The day of the party finally arrived. It was unseasonably hot and dry to be Halloween, but a storm was in the forecast. I had worried about the weather for days, to Nathan's endless amusement.

He put his coffee mug down, and frowned at me across the small breakfast table in our bedroom. "You can't control the weather, Darby. Looking at your weather app every hour isn't helping a thing. And I told you, the party will be fabulous rain or shine. The guests will stay in the ballroom, dancing the night away, if it rains. That will at least make clean up easier the next day."

Nathan was getting impatient about the impending party. I had realized long ago that he didn’t enjoy these gatherings as much as Mother.

"I know, grumpy man. But I want all the details to be perfect. Mother, Tanner, and I have worked incredibly hard to get everything just right. If it rains, no one will notice what we did outside of the house."

We had worked hard. I had personally supervised each skeleton vignette along the drive. Tanner and I had spent three nights checking the placement of all the outside lights, both candles and artificial lighting. We wanted to make sure the outdoor areas were well lit and ready for guests. Mother had overseen the decorating and illumination of the maze, and I know she was worried about the weather, too.

Now it was finally Halloween, and my weather app said the rain would probably hold off until after midnight. That worked perfectly in my opinion. Let the guests arrive, and see the spectacle that had been created for their entertainment, and then it could rain as hard as it wanted and give us all a little relief from the endless drought.

I busied myself for hours the day of the party, checking on final details, and working side by side with Mother. I continued to be surprised that we were getting along so well. We actually did have similar tastes, and we both cared about making this party a smashing success. We didn't fight over one single thing. We both shared the responsibilities, and there was plenty of room for both of us to shine. I was enjoying the thaw in our relationship.

Nathan caught me early in the afternoon in the big kitchen as I carefully checked on the preparation of the party food.

“You’ve got to give this party set up a break.” He looked a little amused as he took in my harried appearance.

My hair was wild because I kept running my fingers through it, and he wiped a smudge of dirt off my chin.

I was reluctant to leave my post. I had just taste tested the sangria, and I still wanted to double-check all the place settings and the seating chart.

“There’s still a lot to do. I know Tanner has it all under control, but I just want to make sure everything is up to Mother’s standards.”

"You need a nap because we will be up all night. You can't keep going at this pace. Come on, let's go lie down for a while. I don’t want you so exhausted you don’t get to enjoy the party yourself." He stroked my cheek, his earlier irritation about the party forgotten.

I let him lead me upstairs to the bedroom. We tried to sleep, but lying close to each other under the covers was distracting. At first, Nathan rubbed my back, encouraging me to relax and fall asleep. Soon his touches were exploring more and more of my body, and I lifted my face for a kiss. We made love for a couple of hours, slowly, taking our time exploring each other's bodies. Our touches felt luxurious and decadent. Finally, we snuggled under the covers together, spooning comfortably, and dozed.

I woke with a start, unsure what had disturbed me. I stretched in the bed, and Nathan woke up, too.

I glanced at the clock. Finally, it was time to get ready for the party.

“Get out, my dear, sweet husband.” I laughed and jumped out of bed, grabbing my costume box.

Nathan grumbled, but I could see he really didn’t care.

I crossed the room and held the bedroom door open, indicating to Nathan that he had to leave. I held up his suit for him to grab on his way out. “You can go use one of guest rooms to get ready. I’m determined that you won’t see me before the big reveal at the staircase.”

"I don't know what the big deal is, Darby. I saw you in your wedding dress before we got married. Surely that was more significant than a Halloween costume?"

“Stop trying to distract me with happy memories. When you wife tells you to get out, you need to just go.”

I squealed and jumped back when he made a playful grab for me. I smacked his ass with one hand, and pointed to the open doorway again.

Nathan gathered his things and left the room. He dropped a kiss on my cheek on his way out. I loved him even more for humoring me and letting me have my fun with my costume reveal. I think he enjoyed watching me fuss over this party because it was bringing me out of my shell. I finally felt a sense of purpose at Peacock Alley, and I could see myself contributing to the history of the place.

I took a long, hot bath, and paid extra attention to my hair, slathering on conditioner, and then letting it air dry so my curls would be at their best. I rubbed lightly perfumed lotion on all my skin, daydreaming of Nathan's reaction when he saw my costume for the first time. That led to a fantasy of us sneaking away during the party so that he could discover my garters and my sexy underwear for himself.

Yes, I would definitely have to make that happen at some point during the festivities. I shivered in anticipation.

I took my time getting dressed. Finally, I had the full costume on, including the knotted pearls. I sat down at my vanity and carefully applied my makeup. I kept a light hand, but played up a dark red lipstick, and made sure my eyelashes were full and dark. I styled my hair and pulled the curls forward over my shoulders. I decided to forego the mask entirely; I loved my costume too much to mar the effect with a silly mask.

I took one last long look in the full-length mirror. I was right about my legs looking good in the skirt of my costume, but it wasn't so short as to be slutty. Mother would approve, I think. My shoes were comfortable and easy to walk in down the stairs. I would also be able to dance for hours without them bothering me. I couldn't wait!

I checked the time. It was two minutes to eight. Mother and I had agreed that I would descend the grand staircase at eight sharp. My heart skipped a beat. Time to go! I quickly put on my shoes and headed to the door.

I was so excited for everyone to see me. I felt confident, sexy, and in control. I was a shimmering goddess in my flapper outfit, and I was glowing with happiness.

Finally, I looked the part of Mrs. Randolph of Peacock Alley.