Not Important?

Tuli

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^Halloween Night^

^^

I’d just finished putting on my makeup when a knock echoed through the house. It was Jayce. My nerves were buzzing like a live wire.

I was holed up in my bathroom, door locked, seriously considering the idea of hiding out until Halloween was over. I was dressed as Sailor Moon, and I’d never worn a skirt this short in my life.

Armand and I had stumbled upon a Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask costume. I’d called Jayce and asked if he’d be up for a couples’ costume. He was game.

I was too, until I realized my skirt barely covered my thighs. My self-consciousness was in overdrive.

But Megan wouldn’t let me hide away. I knew that when she started pounding on my bedroom door.

“Your boyfriend’s here,” she yelled, “and I’m pretty good at picking locks, so you might want to come out before I break yours.”

I sighed and headed for the door. “If you break my lock, it’s coming out of your deposit,” I warned her.

She just laughed. “Totally worth it. You look adorable! I could never pull off Sailor Moon.”

She’d tried, but her boobs were too small. She was braver than me, though, rocking Harley Quinn’s skimpy outfit from ~Suicide Squad~.

“Have fun, okay? Daniel and I are going to a party. I might not be able to answer my phone, but I’ll call you when I can.”

“Okay,” I said, opening the front door.

Jayce was standing there, grinning down at me. He looked incredibly handsome in his costume. Instead of a wig, it looked like he’d sprayed his hair black.

“You look cute,” he said.

“Thanks,” I replied, taking the arm he offered.

We walked down the steps to his car. “I can’t believe we’re all dressed up just to hang out at home,” I said, laughing.

“Actually, I lied about that,” he confessed, giving me a sheepish grin as he opened the passenger door for me.

“What?” I asked, but he’d already closed the door.

He got in on his side and started the car. I smacked his arm. “Jerk!”

He laughed. “I’m sorry! But my friend Seth, remember him? He invited me to a party. It’s not a wild one like you and Megan go to. Just a casual get-together.”

I grumbled. “Fine.”

He smiled. “I got your candy, you know?”

“Thanks.”

We arrived about thirty minutes later. Jayce parked across the street and took my hand as we walked up to a house I didn’t recognize.

Jayce rang the doorbell, and a stunning woman with black hair and voluptuous curves opened the door.

“Oh my gosh, you’re here!” she squealed, throwing her arms around him and planting a big kiss on his cheek.

I stepped aside. Jayce laughed and patted the woman on the shoulder. “Lacy, you always act like you haven’t seen me in years.”

“Hey, it’s been four whole months since I last saw you.”

Jayce paused. “Okay, I’ll give you that.”

He took her hand and turned her towards me.

“Lacy, this is my girlfriend Tuli. Tuli, meet my cousin Lacy. She’s dating Seth.”

“And he’s almost as good as the women I’ve dated,” she said, smirking. Jayce elbowed her.

She extended her hand to me. “What is it with you redheads being so cute?”

I blushed, and her eyes sparkled. “You see? Oh, honey, no. Come here.”

She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tight.

“That’s more like it!” Lacy exclaimed as a familiar redhead stepped onto the porch.

Seth laughed. “I see you’ve met Lacy. The sassiest sweetheart Jayce will ever be related to.”

We all laughed.

“It’s nice to meet you, Lacy,” I said.

“Great to meet you too, sweetie. It’s about time Jayce brought a girl around. He’s been quite the player.”

Jayce blushed behind her.

“Lacy!”

“Well, it’s true!”

Seth rolled his eyes. “Okay, let’s drop it and go inside. Anyone want a beer?”

I raised my hand. “Me, please.”

“Make that three,” Lacy said.

They led us inside.

Even the simplest social gatherings took me a while to get used to. I wasn’t even comfortable at family gatherings with extended family.

Jayce squeezed my hand reassuringly as we followed Seth and Lacy to the kitchen.

“There’s food, too, if you want,” Lacy said as Seth went to the fridge. “Chips and salsa, deviled eggs, jalapeño poppers. And look at these cute little Halloween trays!”

My stomach growled. I’d barely eaten today, too busy getting ready in my Halloween costume.

“I’m gonna get some food,” I told Jayce.

At the snack table, I grabbed a plate and started piling on food.

“Are you Jayce’s new girlfriend?” A voice asked.

I looked up to see a blonde girl with piercing gray eyes.

“Uh, yeah,” I said, smiling, “that’s me.”

She snorted. “Now I get it. You’re his type. You look a lot like me. Just...bigger.”

Her words stung. “What did you say?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She smirked, a mean glint in her eyes. “Just pointing out, darling, he’s a bit desperate at the moment.”

“Back off, Brooklyn, or I’ll spill your dirty secret to your husband,” Jayce’s voice came from behind me, sharp as a knife.

I could almost feel the intensity of his glare.

I wish I could say that my anxiety eased when she shot him a nasty look and walked away, but it didn’t. A sense of unease settled in my stomach.

I turned to find Jayce, his gaze still fixed on her retreating figure.

“You okay?” he asked.

I hesitated. “Who was that? An old flame?”

Jayce made a face. “She’s a girl who doesn’t matter to me. Don’t let her words get to you.”

I frowned, not entirely convinced. “But how do you know her secret?”

“Talking about Brooklyn?” Lacy chimed in. “We just ~love~ your ex-wife, don’t we?”

My anxiety spiked into anger. ~Ex-WIFE?~

“I wasn’t aware,” I said, crossing my arms defensively.

Lacy’s eyes went wide. “Oh. Shit. I’m so sorry. I thought you—”

Jayce winced and reached for my hand. I pulled it away quickly. “Don’t touch me.”

“Tuli, let’s find a quieter place and talk about this.”

“Okay. But you’re not allowed to touch me.”