CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
After Thad parked on the street near O’Neill’s, he strapped the fake weapons on and strolled into the pub, ignoring the Closed: Private Event sign on the front door.
He grinned the moment he stepped inside.
This was a team-only party tonight and although guys occasionally took pics and posted them on social media, it wasn’t considered an official Harriers event.
Thad had been confused when he’d been told to take some photos of the Halloween party.
Thad’s direct boss, Tyson, had shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought it was weird too, but Connor said he wanted some professional photos of this one, if we’re willing. Decor and guys’ costumes. After those are done, you’re off the clock.”
Thad could see why Connor had suggested it.
The normal warm white lights of the pub had been switched out for eerie green and purple bulbs.
There were fake cobwebs hanging thickly from the ceiling and jack o’ lanterns with faux candles flickering inside lined the bar.
Mixed in with the standard bottles of liquor along the far wall were ones that glowed odd colors—blue, pink, and green.
A skeleton—presumably also not real—was perched on a stool at one end. Every table glowed with more candles, skulls, and pumpkins.
Thad laughed with delight and sidled up to the bar where Catherine O’Shea was talking to the pub’s owner.
They both greeted him, and Thad complimented both of their costumes as he tucked his shield next to one of the stools and pulled out his camera.
Catherine was dressed as Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek but Thad wasn’t entirely sure what Liam was. He was dressed in his usual style of trousers with a button-down shirt or sweater, but tonight he’d added a flat woolen cap.
“What exactly are you supposed to be?” Thad asked.
“A feckin’ Irish bartender, what do you think?” Liam asked with a look that suggested he thought Thad should have figured that one out on his own.
“Right,” Thad said with a laugh. “You wear it well.”
Liam grinned. “So, what can I get you? There are some Halloween specials there, but order whatever you’d like.”
He gestured to the chalkboard menu sign nearby. Thad studied it for a moment, debating between a few options before deciding on the spicy apple cider margarita.
“Sure thing,” Liam said, turning away.
“So, was this all you?” Thad asked Catherine, gesturing to the decorations around them.
She grinned. “Absolutely not. Jesse has thrown himself into event planning with a vengeance. I helped with execution, but he was the genius behind the look.”
Thad laughed as he caught a glimpse of a skeleton arranged on its side in a seductive pose along the far wall. “It is impressive,” he admitted.
“You know,” Catherine said, leaning in and speaking in a conspiratorial tone.
“When Connor married Vivian, I assumed I’d have another daughter-in-law who loved helping with events like this.
She didn’t. I never minded that about her, but I must admit, I am thoroughly enjoying Jesse’s zeal for it.
Though, I think at this rate, he’ll easily outdo me soon. ”
“I would imagine,” Thad said, nodding his thanks at Liam who had returned with a lowball glass filled with an amber-colored drink garnished with ice and a few thin slices of apple.
He took a sip, loving the fresh tartness of the apple cider, the earthy smokiness of the tequila, and the sweet bite of hot honey.
“Well done,” he said to Liam.
He merely shrugged. “It was all that goaltender of yours. He gave me a recipe and told me what to make.” But there was a twinkle in his eye as if to say he didn’t mind it.
“He outdid himself tonight,” Thad said.
Catherine grinned. “Just wait until you see his costume.”
Thad laughed. “I can only imagine what he’s come up with.”
For a little while, Thad talked to Catherine as he sipped his cocktail, just taking in the vibes of the space as Harriers players and staff filtered in.
When he’d drained the last of his cocktail, he excused himself to get the pictures he’d promised his boss. Should he have been drinking while technically on the clock? Probably not, but he didn’t think anyone would begrudge him tonight.
He’d just finished documenting the excellent decor and started capturing costumes when Graham walked into the bar with a couple of other people.
Graham was wearing a toga.
It looked good on him, the white fabric setting off his warm, golden coloring and leaving his muscular calves and one shoulder bare.
Thad glanced down ruefully at his own costume. It was a Roman gladiator costume. He was pretty sure he’d picked it because when he was browsing online for ideas, he’d seen it, and it had made him think of the movie he and Graham had watched a while ago.
Apparently, Graham had gone in that direction too.
Then Thad focused on the people with Graham and laughed even harder.
Connor was a very pissed-off-looking rabbit.
Roger Rabbit, to be precise. And Jesse … he was dressed as a surprisingly convincing Jessica Rabbit.
Obviously, he didn’t have the outrageously curvy build of the busty character, but padding underneath the slinky, sparkly red dress helped with the illusion and his confidence allowed him to pull off the towering heels and auburn wig, despite the width of his shoulders and the squareness of his jaw.
