Anonymous(9)

At least, I don’t think there is.

Either way, tonight, I decide I’m not going to let it get me down. I’m going to go to a Halloween party and have fun without alcohol, which has never been a problem for me in the past. I can have fun without it. Jake and Owen’s friends, however, aren’t like that.

“Ellie, you about ready?” Jake hollers from downstairs.

I look at myself in the mirror and sigh. The black velvety dress hits at mid-thigh and shows off a little cleavage, but not too much. It’s sexy, but not on the slutty side. However, I did opt for the fishnet stockings and black high heels. This is probably the last Halloween I’ll have with a pre-baby body. I slip on my bunny ears and walk down the stairs. Jake is by the front door, dressed like a Spartan warrior with only a red cape, lace-up sandals, and a brown kilt.

When he sees me, his smile broadens. “Damn, cupcake. You look so hot.”

Slowly, I saunter down the rest of the stairs, loving the way he’s looking at me. “I could say the same for you.”

As soon as I’m within reach, he pulls me to him and kisses me hard. “You up for another round tonight?”

I wink. “I’m always ready.”

I can feel his cock pressing against my side. “Good. We’ll make an appearance, say our hellos, and then we can come home. How does that sound?”

“Sounds perfect. Let’s go.” He hands me my small, black purse so I can use it to hold my phone at the party, and then follows me out the door.

“Who’s all going to be at Owen’s?” I ask.

Jake shrugs. “Probably the usual. Except this year, it’s going to be outside since the weather’s nice.”

Every year, Owen has a kickass Halloween party. He invites all his friends from the police department, along with some of our old college friends. Owen and I had met at the local community college and became quick friends, before I transferred to a culinary school and he went to UNC Charlotte to get his bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. It just so happens that’s where he met Jake. They’d become sparring buddies while Jake was still MMA fighting. Then one weekend, Owen took me to one of Jake’s fights and introduced us. Jake and I clicked instantly, and everything after that is history.

Owen only lives a couple of miles away, and when we pull down his street, I can already see tons of people in his front yard. With everyone dressed up, it looks like a haunted house. We park down the road, and once Jake’s friends see him, the spotlight goes directly to him. There’s something about Jake that draws people in. He has a presence that people love to be around. I admire and adore how friendly he is, but it also draws the attention of other women, which is something I hate. But I know Jake would never do anything to hurt me, so I usually try to go with the flow.

Jake puts his arm around me and we walk inside Owen’s house. Music blares from the speakers in the living room, but only a couple of people are sitting here and there. I guess everyone else is outside. Owen is in the kitchen taking shots with a couple of his police buddies. He’s dressed like a Greek god with his toga, dark blonde hair, tanned skin, and gray eyes. His girlfriend, Kimberly, is beside him, dressed like Athena, the goddess of love.

“Hey, you two,” Owen says, bypassing Jake with a playful nudge so he can hug me. He steps back and looks down at my costume. “Looking hot, playboy bunny. Your hubby needs to keep an eye on you tonight.”

I roll my eyes and laugh. Kimberly rushes over and hugs me hard. “You look gorgeous.”

“So do you. Your hair is so beautiful.” It’s blonde and pulled up high in a ball of curls with wisps hanging down around her face. Out of all of Owen’s girlfriends, Kimberly is my favorite, even though she is a little self-absorbed.

Owen sneaks off and brings us both a shot of whiskey. “Bottoms up, you two.” Jake takes both and downs them quickly, earning a curious stare from Owen. “You okay?” he asks.

Brows furrowed, I look up at Jake. “You haven’t told him yet?”

He shakes his head. “I was waiting for you to be with me. I thought we could tell him together.”

Owen’s gaze flicks back and forth between us. “What am I missing?” His gray eyes lock on mine and widen. “Are you pregnant?”

My hand instinctively goes to my stomach. “Not yet, but I hope to be soon.”

Jake pats his shoulder. “We’re working on it, man. I think it’s time Ellie and I start a family.”

Kimberly squeals and flings her arms around my shoulder. “Oh my goodness, that’s so exciting. Congratulations, you two.”

“I have to get pregnant first,” I say, laughing.

She waves me off. “It’ll happen. Have you seen your husband? There’s no way he won’t be able to produce a baby.”

Jake winks at me. “Exactly what she said.”

Owen claps Jake on the shoulder and pushes him over toward the kitchen table. “Go down some more shots, man. We’re about three ahead of you.”

Jake smiles at me and I nod for him to go. I don’t mind if he drinks and has a good time with his friends. The last time he got sloppy drunk was when we were dating. Now that we’re married and older, he’s calmed down a lot.

Two of Kimberly’s friends walk in to steal her away, leaving me with Owen. He leans against the wall.