Page 40 of The Hookup Situation (Billionaire Situation #5)

NICK

I stand outside on the balcony with the doors open while Julie gets ready for our double date.

The cream curtains flap in the breeze as I people-watch.

The closer we get to Halloween, the more bloated the town becomes with tourists.

Downtown has been gridlocked for days, and the sidewalks are packed with festivalgoers dressed in costumes and cozy sweaters.

We’re in the center of it all, the mecca of Cozy Creek.

Julie’s balcony gives a front-row seat to the festivities. Honestly, I could stand here for hours. The weather is brisk, and I can feel the excitement floating through the air.

Most of the paparazzi who were following us left three days ago, but I know it’s short-lived.

Asher explained they’re chasing a scandal involving a senator’s son in Denver.

He’d fabricated a story for them to salivate over, and they took the bait.

I appreciate the reprieve more than he’ll ever know.

This is why my brother is the best in this industry.

He can bury anything, and I believe my sister knew Asher was a powerhouse, an asset.

At first, I didn’t understand why Eden had chosen him to be CEO when I had worked beside her for years. Now, I get it.

A chill rushes over me .

Asher lives for strategy in intense situations and is obsessed with causing or putting out fires. Nothing intimidates him, and he genuinely loves New York. She knew Asher would be a lifer at Banks Advertising and Marketing. I think she knew I wouldn’t.

Eden. My dear, sweet sister. She’d have loved Cozy Creek.

“Are you okay?” Julie asks from her closet door. She’s leaning against it, dressed in her bra and panties, watching me. Red hair is twisted up on her head in small pinwheels.

I glance at her, unable to deny how damn pretty she is.

A smile touches my lips. “Of course. Why?”

“You looked sad,” she says.

I suck in a deep breath, confirming she can see straight through me. It’s a gift she’s had since we met.

“Oh, babe. I’m very happy, I promise,” I say. It’s the truth.

“Just making sure. Want to talk about it?” she asks, returning to her closet.

Hangers slide against metal as I go back to my thoughts.

“I was just thinking about my sister and how much I miss her.” I smile and turn back to the balcony. My mind drifts back to Eden.

A month ago, I could hear her voice scolding me in a way that was perfectly, uniquely her.

But since I’ve been here, my sister’s disappointment no longer haunts me.

I think my happiness has settled her soul, or maybe it’s settled mine.

Regardless, I’m not the same person I was a month ago.

My outlook on life has changed, and a part of me has too. Even I can recognize that.

Julie hasn’t returned to the coffee shop yet, but she’s supposed to soon. Her parents have stated several times that they don’t want her returning until November, but my girl is very stubborn. She decided yesterday that she would continue to do inventory throughout the month. Her dad caved.

“I’m ready!” Julie announces.

I turn and see she’s wearing a black dress with a white collar, and it’s giving off a Wednesday Addams vibe.

My eyes scan down her spiderweb fishnets to her clunky Doc Martens boots that make her look like a vampire hunter.

I believe she could kick ass in them after watching her knock the piss out of that photographer. It’s an energy I can match.

“Are you sure about going out tonight?” I ask, moving into her room.

“Yeah.” She grabs her pumpkin head from the edge of her bed and puts it on. Her voice is muffled inside the pumpkin. “No one will know it’s us. We’ll have anonymity. Your turn.”

Julie hands me my ridiculous pumpkin head.

“You’d better be glad I like you,” I tell her.

“Oh, I’m so damn glad,” she admits. I can imagine her wearing a cute little smirk.

I stand beside her, looking at us in the mirror. “You’re sure we’ll fit right in?”

“Do you trust me?” she asks, moving closer, causing our pumpkin heads to bump together.

“Absolutely.”

“Good. Ready?” She grabs my hand. “Come on. Autumn and Zane are meeting us there.”

“Are they wearing pumpkin heads too?”

“Nope. But Autumn said she was trying to convince Zane to wear a matching cozy sweater.”

I crack up. “Hmm. He’s never been the type.”

She grins. “Yeah, well, he’s a changed man.”

“For the better,” I admit. “I’m happy they found one another.”

“Me too,” she says. “Ready?”

“Yep.”

We make our way downstairs.

“Want to pregame?” she asks, moving toward the kitchen.

“Pregame?” I lift my brows.

“Oh, are you too old to do that?” She places her hands on her hips.

“You’re joking. I’m only a few years older than you.”

“Still older.” She shrugs, antagonizing me .

I slide the pumpkin from my head, and she does the same. Julie opens the cabinet and pulls out a bottle of Fireball.

“Shots for courage,” she says, pouring two generous ones.

“Courage is drinking that.” I nod toward it.

“We’ll need it for what we plan to do in that corn maze.” She winks.

“You’re trouble, Little Red.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

We clink glasses and down the cinnamon whiskey.

