Forever (Empire High Book 8)

Chapter 11

Friday – One Week Later

Matt

I didn’t understand why Brooklyn wouldn’t leave the house. But it didn’t matter whether I understood it or not. All that mattered was that I gave her what she needed.

Pushing her certainly hadn’t helped. Ever since I talked to James, I understood what I’d done wrong. I hadn’t mentioned leaving the house once for over a week. I’d been trying to think of things that would make me feel better. Instead of what she needed. But I could give her this. I loved this.

“Matt, those pieces are huge,” Brooklyn said and grabbed the knife out of my hand. “They need to be half the size. At least.” She cut one of the pieces of bell pepper in half that I’d already cut. “Like that.”

“I don’t know if I should trust your cooking skills after you tried to poison me last week.”

She laughed and handed me the knife back. “I told you that was all Nigel. He said you liked it spicy.”

He would.I started cutting again. “I still don’t understand why you let Nigel anywhere near our food. He can’t be trusted around anything like that. Especially beverages.”

She laughed. “He’s a really great cook usually. I’m sorry about that sauce though.” She leaned a little closer to me. “It really was too spicy,” she whispered.

“Why are we whispering?” I whispered back.

“Because he’s probably listening.”

“I’m taking down the security system.” I put the knife down.

“No.” She grabbed my hand. “I like it.”

I sighed. “Okay. At least we moved your painting into our bedroom so he can’t zoom in on it all day.”

Brooklyn laughed.

God I loved that sound. She was doing better. I could tell.

Jacob slid into the kitchen in his socks.

“Doesn’t that remind you a bit of our first Halloween?” I asked Brooklyn.

“If he takes off his pants and starts singing we’re in trouble.”

I laughed.

“Let me finish this up real quick,” she said and grabbed the knife back.

I pressed my lips together as I watched her expertly cut all my pieces in half. I was happy to be here with her and Jacob. But there was a small piece of me that was sad we were missing out on my parents’ Halloween party tonight. I was really hoping she’d come around. They’d been so looking forward to it. I’d been looking forward to it.

But staying home would be fun too.

“When is cena ready?” Jacob asked.

“Cena?”

“Dinner, Coach.”

“I don’t know as much Spanish as you,” I said and ruffled his hair.

“It’ll be ready in just a minute,” Brooklyn said.

“Do you want to pick out the movie tonight while your mom finishes up?” We’d been doing movie marathons almost every night the past week. Yes, I felt bad about missing out on Halloween. But I loved snuggling up to Brooklyn on the couch.

Jacob nodded and ran out of the room.

Brooklyn pushed around something in a pan with a spatula.

“You know…” I wrapped my arms around her from behind. “It’s nice having homecooked meals every night.”

She leaned her head back and looked up at me. “Well good, because I like cooking for you every night. But are you sure you want to watch movies tonight?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm.” She turned off the stove and turned toward me. “There’s nothing else you want to do?”

“Nope.”

She raised her eyebrow at me.

“I’m happy right here with you and Jacob.”

“I know. But your mom texted me about the Halloween party. To see if we’d changed our minds.”

“I’m sorry. I already told her we weren’t coming. You don’t have to text her back. I’ll call her.”

“I already texted her.”

“Oh. Well, good.” I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to say. That I wanted to go? That I was sad we were missing out on a fun night with our friends? I cleared my throat. “Dinner smells amazing. Let me get the plates.” I stepped around her but she grabbed my hand.

“I told her we were coming,” she said.

“Wait, what?”

“I don’t want to miss out. I’m not going to waste any more days.” A smile spread across her face.

I picked her up and twirled her around.

Her laughter filled the room.

“Oh, shit,” I said and put her down on her feet. “We don’t have costumes.” Well, that wasn’t entirely true. “Actually, I do have your old Sandy costume.”

“Why on earth do you have that?”

I shrugged. “Mr. Pruitt let me keep a few of your things. I think it’s at my parents’ house.” A lot of her things were there.

“I’m very curious about what other old things of mine you kept. But Sandy doesn’t exactly fit the theme of this year’s party.”

“Right.” It was comedies and romcoms this year. “I’m sure we have something…”

“I actually already have it covered.”

“You do?” How long had she been planning on going?

“Mhm.” She was trying to hide her smile, but failing.

“What did you do?”

“You’re going to love it, I promise. It almost tops your Risky Business costume. Almost.”

I had a feeling I was going to be half naked in a few minutes.

“Everyone’s dropping the kids off at James and Penny’s again. They’re doing this trick-or-treat thing in their apartment complex. Ellen says she has it covered. And all their security will be there. And Jacob is so excited to see Scarlett. Serve up dinner real quick. I already ate because I need some time to get ready. So eat up. We don’t want to be late.” She hurried upstairs.

I couldn’t stop smiling. “So you already knew about this?” I asked Jacob.

“Yessie. I’m going to be a football player. My abuelo made me an Empire High uniform.”

I’d have to thank Tanner for that. “Good choice, kiddo. Do you know what Scarlett is dressing up as?”

“A princess, I think.”

Yeah, that sounded about right. I served up dinner and the two of us started eating. “Do you know what your mother is dressing up as?”

“No. Do you?”

“Nope.” But I couldn’t wait to see it.

