Holy shit. What the hell is going on?

What was supposed to be a fun Halloween has turned into a true nightmare.

I'm glad that I have Riley's spare key and that I've made it safely inside. But I have no idea what's up with Larson.

I rush into the house, to find Whitney watching reruns of The Real Housewives on Riley's Hulu account, calm as can be.

"Whitney!" I exclaim.

"What?"

She looks up at me as if I'm interrupting her viewing.

"Oh, Brynn. Hi. How was the party? Why are you back already?"

"Whitney. There were some clowns out there trying to steal your car."

"What? Really?"

She looks out the front window and down the street, to where some clowns are lying unconscious on the ground, courtesy of Larson before he took off. I catch Whitney up on what has happened, as I call the police.

"Well, I doubt any of them will be coming back trying to start trouble now," Whitney says, and I agree with her. "It's a good thing that Larson was with you, and that you guys came back here to check on us. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"But I can handle talking to the police. You should go with Larson before his motorcycle carriage turns back into a pumpkin."

I laugh.

"I see what you did there, Whitney. Very nice. Very seasonal."

"But seriously. This is your one kid- free night and I want you to take full advantage of it. Go see him."

"But, Whitney, why couldn't he stay here until the cops came? He just took off, like some outlaw…"

Whitney sighs, as if debating whether or not to tell me something.

"Look, Brynn, I've heard some stuff through Riley. But it sounds like you and Larson hit it off really well. It's probably best if you just ask him straight up. I don't want to give you third hand information that I don't even know the whole story about, and which could be wrong."

"You mean I should ask the guy I was about to go have a one night stand with, 'Why did you run away from the law?'"

"Sure." Whitney shrugs. "If you want to know, of course."

"Why wouldn't I want to know?"

"Well, you know. Maybe you just want a wham bam thank you ma'am? You're only in town for one night…"

"So maybe I don't want to know. Maybe I just want to enjoy it. You're right."

Whitney is so goddamn smart. I don’t know why I always have to overthink everything.

"If for some reason you like him or see a future with him, then go ahead and ask him about his past," Whitney says. "But if not, then just live in the present and continue the fun night you were having with him."

"You're so wise," I tell her. "I think I'll take your advice."

"Which part?" she asks.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm going to go give Caleb a goodnight kiss while I think about it."

"Don’t wake him up!" Whitney groans. "He made me read all four of his Thomas the Tank Engine books before he went to sleep."

"Yeah, he can be demanding like that," I laugh.

I tiptoe into the spare bedroom and find Caleb asleep in his monkey costume. I know without Whitney having to tell me that he refused to take it off to change into pajamas. He loves that damn outfit so much.

I kiss him on the forehead and look down on him, instinctively knowing which part of Whitney's advice I’m going to take.

I may have just met Larson, but it felt like we had a real connection. The sexual tension is through the roof, but I thought there was something more serious lurking underneath.

But I know I need to delete that thought from my mind. As Whitney said, there's no use in prying into Larson's past if I don't want a future with him. So I will keep it as just one night of fun and remind myself not to get too nosy and ask a bunch of questions.

I can't risk involving Caleb in a relationship right now. He's still getting over the turbulence of his dad leaving. If I ever get into a serious relationship, it needs to be with someone steady and responsible. Not a bad boy biker who runs from the law.

I walk downstairs to give Whitney a hug goodbye.

I think about how nice it is for Riley to have such steady connections and how things might have been different if I had stayed here in Albuquerque after law school like she did. I even think about what life would be like if Caleb and I were to move back here now that there's no father figure in the picture, anchoring me to our life in New York City.

I shake my head and tell myself to snap out of it. My job is in New York. There's no job here that could provide the kind of life that Caleb deserves.

I don't know why I even thought of it. I was obviously just a little homesick, and probably burnt out from working so hard at my firm.

"Thanks again," I tell Whitney. "Text me if you need anything or if the police want to talk to me."

"Sure," she says.

She pauses— obviously debating whether or not to pry and then deciding to— and asks, "So, what are you going to do?"

"About Larson?" I ask.

She looks at me funny and nods, as if to say, What else could there possibly be to decide?

"I'm going to let him wham bam me," I tell her. "And then I'll be on my way back to New York, where I belong."

"I thought you'd say that," she says, with a grin. "Have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do… with my husband who is out of town, and so I can't, of course."

"Oh, I think I probably will," I tell her, as I think about Larson's hands all over me on the dance floor. How he tried to finger me right then and there. And how I should have let him.

I have a feeling I'm in for a night of pleasure beyond anything I've ever experienced, now that those crazy clowns are out of the picture and now that I'm not worrying myself about my one night stand's past.

What a crazy, scary, fun night it's been. I just have to hurry up and get to Larson so we have enough time to continue the fun part.