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“Nope,” I said aloud to myself, shaking my head. “Not going there, not doing that. Shut up. Shut. Up.”
I was not. Instead, I was going to take advantage of my upcoming time off and enjoy Cresson point, Halloween style. If that just so happened to involve taking Shane’s advice and enjoying myself, then that was just how life worked.
I was not going to let him get to me.
CHAPTER FIVE
When it came to holidays, Cresson Point was never one to disappoint, and Halloween was no different. Many clubs and bars went out of their way to decorate and have themed contests, especially costume contests.
Yet the real fun came from a specific district of the city that had been turned into its own entertainment area. It was open during the day, but at night it was cordoned off, mainly to keep people from wandering out. The city had given the district its name, but the people called it the Mardi Gras, or simply Gras, district. There were always food trucks galore, plenty of places to get drinks, areas for music and dancing, as well as impromptu, amateur shows.
During a holiday, though, the whole place practically exploded in popularity. The bars lining the outer perimeter created a sort of open-door policy. Those who spent a good chunk of change on a wristband could wander in and out of the bars without paying a cover charge, and both the clubs and some of the stalls offered discounts and occasionally something free for those wearing them.
The entire Gras district was bursting with energy when I showed up. I hadn’t had time to put together an interesting outfit, but that hadn’t meant I couldn’t have fun with it. I’d found a pair of blue shorts that only came down to the top of my thighs, a white and blue pinstripe shirt with a low collar, white gloves, a blue neckerchief, and a jaunty little hat to tie my sailor outfit together. Of course, it wasn’t an actual sailor suit, and it was, I was proud to say, a little on the slutty side, but my smile was wide as I made my way into the district.
Then again, I wasn’t the only one who decided to go for suggestive outfits, and some were downright revealing. I was pretty sure if the girl dressed as a schoolgirl sneezed too hard, her ass would fly out. One guy was dressed in the tightest red underwear in existence to go with his cape and horns, and either he was stuffing that underwear or his father had been a horse.
The air was getting colder, but heaters had been placed at intervals for people to bask under if they wanted to get warm. I, however, chose a place with what looked like the largest martinis known to man and ordered myself a chocolate one. When it came to drinking, at least on a night where I expected to get well and truly drunk, I liked to start strong for a couple of drinks and then dial it back to keep a proper amount of drunk going.
I arrived fairly early, so the next couple of hours allowed me to enjoy seeing all the costumes. There was, of course, the standard fare of angels and devils, firefighters and cops, soldiers, and a drunken ninja who kept climbing on things and getting chased off by vendors. I saw enough pirates to wonder just how many people would be asked if they wanted their booty plundered and enough hastily put together skeleton costumes that I was certain local craft stores were out of glow-in-the-dark white paint and black fabric.
After midnight, I was feeling good and riding the high of my drinks. My last one emptied while I stood around talking with a few people who had somehow ended up debating the merit of fantasy books, waving at them as I tried to find another drink vendor. It didn’t take long until I found one that touted a selection of colored slushie drinks and looked over the menu carefully.
“The rainbow sherbet seems quite popular tonight,” someone said from behind me.
“I was thinking about that or the coconut…” I stopped and spun around, forcing myself to take a wobbly step back to keep my footing. “Shane?”
To my absolute disbelief, he stood in a thick brown robe with a simple rope tied around his waist. There was a beaded crucifix hanging low from his neck, and I noticed the man was wearing sandals.
His brow rose. “Well, that’s the first time you’ve called me by my proper name. Perhaps I should surprise you in public more often.”
“What the fuck are you wearing?” I asked, looking him over in shock.
He looked down at himself. “Well, I’m a monk, of course.”
“You…chose to be a monk for Halloween?” I asked, then shook my head. “Is this some sort of sacrilege thing? Because I have to tell you, that’s too high school version of edgy for a full-grown man.”
He grinned. “Halloween is all about having fun and sometimes about being something you’re not. What better to serve as something I’m not than a pious, unworldly man?”
“Hard to argue with that,” I said, still having a hard time seeing him in the robe. It was thick and covered up almost everything except his hands and head. I had only caught sight of his sandals because of the way he’d been standing. It didn’t change the fact that his handsome face was still visible, with the smile that made me want to hit him and kiss him in equal measure.
It seemed the good part of my night was coming to a close.
He snorted, shaking his head. “Oh, don’t get that face. I’m not here to ruin your night.”
“Funny,” I said, turning to order the coconut drink I’d been eyeing. “You have a way of ruining my night without trying.”
“That’s because you’re far too serious while you’re on the clock. But now you’re here, enjoying yourself.” He looked me over. “Looking to have a good time, and I have no reason to interfere with that.”
I resisted the urge to cover myself up. It wasn’t like I had anything to be ashamed of or anything I thought he could judge me on. Plenty of people in the Gras were less dressed than I was. Plus, I knew I looked just fine, I might not be as ripped or toned as others, but I took care of my body and tried to eat right.
“Got some smart comment you want to make about my costume?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“And why should I? I just said Halloween was the perfect time to be something you’re not. Why shouldn’t you be allowed to enjoy yourself with some short shorts and a low-cut top?”
Suddenly I wasn’t feeling judged as much as ogled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“By all means, it was meant to be one,” he informed me with a smirk.