I was just finishing up the dishes when I heard Brooklyn’s feet on the stairs. I turned around to see her walking down the stairs in a silky red dress. She looked amazing. But I had no idea what her costume was. She was balancing a huge gold frame from my painting room in her arms, and a very tiny bag was dangling from her wrist.

“Take a guess,” she said and lifted the frame over my head. She let it fall around my shoulders.

“I have no idea. But you look like Cameron Diaz from The Mask.”

She smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment. But no. That’s not it.” She tapped on the frame.

“I’ve got no clue.”

“This will probably help.” She opened the bag and held it out for me.

I pulled out a pair of my tan boxer briefs. I turned them over and there was a huge fig leaf sewed to the front. “Adam and Eve? I don’t think Eve dressed like that, baby.”

“No. The fig leaf. The frame.”

I just stared at her.

She put her hand on her hip. “I’m a stage five clinger.”

“Oh my God.” I started laughing. “Wedding Crashers?”

“Yes!”

I laughed. I remembered watching that with her and her uncle. “So I’m the painting that the weird brother painted? This is the most ridiculous costume ever.”

“It’s perfect.”

It really was. “I can’t believe you planned all this.”

“Did you really think I was going to make you miss out on the Halloween party? Now go change.” She slapped my butt.

I hurried upstairs and changed. I was correct. This was the most ridiculous costume ever. But so fucking hilarious. I stared at the fig leaf that really didn’t cover anything. It was good she’d sewn it to boxers or you’d be able to see everything it was trying to hide. My friends were going to get a good laugh out of this. Brooklyn had nailed it.

I pulled a pair of jeans over the fig leaf boxers. I didn’t need to give Jacob any ideas about running around naked anymore. He’d been so good the last week thanks to Nigel and Tanner. I pulled on a shirt too. I’d just take everything off when we got to the party.

“Ready!” I called as I grabbed the frame. I hurried down the stairs. I was so excited to go to the party. It actually felt like Halloween as a kid, when I was so pumped to go get candy. And I couldn’t stop smiling. Smiles definitely came easier when my girl was smiling too.

Brooklyn grabbed Jacob’s helmet. She’d put black paint under his eyes and he looked like the cutest little running back. Especially with the regulation sized football tucked under his arm. He was going to have so much fun tonight.

We were just about to head out the front door when the stupid living room door opened.

“Wait for me!” Nigel yelled and ran into the living room through his private door. He was wearing all black except for the stripped scarf around his neck. His hair was askew like he’d just woken up. And he was holding a paint palette in one hand. He smiled at me.

Brooklyn laughed. “Nigel, that’s perfect. I figured you’d be listening. You totally nailed it.” She held up her hand for a high five.

He awkwardly shook her hand instead. “It seemed like an invitation to me. You can’t be Gloria and Jeremy without me.”

“I’m sorry, who are you supposed to be?” I asked.

“Todd Cleary,” Nigel said and adjusted his scarf.

“Who?”

“The brother from the movie. The homo painter.”

I laughed. “Nigel, you can’t say that.” But he’d totally nailed the look.

“Why not? That’s what he was. And you and I?” He stepped closer to me. “We had a moment at the table earlier, didn’t we?”

“When you were watching me eat?”

“No, before. So I painted you. Since you refused to paint me.” He tapped the frame. “I call this painting…Celebration!” He waved his free hand through the air. “But you’re not doing it right. Take off your pants.” He reached for the button on my jeans.

I stepped back from him. I remembered his character from the movie perfectly now. He’d painted the painting I was supposed to be. And tied the character up in the bed and tried to do things to him. Nigel was very much like Todd Cleary. “Cut it out, Nigel. This was supposed to be a couples costume.”

“A throuples costume, yes.”

Brooklyn couldn’t stop laughing.

“Let’s play tummy sticks!” he said.

“Nope. No. Absolutely not. Go change.”

Nigel turned to Brooklyn. “Someone is being a Wizzy.”

Brooklyn laughed. “Such a Wizzy.”

“What does that mean?” I said.

“It’s a savage insult,” Nigel said.

Well, yeah, I got that.

“I bet you’re devasted right now.”

“Go change,” I said more firmly.

“The only other costume I have is Hitch. It’s a nod to Master Tanner’s expert matchmaking skills. But I’m out of shoe polish for my face so I won’t quite fit the part…wait! Can I borrow some of that paint that you put under Mr. Jacob’s eyes?”

“What for?” Jacob asked.

“No,” I said firmly. “You’re not allowed to put shoe polish or paint on your face. Come on, man.”

“Why? It was fine a few years ago I think. Has that changed? I haven’t checked my Halloween costume notes in a decade or two…”

“Just keep being the homo painter. It’s fine.” What the fuck was I even saying?

“Okay.” He smiled. “Let’s do homo things.”

Brooklyn bent over laughing.

I was glad she was finally laughing again. But I did not love anything about this.

“What does homo mean?” Jacob asked. “And what’s tummy sticks? Is that like when we fight with swords?”

“It’s very much like sword fighting…” Nigel started.

“Nope,” Brooklyn said and lifted Jacob into her arms. “Time to go!” She laughed all the way down the front steps.

“Let’s go,” Nigel said and slapped my butt like Brooklyn had earlier.

Yeah, I hated this. But I loved seeing Brooklyn so happy.