Page 45 of Catch
I had the costume around my thighs when my phone chirped that I had a text. I overestimated how far I could step and fell, banging my thigh on the edge of my desk in the process. “Ow!” I turned over and rubbed my leg. My mood was instantly fouled by the impending bruise on my thigh. A rapid knock on my door startled me. “What?”
“Are you okay?”
I looked up to find Parker standing in my doorway. “I’m on the floor of my office tangled in this costume. I don’t think I’m okay.” I took a deep breath. It wasn’t Parker’s fault that I fell.
She came all the way into my office and let the door close behind her. Her body was covered in pale purple and bright pink body paint and silver glitter. Her costume left little to the imagination. It wasn’t supposed to be sexy, but my mind and my body reacted as though she was wearing lingerie. The shimmering pearl-colored taffeta dress molded against her curves nicely. I couldn’t stop staring at her.
“Here, let me help you up.” She pushed back her wings and offered me both hands.
“Can I just stay here and die of embarrassment?” I asked. She looked amazing and I was on the floor with my black-and-brown fluffy costume twisted around my legs.
She knelt and looked over my body. “Where does it hurt?”
I pulled my hand back and showed her the red welt on the side of my thigh. “I hit the desk on my way down.”
She hissed in a breath. “I’m starting to think that your bruises from high school were because you were klutzy, not because you played football.”
I gasped at her teasing, then shrugged. “There might be some truth to that.” I struggled into a sitting position. “Why am I wearing a full body dog costume? I’m going to die of heat exhaustion.”
“Things could be worse.” Parker stood and helped me off the floor. She was stronger than she looked.
“Worse? How?” I couldn’t imagine anything worse. I put my arms in the sleeves and pulled the front up.
“You could smell like Brad.”
“Oh. Good point.” We both crinkled our noses recalling how bad Champ’s costume smelled after Brad changed.
She smiled. “Do you need help?”
“Yes, please.” I turned so she could zip me up. Her fingers on my back made me shiver. “How are you not cold? You’re barely dressed.”
“These boots are warm and a lot of people will be upstairs so I’m banking on body heat,” she said.
“You always ran warmer than everyone else.” That was a dumb thing to say.
She turned and found Crowbar stretched on the couch. “Hello, big boy.” His long tail thumped against the couch cushion as Parker petted him. He rolled over and gave her his belly.
“Crowbar gets all the girls,” I said. I pulled out the costume makeup Hayley packed for me. I prayed it washed off as easily as she promised it would. I started drawing lines to mimic Crowbar’s spots.
“Do you need help with that, too?” Parker asked.
“Why? Am I doing a bad job?” I moved closer to the full-length mirror that hung on the back of the door. My lines looked like his brindle fur. She slipped into the small space between me and the mirror. She was too close, but I didn’t move.
“No. I just figured it might be easier and faster if somebody does it for you.” She took the makeup pencil from me. “Your face like his?”
I nodded, choosing not to speak while we were this close. Her blue eyes were still piercing and her lips full. Her face had slimmed down over the years but had gained a few laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. Her makeup was perfect. I should’ve insisted on doing it myself but I selfishly wanted to be near her.
“Black nose?”
I rolled my eyes and nodded. “The works. Make me look like him.”
She laughed. “By the time I get done with you, nobody’s going to recognize you.”
“Most of the people here know Crowbar. I won’t get away with much,” I said. It dawned on me that her daughters weren’t with her. “Where are Vee and Rose?”
“Grayson has them for a minute. Look up,” she said.
I looked up so she could add eyeliner. I was only going to put face paint on, camouflage style like I was out hunting, but Parker was artistically painting my face. Having her this close to me was unnerving. I was already hot wearing the costume, but the nearness of her ignited my blood. “This fake fur prison is going to make the paint run.”