Thad whistled as he approached. “Dammn, that’s a hell of a costume,” he said with a laugh. Catherine hadn’t been exaggerating.
“Thank you, darling,” Jesse said in a sultry voice, fluttering fake lashes.
“How’d you pull this off?” Thad asked, impressed.
“Oh, I had a little help from Charlie Monaghan.” Jesse flicked the wig over his shoulder with a purple satin gloved hand. “He taught me how to do the makeup over video chat and everything.”
“Nice,” Thad said. He’d heard nothing but good things about the husband of Jesse’s former captain in Toronto. “Can I get some photos?”
He held up his camera and Jesse gave him a disbelieving look and said in his normal voice, “You fucking better. This was a lot of work!”
Laughing, Thad got a few shots of Jesse alone, then tugged a reluctant Connor over.
Connor let out a big sigh but arranged himself in front of the camera. He hadn’t worn a full mask, just a pair of ears and a rabbit nose with buck teeth and whiskers, held on with elastic along with the red overalls, white shirt, yellow gloves, and oversized polka-dotted blue bow tie.
Jesse—who was taller than Connor in those heels—draped himself around Connor and struck a vampy pose.
After the pictures were taken and Jesse had wandered off, swaying his hips in a way that even Thad found a little mesmerizing, Connor had a vaguely shell-shocked look on his face as he sat heavily on a barstool nearby.
“You know, I’m not usually into that whole thing,” he said roughly, reaching for the pint of stout Liam had pushed across the bar toward him. “But Jesse …”
“Yeah,” Thad said with a quiet snort, patting his captain’s shoulder. “I get it. Enjoy, man.”
Thad went in search of other people and found Tanner, Rafe, and Mickey all wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costumes. Mickey was Leonardo and Rafe was Raphael, naturally.
“Where’s Donatello?” he asked as he approached.
Tanner, dressed as Michelangelo, scowled. “I couldn’t get anyone else to dress up with us.”
“Bummer, dudes,” Thad said. “Great look though.”
Once their photos were done, he made the rounds, admiring Kady and Mandy’s couple’s costumes of Cruella de Vil and a Dalmatian.
Apparently, Jesse wasn’t the only goalie doing a little gender-bending tonight, because Kady was dressed as the villain and his girlfriend as a very cute little spotted dog.
Thad found Crawford playing pool, dressed in black denim and a black T-shirt with the sleeves cut off to show off his sleeves of ink—essentially his everyday wear—along with cowboy boots and a cowboy hat.
“Are you the man in black?” Thad asked.
Crawford cracked a smile. “I do love some Johnny Cash, but no. Just tried to figure out what the bare minimum effort was that wouldn’t get me shit from Jesse.”
“Yeah, fair,” Thad said. “You couldn’t pull off the Jessica Rabbit look anyway.”
Crawford snorted. “Fuck no. Figured I’d go as a cowboy. Thought about wearing my riding chaps too, but they’re hot as fuck.”
“Yeah, I bet they are.” Thad winked and looked him up and down.
Crawford shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Okay, tell me what to do,” he said, in a resigned tone. “Let’s get this shit over with.”
Luke Crawford wasn’t known for liking to be photographed any more than Connor was, but Thad finally got a good shot of Crawford leaning on his pool cue and scowling.
The facial expression worked for the costume at least. He looked like a cowboy gone rogue.
Thad had better luck with Tom Bass and his wife, Krista, dressed as Smoke and Annie from Sinners.
“You two look amazing!” he said as they posed for him.
They’d clearly had the costumes custom-made because they fit perfectly. After Thad was satisfied with the results, Krista thanked him for the compliment and dragged her husband off to dance.
Grinning, Tom doffed his hat at Thad as he followed her.
Thad soon found Dakota’s sister—who worked for the team’s accounting department—dressed as Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Her husband Jeff wore a Jack Skellington costume.
Thad complimented their costumes too and Violet beamed. “Want to see pics of the kids? We took them out trick-or-treating before the babysitter came to watch them.”
Thad smiled at the sight of the girls, the older one dressed as Zero, the baby as Oogie Boogie.
“Adorable,” he praised.
They made small talk for a few minutes before Jeff laughed. “So, I’m curious. Did you and Graham coordinate your looks?”
“Huh?” Thad said, glancing over his shoulder to see Graham playing pool. “No. Just a weird coincidence.”
Violet smiled. “Well, it’s a good look on you both.”
“Thanks. Hey, do you have any idea where Gavin and Dakota are?”