really been into superhero stuff.
Zack and Zayd take the orange McLaren, and we make a little caravan as our headlights sweep the darkness, heading for one of Windsor's family homes in the mountains. Most everyone at Burberry Prep who's rich enough has a home within a few hours of this area. It's considered one of the most beautiful and exclusive parts of the country, a new Californian haven that's trendier with the super-rich than L.A. ever was.
Fortunately, the zoning laws out here prevent too many new houses from being built, so I hope it stays pristine for a long time coming.
About an hour and fifteen minutes later, we head up a long, long drive to a massive gate, and then wait as Windsor gets out to put in the code. There are people here already, caterers, and party planners that the prince hired with his own money. Since they're not part of the usual staff who tend the property, he swears nobody will know we partied here until it's too late.
When we get inside, the house is decorated like a Halloween store, props everywhere, chandeliers with skulls, candelabras burning bright. I scream as I accidentally step on a trigger spot and a giant zombie lunges out at me.
"Oh, Charity," Zayd says, sweeping me up in his arms as we both start to laugh. He carries me into the kitchen—and holy shit, what a kitchen—and sets me on the center island. This island is bigger than the kitchen at my dad's new rental place which, actually, is about twice as large as the kitchen we had in the Train Car.
"I don't scare easily, I promise," I say, and then a giant spider drops from the ceiling, and I scream again, dissolving into laughter. Windsor grins at me and holds his arms out, shedding a few dry 'tea' leaves from his costume.
"What do you think, milady? Didn't I tell you I'd treat like you a princess? This whole place, this whole party, it's for your pleasure." He takes a sweeping bow, and then stands back up. I'm grinning like crazy, but even as I'm writing his words off as being silly, I'm loving them, too.
"Did you get the pumpkins?" I ask, and he gives me this saucy look, like what do you think, your majesty? We head into the backyard to find more decorations hanging from the trees, giant spiderwebs stretching across the roof, and a series of tables with orange and black tablecloths. They're covered in pumpkins, paint, carving tools, and all sorts of pattern books.
Since we skipped out on the school party this year (we're third years, so like, way too cool for a party in the gym), we have time to hang out and carve jack-o-lanterns together before the other students show up.
Windsor sits beside me, turns his pumpkin around in a circle, sighs, and then glances my way.
"Love, I haven't the faintest clue what you want me to do with this thing." I grin, and reach over his lap to grab the pattern book lying next to him. Instead of simply letting me grab it, he pulls me into his lap, and we both just sit there for a minute. His mouth's near my ear, and I shiver when he whispers against it. "I hope you enjoy your Halloween party."
"I'm already enjoying it," I whisper back, and then I help him pick a pattern from the book, pin it to the side of the pumpkin, and trace the lines with the little pinwheel. When it comes time to start cutting the top off and cleaning out the pumpkin's guts, he ends up just wrapping his arms around my waist and letting me do the work.
I don't even care.
I love it.
I think the other boys are jealous. At least, I know Zayd is for sure. He brings me cider, and then cookies, and then sits super close to us on the left side. I don't mind though. What I do mind, even though I try not to, is watching Lizzie and Tristan carve pumpkins side by side.
It scares me.
Even though it shouldn't.
I focus instead on Windsor, and what's turning out to be a spectacularly crappy jack-o-lantern. Doesn't matter. Once it has the candle inside of it, and it's all lit up, it'll look great … from a distance.
We line the drive with our creations, and then open the gates for the crowd.
Everything is just fine until the ex-Bluebloods show up.
I exhale as I watch Harper, Becky, and Ileana step