Elude [H.S.]

ELEVEN

(Start playing the song above when you see the '*')

I was so fucking nervous about tonight.

It's been a long time since I'd gone out to a party at someone's home like this - let alone a Halloween party. My ex and I used to frequent house parties quite often but when we broke up I didn't really have the friends who threw those anymore. I also couldn't remember the last time I had dressed up for Halloween. Had to have been when my ex and I were Prince Eric and Ariel from The Little Mermaid. She was a red head so it was perfect and all I had to do was throw on a pair of trousers and a white long sleeve and I was set. That costume in no way made me as nervous as my costume tonight.

I went back and forth the past couple of weeks on what I wanted to be. My ideas bounced from a Storm Trooper, Wesley from The Princess Bride or Danny Zuko from Grease. Ultimately, I decided on Elton John. But not just any Elton John - specifically Elton John at Dodger's Stadium in 1975.

The costume was flashy and I hadn't really let anyone know the side of me that really enjoys this kind of thing. Sure Greyson, Lynette and Maeve had seen me outside of work plenty of times and had seen my rings and my colorful clothes but that's nothing along the lines of this.

Maeve.

She was another reason that I was so nervous tonight. Even though we had already spent that weekend together in the Hamptons, I still got knots in my stomach whenever I thought about seeing her outside of work events. I wondered if she was actually going to be there or if Conrad's travel plans changed.

I suck in a deep breath as I exit my Uber and head up the driveway to the door of the Hart household.

I could already hear music on the other side of the door but it didn't sound too loud to where it would be hard to hold a conversation. Lifting my hand, I press the pad of my index finger against the doorbell before readjusting the sunglasses on my face.