“Ew.”

She snickers. “One more for luck?”

Before I can answer, she’s pouring the shot glasses full.

“For luck,” I say before we down them. “That tastes like shit.”

“You get used to it.” She looks up at the clock on the wall. “We should get going.”

Julie grabs my hand and drags me outside. The walk to the carnival grounds is hilarious. Julie keeps trying to take selfies of us, causing us to slam into tourists who have zero self-awareness.

“These pics are terrible.” She laughs, showing me a blurry photo where we look like demented vegetables. There’s another one where our heads aren’t even in the frame.

“We’re pumpkin perfection.” I wrap my arm around her as we laugh down the sidewalk together.

We cross the street and enter the festival grounds. String lights are everywhere, and torches light the paths. Over half the people here are in costume. I’ve counted countless zombies, witches, vampires, and even pumpkin heads.

“We fit right in,” I say.

“See? Told you!” Julie’s voice echoes.

“Nick? Jules?”

I hear Autumn’s voice behind us. The two of us turn as she and Zane approach, both in regular clothes but wearing matching sweaters.

“How did you know it was us?” Julie asks .

“For one, Nick’s wearing a hundred-thousand-dollar watch,” she says.

“Shit,” I mutter, removing it from my wrist and placing it in my pocket.

“And I’d recognize your ass from a mile away,” she says, slapping Julie on her butt.

Zane pulls his phone from his pocket. “Get together. I need to memorialize Nick being a little bitch.”

Laughter falls out of my mouth.

“You’re going to run your mouth, Mr. Matching Sweater?” Julie glares at him.

“Oh, sorry. Don’t want to set off Red Menace.” He chuckles. “Come on. Be good little pumpkins.”

We pose for him, and then the four of us take a photo together.

“Apple cider time!” Autumn announces, pulling Zane with her.

We wait in a line that’s twenty people deep. Our conversation floats from topic to topic. It’s easygoing.

“Are you still leaving in November?” Zane asks.

“Yes,” I admit. “I have a meeting on the second that I can’t miss.”

“Oh.” Autumn glances between us. “But you’re coming back afterward?”

“I don’t know yet,” I say. “Ask me at midnight on November first.”

“Is that when you turn into a pumpkin?” Autumn asks.

“Possibly.”

We each order large apple ciders that are steaming with cinnamon sticks slid inside.

“How do we drink this?” I ask, removing my pumpkin head.

“Cheater,” she accuses.

“It’s called being adaptable, babe,” I say.

She removes hers as well. As we drink our ciders, we stroll through the patch with Autumn and Zane. Many of the pumpkins are carved into extravagant designs and are lit, glowing in the night .

“Look at this one!” Julie points to a pumpkin in the shape of a haunted house, complete with tiny windows. It’s Hollow Manor.

“Isn’t that incredible? You both have to see this one,” Zane says, leading us to a massive pumpkin carved into a dragon, scales and all.

“I can’t imagine how much work this took,” Julie says, smiling as she takes photos of it.

Autumn clears her throat. “I think this is the perfect time to announce the news.”

She’s giddy.

I glance between Zane and Autumn, wondering what it could be.

Julie grows impatient. “Hurry and tell us!”

“My book is going to auction! The one I wrote last year.” She’s ecstatic.

“Autie!” Julie squeals, hugging Autumn as tightly as she can. They’re both giggling and laughing. “ All I Want will be published?”

“ Yes ! Can you believe this?” Autumn laughs. “I got a call from my agent today. Publishers are fighting for it!”

“Oh my goodness! My bestie is going to be a big deal . Finally, the world is going to meet Mr. Dreamy.” She waggles her brows.

Zane chuckles. “It will be a hit. I mean, considering who the hero is based on, of course it will be.”

I laugh. “Who’s Mr. Dreamy?”

“A fictional character,” Autumn hurries and says.

“The man Autumn dreamed about for thirteen years, who happened to weirdly be Zane,” Julie explains.

My brows lift. “Wait, is that true?”

Autumn nods. “It’s true. I still remember the first time we met.”

“Me too,” Julie says, reminiscing. “It kinda feels like yesterday.”

Autumn’s expression softens. “Zane ordered an asshole Ristretto.”

“Not a Ristretto,” I mutter. “Seriously, all the finance assholes in New York drink that. It’s a red flag. ”

“Exactly,” Autumn agrees. “Anyway, he told me my coffee tasted like shit and stormed out when it was perfect. Pissed me off.”

Julie snickers. “She was convinced he had a shitty palate.”

“My palate is refined,” Zane offers.

I glance between them. “So, that’s how you met? At Cozy Coffee?”

“Yep,” Zane says. “The moment our eyes locked, I knew she was the one. I wasn’t ready. I had come here to escape, to heal. Falling in love wasn’t on my agenda.”