “Get a room,” I tease as I tighten the strap of the sun hat around my chin. “Dahlias and roses, Mom?”
Mom startles. “Some lilies, too, if you can find them. But the ones by the vegetable garden. There aren’t nearly enough flowers blooming in the front yard.”
“Sure, Mom…” I should let it go. I know it’s a sore subject. I know she’s hoping that Dad will come around and show more support for Adam, and until then, I should let sleeping dogs lie, but I’ll be a nervous wreck for the rest of the morning if I don’t know. “Do you remember which of Adam’s friends he invited today?” I know better than to ask outright if his Badpun cosplayer is coming.
“Oh, I don’t know.” Mom grabs Portia’s bag of oranges and dumps them into a bowl. “I told Adam to invite all of them.”
My stomach feels like it is free-falling. All of them, including Mike, aka Badpun, who has a deviant smile and warm-honey eyes and hands that felt like they belonged on me. I’ve been hoping he’d call since we met last April, but he hasn’t. And I’m fine with that. Completely. I just wish I could stop thinking about him. “Cool.”
“Hurry now. Guests will be here soon. And you promised you’d help out in the pool with our float parade.”
Like that’s going to happen. The last thing I’d ever do is get in the pool with Mike Benedick floating around.
Chapter 2
My mother’s parties are legendary. I think it’s where Adam gets his knack for all things entertainment. He’s been steeped in it since he was in utero. Portia and Julie are old enough to remember life before our father made partner. I am, too, a wee bit, but not Adam. His life has been one long string of lavish parties. Even his grad school and work have thus far been ablast. His word. Not mine. That level of passion for the day job must be nice, and ordinarily I’d feel downright crabby over it, but my dad is pulling Eaton on a dinosaur floaty through the pool while the DJ plays “Baby Shark,” and my tummy is full ofthe most insane street tacos I’ve ever tasted. I can’t help but smile.
“Can I hire these guys to drive to Boston?” Portia asks as she adds more of the mango salsa to her shrimp tacos.
“Maybe we pay them to park outside the house for the rest of the week?” Drew says before heading toward the food trucks for more.
“It’s brilliant,” Julie says. “Who convinced Mom to hire them over her usual suspects?”
“It was Adam’s idea,” I say. “He says they’re legends in Pacific Beach. He won’t stop talking about the food scene down there.” Although today he won’t stop talking, period. Won’t stop smiling either. You’d think it was his birthday.
Portia stretches her legs out on the chaise. “Impressive that he can afford to hire so manyfriends.”
“I’m happy for him,” Julie says. A wistful smile graces her face as she waves to her son and our dad in the pool. “Anyone who works as hard as he does deserves some success. Mom said he was at Comic-Con all last weekend, and now he’s TAing this semester on top of classes and running a business.”
“Can’t believe you haven’t even been to his escape room.” I pick at the frayed hem of my denim shorts, twisting the soft white threads around my finger.
“Because new mommies have lots of free time and want to spend that free time locked in dark rooms trying to escape?”
I thumb through an Etsy listing of rare and exotic cacti. “When do you stop being a new mommy and become just a mommy?” My guess is never, if it means more doting attention from the family.
Julie sticks her tongue out at me.
“So who all is here from the escape room?” Portia asks.
I point out the tall brunette in line at the taco truck. “That’s Stacey, Adam’s Fem Fantastic.”
“Gorgeous.”
“The dudes in the pool are his Nightbat and Magnificent Man. Fair Play is holding Eaton’s girlfriend in the flamingo floaty.”
“One of his many girlfriends,” Julie says around a bite of her taco. “Little Man is a heartbreaker.”
“How could he not be with those dimples?” Portia licks her fingers.
I point to an older couple with margaritas by the bar. “That’s Jerry and I think his wife. He’s Adam’s Mallard.”
