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Wild how she could look the same and so different. She still dressed in her clean, sensible style, not really showing off her tattoos but not hiding them either, but there was just that… weight that was gone now. The distant expression in her eyes, the heavy shadow she always had around her, just gone. And the cute little almost-dimples she got when she smiled at me.

Couldn’t believe I ever bullshitted myself hard enough to think I wasn’t in love with this girl.

“Congratulations, big star author,” I said, and she sighed, raking her fingers back through her hair.

“For Christ’s sake, it’s a first draft. Of a book that isn’t even very good. And that’s not even getting into publishing—”

I put a finger to her lips. “Shush,” I said. “You’re a star author. Paisley’s decided it.”

She looked away. “So I guess the party means you told everyone.”

Emberlynn cleared her throat from behind me. “She told me, and I asked her if she was supposed to tell me, and she changed the subject and left the room…”

Lindsay pinched the bridge of her nose. “Any chance we can dedicate this party to something else before I die of embarrassment?”

Priscilla walked past me, pressing a can of Lindsay’s favorite strawberry shandy into her hand and taking the bag. “Your girlfriend’s just excited for you,” she said. “Don’t worry. Parties in Bayview forget what they were supposed to be about in ten minutes anyway and just turn into parties. But for the record… finishing the draft of your first book is also exciting. And as your friends, we’re excited for you.”

Lindsay gave her a soft, grateful smile. I put my hand on Priscilla’s shoulder, leaning in to face her. “That’s sweet and all, but no more hitting on my girlfriend,” I said. “In case you haven’t noticed, she’s mine and I don’t share.”

Lindsay looked away sharply, a blush creeping over her cheeks. “Paisley.”

Priscilla smiled sweetly at me. “You sure? Sharing’s fun.”

I didn’t give her the dignity of a response.

Lindsay sighed, settling into a soft smile. “Thanks, Priscilla. I, er… I mean, you’ve been there a lot for me.”

“Likewise.” She tucked her hair back with a soft smile. “You’ve grown a lot. You’re looking a lot happier these days.”

Priscilla turned back, one last glance with a sweet smile over her shoulder at the two of us before she headed back towards where the rest of the party was waiting—looking all smug, the little jerk. I had a good feeling she’d put together more than she let on about Lindsay, and she was just giving her the time and space to say it herself one day, and let it be known that I, Paisley Macleod, would never be possessive enough to get jealous that somebody else knew my girlfriend Lindsay’s secrets even just a little bit.

Annabel raised her hand over the crowd gathered in the living room. “Look, Linds, we love you and we’re proud of you, but we do not love you enough to stand here next to a cake all day while you hang out in the doorway…”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Lindsay sighed, walking inside, slipping her hand into mine so naturally, so much without a shadow of thought going into it, that all the jealous feelings I may or may not have had were instantly gone.

I was just proud I got to show her off. Not like anyone could blame me for it, since I had the hottest girlfriend in all Bayview.

Priscilla was right about one thing—we all forgot quickly enough what the party was supposed to be about, and we shared food and laughed together, with Lindsay abjectly avoiding the subject every time her book came up. Annabel was about the only one who didn’t try to grill her about it—she’d been the only one who had never slipped up on Lindsay’s name and had never even seemed to dream of prying for more, forever too busy with girls to think about gossip. We sliced a cake that was admittedly not my best work but I waslearning,and we collapsed along the couch, over the chairs, and a couple of us on the floor for lack of space, and I made Emberlynn go red by blaring a full playlist of her songs, and we gushed and chattered about everything and about nothing—and most importantly, about what the juicy gossip going down with Jenna and Samopening their relationship and the burning question ofwhowas the temptation who got them to do it—and one way or another, night fell, and of course it was boring-ass Gwen who was the first to leave.

“I’ve got some design documents to draft,” she said airily as she packed up her things. I tossed a pillow at her, and she didn’t even try to dodge or deflect it, just looked at me while it bounced off her.

“You didn’t even compliment my girlfriendonceon her great book.”

“For all we know, it might be a terrible book,” Gwen said.

“It absolutely is,” Lindsay said, looking away.

“You’re officially uninvited from all future events, Gwen, you jerkface,” I said, folding my arms.

“Delighted. If only you’ll stick to that this time instead of forgetting the next time you have an event.”

Kay latched onto her arm, smiling at me. “When she says design documents, I actually just asked her help with recording a video…”

“I’m going now,” Gwen said entirely too quickly, heading for the door. I snorted, looking at where Aria raised a hand off of Emberlynn’s back to wave goodbye.

“Don’tyouhave design documents to do?” I deadpanned. “Have to go scheme for your next billion-dollar enterprise.”

Aria smiled warmly. “Billion-dollar enterprises are overrated. The current project is getting off the ground enough I have more free time, and I plan to spend tomorrow morning hiking with your best friend like the terrible sister I am.”