UNEDITED
Between his semi-committed addiction to smoking and his role as CEO of Elemental Coffee, Cassian Russell has spent the majority of his life running one of the most popular coffee shops on the Island with his best friend, Jake Swift. After a...
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Cassian
I hate everything about Halloween.
But the thing I hate most is the mini chocolate bars. I think I've eaten fifteen of them already. Kit-Kat bars are my biggest weakness. Chocolate is my biggest weakness.
"Hey!" Pen scolds, swatting my hand away. "Those are for the trick or treaters. The least you could do is control your sweet tooth. It's how you can repay my subliminal costume efforts."
I cock a brow, taking in her white wig, knotted blue skirt, and the matching bandeau. I also dip my eyes down to her bare midriff and long legs. She's dressed up as Kida from Atlantis. Her costume is stellar, complete with the crystal around her neck and gold bracelets around her wrist and ankle. Blue markings cover part of her face. "Your costume doesn't seem subliminal," I snort.
Nah, Pen went all out—and she looks hot in that costume.
She gives me a deadpan look and tosses a box of Smarties at my head. "I was referring to yours."
Mine is pretty pathetic, which I suppose is a good thing. She's dressed me as Milo. I'm wearing green cargo pants, a muscle shirt, and dorky glasses. There was a gross mustard-coloured sweater, but I took that off a while ago. It was itchy and hot. The boots I'm wearing are leather and dark brown. I even have a leather satchel—AKA one of Pen's purses—slung across my body. The book I'm supposed to carry sits on the edge of the counter.
Long story short, I'm a fucking nerd.
"Stop that," Pen frowns.
"Stop what?" I ask, opening the mini box of Smarties. I pour the contents into my hand and pick out any colour but red. After all those commercials I saw when I was a kid, I always eat the red ones last. To be honest, I never understood the context of those commercials. Why are we supposed to eat the red ones last?
"Giving your costume that look," she replies. "Milo is one of the most underrated characters in the Disney world. Be proud of your linguistic cartographer costume."
I lean forward, resting my chin on my fists. "Sounds like someone had a childhood crush."
Pen shrugs. "I'm not going to deny it."
Huh. So Pen has a thing for nerdy men. Secretly, I hope horticulture counts as nerdy. If Pen wants a spiel on plants and soil and managing cultivation, then I'm her man.
"I bet you were one of those little girls who wanted Belle's library, too," I tease.
Pen shakes her head. "I didn't pick up reading until I was much older." She pauses, her lips twisting to the side. "Truthfully, I wanted to be Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty."
My eyebrows raise in surprise. I was not expecting that. Penelope doesn't have a bad bone in her body. I couldn't see her cursing people or morphing into a dragon. "Why?"
